Environmental

  • November 04, 2025

    Clippers Owner, BakerHostetler Named In Fintech Fraud Suit

    Nearly a dozen investors have filed an amended lawsuit in California state court alleging Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and others, including BakerHostetler, helped financial technology company Aspiration Partners Inc. defraud them by propagating a false narrative that the business was financially solvent.

  • November 04, 2025

    Industry, Enviros Oppose EPA Plan To Ditch GHG Reporting

    Industry and environmental groups alike are pushing back against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to repeal a program that requires power plants, fossil fuel and natural gas suppliers, and other facilities to report their greenhouse gas emissions.

  • November 04, 2025

    Judge Voids DOT Directive Tying State Grants To Immigration

    The U.S. Department of Transportation cannot condition billions in grants on states cooperating with President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, a Rhode Island federal judge ruled Tuesday, saying the administration "blatantly overstepped" its authority by imposing sweeping and unlawful conditions on federally appropriated funds.  

  • November 04, 2025

    DC Circ. Backs DOE's Tougher Furnace Efficiency Rules

    The D.C. Circuit on Tuesday upheld the U.S. Department of Energy's tighter energy efficiency standards for furnaces and water heaters, rejecting arguments from gas utility and industry groups that the rules unlawfully force an expensive switch to new appliances.

  • November 04, 2025

    Ohio School Says Liberty Mishandled Roof Collapse Claim

    A Liberty Mutual unit must cover losses stemming from a roof collapse at a high school after a heavy snowfall, an Ohio school district told a federal court, saying the insurer's handling of the claim prolonged the building's exposure to the elements and worsened the damage.

  • November 04, 2025

    Wilson Elser Picks Up 6-Atty Team In LA From Booth

    Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP announced Tuesday that it has hired a six-attorney team from the now-shuttered Booth LLP in Los Angeles, including that firm's former managing partner.

  • November 04, 2025

    Kirkland, Davis Polk Steer Aircraft Maker Beta's $1B IPO

    Electronic aircraft and propulsion system manufacturer Beta Technologies made its public debut on Tuesday after raising $1 billion in its upsized initial public offering, with Kirkland & Ellis LLP advising the company and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP advising the underwriters.

  • November 03, 2025

    W.Va., Chamber Say NY Climate Superfund Law Is Preempted

    States and business groups on Friday told a New York federal judge that the state Climate Change Superfund Act is preempted by the Constitution and the Clean Air Act and should be struck down.

  • November 03, 2025

    2nd Circ. Urged To Revive Norfolk Southern Fraud Suit

    The Second Circuit was told Friday that a proposed securities fraud class action against Norfolk Southern Corp. investors should be revived, as the rail giant misled investors by falsely extolling safety commitments while the company winnowed its workforce and cut costs.

  • November 03, 2025

    Meat Giant JBS Inks $1.1M NY AG Deal Over Climate Claims

    New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Monday that JBS USA Food Co. and an affiliated holding company will pay $1.1 million to support climate-focused agriculture programs in the state as part of a settlement over allegations they misled the public about efforts to reduce their carbon footprint.

  • November 03, 2025

    DC Circ. Fight Grows Over Energy Dept.'s Coal Plant Order

    The U.S. Department of Energy is facing an expanded challenge over its move to keep a Michigan coal-fired power plant open, as Illinois and Minnesota have asked the D.C. Circuit to overturn the agency's extension of its emergency order through Nov. 19.

  • November 03, 2025

    Calif. Can't Enforce 'Clean Trucks' Pact, Judge Says

    California cannot enforce a 2023 agreement that would have subjected heavy-duty truck manufacturers to stringent state emissions standards and stiff penalties for noncompliance, after a federal judge signaled that federal law likely preempts the Golden State's standards.

  • November 03, 2025

    Tribe, Coalition Fight 9th Circ. Bid To Nix Ariz. Land Exchange

    An Apache tribe and conservation groups are fighting a Ninth Circuit bid to dismiss their efforts to block a 2,500-acre land exchange within Tonto National Forest, saying the federal government and mining company's arguments inaccurately center on a sentence in the 2014 Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act.

