Compliance

January 06, 2026
Feds Sue Calif. Cities To Extinguish Natural Gas Bans

The Trump administration is going after two cities in California over building codes that ban natural gas infrastructure in newly constructed buildings, alleging in a lawsuit Monday that these local rules "impose crushing costs" on Californians and run afoul of federal law.
January 06, 2026
Judge Hints Conn. Dentist's Press Release Claims Lack Teeth

A Connecticut appellate judge seemed to doubt Tuesday that a dentist had asserted clear constitutional claims against state officials who issued a press release about his $300,000 False Claims Act settlement, suggesting the case might actually sound in defamation.
January 06, 2026
Law Clerk Conflict Talk Can't Get Javice Retrial, Feds Say

Charlie Javice, the founder of defunct student loan startup Frank, should not get a new trial over charges that she defrauded JPMorgan, which acquired her company, simply because two clerks who worked on the trial had accepted offers from a law firm involved in the litigation, federal prosecutors have argued.
January 06, 2026
US Removal Of Maduro Won't Curb Energy Cos.' Caution

U.S. oil and gas companies will need significant legal and regulatory assurances that any new investment in Venezuela will be shielded from political instability before heeding President Donald Trump's call to fortify the country's floundering oil and gas industry.
January 06, 2026
'Get Over' Yourself, Ho Says To Judges' Independence Worry

U.S. Circuit Judge James C. Ho snapped back at colleagues on the bench who have raised the alarm over threats to judicial independence, writing in an article that those complaining judges "need to get over themselves" and stop bowing to the "cultural elites" who oppose the Trump administration.
January 06, 2026
FTC Signals Support Of Miss. Bill For Midwives' Solo Practice

A Federal Trade Commission official on Monday encouraged a Mississippi lawmaker to keep in mind the possible motives of opponents of proposed legislation that would exempt midwives from having to contract with physicians to provide advanced-level nursing care.
January 06, 2026
FDA To Ease Regulation Of Wearables, Decision Software

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary touted new federal guidance on Tuesday that he said would promote innovation by making it easier to bring certain kinds of wearable devices and clinical-decision software to market without a strict regulatory review.
January 06, 2026
Wilcox Asks DC Circ. To Protect NLRB's Independence

The D.C. Circuit should reverse a decision by two of its judges that would end the National Labor Relations Board's independence if allowed to stand, former board member Gwynne Wilcox argued, seeking to nix a ruling that lets President Donald Trump remove and replace NLRB members at will.
January 06, 2026
GAO IDs 4 Funding Programs As Lacking Fraud Controls

The U.S. Government Accountability Office has identified four federal agency funding programs as having failed to incorporate certain key requirements and leading practices meant to oversee and prevent fraud, waste and abuse in awards.
January 06, 2026
Ex-CFTC Chair, Robinhood's Top Atty Join FINRA Board

Former U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chair Rostin Behnam and the chief legal officer for popular trading app Robinhood Markets are among those whose appointment to the board of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority was announced on Tuesday.
January 06, 2026
BofA Faces Customer Suit Over Post-Jan. 6 'Surveillance'

Bank of America was hit with a putative class action accusing it of financial privacy violations tied to the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack, alleging the bank aggressively mined and illegally shared customer data with authorities looking for leads.
January 06, 2026
Cider-Maker Challenges Federal Ban On Vintage Labeling

A Washington state maker of alcoholic beverages is challenging a federal government restriction that prevents producers of cider, mead and wines made from any fruit besides grapes from including vintage years on their product labels, arguing that the policy withholds information from consumers and violates the First Amendment.
January 06, 2026
Coupang Brass Face Suit Over Alleged Cybersecurity Failures

The top brass of e-commerce company Coupang Inc. have been sued in California federal court by a shareholder who claims the company's executives and directors failed to maintain adequate cybersecurity protocols, leading to a data breach that exposed the personal information of millions of customers.
January 06, 2026
NC Sheriff Faces Ouster Bid Over Alleged Threats To Lawmaker

