Public Policy

  • June 02, 2025

    DOJ Deal OKs $1.5B Keysight-Spirent Network Testing Merger

    The U.S. Department of Justice cut its first merger clearance deal of the Trump administration, and nearly its first settlement since a Biden-era hardline stance against most agreements, with a consent decree Monday allowing Keysight Technologies Inc. to proceed with its planned $1.5 billion acquisition of Spirent Communications PLC.

  • June 02, 2025

    Ill. Budget Increases Taxes On Tobacco, Online Sports Books

    Illinois' Democratic-controlled General Assembly passed a $55 billion budget for fiscal 2026, including about $800 million in targeted tax hikes on tobacco, vaping and online sports betting.

  • June 02, 2025

    Texas Bill Aimed At Curbing Juries' Injury Verdicts Fails

    A controversial bill that would have limited jury awards for injured Texans died Sunday after the two branches of the Texas Legislature couldn't hash out differences in the bill's language.

  • June 02, 2025

    8th Circ. OKs Nix Of Suit On Iowa's Quitting Of COVID Benefits

    The Eighth Circuit backed the dismissal of a proposed class action claiming Iowa violated workers' rights by prematurely pulling out of federal pandemic unemployment assistance programs, ruling Monday that the benefits they sought weren't protected by the U.S. Constitution.

  • June 02, 2025

    Dominion Opposes Cable Plan To Ease Utility Pole Fixes

    Dominion Energy is again criticizing a telecom industry proposal meant to expedite the process for putting communications attachments on utility poles, saying the telecom trade association behind the push is conflating simpler work lower on poles and more dangerous work above the space on poles where communications lines typically go.

  • June 02, 2025

    CFPB, Banks Move In For Kill Of Biden-Era Open Banking Rule

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and a coalition of banking trade groups have separately pushed to toss the agency's Biden-era open banking rule, with the CFPB now contending the data-sharing mandate exceeded its legal authority and the banks calling the regime burdensome, irrational and unlawfully vague.

  • June 02, 2025

    Justices' Rail Order Irrelevant To Merger Row, DC Circ. Told

    Chicago suburbs challenging federal approval of Canadian Pacific's merger with Kansas City Southern urged the D.C. Circuit on Monday to pay no heed to the U.S. Supreme Court decision restricting government environmental reviews, arguing their own case challenges "other" deficiencies in addition to a failed consideration of broader climate impacts.

  • June 02, 2025

    Justices Urged To Reject Bid Disputing IRS Crypto Summons

    The U.S. Supreme Court should not take up the case of a bitcoin investor who claimed the IRS violated his privacy when it seized his records from the cryptocurrency exchange, the government argued, saying the case is a poor vehicle for addressing concerns about digital-era transactions.

  • June 02, 2025

    Mass. AG Fines Restaurant $1.8M For Illegal Tip Pool

    A Japanese restaurant will pay more than $1.8 million to resolve an investigation into its requirement that service workers share their tips with managerial employees, the Massachusetts attorney general announced Monday.

  • June 02, 2025

    Feds To Face Discovery, Trial In Free-Speech Removals Case

    A Massachusetts federal judge on Monday denied the Trump administration's bid to foreclose discovery and a July 7 bench trial in a free-speech lawsuit by academic organizations challenging deportations of some of their members apparently based on their pro-Palestinian views.

  • June 02, 2025

    Third Round Of Fixes Sought In Botched Calif. Bar Exam

    The California state bar's committee of bar examiners has approved two additional remedies in an effort to help applicants who failed the troubled February exam, including asking the state Supreme Court to approve a further scoring adjustment that would bring the passing rate up to about 63%.

  • June 02, 2025

    Feds Want 12½ Years For Ex-Ill. Speaker Convicted Of Bribery

    Prosecutors are urging an Illinois federal judge to sentence former state House Speaker Michael Madigan to prison for 12½ years for bribery, conspiracy and fraud, saying his conduct adds "another sordid chapter to Illinois' storied reputation of corruption" while Madigan, armed with more than 200 letters of support, seeks only probation.