  • November 03, 2025

    5th Circ. Asks If New Review Needed For Texas Gas Facility

    A Fifth Circuit panel pressed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to explain whether it can greenlight an extension for construction of a liquefied natural gas facility without again reviewing facility emissions, asking Monday what to do with language in the law seemingly calling for another review.

  • November 03, 2025

    2 Firms Guide Eaton's $9.5B Data Center Cooling Push

    Power management company Eaton Corp., based in Ireland with major U.S. operations, announced Monday it will buy the Boyd Thermal business from Boyd Corp. for $9.5 billion, deepening its push into data center infrastructure amid rising demand for power and efficiency.

  • November 03, 2025

    Kirkland, Gibson Dunn Lead $12.8B SM Energy, Civitas Merger

    Independent energy company SM Energy, advised by Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, and fellow energy company Civitas Resources, led by Kirkland & Ellis LLP, on Monday announced plans to merge in an all-stock deal that gives the combined company an enterprise value of $12.8 billion.

  • October 31, 2025

    Ga. Panel Says McClain Standard Applies In Sterigenics Case

    The Georgia Court of Appeals on Friday vacated a trial court's decision in eight toxic tort bellwether suits claiming harmful emissions from a Sterigenics sterilization plant caused cancer and birth defects, saying the trial court used the wrong legal standard regarding expert testimony in toxic tort cases.

  • October 31, 2025

    Ex-Tech Co. VP Claims She Was Fired For Not Joining Church

    A female former executive at a clean energy technology company has claimed in Pennsylvania federal court that she was terminated from her job after refusing her boss' alleged attempts to convert her to the Church of Latter Day Saints, and that she was told that women are "better suited staying home."

  • October 31, 2025

    5th Circ. Rejects Late Claims Over Arkema Plant Explosions

    The Fifth Circuit on Friday tossed claims that accused chemical manufacturer Arkema Inc. of being liable for property damage caused by one of its industrial plants exploding after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas in 2017, ruling that the lower court rightfully determined that the claims are time-barred.

  • October 31, 2025

    Toxic-Water Litigants Slam Expert As 'Rented White Coat'

    An expert witness for the federal government in litigation over contaminated water at the Camp Lejeune military base is merely a "rented white coat" proffering junk science and serving big-industry interests, claimants told a North Carolina federal court this week in a bid to exclude her from the case.

  • October 31, 2025

    Gov't Owes $330K In Fees For NSF Funding Fight, Court Told

    A higher education association seeks more than $330,000 in attorney fees and costs from the government after winning a ruling blocking the Trump administration from cutting certain National Science Foundation funding, according to a memorandum filed in Massachusetts federal court.

  • October 31, 2025

    Enviro Groups Sue FWS Over Butterfly Conservation Failures

    A group of environmental advocacy organizations has filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its director, alleging the agency didn't do enough to conserve an endangered butterfly species and left them vulnerable to extinction.

  • October 31, 2025

    Bayer Investors Get Final OK For $38M Settlement, Atty Fees

    A California federal judge has finalized a $38 million settlement between Germany-based Bayer AG and a class of investors who claim the company deceived them about the litigation risks of acquiring Roundup producer Monsanto, with the lead plaintiffs' attorney saying the deal reaffirmed investors' ability to hold foreign companies responsible for violating U.S. securities laws.

  • October 31, 2025

    Pair Of SPAC Listings Raise $375M In IPOs

    Two special purpose acquisition companies have begun trading publicly after raising a combined $375 million through their initial public offerings this week, with Viking Acquisition I bringing in $200 million and Dynamix Corp. III drawing $175 million.

  • October 31, 2025

    Pa. AG Charges Fracking Co. With Multiple Enviro Crimes

    The gas development and gathering arm of New York utility National Fuel Gas Co. has been hit with criminal charges, accused of violating Pennsylvania environmental laws, state Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Friday.

Expert Analysis

  • Resilience Planning Is New Key To Corporate Sustainability

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    While the current wave of deregulation may reduce government enforcement related to climate issues, businesses still need to evaluate how climate volatility may affect their operations and create new legal risks — making the apolitical concept of resilience increasingly important for companies, says J. Michael Showalter at ArentFox Schiff.

