DC Circ. Doubts ICE Church Raids Can't Be Blocked

By Britain Eakin

The majority of a three-judge D.C. Circuit panel appeared skeptical Thursday that they shouldn't block the Trump administration from enforcing immigration laws at sensitive locations such as churches, questioning the government's argument that the alleged harm is too speculative.

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5th Circ. Mulls Families' Rights In Boeing-DOJ 737 Max Deal

By Linda Chiem

The Fifth Circuit on Thursday questioned whether crash victims' families are owed "unfettered" rights to consult with the U.S. Department of Justice over its refusal to criminally prosecute Boeing for conspiring to defraud safety regulators about the 737 Max's development.

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Trump Admin Finalizes Rule Facilitating Federal Worker Firings

By Tim Ryan

The Trump administration Thursday announced a final rule to create a new category of federal workers who would have fewer job protections and be easier to fire, implementing an executive order from early last year that could affect 50,000 employees at federal agencies.

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White House Willing To Discuss Some Dem DHS Reforms

By Courtney Bublé

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt hinted Thursday at some possible cooperation to the Democrats' reform plan for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, but she did not elaborate on what that would be.

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Judiciary Backs Bill To Let Judges Carry Concealed Guns

By Courtney Bublé

The federal judiciary has come out in support of a Republican-led bill to allow judges and prosecutors to carry concealed firearms across state lines, according to a letter obtained by Law360.

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Klobuchar Alarmed By Exodus Of Prosecutors In Minnesota

By Courtney Bublé

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., on Thursday said she was alarmed by the surge of resignations by federal prosecutors in her state following the shooting deaths of two Minnesotans by immigration agents.

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Judge Who Resigned To Criticize Trump Had Faced Inquiry

By Chris Villani

Former Massachusetts U.S. District Judge Mark L. Wolf was the subject of an inquiry into potential misconduct when he announced his November resignation, a decision he said at the time was motivated by a desire to speak out against the Trump administration, according to a source familiar with the matter.

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Ga. DAs, State Spar Over Prosecutor Watchdog Challenge

By Emily Johnson

The state of Georgia and a group of district attorneys have filed dueling bids for an early win in litigation over a law creating a commission to prosecute and remove state prosecutors, with the district attorneys saying the law infringes on their prosecutorial discretion and freedom of speech and the state defending the law's constitutionality.

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Trump's Seattle US Atty Stays On For Now Via Title Swap

By Rachel Riley

Trump administration appointee Charles Neil Floyd will continue to be the Western District of Washington's top federal prosecutor for now, under the new title of "First Assistant U.S. Attorney," after the deadline passed Wednesday for the U.S. Senate to confirm the interim appointment.

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NY Times Article Excerpts Admitted In Goldstein Trial

By Jared Foretek

Federal prosecutors pressing their case against SCOTUSblog co-founder Thomas Goldstein for tax evasion and misleading statements on mortgage applications were finally able on Thursday to present jurors with key statements the U.S. Supreme Court lawyer made to legal journalist Jeffrey Toobin for a long New York Times Magazine article.

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CORRECTED: Ex-Worker Says Goldstein Offered Crypto, Gifts As IRS Probed

By Jared Foretek

A former employee at Thomas Goldstein's law firm who resigned after the Internal Revenue Service began investigating the firm said that the SCOTUSblog founder suddenly began offering her bitcoin, payment from case settlements and potential student loan relief after federal agents visited the office. Correction: An earlier version of this story, which was published January 29, mischaracterized the testimony of Special Agent Quoc Tuan Nguyen. Special Agent Nguyen addressed the dates in metadata that were altered in the course of the document production and did not allege Goldstein engaged in misconduct regarding the emails.

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Mich. Justices Uphold One-Man Grand Jury Murder Conviction

By Elizabeth Daley

A man indicted by a judge and found guilty of murder cannot have another shot at his case simply because he wasn't charged by a grand jury, Michigan's highest court determined, finding that a change in state law disallowing one-man grand juries did not apply retroactively.

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Ga. Law Firm's CTA Challenge 'Hypothetical,' Feds Argue

By Chart Riggall

The U.S. Treasury Department has asked a federal judge to toss a Georgia lawyer's suit alleging that the 2021 Corporate Transparency Act could force him to violate attorney-client privilege, arguing the suit is based on future "hypothetical changes" to the federal policy of nonenforcement.

