Public Policy

  • September 17, 2026

    SEC Issues Innovation Exemption For Tokenized Stock Trading

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday unveiled its long-awaited innovation exemption, permitting certain crypto projects and liquidity providers to support tokenized stock trading for a five-year period without registering as exchanges or dealers.

  • September 16, 2026

    Post-Cambridge Analytica Investigation Unserious, Jury Told

    New Mexico jurors heard testimony Wednesday from a former Facebook employee that the social media giant's investigation of third-party app developers after the Cambridge Analytica scandal was weakened by executive anger over the cost and pressure for it to wrap up, among other things.

  • September 16, 2026

    Express Scripts Seeks To Exit AIDS Group's Drug Rate Suit

    Express Scripts called on a Washington federal judge to toss a lawsuit accusing it of using its market power to bully the AIDS Healthcare Foundation into accepting lower reimbursement rates for life-saving drugs, contending Tuesday that the case rehashes allegations a Missouri federal court has already rejected twice.

  • September 16, 2026

    Protesters Say Feds' Fight Shows Need For Misconduct Probe

    The U.S. government's opposition to a special investigation of prosecutorial misconduct that "poisoned" a now-dismissed criminal conspiracy case suggests Chicago prosecutors are still shielding critical details regarding the extent of official communications preceding the prosecution, underscoring the probe's necessity, protesters argued Tuesday.

  • September 16, 2026

    CFTC Probing Carbon Credit Markets, Enforcement Chief Says

    U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission Enforcement Director David Miller said Wednesday that the division is investigating carbon credit markets as part of his agency's commitment to policing fraud in emerging markets.

  • September 16, 2026

    Philly Says DraftKings Suit Seeks To Block Consumer Probe

    Philadelphia has urged a Pennsylvania federal judge to throw out DraftKings' suit challenging the city's consumer protection ordinance, telling the court that although it's investigating how the online betting platform markets its product to residents, the complaint is premature since the city hasn't taken any enforcement action.

  • September 16, 2026

    Senate Committee OKs Free Speech Bill Despite AI Worries

    A bipartisan bill aimed at preventing the government from leaning on media companies to suppress the speech of third parties made it through committee Wednesday morning, but not until the leadership of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee went head-to-head with each other on the matter.

  • September 16, 2026

    FCC Members See Progress On Opening Gov't Spectrum

    Federal Communications Commission leaders on Wednesday touted progress toward the government's goal of transitioning unused federally held airwaves to the private sector to spur wireless industry growth.

  • September 16, 2026

    Okla. Mothers Contest Abortion Ban In Fatal Fetal Cases

    A pair of mothers urged an Oklahoma state court Wednesday to bar the state from criminalizing abortion care for pregnant individuals who learn their fetus won't survive birth, arguing that doing so violates fundamental rights under Oklahoma's constitution.

  • September 16, 2026

    FIU Students Say Administrators Knew About Protest Rights

    Florida International University administrators aren't immune from claims they violated student's speech rights by disciplining them for protesting against federal immigration enforcement tactics because they were well aware of U.S. Supreme Court precedent protecting students' speech rights, the students said Tuesday.

  • September 16, 2026

    Conn. Agency Rejects Avangrid Units' Bids For Higher Rates

    Connecticut's Public Utilities Regulatory Authority decreased rates for Avangrid Inc. subsidiaries Connecticut Natural Gas Corp. and Southern Connecticut Gas in a pair of decisions issued after a state judge remanded prior decisions on their rate amendment applications for additional proceedings.

  • September 16, 2026

    Wash. University Says It Had No Duty To Stop Idaho Murders

    Washington State University urged a federal judge Tuesday to dismiss a lawsuit from families of four University of Idaho students killed by a WSU teaching assistant, arguing that the university had no obligation to stop Bryan Kohberger from committing the murders while he was off duty and across state lines.

  • September 16, 2026

    Utah Tribe Loses Repeated Bids To End Water Suit In Its Favor

    A Utah federal court has denied a Native American tribe's motion for default judgment and motion for entry of default against a group of farm companies in a water-use lawsuit, ruling the tribe's separate bid for summary judgment conflicts with the other two motions.