  • June 02, 2025

    Justices Want Gov't View On Duke Energy Monopoly Suit

    The U.S. Supreme Court asked the Solicitor General on Monday to provide the government's view on a ruling that revived antitrust claims accusing Duke Energy of squeezing a rival out of the power market in North Carolina.

  • June 02, 2025

    Conn. Hospital's $8.3M Bonus Claims Fail, State Says

    Connecticut Children's Medical Center Inc. has not provided a sufficient legal basis to pursue two of three claims in a lawsuit alleging that it should have received an $8.3 million performance-based bonus for 2022, the state Department of Social Services said in a motion seeking to nix the counts.

  • June 02, 2025

    Retired Judges Call Wis. Judge's Prosecution 'Dangerous'

    The Trump administration's prosecution of a Wisconsin state judge who refused to help federal agents arrest an immigrant is an "extraordinary and direct assault on the independence of the entire judicial system," according to a bipartisan group of 138 former state and federal judges.

  • June 02, 2025

    FERC 'Never' Considered Costs Of NW Pipeline, 5th Circ. Told

    The state of Washington told a Fifth Circuit panel Monday that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission " never rationally considered what the true costs" were for a TC Energy Corp. pipeline expansion project in the Pacific Northwest.

  • June 02, 2025

    Feds Want National Security Atty's Clearance Suit Tossed

    The White House told a D.C. federal judge that granting and revoking security clearances is up to the executive branch alone, urging the court to toss national security lawyer Mark S. Zaid's challenge to the stripping of his clearance.

  • June 02, 2025

    DHS To Waive Environmental Laws For Border Wall In Arizona

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Monday said it will waive a slew of environmental laws to facilitate border wall construction near Yuma, Arizona, an area the government says has a high amount of border crossing and drug trafficking.

  • June 02, 2025

    Nebraska Tax Commission Upholds Farm's $1.89M Valuation

    A Nebraska farm valued at $1.89 million was accurately assessed in line with other agricultural property, the state's Tax Equalization and Review Commission found, rejecting claims by the property owner that it was over-assessed.

  • June 02, 2025

    Defamation Litigation Roundup: Cheetos, NASCAR, OpenAI

    In this month's review of ongoing defamation fights, Law360 looks back on developments in a man's case against Frito-Lay Inc. over what he called the company's defamatory statements disputing his role in the invention of a flavor of Cheetos.

  • June 02, 2025

    Justices Take Ill. Rep.'s Case Over Extended Ballot Count

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to review a split Seventh Circuit panel's decision upholding the dismissal of an Illinois congressman's suit challenging the state's policy of counting ballots for up to 14 days after an election as long as they were postmarked or certified by Election Day.

  • June 02, 2025

    Immunity Shields Mich. AG From Flint Water Prosecution Suit

    A Michigan federal judge has dismissed a wrongful prosecution lawsuit brought by a former aide to ex-Gov. Rick Snyder against the Michigan attorney general and Wayne County prosecutors, ruling that immunity shields the prosecutors from liability over their handling of charges against officials in the aftermath of the Flint water crisis.

  • June 02, 2025

    Schumer Pledges To Fight GOP's Limits On Court Power

    Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has vowed to challenge a provision in House Republicans' budget reconciliation package that would curtail courts' ability to issue contempt citations.

  • June 02, 2025

    US Looks To Dodge Suit Over Gulf Oil Well Risks

    The federal government is asking a federal court to toss environmentalists' lawsuit alleging that it's ignoring the fact that owners of retired offshore oil and gas drilling infrastructure are failing to properly shut down the facilities.

  • June 02, 2025

    Justices Turn Away Constitutional Challenge To FINRA Powers

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up a case calling into question the constitutionality of the in-house disciplinary process used by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, rejecting an appeal by a broker-dealer facing expulsion from the industry.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Preparing For Corporate Work

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    Law school often doesn't cover the business strategy, financial fluency and negotiation skills needed for a successful corporate or transactional law practice, but there are practical ways to gain relevant experience and achieve the mindset shifts critical to a thriving career in this space, says Dakota Forsyth at Olshan Frome.