  • Cos. Face EU, US Regulatory Tension On Many Fronts

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    When the European Union sets stringent standards, companies seeking to operate in the international marketplace must conform to them, or else concede opportunities — but with the current U.S. administration pushing hard to roll back regulations, global companies face an increasing tension over which standards to follow, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

  • How EU Is Tweaking Enviro Laws After US Trade Deal

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    While a recent joint statement from the European Union and the U.S. in the wake of their trade deal does not mention special treatment for U.S. companies, the EU's ongoing commitment to streamline its sustainability legislation suggests an openness to addressing concerns raised by the U.S., say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Series

    Being A Professional Wrestler Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Pursuing my childhood dream of being a professional wrestler has taught me important legal career lessons about communication, adaptability, oral advocacy and professionalism, says Christopher Freiberg at Midwest Disability.

  • Restored Charging Project Funds Revive Hope For EV Market

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    While 2025 began with a host of government actions that prompted some to predict the demise of the U.S. electric vehicle market, the Trump administration's recent restoration of federal funding for EV charging infrastructure under new terms presents market participants with reason for optimism, says Levi McAllister at Morgan Lewis.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Adapting To The Age Of AI

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    Though law school may not have specifically taught us how to use generative artificial intelligence to help with our daily legal tasks, it did provide us the mental building blocks necessary for adapting to this new technology — and the judgment to discern what shouldn’t be automated, says Pamela Dorian at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Ch. 11 Ruling Voiding $2M Litigation Funding Sends A Warning

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    A recent Texas bankruptcy court decision that a postconfirmation litigation trust has no obligations to repay a completely drawn down $2 million litigation funding agreement serves as a warning for estate administrators and funders to properly disclose the intended financing, say attorneys at Kleinberg Kaplan.

  • Demystifying The Civil Procedure Rules Amendment Process

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    Every year, an advisory committee receives dozens of proposals to amend the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, most of which are never adopted — but a few pointers can help maximize the likelihood that an amendment will be adopted, says Josh Gardner at DLA Piper.

  • Parenting Skills That Can Help Lawyers Thrive Professionally

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    As kids head back to school, the time is ripe for lawyers who are parents to consider how they can incorporate their parenting skills to build a deep, meaningful and sustainable legal practice, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Series

    Teaching Trial Advocacy Makes Us Better Lawyers

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    Teaching trial advocacy skills to other lawyers makes us better litigators because it makes us question our default methods, connect to young attorneys with new perspectives and focus on the needs of the real people at the heart of every trial, say Reuben Guttman, Veronica Finkelstein and Joleen Youngers.

  • Navigating Brazil's Regulations, Incentives For Green Projects

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    Brazil's evolving environmental regulatory framework and ongoing moves to attract international capital for climate-focused projects may appeal to U.S.-based companies and investors interested in sustainable development — but taking advantage of these opportunities requires careful planning and meaningful stakeholder engagement, says Milena Angulo at Guimarães.

  • Federal AI Action Plan Marks A Shift For Health And Bio Fields

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    The Trump administration's recent artificial intelligence action plan significantly expands federal commitments across biomedical agencies, defining a pivotal moment for attorneys and others involved in research collaborations, managing regulatory compliance and AI-related intellectual property, says Mehrin Masud-Elias at Arnold & Porter.

  • Data Center Construction Trends, Challenges In Ill. And Texas

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    Data centers in Illinois and Texas are reshaping the industrial landscape, but this growth brings legal complexity, so developers, contractors and corporate legal departments must have a deep understanding of each state's legal terrain and take a proactive approach to risk management, say attorneys at Hicks Johnson.

  • 5 Key Steps To Prepare For Oral Arguments

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    Whether presenting oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court or a local county judge, effective preparation includes the same essential ingredients, from organizing arguments in blocks to maximizing the potential of mock exercises, says Allison Rocker at Baker McKenzie.

  • Definitions Of 'Waters Of The United States' Ebb And Flow

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    The issue of defining whether "waters of the United States" include streams and channels that sometimes have water and sometimes do not has been fraught since the U.S. Supreme Court's 2006 Rapanos decision, but a possible new rule may help property owners stay out of court, says Neal McAliley at Carlton Fields.

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