Public Policy

  • May 08, 2025

    E-Rate Paperwork Snafus Cost Some Orgs. FCC Funds

    The Federal Communications Commission has denied seven organizations' appeals for reimbursement under the E-Rate subsidy program because their service providers failed to send in the paperwork required to qualify for school and library connectivity funds.

  • May 08, 2025

    Ind. Allows Credit For Taxes Paid On Behalf Of Pass-Throughs

    Indiana authorized electing pass-through entities to claim a credit for taxes paid on their behalf under a bill signed by the governor.

  • May 08, 2025

    Landry's To Pay Iranian Server $95K In EEOC Harassment Suit

    Seafood restaurant chain Landry's will pay $95,000 to wrap up a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit claiming it fired an Iranian server under false allegations that she came to work drunk after she complained about harassment, according to a Colorado federal court filing.

  • May 08, 2025

    Full DC Circ. Restores International Media Funding, For Now

    The en banc D.C. Circuit on Wednesday restored federal grant funding to international broadcasters while the Trump administration appeals a lower court ruling blocking cuts to the agency that oversees Voice of America.

  • May 08, 2025

    SEC's Peirce Outlines Path To Exempt Tokenized Securities

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Hester Peirce on Thursday endorsed the creation of "regulatory sandboxes" that would encourage companies to develop trading systems for tokenized securities, enabling them to experiment with new technologies without certain registration requirements that govern stock exchanges.

  • May 08, 2025

    EU Weighs Tariffs, Restrictions On $112B Of US Trade

    All options remain on the table for the European Commission as it aims to finalize plans by mid-July to tariff or restrict nearly €100 billion ($112 billion) worth of trade with the U.S., a commission spokesperson told Law360 on Thursday as the bloc launched a consultation.

  • May 08, 2025

    NC Failed To Act On PFAS Pollution, Chemours, EIDP Say

    Arguing that North Carolina knew about forever chemical releases from a manufacturing facility for decades but never acted on that information, two DuPont spinoffs said most of the state's lawsuit over alleged contamination can't proceed.

  • May 08, 2025

    11th Circ. Says Developer's I-20 Truck Stop Suit Out Of Gas

    The Eleventh Circuit has backed a district court's dismissal of a property owner's suit challenging a metro Atlanta county ordinance that for years blocked him from developing his land into a QuikTrip gas station, ruling the county had a "rational basis" for its effective ban on new truck stops.

  • May 08, 2025

    Senate Rejects FCC's Wi-Fi Subsidy For Students Off Campus

    The Senate voted Thursday to overturn a Federal Communications Commission rule that would allow the E-Rate school and library program to subsidize Wi-Fi hot spots for students and library patrons off premises.

  • May 08, 2025

    ABA Defends Free Speech In Response To DOJ's Grant Cutoff

    The American Bar Association has told the D.C. federal court the U.S. Department of Justice's decision to cut domestic violence-related grants to the ABA violates its First Amendments rights and sets a precedent that would allow the government to "silence all manner of opposition."

  • May 08, 2025

    Convicted Atty In Embassy Attack Seeks To Avoid Restitution

    A Florida attorney sentenced to 8 ½ years in prison for damaging a San Antonio sculpture and unsuccessfully trying to detonate explosives outside the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., has asked the court to eliminate his $325,000 restitution obligation because of his inability to pay.

  • May 08, 2025

    NC County Can't Dismiss Suit Over 'Faithful Slaves' Monument

    A federal judge ruled that Tyrrell County, North Carolina, must face an equal protection claim brought by a group of concerned citizens objecting to a Confederate monument with an engraving that celebrates the "faithful slaves" who were loyal to the South during the American Civil War.

  • May 08, 2025

    Power Cos. Fight New Deadline In Pole Attachment Regs

    Power companies are pushing back against a telecom industry proposal that would give utility pole owners just 30 days to approve third-party contractors for "make-ready" work in preparation for communications attachments, telling the government that the proposal would effectively strip utilities of their agency in contracting work on their poles.

