Public Policy

  • September 17, 2026

    AI Flubs, More Secure PACER Get Judiciary Forum Spotlight

    Misuse of artificial intelligence tools and a "state-of-the-art" revamp of electronic dockets in federal cases were among the hottest topics Thursday at a major meeting of judiciary leaders, who also heard a lawmaker warn of eroding trust in the U.S. Department of Justice.

  • September 17, 2026

    DOJ Touts 'Substantial' Ad Tech Fix, Leaves Room For Appeal

    The U.S. Department of Justice walked a fine line between hailing a Virginia federal judge's newly unsealed decision ordering Google to open up its advertising placement technology dominance, and leaving open the possibility of appealing the judge's accompanying rejection of its request for a breakup.

  • September 17, 2026

    Wash. Sheriff's Office Faces $27M Claim Over Fatal Stabbing

    A Washington sheriff's office was hit with a $27 million tort claim Thursday alleging a deputy wrongfully killed a DUI suspect by stabbing him 17 times with a personal, "unauthorized" dagger during a May 2025 confrontation in a testing room at a Washington State Patrol station.

  • September 17, 2026

    DC Judge Scolds Feds Over Delays In VLSI's FOIA Fight

    A D.C. federal judge on Thursday granted the government a second extension to respond to VLSI's summary judgment motion in litigation over redactions to a "whistleblower" report, but chastised the feds over a "lack of prioritization and commitment" to the court's deadlines.

  • September 17, 2026

    Meta's Slow Content Reviews Not Biggest Concern, Jury Told

    Meta's longtime content policy czar testified Thursday in New Mexico's data privacy trial that leaving up some violating posts for days while they underwent extra review was "less of a concern" than the mistake of pulling down an acceptable post by a high-profile account.

  • September 17, 2026

    Trump Bars Canadian Goods From US Gov't Procurement

    President Donald Trump has signed a presidential memorandum directing agencies to identify and "take steps" to remove Canadian goods from U.S. government procurement as a response to Canadian measures limiting U.S. companies' access to the northern neighbor's government procurement markets.

  • September 17, 2026

    Oil Giants, Estate Agree To End Heat Wave Death Claims

    The daughter of a Washington woman who died in a 2021 heat wave has agreed to drop claims against oil giants Chevron, Shell, BP and Phillips 66, according to motions filed Tuesday and Wednesday in King County Superior Court.

  • September 17, 2026

    Wash. High Court Strikes Down Natural Gas Voter Initiative

    The Washington State Supreme Court has invalidated a voter-approved initiative barring local governments and building code officials from adopting rules to discourage natural gas use, ruling in a 6-3 decision Thursday that it violates a provision of the state constitution limiting legislative measures to a single subject.

  • September 17, 2026

    FAR Council Releases Second Batch Of Regulatory Changes

    The Trump administration released a second batch of proposed rules Thursday as part of its effort to streamline the Federal Acquisition Regulation, covering everything from commercial products and services to contract negotiations.

  • September 17, 2026

    FDIC Pitches Plan For Faster Bank Merger Reviews

    The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. moved Thursday to revamp its procedures for vetting bank mergers, floating a package of proposed changes that could speed up the agency's reviews for many transactions and lead to fewer getting held up over competition concerns.

  • September 17, 2026

    Sue To Stop AI Armageddon? Not So Fast, Attys Say

    As executives at leading artificial intelligence companies increasingly assert that their own technology could one day pose an existential threat to humanity, a natural question follows: If the risk is real, can anyone sue to stop it before disaster strikes?

  • September 17, 2026

    T-Mobile Can't Challenge Ruling That It Broke Wash. Data Law

    A Washington state judge said he will not reconsider his finding that T-Mobile committed more than 722,000 violations of a state data breach notification law.

  • September 17, 2026

    AT&T Seeks To End Biz Landline Service In 34 States, DC

    AT&T is continuing its quest to end legacy copper line service across the United States, this time asking the Federal Communications Commission for permission to end traditional phone service for businesses in 34 states and Washington, D.C.

  • September 17, 2026

    Feds Resist Release Guarantee For Unlawfully Deported Man

    Immigration officials and attorneys for asylum seekers disagreed on the conditions required for the return from El Salvador of an unlawfully deported man, with the government refusing to guarantee the man will not be held in detention upon his return.

