Public Policy

  • October 14, 2025

    DC Circ. Wonders If $820M Grant Cut Suit Is Contractual

    The D.C. Circuit is set to decide whether a fight with the U.S. Department of Justice over $820 million in canceled public safety grants belongs in district court or before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims after hearing both sides out Tuesday morning.

  • October 14, 2025

    Skinny Labels, Orange Book Take Center Stage In IP Talks

    Patent litigators focused on pharmaceuticals and biotechnology met Tuesday to work through the biggest issues in their industries, including possible reform to skinny label law, frustration with position-switching in litigation, concerns about when to list patents in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Orange Book and data on the relatively low impact of new policies at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

  • October 14, 2025

    US Revokes Visas Over Comments Critical Of Charlie Kirk

    The U.S. State Department said Tuesday that it revoked the visas of at least six foreigners over comments they made about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

  • October 14, 2025

    Mass. Judge Strikes Down Pentagon's Research Rate Cap

    A Massachusetts federal judge ruled that the U.S. Department of Defense unlawfully capped universities' indirect research cost reimbursements at 15%, calling the move a sudden break from six decades of agency practice that lacks justification and ignores federal regulations. 

  • October 14, 2025

    Justices Decline To Hear Cannabis User's Gun Rights Case

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear one of several petitions urging review of a federal law that prohibits cannabis users from owning guns.

  • October 14, 2025

    Relief Concerns Grow As Sectoral Tariff Actions Build

    Importers' hopes for relief from industrywide tariffs are lagging alongside the trade deals President Donald Trump is trying to broker for some goods, while the administration's accelerated rollout of sectoral levies is also stoking concerns the government may be hamstringing its onshoring goals.

  • October 14, 2025

    Sony Is Among Latest To Apply For OCC Crypto Bank License

    Sony's online banking unit has applied with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to set up a U.S. offshoot that would mint stablecoins and custody digital assets, joining a wave of firms that have approached the agency with crypto-related business plans.

  • October 14, 2025

    Fla. Professor Wins Bid To Halt Trump Library Land Transfer

    A Florida state judge Tuesday temporarily blocked the transfer of roughly 3 acres of land Miami Dade College gave to the state to build the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library.

  • October 14, 2025

    Calif. Says Feds Can't Divert $4B High-Speed Rail Funds

    The California High-Speed Rail Authority has asked a federal judge to block the Trump administration from diverting $4 billion in grant funds that were previously set aside for the Golden State's electric high-speed rail project, saying the administration's contrived funding decisions are based on overt political animus.

  • October 14, 2025

    State Farm Must Submit Underwriting Data, Ill. Regulator Says

    Illinois' director of insurance accused State Farm of failing to turn over nationwide data at a zip-code level relating to its homeowners insurance business, telling a state court that the insurance giant has relied on two "legally baseless objections" to avoid its data-sharing obligations.

  • October 14, 2025

    PTAB Discretionary Denials, Reexam Bids Way Up: Report

    The number of Patent Trial and Appeal Board petitions that were denied for discretionary reasons reached a record level in the third quarter of 2025 — more than 200% higher than in all of last year — and patent reexamination requests also spiked, according to a new report from Unified Patents.

  • October 14, 2025

    Calif. Passes New Laws On Children's Use Of Social Media, AI

    California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed into law several bills aimed at protecting children from threats associated with social media and emerging technologies, including by requiring age verification, limiting liability defenses for artificial intelligence developers and users and having companion chatbots remind minors to take breaks.

  • October 14, 2025

    DC Circ. Upholds SEC's Cap On Exchange Fees

    The D.C. Circuit on Tuesday rejected a call to overturn a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regulation capping the fees that exchanges can charge investors, ruling that the agency has "broad regulatory authority" to police the space.

  • October 14, 2025

    Calif. City Wins Cannabis Lab Permit Suit Over RICO Claims

    A cannabis entrepreneur's lawsuit accusing the mayor of a Los Angeles suburb of soliciting a $350,000 bribe in exchange for a permit has been thrown out by a California state judge, who ruled that because no money was actually paid, the businessman's racketeering claims couldn't survive.

