Public Policy

June 09, 2025
Hawaii Gov. Vetoes Medical Marijuana Bill Over Privacy Concerns

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green has vetoed a bill modifying the state's medical marijuana program, saying that it would have impinged the privacy rights of the Aloha State's medical cannabis patients.
June 09, 2025
Budget Bill Needs To Fund Next-Gen 911, Senators Told

Even though 911 systems are falling behind in incorporating technology that could improve public safety, first responder groups are complaining that the recent House-passed budget bill lacks any provisions to direct money from spectrum auctions to the next-gen 911 upgrade.
June 09, 2025
Janitorial Contractor Fights Portland Labor Peace Policy

A nonprofit that supplies janitors to the city of Portland, Oregon, is challenging the city's requirement for certain city contractors to enter into labor peace agreements with unions, claiming in a new lawsuit in federal court that the rule is preempted by the National Labor Relations Act.
June 09, 2025
WilmerHale Seeks Full Fed Compliance On Struck-Down Order

WilmerHale is asking a D.C. federal judge to make clear that a ruling invalidating an executive order against the firm applies to all federal agencies subject to President Donald Trump's directives.
June 09, 2025
9th Circ. Awaits Justices' Ruling On Birthright Citizenship

A Ninth Circuit panel has elected to hold off on deciding whether to affirm a Washington federal court order blocking the Trump administration from limiting birthright citizenship until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the matter.
June 09, 2025
15 States, DC Sue ATF Over Machine Gun Trigger Turnaround

Fifteen states and the District of Columbia sued the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Attorney General Pamela J. Bondi on Monday, alleging the Trump administration "suddenly reversed course" on regulations of machine gun conversion devices called forced reset triggers, switching from banning the triggers to returning them to their owners.
June 09, 2025
City Says Insurer Owes $9M For Wrongful Incarceration Deal

An insurer for a North Carolina city improperly denied coverage for an underlying suit brought by a Black man who was wrongfully imprisoned for 44 years and is now on the hook for a $9.3 million settlement payment, the city argued in a suit removed to federal court.
June 09, 2025
Iowa Expands Property, Sales Tax Breaks For Data Centers

Iowa expanded property tax and sales and use tax breaks for data centers to include leased facilities under legislation signed by the governor.
June 09, 2025
Legal Industry Boosts Cuomo's Bid For NYC Mayor With $1.6M

The legal industry has spent at least $1.57 million to support Andrew Cuomo’s candidacy for New York City mayor, with attorneys shelling out thousands to his campaign and an independent committee bolstering his bid.
June 09, 2025
Nadine Menendez Says Counsel Shake-Up Erases Conviction

Former Sen. Robert Menendez's wife, Nadine Menendez, has asked a Manhattan federal judge to vacate the jury's guilty verdict in her bribery case, arguing that her Sixth Amendment rights were violated when she was denied her choice of legal representation.
June 08, 2025
11th Circ. Denies Fla. AG's Bid To Unpause Immigration Law

The Eleventh Circuit on Friday denied Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's bid to lift a block on a state law criminalizing the entry of unauthorized immigrants into the state, finding that Florida had failed to make a strong showing that it would fend off a challenge to the law.
June 06, 2025
FTC Scoffs At Meta's Accusation Of 'Biased' Econ Expert

The FTC on Friday urged a Washington, D.C., federal judge to reject Meta's bid to strike testimony the agency's lead economics expert gave during the antitrust trial over Meta's purchase of Instagram and WhatsApp, scoffing at the allegation the New York University School of Law professor is biased.
June 06, 2025
High Court Says Software Glitch Led To Early Order List Drop

An "apparent software malfunction" caused the U.S. Supreme Court's order list to be issued early Friday, orders in which the justices granted certiorari in four cases and refused to take up a long list of other ones, including cases centered on Pennsylvania's election system and the Obama Presidential Center.
June 06, 2025
Senate Banking Bill Would Zero Out CFPB's Fed Funding

U.S. Senate Banking Committee Republicans called Friday for eliminating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Federal Reserve funding as part of their proposal package for the "One Big Beautiful" budget bill, a move that could effectively restructure the agency.
June 06, 2025
Trump Cuts To Federal Library Agency Can Resume, For Now