  • September 16, 2026

    State Farm Plans Calif. Return For Fire-Hardened Homes

    More than three years after announcing it would no longer sell new homeowners insurance policies in California, State Farm has filed plans to begin writing new policies for Golden State homeowners who have made their properties more resilient to wildfire, according to news releases issued Wednesday.

  • September 16, 2026

    War In Iran Has Cost Pentagon $38B, CBO Report Says

    The Congressional Budget Office said in a report that the ongoing armed conflict between the United States and Iran has cost the U.S. Department of Defense an estimated $38 billion and contributed to inflation in the first half of 2026.

  • September 16, 2026

    Texas Justices Press Mall Owner On Mass Shooting Liability

    The Texas Supreme Court justices wanted the owner of an outlet mall in Allen, Texas, that saw a devastating mass shooting to explain why a case brought by the victims should be tossed, saying Wednesday that dismissal might remove incentives for businesses to protect customers.

  • September 16, 2026

    State Bank Supervisor Group Issues AI Exam Framework

    The Conference of State Bank Supervisors on Wednesday unveiled a new oversight framework for artificial intelligence at financial firms, rolling out resources aimed at giving state examiners a common roadmap for reviewing how their regulated institutions are deploying the technology.

  • September 16, 2026

    Tenn. Must Face Adult-Entertainment Groups' Age-Check Suit

    A federal judge in Tennessee has ruled that the state must face a suit from free speech advocates, an individual adult-content creator and adult-entertainment industry groups claiming a state law requiring age checks violates their First Amendment rights.

  • September 16, 2026

    Calif. AI Law Requires Ads To Disclose 'Synthetic Performers'

    Advertisements shown in California that feature artificial intelligence-generated actors must explicitly disclose that such "synthetic performers" were used under a new SAG-AFTRA-backed bill that California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Wednesday.

  • September 16, 2026

    9th Circ. Greenlights Blocking Kalshi Contracts On Tribal Land

    The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday reversed an order denying California tribes' request for a preliminary injunction seeking to block Kalshi and Robinhood from offering sports-event contracts on tribal lands, finding the tribes will likely win their Indian Gaming Regulatory Act claims, and "this is the 'stuff' of sports betting."

  • September 16, 2026

    DTE Faces Suit Alleging Retaliation Over Fermi 2 Safety Data

    A longtime employee of utility DTE Electric Co.'s Fermi 2 nuclear energy plant has said he was forced out of his job because he reported safety data discrepancies to upper management and human resources, accusing the company of retaliation in Michigan federal court.

  • September 16, 2026

    House Clears Russia Sanctions Bill With New Tariff Powers

    The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation Wednesday that would enhance President Donald Trump's economic tools to pressure Russia and Iran, including new tariff authorities to impose duties on imports from countries found to economically support Russia, sending the bill to his desk.

  • September 16, 2026

    EPA's Policy Repeals May Spell Exit From Climate Regulation

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's latest move to undo Biden-era greenhouse gas emissions rules lays legal groundwork for the agency to completely abandon climate change regulation, though it remains to be seen whether courts will endorse a full-blown retreat.

  • September 16, 2026

    Kroger Faces Skepticism In Bid To Slash Wash. AG's Fee Win

    A Washington appellate judge expressed skepticism Wednesday at Kroger's bid to dismiss or reduce the state's $28.4 million fee award for successfully challenging the proposed merger with Albertsons, saying Kroger doesn't know how the Washington State Attorney General's Office split the work with the lead law firm that handled the bench trial.

  • September 16, 2026

    Judge Extends Supervision Over Migrant Teen Detention

    A D.C. federal court has said it'll continue to supervise the federal government after finding it repeatedly failed to make individualized determinations on whether certain migrant teenagers should be placed in a less restrictive alternative to adult immigration detention upon turning 18.

Expert Analysis

  • Illinois Domestic Violence Law Expands Employer Obligations

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    With a new Illinois law expanding domestic violence protections by redefining harassment for the digital age and making protective orders more accessible, employers should review their policies and training programs as they will likely encounter more orders and a wider range of workplace restrictions, say attorneys at Nixon Peabody.

  • What State AI Election Laws Mean For The 2026 Midterms

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    In the absence of federal rules governing artificial intelligence in elections and no consensus emerging across state laws, campaigns, their vendors and AI developers must address the risks associated with outdated rules written for other problems, says Matthew Shapanka at Covington.