  • September 17, 2026

    Rail Giants Point To Shipper Support For $85B Merger

    Droves of companies that rely on freight in their daily business have recently thrown their support behind Union Pacific Corp.'s planned $85 billion merger with Atlanta-based Norfolk Southern Corp. in filings with a federal board being asked to approve the tie-up.

  • September 17, 2026

    Watchdogs Sue Trump Over Early Truth Social Post Access

    Two government watchdog groups are suing President Donald Trump and other high-ranking officials, claiming that their sale of early access to Trump's policy-focused Truth Social posts violates the First and Fifth amendments and only serves to enrich the president and his social media platform.

  • September 17, 2026

    7th Circ. Questions Illinois' Out-Of-State Liquor Delivery Ban

    The Seventh Circuit seemed unsure Thursday whether it should back a district court decision tossing two wine collectors' constitutional claim against an Illinois law barring out-of-state retailers delivering alcohol to in-state customers, questioning the state's underlying reasoning for the ban.

  • September 17, 2026

    NY Urges 2nd Circ. To Stop DOT Push To End Congestion Pricing

    New York transportation agencies have urged the Second Circuit to shut down the Trump administration's continued efforts to eliminate congestion pricing, saying the federal government doesn't have free rein to renege on cooperative agreements without justification.

  • September 17, 2026

    Ex-FCC Leaders Call ABC Probe Attack On Free Speech

    A bipartisan group of former top officials at the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday urged a D.C. federal court to put a halt to the agency's ongoing probe of ABC's Disney-owned stations, calling it an attack on free speech.

  • September 17, 2026

    SpaceXAI, Apple Must Show Texas Judge Antitrust Deal Terms

    A Texas federal judge has ordered Elon Musk's companies and Apple Inc. to provide him with a copy of their recent settlement for in-camera review after OpenAI Inc. demanded to look over the agreement and argued its terms may undermine the antitrust allegations SpaceXAI LLC is still pursuing against OpenAI.

  • September 17, 2026

    Ex-Conn. Utility Regulator Defends Appeal Of FOIA Fine

    Former Connecticut utility regulator Marissa P. Gillett has asked a state court not to toss her appeal of a $2,500 fine imposed on her by the Freedom of Information Commission for failure to comply with a records request from Eversource Energy, disagreeing with the commission that her case is now moot because the agency paid the fine and underwent FOIA training.

  • September 17, 2026

    EU Antitrust Chief Says AI Competition Mitigates Risk

    Europe's top antitrust enforcer raised concerns Thursday about the need to regulate artificial intelligence companies, while a top U.S. official said enforcers need to hear more about potential collaborations on AI safety before deciding if they're problematic.

  • September 17, 2026

    10th Circ. Debates Bid To Revive Colo. Atty Fee Law Challenge

    Colorado residents and community watch groups urged the Tenth Circuit on Thursday to revive their constitutional challenge against a Colorado law that mandates attorney fee awards to local governments in certain land use disputes, fielding court questions on the case's reviewability and whether sovereign immunity applies.

  • September 17, 2026

    Trump Withdraws ICE Nominee Schroyer After Senate Delay

    The White House announced Thursday that it withdrew President Donald Trump's nomination of former Oklahoma state trooper Lance Schroyer to lead U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after his nomination stalled in the Senate.

  • September 17, 2026

    EPA Sued Over Power Plant Greenhouse Gas Rule Repeal

    Environmental and public health groups on Thursday sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over its repeal of greenhouse gas emissions standards for power plants, accusing the agency of renouncing its legal obligation to tackle climate change-related pollution from the power sector.

Expert Analysis

  • A Road Map To Modernizing Clinical Lab Regulations

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    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' recent request for comments on potential changes to the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments provides an early indication of where CLIA is headed, and the operational, compliance, reimbursement and enforcement issues those changes will create, says Jose Vela at Clark Hill.

  • IRS Notice Helps Bridge Carbon Capture Reporting Gap

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    Recent guidance that extends a safe harbor for taxpayers claiming Section 45Q carbon capture credits provides a temporary reporting method that may keep viable projects moving while the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Environmental Protection Agency address future reporting standards, says Peter Lowy at Nelson Mullins.

  • How GCs Can Assess The Risks Of Emerging AI Laws

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    Amid a swirl of momentous legislative activity aimed at regulating artificial intelligence, general counsel must return to first principles when determining whether new laws will apply and whether the company’s use could cause regulators to subject it to additional regulation, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • 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.

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