  • October 14, 2025

    As Shutdown Drags On, Judiciary To Face Belt-Tightening

    With no end in sight to the government shutdown, the situation for the federal judiciary will get worse after Friday.

  • October 14, 2025

    Biden's Alaska Land Plan Faces Repeal After Senate Vote

    The U.S. Senate approved the repeal of a Biden-era resource management plan for millions of acres of public land in central and northern Alaska, which the state's congressional delegation said unnecessarily restricted energy and other resource development.

  • October 14, 2025

    Judge Won't Block $4.7B Ex-Im Bank Loan For LNG Project

    A D.C. federal judge refused to temporarily block $4.7 billion in financing that the Export-Import Bank of the United States approved for a TotalEnergies SE liquefied natural gas project in Mozambique, a setback for environmental groups challenging the deal.

  • October 14, 2025

    Concrete Co. Can't Challenge $2M Seattle Wage Theft Fine

    A Washington state appellate panel on Monday rejected a concrete subcontractor's appeal of more than $2 million in penalties for wage violations at Seattle construction sites, supporting a city hearing examiner's conclusion that the company was also on the hook alongside the primary contractor.  

  • October 14, 2025

    NYC Mayor Creates Crypto Office Ahead Of Departure

    New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday issued an executive order to establish a mayoral office focused on attracting crypto talent and economic opportunities to the city, an announcement that comes weeks before the city is set to elect a new mayor.

  • October 14, 2025

    Governor Won't Testify In Conn. Official's Corruption Case

    Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont won't be called to testify in the bribery and extortion trial of former school construction official Kosta Diamantis after a judge agreed with prosecutors on Tuesday that additional testimony about Diamantis' character and demeanor would be irrelevant to the charges against him.

  • October 14, 2025

    Split 3rd Circ. Won't Redo Order To Count Undated Ballots

    The Third Circuit on Tuesday narrowly rejected a request to take another look at its ruling that Pennsylvania's counties can not discard mail-in ballots with misdated or absent dates on their outer envelopes, with six of the 14 circuit judges, including new-Trump appointee Judge Emil Bove, voting to reconsider its ruling in light of emerging election law in the state.

  • October 14, 2025

    Rural Phone Co. Asks FCC To Revisit $3M Subsidy Clawback

    A rural phone carrier has urged the full Federal Communications Commission to review a decision to claw back $3 million in universal service aid, claiming the move ran counter to an executive order and federal law.

  • October 14, 2025

    Wash. To Launch Portal For Entities Applying To Practice Law

    Applications for businesses and nonprofits to provide legal services in Washington state will go live next week, the Washington State Bar Association announced Tuesday, a major milestone in a state Supreme Court-approved plan to expand who can practice law.

  • October 14, 2025

    Meet HHS General Counsel Michael Stuart

    Michael Stuart, a former chief federal prosecutor for West Virginia, has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as general counsel for the Department of Health and Human Services, where he has promised to make healthcare fraud enforcement a priority. 

  • October 14, 2025

    Calif. Seeks To Dismiss Feds' Suit Challenging Emission Regs

    California is asking a federal court to dismiss the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's lawsuit challenging the state's emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks.

Expert Analysis

  • Trump Tax Law's Most Impactful Energy Changes

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    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act's deferral of begin-construction deadlines and the phaseout of certain energy tax credits will provide emerging technologies with welcome breathing room, though other changes, like the increased credit rate for sustainable aviation fuel, create challenges for developers, say attorneys at Weil.

  • Texas Property Law Complicates Financing And Development

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    A new Texas law imposing expansive state-level restrictions on properties owned by entities from designated countries creates a major obstacle for some lenders, developers and other stakeholders, as well as new diligence requirements for foreign companies, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From Texas AUSA To BigLaw

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    As I learned when I transitioned from an assistant U.S. attorney to a BigLaw partner, the move from government to private practice is not without its hurdles, but it offers immense potential for growth and the opportunity to use highly transferable skills developed in public service, says Jeffery Vaden at Bracewell.

