Environmental

  • August 13, 2026

    Del. Water Supplier Sues 9 Cos. Over PFAS

    A Delaware water supplier hit nine companies with a suit in state court alleging that they released forever chemicals into the watersheds that supply water to tens of thousands of residents, seeking to recoup at least $34.6 million for the cost of ensuring safe drinking water.

  • August 13, 2026

    Calif. Judge OKs $57M Deal On Former Navy Site's Cleanup

    A California federal judge has approved a $57 million settlement between the U.S. government and Tetra Tech EC Inc., resolving claims that the company billed the Navy for radiation cleanup work at the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard that it never performed.

  • August 13, 2026

    5th Circ. Nixes Fed Approval For Offshore Oil Export Port

    A Fifth Circuit panel overturned a license approval for a deepwater port off Texas, ruling that the Trump administration failed to properly consider how a pipeline serving the offshore crude oil export facility would intersect a pipeline for another approved port.

  • August 13, 2026

    Split 11th Circ. Backs IRS $1M Value For Contested Easement

    A split Eleventh Circuit panel affirmed a decision to slash three Georgia landowners' conservation easement value from $18 million to $1 million Thursday, saying the U.S. Tax Court didn't need to determine the property's best use because the parties already agreed on that use.

  • August 13, 2026

    DHS Defends Building New ICE Facility In Silicon Valley

    The federal government fired back in California federal court Wednesday against a bid by California and Santa Clara County to block a planned ICE office and temporary holding facility in Silicon Valley, arguing that the project's alleged environmental, health and safety impacts are speculative and unsupported.

  • August 13, 2026

    Arizona, Tribes Sign Deal To Offset Coal Economy Losses

    Arizona, the Hopi Tribe and the Navajo Nation have signed an agreement that aims to boost economic growth for tribal communities that lost thousands of jobs and millions in revenue after major coal mining companies stopped or scaled back operations in the Four Corners region.

  • August 13, 2026

    Groups Say Shuttered Fla. Detention Center Threatens Wildlife

    Environmental groups have accused wildlife officials of polluting protected land through an immigrant detention center in the Everglades, alleging in an updated complaint filed in Florida federal court that the now-shuttered site continues to threaten endangered species in the area.

  • August 13, 2026

    Fla. Law Firm Cost Bank's $134M BP Oil Spill Claim, Suit Says

    An Ohio bank holding company has sued a Florida law firm in Ohio federal court for more than $134 million in damages, alleging the firm missed key filing deadlines while representing the bank in litigation tied to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, costing the bank its chance to recover millions in losses.

  • August 13, 2026

    Wyo. Archaeologists Challenge Reach Of Native Graves Rule

    The Wyoming Association of Professional Archaeologists is asking a district court to block the transfer of six Indigenous collections to the federal government, arguing that an update to a law designed to protect Native American burial sites goes beyond what Congress intended.

  • August 13, 2026

    NC Biz Court Bulletin: Judges Retire, HCA Suit Heads To Trial

    The North Carolina Business Court dropped a host of heavy-hitting opinions in July ahead of two judicial retirements and a new chief judge rising in the ranks.

  • August 12, 2026

    11th Circ. Backs EPA, Fertilizer Co. In 'Radioactive' Road Case

    The Eleventh Circuit on Wednesday rejected an environmental group's challenge to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's decision allowing the construction of a private road with a radioactive byproduct from fertilizer production, finding EPA regulations don't categorically bar such use.

  • August 12, 2026

    UMich Law Professor's Pro Bono Work Not FOIA Fodder

    The University of Michigan doesn't have to turn over the emails a law professor sent as part of her environmental pro bono work in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, after Michigan state court ruled that the emails don't count as public records under the law.

  • August 12, 2026

    Wash. County Wants Out Of Burial Site Development Suit

    Whatcom County, Washington, has asked a federal court to dismiss the sole claim against it in a lawsuit from the Lummi Nation over broadband construction that allegedly disturbed ancestral remains, arguing that the county cannot be held liable for how it reviewed permits for the projects.

  • August 12, 2026

    1st Circ. Urged Not To Revive Puerto Rico Climate RICO Suit

    Fossil fuel companies have urged the First Circuit to uphold the dismissal of a racketeering and antitrust lawsuit from several Puerto Rico municipalities claiming the companies misrepresented the climate dangers of fossil fuel products in causing a pair of hurricanes.