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BNY Mellon Can't Sue Investor In Texas Over Facility Funding

By Spencer Brewer

A Texas appellate court determined Thursday that Bank of New York Mellon Trust Co.'s suit against the company that purchased senior revenue certificates for a student housing facility does not belong in the Lone Star State, saying the bank failed to demonstrate that the company's conduct tied it to Texas.

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Bessent Knocks 'Nihilist' Crypto Critics Of Market Reg. Bill

By Jon Hill

U.S. Department of the Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday defended Republican-backed legislation to regulate crypto markets as critical to the future of digital assets in the U.S., telling senators that industry players who are holding out "should move to El Salvador."

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Atlanta Settles Enviro Group's Suit Over Chattahoochee River

By Kelcey Caulder

A Georgia federal judge has approved a settlement agreement an environmental group and the city of Atlanta struck to end a 2024 Clean Water Act lawsuit over what the group alleged were permit violations at Georgia's largest wastewater treatment plant and discharges into the Chattahoochee River.

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FERC's Grid Planning Policy Revamp Is Proper, 4th Circ. Told

By Keith Goldberg

Clean energy supporters and blue state officials are backing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's overhaul of its regional transmission planning policy, telling the Fourth Circuit that the agency properly exercised its authority while ensuring states have a seat at the planning table.

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Conn. Town's PFAS Case Against 3M, Others Sent To MDL

By Brian Steele

A Connecticut town's "forever chemicals" lawsuit against major corporations including 3M and RTX, claiming damages for the contamination of local water supplies, will proceed as part of multidistrict litigation in South Carolina, court records show.

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Energy Dept. Defends University Grant Cost Cap To 1st Circ.

By Tom Lotshaw

The U.S. Department of Energy urged the First Circuit to overturn a Boston federal judge's decision to block its attempt to cap reimbursable indirect costs for research grants awarded to colleges and universities, arguing it acted in line with its regulations.

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Animal Rights Group Fights Mich.'s Coyote Hunting Rule

By Carolyn Muyskens

An animal rights group has sued to challenge a Michigan commission's January decision to allow coyote hunting year-round, including during pup season.

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Trump Admin Asks 4th Circ. To Unfreeze ACA Rule Changes

By Hayley Fowler

The Trump administration is urging the Fourth Circuit to let it plow ahead with two changes to Affordable Care Act regulations that a Maryland federal judge froze in August, arguing the rule changes are within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' power to enact.

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Brief

Squires Won't Review PTAB Ax Of Greenthread Patents

By Adam Lidgett

The head of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has declined requests by chipmaker Greenthread to review Patent Trial and Appeal Board decisions invalidating claims in its semiconductor patents.

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DOJ Urges Court To Reject Live Nation's View Of Meta Ruling

By Matthew Perlman

Enforcers told a New York federal court to reject Live Nation's interpretation of a ruling in an antitrust case against Meta Platforms, saying that claims against the live entertainment giant do not have to accuse it of charging different venues different prices.

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TikTok Urges NC Justices To Toss State's Addictive App Suit

By Abigail Harrison

The North Carolina attorney general can't haul California-based TikTok Inc. and its now-minority Chinese owner ByteDance Inc. into state court to hash out addictive app and deceptive marketing claims solely because the online platform can be accessed in the Tar Heel State, the companies have told North Carolina's highest court.

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Polymarket Hit With Class Action For 'Disguising' Sports Bets

By Katryna Perera

Prediction market company Polymarket has been hit with a class action in New York federal court targeting its sports event contracts, which the suit alleges are disguised sports gambling offers meant to evade state regulation and scrutiny.

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Brief

NYC Issues Proposed Rules On Upcoming Sick Time Changes

By Grace Elletson

The public has until March 2 to comment on recently proposed amendments to New York City's sick leave law, changes that will expand employees' rights to take paid time off for reasons that go beyond illnesses.

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Apple Avoids Heightened EU Rules For Ads, Maps

By Bryan Koenig

The European Commission announced Thursday that Apple's Ads and Maps features aren't used enough in the European Union to warrant imposing interoperability and other obligations foisted on other services from Apple and other major technology companies deemed "gatekeepers" under the Digital Markets Act.