  • Why Pa. Push For Brownfield Renewables May Not Be Enough

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    A recent executive order from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro directed state regulators to expedite siting of clean energy development on former industrial sites — but additional reforms may be needed to effectively eliminate barriers to these types of projects, says Louis Dodge at Langsam Stevens.

  • Draft Biosolids Guidance Illuminates EPA's Approach To PFAS

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    Recent draft guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on mitigating risks from two "forever chemicals" in sewage sludge is not legally binding, but its recommendations may help wastewater treatment plants operators, landowners, farmers, water agencies and the public understand the agency's current thinking, says Ayodeji Ayolola at Gordon Rees.

  • 4 Words In A 1980 Law Could Redraw Bank Lending

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    The Tenth Circuit's interpretation of a single phrase in the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act could reshape interstate bank lending, requiring banks and fintechs to document loan-making functions, monitor repayment triggers, and reassess true lender and contractual risks, say attorneys at Sheppard.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Cultivating Good Judgment

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    Law schools generally overlook the role that solid judgment skills play in real-world practice, but attorneys can bridge the gap by strengthening their abilities to assess a case’s strengths and weaknesses, develop and execute effective strategies, and provide clear recommendations to clients, says Manny Caixeiro at Venable.

  • Responding To State Packaging Law Uncertainty

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    As states roll out new packaging and recycling mandates, companies face expanding compliance duties and a growing wave of constitutional challenges that offer key lessons for managing regulatory risk, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • CMS Rule, DOJ Probes Deepen Gender Care Compliance Risk

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    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' final rule restricting Medicaid funding for hospitals that provide gender-affirming care is likely to face immediate litigation, but the CMS rulemaking is already working alongside U.S. Department of Justice's enforcement campaign to create operational risk for providers, say attorneys at Arnall Golden.

  • New Del. Corp. Law's Technical Tweaks Bring Broad Changes

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    While the new amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law, which took effect on Aug. 1, appear technical, they have broad implications for wound-down corporations and carry personal exposure for whoever signed the certificate of dissolution, hinting at where entity law is heading next, says Ashwin Ram at Buchalter.

  • How Trucking Cos. Can Tackle Risk From New DOJ Task Force

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    Trucking companies should audit their drivers’ credentials and address risk areas lest they attract the attention of the new Justice Department-led task force against the fraudulent licensing of immigrants as commercial truckers, which is turning former questions of administrative or regulatory noncompliance into matters for federal prosecution, say attorneys at RJO.

  • What To Expect From Colorado's New Artist Co. Structure

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    Colorado's newly established class of artist companies, or A-Corps, provides a useful structure for small-scale ventures, but challenges could arise for more complex business plans, and limitations on investor participation may limit widespread adoption, say attorneys at Armstrong Teasdale.

  • 2 Cases Shed Light On Invoking The 5th Before Congress

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    Given the anticipated increase in congressional investigations following the midterm elections, those who anticipate being in Congress' spotlight can draw valuable Fifth Amendment lessons from the ongoing case involving Dr. Anthony Fauci's testimony and the D.C. Circuit’s recent ruling in de la Torre v. Cassidy, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

  • AG Watch: Oregon Targets Consumer Costs

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    Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield's challenges to bank interest rate and escrow preemption signal heightened scrutiny of consumer costs for lending services, requiring financial institutions serving Oregon and other states with opt-out laws to reassess compliance risk, says Keturah Taylor at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Loper Bright Unlikely To Upend DEA Rescheduling Challenges

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    As cannabis industry stakeholders await a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration ruling on broader cannabis rescheduling, the U.S. Supreme Court's 2024 decision in Loper Bright to eliminate judicial deference to agency decisions should not dramatically affect cannabis rescheduling litigation risk, but it could marginally strengthen proponents' hand if the DEA denies rescheduling, say attorneys at Dentons.

  • Money Transmission Issue Looms For Prediction Markets

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    The circuit split recently created by the Ninth Circuit's ruling in Kalshi v. Assad has implications reaching beyond gaming regulation as, depending on the ultimate characterization of prediction market event contracts, platforms may face differing obligations under federal and state money transmission laws, say attorneys at Manatt.

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