Public Policy

  • October 09, 2026

    DOJ Policy Checking Voters' Immigration Status Banned

    A D.C. federal judge has struck down the U.S. Department of Justice's new policy of collecting states' unredacted voter information to cross-check voter rolls against immigration databases, saying federal voting laws the agency relied on were meant to protect the right to vote and not take it away.

  • October 09, 2026

    Fla. Judge Weighs Combining $320M Epstein Victims' FBI Suit

    A Florida federal judge requested input from the government and multiple alleged survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sex crimes on whether to combine a pair of lawsuits claiming investigations into the late financier were mishandled, including one complaint seeking $320 million for law enforcement over ignoring reports of criminal abuse.

  • October 09, 2026

    FCC Proposes Rules To Vet Broadband Subsidy Recipients

    Almost five months after the Rural Broadband Protection Act was signed into law, the Federal Communications Commission is getting the ball rolling on establishing the vetting process mandated by the law for internet service providers taking part in the agency's "high cost" program.

  • October 09, 2026

    FCC Urged To Put Hold On Repeal Of Media Ownership Cap

    Several groups are calling on the Federal Communications Commission to stay a recent order lifting its long-standing 39% cap on national broadcast audience reach while a court battle plays out.

  • October 09, 2026

    FCC To Begin Search For Upper C-Band Clearinghouse Admin

    The Federal Communications Commission has begun the process of selecting an entity that will serve as the clearinghouse charged with reimbursing incumbent spectrum users for making way for 5G wireless in the upper C-band.

  • October 09, 2026

    Pa. Justices Won't Extend Deadline For 'Skill Games' Removal

    The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has denied a request from three state lawmakers and a group of "skill games" operators to extend the deadline for businesses to remove devices that the high court recently deemed illegal slot machines.

  • October 09, 2026

    Phaseout Of FCC's E-Rate Could Dampen GDP, Report Says

    An advocacy group warned that a Federal Communications Commission plan to eventually phase out the E-Rate connectivity aid program could dampen U.S. economic output.

  • October 09, 2026

    Can Trade Secret Law Protect Indigenous Knowledge?

    As the U.S. and other countries struggle to agree on new international protections for Indigenous knowledge, trade secret law is drawing renewed attention as a possible solution for material that communities actually keep confidential.

  • October 09, 2026

    States Fight DOL's Ax Of Unemployment Insurance Grants

    Fourteen states sued the federal government in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims on Friday, alleging the U.S. Department of Labor wrongfully terminated grants intended for modernizing their unemployment insurance programs.

  • October 09, 2026

    Noncitizen Guantánamo Detainees Fight Closed-Hearing Bid

    Lead plaintiffs in a certified class of noncitizen Guantánamo Bay detainees who are challenging a Trump administration policy to detain noncitizens at Guantánamo Bay asked a D.C. federal judge to reject an administration request to close an upcoming hearing when officials are anticipated to testify about the policy.

  • October 09, 2026

    Feds Say Calif. 'Clean Trucks' Pact Usurps Emissions Rules

    The Trump administration said Friday that California cannot usurp exclusive federal authority to set uniform motor vehicle emissions standards, urging a federal judge to strike down the Golden State's efforts to still enforce stricter emissions mandates on heavy-duty truck manufacturers in defiance of federal law.

  • October 09, 2026

    CU Boulder Hiked Fees For Records Requests, Suit Says

    An administrator at the University of Colorado Boulder claimed in Colorado state court Thursday that the school improperly withheld and attempted to overcharge for records requested related to harassment he experienced under the Colorado Open Records Act.

  • October 09, 2026

    SEC Proposes Restoring Funds' Ability To Cross-Trade Bonds

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission put forth a proposal on Friday to make it easier for mutual and other registered funds under the same manager to trade with one another, while promising to update the oversight rules for fund managers participating in such cross-trades.

  • October 09, 2026

    Vape Cos. FDA Suit On Hold As Agency Reviews Policy

    A Texas federal court has granted a joint motion to stay litigation by an Altria Group Inc. vape subsidiary challenging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's premarket authorization rule, pausing proceedings while the FDA pursues rulemaking to replace the challenged framework.

  • October 09, 2026

    EU, China Make Trade Pledges On Hybrid Vehicles, Minerals

    The European Union and China said Friday that they reached mutual understanding on several key trade matters following a bilateral meeting, including the facilitation of Chinese minerals to EU companies and limiting China's exports of hybrid vehicles to the bloc.

  • October 09, 2026

    Cannabis Wholesaler Settles Conn. AG's Consumer Claims

    A wholesaler that allegedly supplied Connecticut stores with high-potency cannabis products has agreed to settle a state enforcement action for $2 million and a promise not to operate without a license, according to a stipulated judgment Thursday.

  • October 09, 2026

    NM Groups Contest Militarization Of Public Land On Border

    A coalition of New Mexico groups has accused the Trump administration of unlawfully transferring more than 110,000 acres of public land along the southern border to the U.S. Department of Defense to close it off and rope the military into immigration enforcement.

  • October 09, 2026

    FCC Aims To Boost Mexico, Canada Telecom Border Security

    The Federal Communications Commission will vote on proposed new rules that would strengthen border security by improving transparency and disclosures for communications across the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders.

  • October 09, 2026

    CNN Says Azerbaijan Can't Sue Over Israel-Iran Report

    CNN has urged a Delaware federal court to throw out Azerbaijan's defamation lawsuit over the network's report that Israel used the country as a base for covert operations against Iran, arguing the First Amendment bars governments, foreign or domestic, from suing news organizations over criticism of their conduct.

  • October 09, 2026

    Feds Again Turn To 9th Circ. In Fight Over ICE Facility

    The Trump administration said Friday it will ask the Ninth Circuit to overturn a trial court decision requiring ICE to give independent monitors access to conduct inspections and electronic records for detained immigrants at a lockup in Adelanto, California, where a judge has twice called for conditions to be improved.

  • October 09, 2026

    US Sets Rules For Mexico, Canada Metal Tariff Discount

    The U.S. Department of Commerce on Friday defined how the U.S. content of certain metal products from Canada and Mexico will be determined for purposes of applying President Donald Trump's modifications to the steel, aluminum and copper tariff regimes.

  • October 09, 2026

    Squires Grants 4 PTAB Petitions, Rejects 3 In New Drop

    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires has instituted four new America Invents Act reviews at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and turned down three in his newest mass order.

  • October 09, 2026

    Md. Says No US Harm From Undocumented Tuition Law

    Maryland urged a federal court to reject a challenge to a state law that allows unauthorized immigrants to pay in-state college tuition, arguing the Trump administration has failed to identify any injury it has suffered from the law.

  • October 09, 2026

    M&A Attys See Resilience Through Q3 Amid Geopolitical Risk

    Global M&A activity remained strong through the first nine months of 2026 despite a third-quarter slowdown, as strategic buyers and private equity firms continued to pursue deals in areas ranging from technology and defense to essential services, attorneys told Law360.

  • October 09, 2026

    Bill Would Shift Unused Housing Vouchers To Tribal Veterans

    A bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would allow tribal nations to give back U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development vouchers that can be redistributed to Indigenous communities that are facing a shortage for their veterans.

Expert Analysis

  • 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.

  • 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.

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