  • August 12, 2026

    Insurer Says Property Owner's Hail Claim Lacks Proof

    An insurer says a property owner's request that a Tennessee federal court declare that its building was damaged in a "significant weather event" improperly asks the court to rule on competing expert opinions on the storm's severity, rather than any legal claims in the $10 million coverage dispute.

  • August 12, 2026

    Ill. Panel Keeps Toxic Tort Jurisdiction Law Intact

    An Illinois appellate panel on Tuesday refused to revive a Republican-led challenge to a sweeping state law expanding the state's jurisdictional reach in toxic tort cases, saying it was barred from reviewing the Legislature's compliance with its own internal procedures but renewing concerns about being required to "turn a blind eye" to lawmakers' potential constitutional violations.

  • August 12, 2026

    Clean Harbors Snags EnviroServe In $470M Cash Deal

    Environmental and industrial services provider Clean Harbors Inc., led by Davis Malm & D'Agostine PC, on Wednesday unveiled plans to acquire Latham & Watkins LLP-advised environmental and waste management services company EnviroServe from an affiliate of One Rock Capital Partners in a $470 million cash deal.

  • August 12, 2026

    Army Corps OKs Enbridge Tunnel Amid Line 5 Permit Fight

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit Wednesday allowing Enbridge Energy LP to tunnel beneath four miles of the Straits of Mackinac for its Line 5 oil pipeline, and environmental and tribal groups fighting the project say a recent Michigan Supreme Court decision bars the construction.

  • August 11, 2026

    5th Circ. Douses Biden-Era Gas Stove Efficiency Regs

    A Fifth Circuit panel castigated the U.S. Department of Energy for pushing through energy standards for stoves and cooktops while failing to follow proper rulemaking procedures, saying the rule was part of the Biden administration's attempts to "make home appliances more expensive and less useful."

  • August 11, 2026

    Crabbers Say Seafood Co. Is Part Of Dungeness Price 'Cartel'

    A proposed class of crabbers urged a California federal judge to reject an Oregon seafood company's bid to escape their lawsuit alleging a conspiracy to cap prices paid to fishermen for Dungeness crab in the Pacific Northwest.

  • August 11, 2026

    Spain Loses Bid For Stay In $156M Award Suit

    A D.C. federal judge Monday denied Spain's bid to pause efforts by a pair of European renewable energy investors to enforce a years-old confirmed $156.6 million arbitral award, instead giving the investors the green light to target Spain's assets in other U.S. jurisdictions.

  • August 11, 2026

    Renewed Gold Mining In Mojave National Preserve Halted

    A federal district court judge has halted gold mining within the Mojave National Preserve, saying the National Park Service violated a law designed to protect sensitive ecosystem by authorizing an Australian company to resume operations in the preserve based on an outdated plan without requiring compliance with current environmental regulations.

  • August 11, 2026

    Feds Say Snapper Suit Moot After Permits Were Nixed

    A lawsuit challenging expanded recreational red snapper fishing permits the National Marine Fisheries Service issued to four states is "dead in the water" now that the permits have been canceled, the U.S. Department of Commerce told a D.C. federal judge.

  • August 11, 2026

    Ohio Justices Advance Possible Ashville Data Center Vote

    An emergency resolution the village of Ashville passed to support a data center project failed to spell out any actual emergency justification for the measure, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled, clearing a path for a possible voter referendum.

  • August 10, 2026

    Mass. Data Center's Expansion Paused For Now

    A Massachusetts state judge temporarily blocked a data center's expansion plans in Lowell on Monday, finding opponents of the project may be poised to succeed on the basis that they weren't given a full opportunity to be heard.

Expert Analysis

  • Parsing Rule 12(c) Motion Overuse In Securities Class Actions

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    Defendants in securities class actions have more frequently been filing motions for judgment on the pleadings following the denial of motions to dismiss, but courts have recently demonstrated an increasing willingness to reject these previously rare motions, finding them transparent attempts to relitigate already-decided issues, say attorneys at Labaton Keller.

