Analysis

5 Years Ago, The McGirt Ruling Reshaped Tribal Jurisdiction

By Crystal Owens

It was widely held for decades that Oklahoma had domain over criminal matters on tribal lands, but five years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court turned that regime on its head, finding 19th century federal treaties with the Creek Nation that formed its reservation are valid — and, in turn, reestablishing 45% of the Sooner State as Indian Country.

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EPA Sued Over Oil Refineries' Hydrogen Fluoride Use

By Gina Kim

A group of environmental advocates has hauled the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency into California federal court to stop the use of hydrogen fluoride in domestic oil manufacturing refineries, arguing it's endangering the public and the Toxic Substances Control Act requires that the agency eliminate those risks through regulations.

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Trump Admin Beats Injunction Bid Over Deleted Webpages

By Bonnie Eslinger

A Washington, D.C., federal judge on Wednesday rejected the Sierra Club and other nonprofits' request for a preliminary injunction forcing federal agencies to restore webpages the groups said provided critical environmental information, saying they hadn't shown keeping the status quo while their case is pending would cause irreparable harm.

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Sierra Club Says OMB Ignoring Funding Freeze Info Requests

By Rae Ann Varona

The Office of Management and Budget's refusal to produce records concerning the Trump administration's freeze of federal funding programs is impeding the Sierra Club's mission to advocate for and educate the public about pressing public health and environmental issues, the environmental organization alleged Tuesday in California federal court.

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Red States Want In On Youths' Suit Over Trump Energy Orders

By Catherine Marfin

A coalition of Republican states led by Montana asked a federal court Tuesday for permission to intervene in a lawsuit brought by youths challenging President Donald Trump's recently enacted fossil fuel policies.

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EPA Violated ESA With Nitrogen, Soot Standards, Group Says

By Juan-Carlos Rodriguez

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency violated the Endangered Species Act when it approved air quality standards for two pollutants without properly analyzing their effects on animals and plants, the Center for Biological Diversity told the D.C. Circuit Tuesday.

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Mass. Cos. Must Keep Bottled Water Flowing In PFAS Case

By Mike Curley

A Massachusetts federal judge has ordered defendant companies to keep providing bottled water to residents of Westminster, Massachusetts, maintaining the status quo while the court determines whether those companies have made the residents' tap water sufficiently safe from so-called forever chemicals.

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3M PFAS Suit Belongs In State Court, Conn. Tells 2nd Circ.

By Juan-Carlos Rodriguez

Connecticut is urging the Second Circuit to reject 3M Co.'s effort to move a state court lawsuit accusing the company of polluting the environment with forever chemicals contained in its consumer products to federal court.

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J&J Seeks To Toss 'Nowhere Close' Band-Aid PFAS Suit In NJ

By Carla Baranauckas

Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue Inc. are urging a New Jersey federal court to toss a proposed class action alleging that the companies have not disclosed to the public that PFAS "forever chemicals" are present in unsafe amounts in Band-Aid brand adhesive bandages, arguing that the plaintiffs come "nowhere close" to stating a plausible claim.

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Insurer Accused Of Dodging $2M Claims For Hurricane Beryl

By Spencer Brewer

A car dealership told a Texas federal judge that its insurance company stiffed it to the tune of $2 million after Hurricane Beryl blew through and damaged multiple buildings, saying in a Wednesday complaint the insurer wrongly found the damages fell below the deductible.

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Series

Law School's Missed Lessons: Practicing Self-Care

Law schools don’t teach the mental, physical and emotional health maintenance tools necessary to deal with the profession's many demands, but practicing self-care is an important key to success that can help to improve focus, manage stress and reduce burnout, says Rachel Leonard​​​​​​​ at MG+M.

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Top Dems Press EEOC On 'Shakedown' Of Major Law Firms

By Courtney Bublé

Top congressional Democrats are once again seeking information on the Trump administration's "shakedown" of major law firms over their past work and clients.

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Quinn Emanuel Says 'Spite' Behind Unpaid $30M Legal Tab

By Julie Manganis

The new owners of a business that was forced by Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP attorneys to honor a merger agreement are refusing to pay a $30 million legal bill "out of spite," the firm has alleged in Massachusetts state court.

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Girardi Keese CFO's Chicago Plea Derails Over Repayment

By Lauraann Wood

A Chicago plea and sentencing hearing for law firm Girardi Keese's already-imprisoned former financial chief was abruptly halted Wednesday after his attorney flagged a dispute over whether both restitution and forfeiture should be ordered for his client's role in helping Tom Girardi steal millions from clients.

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Q&A

Former SEC Officials Discuss Agency's New Priorities

By Phillip Bantz

Though swift regulatory and enforcement changes at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission have created a more business-friendly environment, three agency veterans now at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP caution to watch out for compliance landmines.

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DHS To Subpoena Harvard For Foreign Student Records

By Chris Villani

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday it will send administrative subpoenas to Harvard University seeking information about its foreign students, yet another salvo in the ongoing legal battle between President Donald Trump's administration and the Ivy League school.

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Holland & Knight Insurer's COVID Benefits Denial Upheld

By Kellie Mejdrich

A Colorado federal judge on Wednesday handed an insurance company a win in a Holland & Knight LLP attorney's federal benefits lawsuit alleging she was wrongly denied long-term disability benefits after a COVID-19 infection left her unable to work, concluding substantial evidence supported the insurer's decision.

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Analysis

Antitrust Enforcers Beat Google, Try Meta And Keep Going

By Bryan Koenig

When U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema held on April 17 that Google was liable for illegally monopolizing two out of three advertising placement technology markets targeted by the U.S. Department of Justice, her ruling contributed to potentially one of the most consequential convergences of antitrust enforcement in recent memory.

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Calif. Atty Drops Out Of Class Action Against Avvo Inc.

By Matt Perez

One of two attorneys leveling a class action against online legal service provider Avvo Inc. over allegations it misappropriated the identities of more than 1 million attorneys to promote its legal marketing tools and referral services has moved to drop her claims.

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DA Willis Urges Ga. Justices To Ax Trump Case Testimony Bid

By Emily Johnson

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis urged the Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday to toss a subpoena seeking her testimony from the state Senate committee that was investigating her relationship with a special prosecutor during her prosecution of President Donald Trump in an election interference case, arguing the panel is "seeking to 'try' the district attorney in public."

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1st Woman On Montana's US Court To Take Senior Status

By Courtney Bublé

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters of the District of Montana, who was the first woman appointed to that court, has announced that she will take semiretired status next year.

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