Environmental

  • June 11, 2025

    Denver Appeals Decision Limiting Dam's Expansion

    The City and County of Denver has asked the Tenth Circuit to review a lower court decision that barred its municipal water utility from fully completing a hydroelectric dam expansion project.

  • June 11, 2025

    3rd Circ. Sends Dow Pollution Suit Back To NJ State Court

    The Third Circuit on Wednesday said New Jersey's lawsuit accusing Dow Chemical Co. of causing widespread groundwater pollution through a product containing a potentially cancer-causing compound should be heard in state court, rejecting the chemical company's argument that it was acting under the direction of the federal government.

  • June 11, 2025

    Trade Groups Revive Suit Over Colo., Denver Efficiency Rules

    A collection of trade groups renewed their arguments in Colorado federal court against rules set by the state and city of Denver establishing energy efficiency standards for buildings and limiting the use of natural gas appliances after the policies underwent a recent revision.

  • June 10, 2025

    Jury Awards $28M In Latest PacifiCorp Wildfire Trial

    Oregonians, including a photographer and a charter boat operator, were awarded $27.97 million in noneconomic damages in the latest trial against utility PacifiCorp over wildfire damage, much less than the $100 million requested for the 10 plaintiffs.

  • June 10, 2025

    Mazda Driver Says Emissions Claims Distinct From Calif. Case

    A North Carolina federal judge didn't fairly consider how a Mazda driver's claims of excessive emissions in the state were distinct from a California matter that ended in a settlement he didn't opt out of, the driver argued in a motion to revive the case.

  • June 10, 2025

    Electric Truck Co. Lordstown Wants Investors' Suit Tossed

    Electric truck startup Lordstown Motors Corp. has asked an Ohio federal judge to dismiss consolidated class claims from investors alleging the company misrepresented its production capacity and demand, saying it made no misleading representations about pre-orders.

  • June 10, 2025

    Judge Denies Calif. Tribe's Bid To Restore Gaming Eligibility

    A D.C. federal judge Tuesday declined to reinstate a California tribe's gaming eligibility for a casino-resort project in the San Francisco Bay Area while the U.S. Department of the Interior reassesses its approval, ruling that the tribe hasn't shown it would be imminently harmed by the eligibility suspension.

  • June 10, 2025

    Tribes' Effort To Overturn Ore. Casino Land Decision Halted

    A D.C. federal court judge hit pause on a bid by three tribes to vacate the U.S. Department of the Interior's final determination and environmental impact statement in a dispute over the agency's decision to take land into trust for Oregon's Coquille Indian Tribe for a proposed casino project.

  • June 10, 2025

    Trump Wind Farm Pause Has Stalled Projects, Judge Hears

    A coalition of blue states and industry advocates told a federal judge on Tuesday that the recent mothballing of a New Jersey offshore wind project exemplifies the damage being inflicted by the Trump administration's unlawful decision to pause wind farm permitting.

  • June 10, 2025

    Plastic Waste Often Illegally Burned, Tax Chiefs Say

    Plastic waste shipped abroad is often illegally incinerated rather than recycled, including that in Turkey and Indonesia, the Dutch and British tax authorities said Tuesday.

  • June 10, 2025

    Mo. Verdict Winner Urges Justices To Deny Roundup Appeal

    A Missouri man awarded $1.2 million for a failure-to-warn claim alleging Roundup weed killer caused his cancer urged the U.S. Supreme Court to deny Monsanto's petition for review, saying the company is only trying to avoid liability.

  • June 10, 2025

    GrafTech Brass Face Derivative Suit Over Enviro Disclosures

    A GrafTech International shareholder has sued the electrode-maker's top brass in Ohio federal court over their alleged long-running cover-up of the company's environmental contamination in Monterrey, Mexico.

  • June 09, 2025

    Texas, BlackRock Face Judge's Questions Over Coal Suit

    A Texas federal judge on Monday questioned BlackRock Inc. and a Republican-led coalition over claims that the asset manager conspired with others in the industry to drive down coal production through its investment in publicly traded energy companies, wondering whether pressure placed on the companies to provide more detailed climate disclosures was enough to move the lawsuit forward.