  • May 07, 2025

    Trump's Legal Battles

    States, federal employee unions, various advocacy groups and several individuals have filed over 220 lawsuits challenging the Trump administration's implementation of executive orders and other initiatives. Law360 has created a database of those lawsuits, separated into categories based on their subject matter.

  • May 08, 2025

    Conn. High Court Snapshot: Rehab Permit And Towing Tiff

    The Connecticut Supreme Court, in its upcoming term, will consider whether an existing substance abuse treatment center has the right to challenge the opening of a competitor nearby, and determine if a murder suspect is owed a new trial over an allegedly botched jury poll.

  • May 08, 2025

    McCarter & English Partner To Be Picked As US Atty In Conn.

    Hartford-based McCarter & English LLP partner David X. Sullivan will be nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut, his law firm confirmed to Law360 on Thursday.

  • May 08, 2025

    DOJ Civil Rights Appellate Leader Joins Crowell & Moring

    Crowell & Moring LLP hired the acting deputy chief of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division's Appellate Section as a senior counsel who will be based in Washington focusing on a range of higher education matters, the firm announced Thursday.

  • May 08, 2025

    FERC Says Grid Upgrade Bill For Solar Farm Was Justified

    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission defended its decision to affirm a regional transmission operator's assignment of $311 million in upgrade costs for a Texas solar farm to connect to the grid, telling the D.C. Circuit studies of the project's impacts were sound.

  • May 08, 2025

    Ala. Legislature OKs TCJA Research Expense Decoupling

    Alabama would decouple from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act by allowing research expenses to be deducted from a taxpayer's income under a bill sent to the governor. 

  • May 08, 2025

    Tenn. Hotel Operators To Stop Collecting Tax After 30 Days

    Tennessee will require hotel operators to stop collecting occupancy taxes from people who stay for more than 30 days under a bill signed by the governor.

  • May 08, 2025

    Trump Replaces Martin With Pirro As US Atty Pick

    President Donald Trump said Thursday he would withdraw the nomination of Ed Martin for U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, replacing him with former judge and Fox News host Jeanine Pirro.

  • May 08, 2025

    Wash. Justices Uphold Ban On Large-Capacity Gun Magazines

    The Washington State Supreme Court on Thursday said that a state law banning the sale of large-capacity magazines for firearms was constitutional, in an opinion that said the law was not in conflict with recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings expanding gun rights.

  • May 07, 2025

    9th Circ. Judge Suggests Sidelining Peers To Curb Injunctions

    With the U.S. Supreme Court set for a seminal showdown over nationwide injunctions, observers are advocating wide-ranging outcomes, and a Ninth Circuit judge entered the fray Wednesday by proposing that district judges be blackballed for blatant overreach or perceived bias.

  • May 07, 2025

    Judge Seeks Details On U.S.-El Salvador Detainee Deal

    A D.C. federal judge on Wednesday said the Trump administration would have to turn over more information about its arrangement with El Salvador to imprison alleged Venezuelan gang members deported under the Alien Enemies Act, as he considers whether they should be returned to the United States.

  • May 07, 2025

    Fla. City Residents' Suit Over Corroded Water Pipes Revived

    A Florida state appellate court on Wednesday reinstated a proposed class action alleging negligence against the city of Miramar and a consultant over improperly treated tap water that led to damaged pipes in homes, saying the complaint sufficiently claimed the city assumed a duty to make sure water wasn't corrosive.

Expert Analysis

  • Preparing For Tariffs On Canadian Power In The Northeast

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    The on-again, off-again risk of import and export tariffs on energy transactions between the U.S. and Canada may have repercussions for U.S. energy stakeholders in the ISO New England and New York Independent System Operator electricity markets — but there are options that could help reduce cost impacts, say attorneys at Husch Blackwell.