  • New DOD Framework Offers Key Guidance On PFAS Disposal

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    The U.S. Department of Defense's recently updated guidance on disposal of materials containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ends its moratorium on incineration of PFAS-containing waste, but contractors must be ready to demonstrate stringent compliance with the department's new permitting system, operational controls and data practices, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Series

    Ultramarathons Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    Completing a 100-mile ultramarathon was tougher, more humbling and more rewarding than I ever imagined, and the experience highlighted how long-distance running has sharpened my ability to adapt to the evolving nature of antitrust law and strengthened my resolve to handle demanding, unforeseen challenges, says Dan Oakes at Axinn.

  • Key Takeaways From The 2026 ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting

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    Last week's American Bar Association Spring Meeting revealed an antitrust landscape defined by heightened friction and tension — between federal and state enforcers, domestic and international regimes, competing political visions, and traditional enforcement tools and novel challenges, say attorneys at Skadden.

  • In First For DOJ, Action Signals New CFIUS Enforcement Era

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    The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking judicial enforcement of a divestment order, an unprecedented action for the agency that ushers in a new phase for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, one in which judicial proceedings complement administrative oversight and presidential divestment orders may be enforced through litigation, says attorney Sohan Dasgupta.

  • 9th Circ. Ruling Clarifies Doc Protection Limits In Gov't Probes

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    The Ninth Circuit's recent decision in Kalbers v. U.S. Department of Justice confirms that Rule 6(e) provides robust protections when documents are in the government's possession only through a grand jury subpoena, emphasizing for companies the importance of careful labeling from the outset of an investigation, say attorneys at Cooley.

  • Getting The Most Out Of Learning And Development Programs

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Junior associates can better develop the legal, business and interpersonal skills they need for long-term success by approaching their firms’ learning and development programs armed with five tips for getting the most out of these resources, says Lauren Hakala at Reed Smith.

  • How Cos. Can Prepare For California's Textile Recovery Act

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    Staged implementation of California's Responsible Textile Recovery Act, establishing the state's first extended producer responsibility program for apparel and textile articles, has begun — and companies that review their data readiness, contracts and exposure risks now will be best prepared when the act comes into full effect, says Thierry Montoya at FBT Gibbons.

  • Opinion

    AI Presents A Make-Or-Break Moment For Outside Counsel

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    The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence by corporate legal departments is forcing a long-overdue reset of the relationship between inside and outside counsel, and introducing a significant opportunity to shed frustrating inefficiencies and strengthen collaboration for firms willing to embrace the shift, says Intel Chief Legal Officer April Miller Boise.

  • State Carbon Cost Disparities Are Pivotal In Data Center Siting

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    When choosing U.S. data center locations, developers must carefully consider the patchwork of state and regional carbon emission pricing regimes that are layered on top of the federal permitting framework, creating compliance cost differentials that could add up to billions of dollars, say attorneys at Davis Graham.

  • Series

    Watching Hallmark Movies Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    I realize you may be judging me for watching, and actually enjoying, Hallmark Channel movies, but the escapism and storylines actually demonstrate qualities and actions that lead to an efficient, productive and positive legal practice, says Karen Ross at Tucker Ellis.

  • Reel Justice: 'Mercy' And Private Surveillance As Evidence

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    The near-future depicted in the film “Mercy” reminds attorneys that private surveillance networks are becoming central to the evidentiary ecosystem, shaping what prosecutors can obtain, what defendants must explain and what jurors may interpret as objective truth, says Veronica Finkelstein at Wilmington University.

  • Keys To Federal Carbon Compliance In Data Center Siting

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    Recent statements from the White House and state governors about making data centers pay for their own power infrastructure have underlined the importance of choosing locations, generation technologies and deal structures to optimize carbon, permitting and compliance costs, say attorneys at Davis Graham.

  • Nippon Case Illustrates Challenges Of Proving Antitrust Injury

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    A recent California federal court decision dismissing challenges to Nippon Steel's purchase of U.S. Steel underscores the longtime antitrust precedent that while the limitations of injury are critical for defendants sued under U.S. antitrust laws, showing that the harm is real is the key, says Cameron Regnery at Freeman Mathis.

  • What To Watch At The 2026 ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting

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    Attorneys at Freshfields consider the future of antitrust law and competition among developments likely to dominate discussion at the American Bar Association's Antitrust Spring Meeting this week.

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