Employees of the federal agency that provides grants and resources to public libraries cannot immediately get blocked President Donald Trump's executive order dismantling the agency, a Washington, D.C., federal judge ruled Friday, saying there is a likelihood the case belongs in the Court of Federal Claims.
June 06, 2025
Masimo Fights Ex-CEO's Bid To Ax Suit Over $450M Demand

Masimo Corp. fought back against founder Joe Kiani's motion to dismiss the company's Delaware Chancery Court suit seeking a declaration that he's not due a $450 million payout after his ouster as CEO, arguing that bid is an "improper attempt to evade" the Delaware court's jurisdiction.
June 06, 2025
Split DC Circ. Reinstates AP's White House Press Pool Ban

A split D.C. Circuit panel reinstated the White House's decision to ban the Associated Press from the press pool covering the Oval Office, Air Force One and Mar-a-Lago on Friday, while a dissenting judge criticized her colleagues' rationale as being nonsensical and upending longstanding First Amendment precedent and generations of tradition.
June 06, 2025
Fla. Fraud Investigator Faces 3rd Malicious Prosecution Suit

A Florida insurance fraud investigator faces a third federal lawsuit alleging he lied in a report that led to the malicious prosecution of an independent roofing contractor whose charges were later dismissed because prosecutors couldn't substantiate the accusations.
June 06, 2025
Trump Champions Radio Spectrum Deal In Budget Bill

President Donald Trump on Friday applauded the electromagnetic spectrum deal brokered among Senate Republicans that is included in one of the chamber's budget reconciliation bills.
June 06, 2025
Tobacco Cos. Sue Philip Morris Over Bid To Void Wash. Deal

R.J. Reynolds and other tobacco producers have accused Philip Morris USA of trying to derail a deal with Washington state last spring to resolve longstanding payment disputes stemming from Big Tobacco's 1998 master settlement agreement, according to a new lawsuit in Washington state court.
June 06, 2025
US Entry Barriers May Be Red Card For World Cup Fans

As the U.S. prepares to host some of the 2026 World Cup games, a confluence of heightened border vetting, shifting visa policies and a sweeping new travel ban is fueling concerns about fans' willingness to come and the financial viability of the tournament.
June 06, 2025
Justices Won't Hear Obama Center Site Selection Complaints

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday declined to consider claims that federal agencies failed to complete a full environmental review of plans to construct the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago's Jackson Park neighborhood.
June 06, 2025
LA Fitness Beats DOJ's ADA Suit, For Now

A California federal judge tossed the U.S. Department of Justice's lawsuit Friday alleging LA Fitness did not accommodate disabled patrons, ruling the government failed to allege a pattern or practice of discrimination or put the gym chain on notice of claims the attorney general determined are of public importance.
June 06, 2025
Fed's Bowman Calls For Oversight Built On 'Pragmatism'

Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman on Friday previewed a sweeping industry-friendly agenda to ease burdens on smaller lenders, overhaul supervisory ratings and reevaluate capital rules as the central bank's new top regulator, drawing immediate praise from banking industry groups.
June 06, 2025
Legislative Reprieve For Texas Green Energy Isn't Permanent

Texas renewable energy companies dodged another bullet when several bills that would have restricted development died in the state Legislature a second time, but the industry remains on guard for future attempts to more tightly regulate renewable projects.

Editor's Picks

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.

Expert Analysis

CFPB's Guidance Withdrawal Deepens Industry Uncertainty

Following the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's recent withdrawal of dozens of guidance documents in a post-Chevron world, financial services providers are left to make their own determinations about the complex issues addressed in the now-revoked materials, presenting a significant compliance burden, say attorneys at Bradley Arant.
Justices Widen Gap Between Federal, Calif. Enviro Reviews

While the U.S. Supreme Court's recent opinion in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colorado, narrowed the scope of National Environmental Policy Act reviews, it may have broadened the gulf between reviews conducted under NEPA and those under the California Environmental Quality Act, say attorneys at Hanson Bridgett.
In 2nd Place, Va. 'Rocket Docket' Remains Old Reliable