  • How Calif.'s Wildfire Insurance Crisis Might Affect Texas

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    Attorneys at Munsch Hardt examine the implications of California's wildfire insurance crisis for Texas, including potential shifts in coverage availability, regulatory differences and how the insurers in the second-largest U.S. state may react to a major wildfire event.

  • New SEC Guidance May Change How Investors, Cos. Talk

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent updates to the Schedules 13D and G compliance and disclosure interpretations may mean large institutional investors substantially curtail the feedback they provide companies about their voting intentions in connection with shareholder meetings, which could result in negative voting outcomes for companies, say attorneys at Cleary.

  • 4 Key Payments Trends For White Collar Attys

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    As the payments landscape continues to innovate and the new administration looks to expand the role of digital currency in the American economy, white collar practitioners should be aware of several key issues in this space, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • Calif. Antitrust Bill Could Alter Enforcement Landscape

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    If enacted, a recently proposed California bill that would strengthen the state’s antitrust law could signal a notable shift in the U.S. enforcement environment, but questions remain about the types of cases the state could pursue, whether other states will follow suit and more, say attorneys at DLA Piper.

  • Series

    Performing Stand-Up Comedy Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Whether I’m delivering a punchline on stage or a closing argument in court, balancing stand-up comedy performances and my legal career has demonstrated that the keys to success in both endeavors include reading the room, landing the right timing and making an impact, says attorney Rebecca Palmer.

  • Opinion

    Upholding Tribal Sovereignty Benefits US And Indian Country

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    The Trump administration's broad moves to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs are negatively affecting many tribal programs, but supporting tribal sovereignty would serve the federal government's deregulatory goals and ensure that tribes have the resources they need, says Ellen Grover at BB&K.

  • Constitutional Foundations Of Gov't-Guaranteed Investments

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    For attorneys advising clients with exposure to government-backed investments, understanding the constitutional guardrails on presidential impoundment offers essential guidance for risk assessment, contract strategy and litigation planning, says Mauni Jalali at Quinn Emanuel.

  • Investor Essentials For Buying Federally Owned Property

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    Investors and developers can take advantage of the Trump administration's plan to sell government-owned real estate by becoming familiar with the process and eligible to bid, and should prepare to move quickly once the U.S. General Services Administration posts the list of properties for sale, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • How 2025 Is Shaping The Future Of Bank Mergers So Far

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    Whether the long-anticipated great wave of consolidation in the U.S. banking industry will finally arrive in 2025 remains to be seen, but the conditions for bank mergers are more favorable now than they have been in years, say attorneys at Skadden.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From SEC To BigLaw

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    As I adjusted to the multifaceted workflow of a BigLaw firm after leaving the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, working side by side with new colleagues on complex matters proved the fastest way to build a deep rapport and demonstrate my value, says Jennifer Lee at Jenner & Block.

  • What's Old And New In The CFTC's Self-Reporting Advisory

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    Attorneys at Blank Rome analyze the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's recent advisory that aims to provide clarity on self-reporting violations of the Commodity Exchange Act, and review whether market participants should shift their thinking — or not — when it comes to cooperation with the CFTC.

  • Weathering Policy Zig-Zags In Gov't Contracting Under Trump

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    To succeed amid the massive shift in federal contracting policies heralded by President Donald Trump's return to office, contractors should be prepared for increased costs and enhanced False Claims Act enforcement, and to act swiftly to avail themselves of contractual remedies, says Jacob Scott at Smith Currie.

  • How Trump's Crypto Embrace Is Spurring Enforcement Reset

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent willingness to step away from ongoing enforcement investigations and actions underscores the changing regulatory landscape for crypto under the new administration, which now appears committed to working with stakeholders to develop a clearer regulatory framework, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

  • After CEQ's Rollback, Fate Of NEPA May Be In Justices' Hands

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    The White House Council on Environmental Quality recently announced its intention to rescind its own National Environmental Policy Act regulations, causing additional burdens to existing NEPA challenges, and raising questions for regulated entities and federal agencies that may only be resolved by a pending U.S. Supreme Court case, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

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