  • June 09, 2025

    Enviro Groups, Tribes Can Intervene In Coal Leasing Ban Row

    A Wyoming federal judge allowed a coalition of tribes and environmental groups to intervene in a challenge to the Biden administration's 2024 decision ending new coal leasing on public lands in the Powder River Basin, citing the groups' participation in prior suits over leasing at the site.

  • June 09, 2025

    Senate Confirms Gibson Dunn Partner For EPA's No. 2 Post

    The U.S. Senate on Monday confirmed David Fotouhi, a partner at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, to serve in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's No. 2 post.

  • June 09, 2025

    8th Circ. Affirms Travelers Doesn't Owe $1.4M For Wall Failure

    A Missouri property developer can't recover from Travelers $1.4 million for lost rental income and soft costs after a retaining wall failure caused delays at an apartment construction project, the Eighth Circuit ruled Monday.

  • June 09, 2025

    Feds Approve Mont. Coal Mine Expansion Amid Controversy

    The Interior Department has said it will expand by nine years the mining plan for a Montana coal mine at the center of litigation over the mine's environmental impacts, authorizing Signal Peak Energy to recover 57 million tons of coal in a move that aligns with the Trump administration's energy emergency directive.

  • June 09, 2025

    'No Question' DuPont Polluted Delaware River, NJ Court Told

    New Jersey told a federal judge on Monday that it was clear E.I. du Pont de Nemours discharged "forever chemicals" into the Delaware River, wrapping up the majority of a first-of-its-kind series of bench trials over whether the company is liable for contamination at a longstanding manufacturing facility.

  • June 09, 2025

    Tax Court Backs Penalties In $24M Georgia Easement Feud

    An Internal Revenue Service agent properly followed the procedure to secure timely supervisory approval to impose penalties against a partnership for incorrectly claiming a $24 million charitable tax deduction on its Georgia conservation easement donation, the U.S. Tax Court said Monday.

  • June 09, 2025

    Hinshaw Welcomes Insurance Litigator To New Orleans Team

    Hinshaw & Culbertson has added a partner from Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz to its global insurance services practice in New Orleans, where she will represent insurance companies and other entities, the 500-lawyer firm announced Monday.

  • June 09, 2025

    Justices Urged To Keep Pause On 'Breakneck' Gov't Overhaul

    The U.S. Supreme Court should leave in place a California federal judge's order barring implementation of layoffs and reorganizations at various federal departments and agencies, several unions and nonprofits argued Monday, claiming a decision allowing the changes would irreversibly harm the federal government and render Congress and the judiciary powerless.

  • June 09, 2025

    Insurers Must Pay For $7.3M Hail Loss, Property Owner Says

    A dispute among insurers over when a Texas shopping center was damaged in a hailstorm has left the center short of full coverage for a $7.3 million loss, and the owner wants a federal court to ensure that the carriers found responsible will cover what they owe.

  • June 09, 2025

    Feds Argue Koi Nation's Historic Ties Justify Calif. Land Trust

    The Interior Department is looking to dismiss a challenge to its decision to take 70 acres into trust for a proposed tribal hotel and casino project in Sonoma County, California, telling a federal court that the Koi Nation has a significant historical connection to the site.

  • June 09, 2025

    Eco-Friendly Packing Firm Broadway Signs SPAC Merger

    Packaging company Broadway Technology Inc. has announced plans to go public via a merger with special purpose acquisition company Quartzsea Acquisition Corp. in a deal that was built by six law firms and will result in a combined company that trades on the Nasdaq.

  • June 09, 2025

    Iowa Expands Property, Sales Tax Breaks For Data Centers

    Iowa expanded property tax and sales and use tax breaks for data centers to include leased facilities under legislation signed by the governor.

Expert Analysis

  • A Look At Texas Corp. Law Changes Aimed At Dethroning Del.

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    Seeking to displace Delaware as the preferred locale for incorporation, Texas recently significantly amended its business code, including changes like codifying the business judgment rule, restricting books and records demands, and giving greater protections for officers and directors in interested transactions, say attorneys at Fenwick.