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PGA Tour Didn't Price Gouge Rivals' Atty, Fla. Judges Rule

By David Steele

A bid to overturn the dismissal of a suit accusing the PGA Tour of inflating its event prices as part of a plot against golfers from the rival LIV tour was turned away Thursday by a Florida state appeals court.

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Microsoft Teams Illegally Collected Voice Data, Ill. Users Claim

By Ben Adlin

Microsoft Corp.'s Teams software collects and analyzes users' distinctive "voiceprints" without providing proper notice as required under Illinois law, five state residents alleged in a proposed class action Thursday.

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Trade Court OKs Zero-Rate Duty For Thai Steel Pipes

By Jack McLoone

The U.S. Court of International Trade sustained a U.S. Department of Commerce redetermination finding a Thai steel pipe company is subject to a zero-rate antidumping duty, rejecting an intervening U.S. company's argument that Commerce improperly failed to consider adverse facts during the remanded deliberations.

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Exxon Urges Justices To Permit Cuba Seizure Damage Claims

By Jack McLoone

Exxon said a Cuban government entity "fundamentally" misunderstands a federal act letting U.S. victims of Cuban property seizures seek damages, pushing the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a lower court's finding that the act doesn't automatically void the immunity of state entities.

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Colo. Bill Would OK Split Tax Rates For Land, Buildings

By Sanjay Talwani

Colorado jurisdictions could tax structures and other improvements at lower rates than the land they are on under legislation introduced in the state House of Representatives aimed at providing incentives for development while discouraging land speculation.

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DOJ Tells Immigration Board To Limit Cases Without Novel Issue

By Tom Lotshaw

The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday issued a rule directing its Board of Immigration Appeals to swiftly dismiss cases that don't raise "novel" issues to confront a backlogged docket of noncitizens contesting removal orders and other immigration court decisions.

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Ex-Prosecutors Call For Independent Probes Of ICE Killings

By Rose Krebs

A coalition of former federal prosecutors and civil rights attorneys is urging U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to ensure that the U.S. Department of Justice allows for "transparent, unbiased and impartial" investigations into the killings in Minneapolis last month of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration enforcement agents.

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Q&A

6 Questions For Incompas CEO Chip Pickering

By Christopher Cole

The surge of artificial intelligence and tech-driven communications has Incompas CEO Chip Pickering leading an expanded mission, widening the broadband infrastructure trade group's focus to the energy sector for its role in advanced telecom networks.

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FCC Deploys Rapid Response To Va. Utility Pole Dispute

By Christopher Cole

A Federal Communications Commission order resolving what could have been a protracted fight in Virginia over utility pole upgrades for broadband service demonstrates how a new federal procedure will clear up pole disputes faster, the FCC said Thursday.

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Fla. Justices Let AG Drop Pot Ballot Campaign Challenge

By Mike Curley

The Florida Supreme Court has agreed to let the state's attorney general dismiss his request for an advisory opinion on the constitutionality of an adult use cannabis ballot initiative over the objection of the initiative's sponsors.

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Ambiguity Remains On Anti-DEI Grant Conditions

Although a recent decision in City of Chicago and City of Saint Paul v. U.S. Department of Justice temporarily halts enforcement of anti-DEI conditions in federal grant applications, and echoes recent decisions in similar cases, companies remain at risk until the term “illegal DEI” is clarified, say attorneys at Moore & Van Allen.

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A Primer On Law Enforcement Self-Defense Doctrine

In the wake of several shootings by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, misconceptions persist about what the laws governing police use of force actually permit, and it’s essential for legal practitioners to understand the contours of the underlying constitutional doctrine, says Markus Funk at White & Case.

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Bipartisan Enforcement Is Rising In Consumer Finance

Activity over the past year suggests a bipartisan state enforcement wave is rippling across the consumer finance industry, which follows a blueprint set out by former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra, who notably now leads a Democratic Attorneys General Association working group, say attorneys at Hudson Cook.

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Radiation Standard Shift Might Add Complications For Cos.