A district attorney in North Carolina has asked the State Bureau of Investigation to look into allegations of bribery and extortion against an elected county sheriff accused of trying to influence a state lawmaker's vote on an immigration bill.
January 06, 2026
RFK Jr. Can't Avoid Medical Groups' Challenge To Vax Policy

A Boston federal judge on Tuesday rebuffed U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s bid to dismiss a challenge to vaccine policy changes, saying medical associations have plausibly alleged a federal vaccine committee is not fairly balanced.
January 06, 2026
Public Health Atty Talks Botulism, Infants And FDA Staffing

Three years ago, a bacterial outbreak at a Michigan manufacturing plant sparked a shutdown and a national infant formula shortage. Another episode last year at a formula plant in Iowa should be a red flag for the public and a short-handed FDA, according to Sarah Sorscher of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
January 06, 2026
Drugmakers Fight Multifront Legal Battles Over GLP-1s

In the wake of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, surging public demand and massive profits have inspired a broad range of drugmaker litigation against competitors, alleged counterfeits and telehealth providers.
January 06, 2026
Calif. Tribe Rejects Feds' Delay In 40-Acre Land Transfer Fight

A California tribe is asking a D.C. federal court to deny a bid by the U.S. Department of the Interior for an indefinite stay in responding to a challenge to the agency's decision to approve a 40-acre land transfer for a fellow state tribe's casino project.
January 06, 2026
Calif. Locomotive Emissions Rule Repeal Ends Industry Suit

A California federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a legal challenge from rail industry groups to a since-repealed regulation that would've required railroads to transition to zero-emission locomotives in the Golden State, closing the book on the dispute after the parties agreed to drop the case.
January 06, 2026
Wyo. High Court Strikes Down 2 Laws Restricting Abortion

The Wyoming Supreme Court struck down the state's near-total abortion ban and a first-of-its-kind prohibition on abortion pills on Tuesday, saying the laws violated the state constitution.
January 06, 2026
Coal Exec Ordered To Disclose Evidence For Bribery Trial

A former coal executive charged with bribing Egyptian officials must tell prosecutors what, if any, evidence he intends to use for his upcoming Foreign Corrupt Practices Act trial, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.
January 06, 2026
Top Groups Lobbying The FCC

Groups lobbying the Federal Communications Commission stayed busy in December as the agency closed out a year of rapid change, with advocates focused on satellite spectrum sharing, amateur radio rules, network recovery on the U.S. Virgin Islands, and more.
January 06, 2026
4th Circ. Asked To Revive Experian Credit Investigation Suit

Experian Information Solutions Inc. violated its statutory duty by failing to reinvestigate and later approving a clearly erroneous credit report that resulted in a refused mortgage application, the report's subject told the Fourth Circuit in an attempt to revive his class action lawsuit.
January 06, 2026
9th Circ. Says Christian Ministry Can Reject Gay Applicants

The Ninth Circuit ruled Tuesday that a Christian ministry is constitutionally clear to refuse employment to people based on their sexual orientation, explaining that the First Amendment allows religious ministries to prefer candidates who share their beliefs about marriage and sexuality.
January 06, 2026
Google Wants One Complaint From Ad Tech Rivals, Not Six

Google has asked a New York federal judge to tee up a bid to forcibly consolidate half a dozen antitrust lawsuits from rivals accusing Google of hobbling their advertising placement technology businesses, arguing one combined complaint would be more efficient for the lawsuits bearing "substantial similarities."