  • Lessons From Liberty Mutual FCPA Declination

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    Liberty Mutual’s recent Foreign Corrupt Practices Act resolution with the U.S. Department of Justice signals that the Trump administration is once again considering such declinations after an enforcement pause, offering some assurances for companies regarding the benefits of voluntary self-disclosure, say attorneys at Paul Weiss.

  • Data Undermines USPTO's 'Settled Expectations' Doctrine

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    An analysis of inter partes review proceedings filed since 2012 appears to refute the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's recent stance that patent owners develop a strong settled expectation that their patents will not be challenged after being in force for six years, say Jonathan DeFosse and Samuel Smith at Sheppard Mullin, and Kenzo Kasai at NGB Corp.

  • Drafting M&A Docs After Delaware Corp. Law Amendments

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    Attorneys at Greenberg Traurig discuss how the March and June amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law affect the drafting of corporate and M&A documents, including board resolutions, governing documents, and books and records demands.

  • Advice For 1st-Gen Lawyers Entering The Legal Profession

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    Nikki Hurtado at The Ferraro Law Firm tells her story of being a first-generation lawyer and how others who begin their professional journeys without the benefit of playbooks handed down by relatives can turn this disadvantage into their greatest strength.

  • FTC Focus: When Green Goals And Antitrust Law Collide

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    A recently concluded Federal Trade Commission investigation has turned an emissions deal involving major U.S. heavy-duty truck manufacturers that was brokered by the California Air Resources Board into a cautionary tale about the potential for environmental agreements to run afoul of competition rules, say attorneys at Proskauer.

  • High Court E-Cig Ruling Opens Door For FDA Challenges

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    There will likely be more challenges to marketing denial orders brought before the Fifth Circuit following the Supreme Court's recent ruling in U.S. Food and Drug Administration v. R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co., where litigants have generally had greater success, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • Opinion

    Small-Plane Black Box Mandate Would Aid Probes, Lawsuits

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    Given climbing fatality rates from small-plane and helicopter crashes, and the evidentiary significance of cockpit voice recordings in litigation and investigations, the Federal Aviation Administration should mandate black boxes in smaller aircraft, despite likely judicial challenges over privacy and cost-benefit calculations, says Jeff Korek at Gersowitz Libo.

  • Untangling 'Debanking' Exec Order And Ensuing Challenges

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    President Donald Trump's recent executive order on the practice of closing or refusing to open accounts for high-risk customers has heightened scrutiny on "debanking," but practical steps can help financial institutions reduce the likelihood of becoming involved in investigations, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

  • What FDIC's Asset Threshold Raise Would Mean For Banking

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    If the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. goes through with its plan to raise asset thresholds that determine regulatory intensity, it could free billions in compliance costs and bolster regional and community banks, but risk of oversight gaps are making this a contested area in banking policy, says Jessica Groza at Kohr Jackson.

  • 2nd Circ. Ruling Gives Banks Shield From Terrorism Liability

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    A recent Second Circuit dismissal strengthens the position of international banks facing claims they indirectly helped terrorist organizations and provides clearer guidance on the boundaries of secondary liability, but doesn't provide absolute immunity, say attorneys at Freshfields.

  • Calif. Board's Financial-Grade Climate Standards Raise Stakes

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    After the California Air Resources Board's recent workshop, it is clear that the state's climate disclosure laws will be enforced with standards comparable to financial reporting — so companies should act now to implement assurance-grade systems, formalize governance responsibilities and coordinate reporting across their organizations, says Thierry Montoya at Frost Brown.

  • Series

    Coaching Cheerleading Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    At first glance, cheerleading and litigation may seem like worlds apart, but both require precision, adaptability, leadership and the ability to stay composed under pressure — all of which have sharpened how I approach my work in the emotionally complex world of mass torts and personal injury, says Rashanda Bruce at Robins Kaplan.

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