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia was again one of the fastest civil trial courts in the nation last year, and an interview with the court’s newest judge provides insights into why it continues to soar, says Robert Tata at Hunton.
SEC Signals Opening For Private Fund Investment Reform

At SEC Speaks in late May, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission made clear that it's considering allowing registered funds of private funds to be offered broadly to true retail investors, meaning existing funds should review their disclosures focusing on conflicts of interest, liquidity and fees, say attorneys at Stradley Ronon.
CIPA May Not Be Necessary To Protect Ad Tech Plaintiffs

A California bill designed to protect businesses from advertising technology claims under the California Invasion of Privacy Act by amending the act retroactively has been highly contested by various consumer advocacy groups, but other existing law may sufficiently protect any plaintiff who suffers actual harm from such tech, says Justin Donoho at Duane Morris.
Parsing A Lack Of Antitrust Info-Sharing Enforcement Clarity

Information sharing among competing firms has recently faced dramatic changes in antitrust agency guidance, while courts grapple with the permissible scope of pricing algorithms, leaving companies in limbo, but potential Trump administration changes could offer some reprieve, say attorneys at Axinn.
What FCA Liability Looks Like In The Cybersecurity Realm

Two recent settlements highlight how whistleblowers and the U.S. Department of Justice have been utilizing the False Claims Act to allege fraud predicated on violations of cybersecurity standards — timely lessons given new bipartisan legislation introducing potential FCA liability for artificial intelligence use, say attorneys Rachel Rose and Julie Bracker.
'A Deal Is A Deal': Tariffs No Excuse To Dodge Contract Terms

Tariff policy uncertainty is unlikely to be a basis for allowing a party to avoid contractual obligations, but businesses can still plan for future disputes related to pricing, operations and the supply chain, including with the addition of tariffs to any force majeure provision, say attorneys at Arnold Porter.
Proposed State AI Rule Ban Could Alter Employer Compliance

A proposal in the congressional budget bill that would ban state and local enforcement of laws and regulations governing artificial intelligence may offer near-term clarity by freezing conflicting rules, but long-term planning would remain difficult for employers seeking safe, lawful AI deployment strategies, say attorneys at Fisher Phillips.
Operating Via Bank Charter Offers Perks Amid Industry Shift

As bank regulators become more receptive to streamlining barriers that have historically stood in the way of de novo bank formation, and as fintechs show more interest in chartering, attorneys at Goodwin outline the types of charters available and their benefits.
How Attorneys Can Become Change Agents For Racial Equity

As the administration targets diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and law firms consider pulling back from their programs, lawyers who care about racial equity and justice can employ four strategies to create microspaces of justice, which can then be parlayed into drivers of transformational change, says Susan Sturm at Columbia Law School.
5 Takeaways From DOJ's Media Compulsory Process Rules

The U.S. Department of Justice’s new rules, making it easier for law enforcement investigating leaks to compel members of the media and third parties to disclose information, could have wide-ranging impacts, from reduced protections for journalists and organizations, to an expanded focus on nonclassified material, say attorneys at WilmerHale.
Public Cos. Must Heed Disclosure Risks Amid Trade Chaos

Ongoing uncertainties caused by President Donald Trump's shifting stances on tariffs and trade restrictions have exponentially escalated financial reporting pressures on public companies, so businesses must ensure that their operations and accounting practices align with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's standards, say Jennifer Lee at Jenner & Block and Edward Westerman at Secretariat Advisors.
Seven County Ruling Should Trim Agency Enviro Analysis

The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County provides needed clarity for infrastructure projects by expressly directing agencies to narrow environmental reviews, and reducing the threat of litigation if even tangential issues are not exhaustively evaluated, say attorneys at Dentons.
CMS Guidance May Complicate Drug Pricing, Trigger Lawsuits

Recent draft guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposes to expand the scope of what counts as the same qualifying single-source drug, which would significantly alter the timeline for modified drugs facing price controls and would likely draw legal challenges from innovator drug companies, say attorneys at Debevoise.