In keeping with the Trump administration's focus on nuclear energy, the U.S. Department of Energy recently announced that it will eliminate the "as low as reasonably achievable" radiation protection standard for agency practices and regulations — but it is far from clear that this change will benefit the nuclear power industry, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

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How Attorneys Can Navigate Shifts In Financing Landscape

Direct government investment in companies in strategic sectors is expected to continue this year, with legal practitioners facing increased demands to navigate hybrid capital structures, evolving regulatory considerations and the alignment of financing terms with long-term business and strategic objectives, say attorneys at Skadden.

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Ramped Up Psychedelic Production Carries Opportunity, Risk

Kimberly Chew at Husch Blackwell discusses the key legal implications of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's recent dramatic increases in the production quotas for a range of psychedelic substances, offering guidance on compliance, risk management and strategic opportunities for practitioners navigating this rapidly evolving landscape.

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Utah's AI Prescription Renewal Pilot Could Inform Policy

Utah recently became the first state to approve an artificial intelligence system for autonomously renewing certain prescription medicines, providing a test case for how regulators may be able to draw boundaries between administrative automation and medical judgment, say Jashaswi Ghosh at Holon Law Partners and Bryant Godfrey at Foley Hoag.

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Series

Teaching Logic Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Teaching middle and high school students the skills to untangle complicated arguments and identify faulty reasoning has made me reacquaint myself with the defined structure of thought, reminding me why logic should remain foundational in the practice of law, says Tom Barrow at Woods Rogers.

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Meet New Paul Weiss Chairman Scott Barshay

By Anna Sanders

New Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP chair Scott Barshay is a rainmaker who most recently led the corporate department, guiding clients through some of the largest transactions in recent history after joining the firm's New York office a decade ago.

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Judge Says AI Errors Show Atty Can't 'Learn' From Mistakes

By Ivan Moreno

A New York federal judge concluded that an attorney who repeatedly submitted filings with false AI-generated citations must be punished with case-terminating sanctions against a client he was defending in a trademark lawsuit, saying Thursday that the lawyer "has not, and apparently cannot, learn from his mistakes."

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Texas Atty Must Explain AI 'Misuse' In Employment Case

By Lauren Berg

A prominent civil rights attorney representing a University of Texas at Austin nurse in an employment discrimination case must explain why he shouldn't be sanctioned "for his apparent misuse of artificial intelligence" to research and write a brief, a Texas federal judge ruled.

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Ex-Alex Jones Atty Asks Conn. Justices To Nix Suspension

By Brian Steele

A Connecticut attorney who formerly represented conspiracy broadcaster Alex Jones in a $1.4 billion defamation case has asked the state's highest court to consider whether it was proper for a judge to suspend his law license for violating a protective order governing Sandy Hook families' personal information.

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Deel Loses Bid To DQ Quinn Emanuel In Trade Secrets Fight

By Lauren Berg

Payroll and human resources company Deel Inc. cannot have Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP disqualified from representing its competitor Rippling in a trade secrets fight, a Delaware judge ruled Thursday, saying there is no "clear conflict" that would require booting the BigLaw firm.

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State Bar Of Texas Declines To Open Grievance On Ramey

By Emily Sawicki

The State Bar of Texas has declined to open a grievance against patent litigator William P. Ramey III after a San Francisco federal court sanctioned him and his firm, Ramey LLP, for practicing law in California without a license.

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Wash. Lawyer Faces Sanction Threat Over Alleged AI Errors

By Ben Adlin

A federal judge has ordered an attorney in Washington state to submit a sworn declaration explaining why she shouldn't be sanctioned for what opposing counsel claimed are dozens of artificial intelligence "hallucinations" across multiple case filings.

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Fake Case Pulled From Toshiba Malicious Prosecution Suit

By Bryan Koenig

A former printer toner salesman is trying to salvage his lawsuit against Toshiba after the company flagged nonexistent citations, apologizing to the California federal court in a corrected brief Thursday defending claims that the electronics company manufactured a criminal case against him and others to maintain an illegal monopoly.

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McCarter & English Wants To Torpedo $22M Malpractice Suit

By Aaron Keller

McCarter & English LLP on Thursday asked a Connecticut Superior Court judge to sink a $22.3 million professional negligence lawsuit by two struggling insurers, saying failures to provide documents or knowledgeable people to testify during pretrial depositions warrant a "harsh" end to the nearly decade-old case.

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Law360 Seeks Members For Its 2026 Editorial Boards

Law360 is looking for avid readers of our publications to serve as members of our 2026 editorial advisory boards.

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