Expert Analysis

The CFTC's Road Ahead Under Newly Confirmed Chair

Michael Selig's Dec. 18 confirmation as U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission chair comes at a critical juncture, as the agency is poised to gain oversight over the crypto industry and increase its jurisdictional mandate covering prediction markets, says Elizabeth Lan Davis at Davis Wright.
How Fractional GCs Can Manage Risks Of Engagement

As more organizations eliminate their in-house legal departments in favor of outsourcing legal work, fractional general counsel roles offer practitioners an engaging and flexible way to practice at a high level, but they can also present legal, ethical and operational risks that must be proactively managed, say attorneys at Boies Schiller.
5 Lender Strategies When A Commercial Borrower Defaults

With an estimated $2 trillion in commercial real estate loans set to mature by 2027, now is an opportune time for lenders to review practices on both the front and back ends, and understand the full range of options available in the event of a default, says Keith Mundrick at Amundsen Davis.
SEC Rulemaking Radar: A Reset, A Shift And A Preview Of '26

With major proposals withdrawn and new priorities emerging, forthcoming U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission proposals in 2026 will look to reshape how digital assets are regulated, recalibrate market structure and simplify how small companies go public, says Christopher Grobbel at Goodwin.
Changes In Crypto, Cybersecurity Defined NY Banking In 2025

The major takeaways from 2025 in New York banking policy involve updated guidance, regulations and requirements primarily affecting innovation and digital banking, in areas such as cybersecurity, virtual currencies, and buy now, pay later programs, say attorneys at Steptoe.
How OECD Tax Update Tackles Mobile Workforce Complexity

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s recently updated model tax convention — a recalibration of international tax principles in response to an increasingly mobile workforce — should prompt companies to reevaluate cross-border operations, transfer pricing policies and tax controversy strategies, say attorneys at Eversheds.
Reviewing 2025's Most Pertinent Wiretap Developments

2025 was a remarkable year in the world of web tracking wiretapping litigation, not only for the increased caseload but also because of numerous developing theories of liability, with disputes expected to continue unabated in 2026, say attorneys at Squire Patton.
M&A Midmarket Shows Resilience Amid 2025 Challenges

Midmarket mergers and acquisitions showed a slight decline in volume but climbed in value for much of 2025, particularly in the private equity space, indicating that the middle market M&A environment is cautious but steady heading into 2026, say attorneys at Stoel Rives.
Series

Nature Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Nature photography reminds me to focus on what is in front of me and to slow down to achieve success, and, in embracing the value of viewing situations through different lenses, offers skills transferable to the practice of law, says Brian Willett at Saul Ewing.
2025 Brought A New Paradigm For Federal Banking Regulation

A series of thematic shifts defined banking regulation in 2025, including a fundamental reform of prudential supervision, a strategic easing of capital constraints, steps to streamline merger reviews, and a new framework for fair access and entrants seeking to offer banking services, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.
What 2025 Transpo And Logistics Legal Trends Mean For 2026

2025 was challenging for the transportation and logistics sector, with emergent trends including dramatic federal policy shifts, developments in tort risk, and a host of mergers and acquisitions — but a review of these themes offers a useful playbook for where the industry is headed in 2026, says Jonathan Todd at Benesch.
How Cos. Can Roll With NY's New Algorithmic Pricing Rules

Despite uncertainty from New York’s new ban on artificial intelligence and computer algorithms for setting rents, and efforts to further restrict individualizing prices based on consumers' personal data, property managers, software providers and merchants can take several steps to stay compliant, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.
Series

Law School's Missed Lessons: Practical Problem Solving

Issue-spotting skills are well honed in law school, but practicing attorneys must also identify clients’ problems and true goals, and then be able to provide solutions, says Mary Kate Hogan at Quarles & Brady.
Crypto In 2025: From Federal Deregulation To State Action

The cryptocurrency enforcement landscape evolved in 2025, marked by federal deregulatory trends and active state attorney general enforcement, creating both opportunity and risk for businesses navigating the digital asset market, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.
How CFTC Enforcement Shifted In 2025 And What's Next

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission pivoted sharply under acting Chairman Caroline Pham in 2025, resulting in a pared-back enforcement docket, sweeping policy changes intended to provide greater transparency, and a renewed focus on fraud prevention and maintaining market integrity for the CFTC's core markets, say attorneys at Moore & Van Allen.