  • 6 Ways The Dole Act Alters USERRA Employment Protections

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    The recently passed Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act continues a long-standing trend of periodically increasing the scope of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, expanding civilian employment rights for service members and veterans with some of the most significant changes yet, say attorneys at Littler.

  • Opinion

    Federal Limits On Counter-Drone Options Need Updating

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    As malicious actors swiftly and creatively adapt drone technology for nefarious ends, federal legislation is needed to expand the authority of state and local governments, as well as private businesses and individuals, to take steps against such threats, says Carter Lee at Woods Rogers.

  • FTC Focus: Synthetic Data Yields Antitrust Considerations

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    Attorneys at Proskauer explore the burgeoning world of synthetic data, the antitrust implications involved, the Federal Trade Commission's role in regulating this space and practical takeaways from these emerging issues.

  • OCC Patriot Bank Order Spotlights AML Issues For Managers

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    The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's focus on payments and prepaid card program managers in its recent consent order with Patriot Bank is noteworthy and shows regulators are unlikely to back down on enforcement related to Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • FDIC Shift On ALJs May Show Agencies Meeting New Norms

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    The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.’s recent reversal, deciding to not fight a Kansas bank’s claim that the FDIC's administrative law judge removal process is unconstitutional, shows that independent agencies may be preemptively reconsidering their enforcement and adjudication authority amid executive and judicial actions curtailing their operations, say attorneys at Snell & Wilmer.

  • Opinion

    The SEC Must Protect Its Best Tool For Discovering Fraud

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    By eliminating the consolidated audit trail's collection of most retail customer information, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission may squander a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deter securities market fraud and abuse, something new Chair Paul Atkins must ensure doesn't happen, says former SEC data strategist Hugh Beck.

  • 7 Things Employers Should Expect From Trump's OSHA Pick

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    If President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is confirmed, workplace safety veteran David Keeling may focus on compliance and assistance, rather than enforcement, when it comes to improving worker safety, say attorneys at Fisher Phillips.

  • How Cos. Can Mitigate Increasing Microplastics Liability Risk

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    Amid rising scrutiny in the U.S. and Europe of microplastics' impact on health and the growing threat of litigation against consumer product and food and beverage manufacturers, companies can limit liability through compliance with labeling laws, careful contract management and other practices, say attorneys at Rogers Joseph.

  • Strategizing For Renewable Energy Project Success In Texas

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    The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has long been a key market for renewable energy projects, but rising financial and regulatory uncertainty means that developers and investors must prepare for inflation and policy risks, secure robust insurance coverage, and leverage tax equity transferability to ensure success, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • Opinion

    Slater Heralds Return To US Antitrust Norms, Innovation

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    Under recently confirmed Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater, the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice can fulfill President Donald Trump's objective to reestablish American economic dominance on the global stage while remaining faithful to antitrust's core principles, says Ediberto Roman at the Florida International University College of Law.

  • A Cold War-Era History Lesson On Due Process

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    The landmark Harry Bridges case from the mid-20th century Red Scare offers important insights on why lawyers must be free of government reprisal, no matter who their client is, says Peter Afrasiabi at One LLP.

  • How Latin American Finance Markets May Shift Under Trump

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    Changes in the federal government are bringing profound implications for Latin American financial institutions and cross-border financing, including increased competition from U.S. banks, volatility in equity markets and stable green investor demand despite deregulation in the U.S., says David Contreiras Tyler at Womble Bond.

  • Series

    Improv Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Improv keeps me grounded and connected to what matters most, including in my legal career where it has helped me to maintain a balance between being analytical, precise and professional, and creative, authentic and open-minded, says Justine Gottshall at InfoLawGroup.

  • TikTok Bias Suit Ruling Reflects New Landscape Under EFAA

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    In Puris v. Tiktok, a New York federal court found an arbitration agreement unenforceable in a former executive's bias suit, underscoring an evolving trend of broad, but inconsistent, interpretation of the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, say attorneys at Williams & Connolly.

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