  • Justices Hand Agencies Broad Discretion In NEPA Review

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    By limiting the required scope of reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act, the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County could weaken the review process under NEPA, while also raising questions regarding the degree of deference afforded to agencies, say attorneys at Foley Hoag.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Appreciating Civil Procedure

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    If you’re like me, law school’s often complex and theoretical approach to teaching civil procedure may have contributed to an early struggle with the topic, but when seen from a practical perspective, new lawyers may find they enjoy mastering these rules, says Chloe Villagomez at Foster Garvey.

  • Calif. Bar Exam Fiasco Shows Why Attys Must Disclose AI Use

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    The recent revelation that a handful of questions from the controversial California bar exam administered in February were drafted using generative artificial intelligence demonstrates the continued importance of disclosure for attorneys who use AI tools, say attorneys at Troutman.

  • Justices Widen Gap Between Federal, Calif. Enviro Reviews

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    While the U.S. Supreme Court's recent opinion in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colorado, narrowed the scope of National Environmental Policy Act reviews, it may have broadened the gulf between reviews conducted under NEPA and those under the California Environmental Quality Act, say attorneys at Hanson Bridgett.

  • In 2nd Place, Va. 'Rocket Docket' Remains Old Reliable

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    The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia was again one of the fastest civil trial courts in the nation last year, and an interview with the court’s newest judge provides insights into why it continues to soar, says Robert Tata at Hunton.

  • How Attorneys Can Become Change Agents For Racial Equity

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    As the administration targets diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and law firms consider pulling back from their programs, lawyers who care about racial equity and justice can employ four strategies to create microspaces of justice, which can then be parlayed into drivers of transformational change, says Susan Sturm at Columbia Law School.

  • Seven County Ruling Should Trim Agency Enviro Analysis

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County provides needed clarity for infrastructure projects by expressly directing agencies to narrow environmental reviews, and reducing the threat of litigation if even tangential issues are not exhaustively evaluated, say attorneys at Dentons.

  • Series

    Running Marathons Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    After almost five years of running marathons, I’ve learned that both the race itself and the training process sharpen skills that directly translate to the practice of law, including discipline, dedication, endurance, problem-solving and mental toughness, says Lauren Meadows at Swift Currie.

  • Calif. Air Board Offers Early Hints On Climate Reporting

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    As initial reporting deadlines for California's new climate reporting laws approach, guidance provided by the California Air Resources Board in a virtual public workshop sheds some light on rulemaking to come, and how to prepare for compliance during this period of uncertainty, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Supporting A Trial Team

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    While students often practice as lead trial attorneys in law school, such an opportunity likely won’t arise until a few years into practice, so junior associates should focus on honing skills that are essential to supporting a trial team, including organization, adaptability and humility, says Lucy Zelina at Tucker Ellis.

  • Opinion

    Address Nationwide Injunction Issues With Random Venues

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    Many of the qualms about individual district court judges' authority to issue nationwide injunctions could be solved with a simple legislative solution: handling multiple complaints about the same agency action filed in different district courts by assigning a venue via random selection, says Harvey Reiter at Stinson.

  • FAR Rewrite May Cloud Key Gov't Contract Doctrine

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    The Trump administration's government procurement overhaul, under which sections of the Federal Acquisition Regulation are eliminated by default, is bound to collide with a doctrine that allows courts to read omitted clauses into government contracts if they represent long-standing pillars of federal procurement law, say attorneys at Rogers Joseph.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From US Attorney To BigLaw

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    When I transitioned to private practice after government service — most recently as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia — I learned there are more similarities between the two jobs than many realize, with both disciplines requiring resourcefulness, zealous advocacy and foresight, says Zach Terwilliger at V&E.

  • Opinion

    Aviation Watch: A Supersonic 'Boom' Going Nowhere Fast

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    Legislation recently introduced in Congress to repeal the Federal Aviation Administration's ban on supersonic flight over U.S. territory appears to benefit a single company with an uncertain business plan, and is not truly in the public interest, says Alan Hoffman, a retired attorney and aviation expert.

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