Public Policy

  • January 08, 2026

    Sen. Ag Committee To Hold Crypto Markup Next Week

    The Senate Agriculture Committee intends to hold its own markup of a bill to regulate crypto markets the same day as its Banking Committee counterparts, a spokesperson confirmed Thursday.

  • January 08, 2026

    Trump Admin Says Climate Grant Class Suit Is Moot

    The Trump administration has told the D.C. Circuit that a proposed class action accusing it of illegally terminating a $3 billion environmental justice block grant program is moot because Congress has rescinded the funds that green groups and local governments are seeking to recover.

  • January 08, 2026

    Audits Get Final Word On Economic Substance, IRS Atty Says

    IRS attorneys provide legal guidance during audits on whether a transaction lacks economic substance, but examiners make the ultimate determination, an agency associate chief counsel said Thursday while explaining how the agency applies a powerful anti-abuse tool in audits.

  • January 08, 2026

    Trump Seeks $6.2M In Legal Fees In Ga. Election Case

    President Donald Trump asked a state judge Wednesday to award him more than $6.2 million in legal fees from his Georgia election interference case, invoking a recent state law allowing defendants to recoup their expenses from public coffers if their prosecutors are disqualified for misconduct.

  • January 08, 2026

    Trump Admin Can't Undo Block On Drug Rebate Program

    A First Circuit panel has refused to lift a district judge's block on a Trump administration plan to pilot a rebate model for a federal drug discount program that benefits low-income patients, saying the federal government is unlikely to win its appeal.

  • January 08, 2026

    Legal Services Atty Named Top NYC Human Rights Enforcer

    New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has tapped a lawyer from a group that provides free legal services to low-income clients to spearhead the city's human rights enforcement body.

  • January 08, 2026

    IRS Floats Changes To Third-Party Settlement Payments

    The Internal Revenue Service floated changes Thursday to withholding rules for organizations such as PayPal and Venmo that make payments to settle third-party network transactions, saying the move would align regulations with an increase to the threshold for tax reporting.

  • January 08, 2026

    US Atty In NY Northern District Serving Unlawfully, Judge Says

    A Manhattan federal judge on Thursday held that the acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York is unlawfully serving in his position, the latest in a string of rulings disqualifying prosecutors appointed by President Donald Trump.

  • January 07, 2026

    Trump Bars 'Underperforming' Defense Contractors' Buybacks

    President Donald Trump said Wednesday that defense contractors are barred from buying back their own stocks or paying shareholder dividends if they are underperforming on their U.S. government contracts, ordering a review and potential "remediation plan" for contractors found slacking.

  • January 07, 2026

    Bulk Of SDNY Attys Are Tasked With Reviewing Epstein Docs

    Over half of the more than 220 assistant U.S. attorneys at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York have been tasked with sifting through documents related to the investigation of the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a Justice Department disclosure filed in federal court.

  • January 07, 2026

    10th Circ. Halts Kan. Bank's $20M FDIC Appeal For Settlement

    The Tenth Circuit will hold off on hearing a small Kansas bank's push to challenge a $20 million anti-money laundering enforcement proceeding from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. after the two sides said Wednesday that they have reached a settlement.

  • January 07, 2026

    House Talks Market Share Regarding Netflix-WB Merger

    Rapid consolidation in the streaming market was on the minds of members of the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on antitrust when they met Wednesday, with Democrats questioning if competition was being threatened and if the president was exerting too much influence on merger reviews.

  • January 07, 2026

    Trump Exits Climate Pact, UN Orgs. He Says 'Conflict' With US

    President Donald Trump announced Wednesday he is withdrawing the United States from a decades-old international agreement that brings the world's countries together to take action against climate change, as well as 65 other international organizations and treaties that are "contrary to the interests" of the U.S.

  • January 07, 2026

    DOJ To Appeal Reinstatement Of Clearance For Mark Zaid

    The Trump administration told a D.C. federal judge on Wednesday that it will obey his injunction to reinstate attorney Mark Zaid's security clearance as it appeals the ruling in the D.C. Circuit, but left open the possibility that government intelligence agencies could try to revoke it again for new reasons.

  • January 07, 2026

    Trump Family-Tied Stablecoin Co. Seeks Bank Charter

    The Trump family-tied crypto company World Liberty Financial said Wednesday that it's filed an application with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to become a national trust bank as it looks to expand its stablecoin business, drawing the ire of one lawmaker, who called the application a conflict of interest.

  • January 07, 2026

    2 European Fintechs Seek OCC Bank Charters

    Two European fintechs are seeking sign-offs from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to set up U.S. banks, including a firm planning to issue its own stablecoin.

  • January 07, 2026

    Mich. Again Falls Short In Bid To Ax Challenge To 24% Pot Tax

    A Michigan federal judge is standing firm in her decision to allow industry members to proceed with a portion of their challenge to the state's excise tax on wholesale marijuana sales, finding that the state hasn't identified a "palpable error" that would justify disposing of the sole remaining dispute over the law's intent. 

  • January 07, 2026

    Mich. AG Says State Lawmakers Can't Ax $645M In Spending

    Michigan's attorney general said a state House committee acted unlawfully when it blocked $645 million in previously approved funds from rolling over to the next fiscal year, issuing a formal opinion Wednesday deeming the move unconstitutional.

  • January 07, 2026

    Feds Cut $160M From Calif. Over Truck Driver Licenses

    The U.S. Department of Transportation said Wednesday that California will lose out on nearly $160 million in federal highway funds for failing to revoke thousands of commercial driver's licenses that were issued to ineligible foreign drivers, as the Trump administration cracks down on immigrant truck drivers.

  • January 07, 2026

    ISS Asks Judge Not To Stall Ruling On Texas ESG Law

    Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. is pushing back on Texas' request to delay a ruling on the constitutionality of a law requiring proxy advisory firms to disclose when voting recommendations are based on environmental, social or governance factors, arguing that the state hasn't shown how additional discovery "will make any difference" to the case.

  • January 07, 2026

    FCC Won't Extend Time To Comment On Wireless Reg Redo

    The Federal Communications Commission dashed the hopes of nearly two dozen cities on Wednesday, including the District of Columbia, when it refused to grant them more time to respond to the agency's plans to change rules surrounding wireless site deployment.

  • January 07, 2026

    STB Eyes Easier Shipper Access Mandates Across Railways

    Showing "anticompetitive conduct" would no longer be a requirement for shippers seeking to force rail carriers to work together to ferry their goods, under a proposed rulemaking Wednesday that the Surface Transportation Board said would shift such petitions back to consideration on a case-by-case basis.

  • January 07, 2026

    Calif. Bill Proposes 4-Year AI Toy Ban To Mull Safety Rules

    California Sen. Steve Padilla has introduced what would be the nation's first moratorium on the sale of toys containing artificial intelligence chatbot features, with the aim of giving lawmakers time to implement regulatory guardrails to protect children from potentially dangerous AI interactions.

  • January 07, 2026

    Ga. Republicans Outline $16B Plan To End State Income Tax

    Georgia Republican lawmakers laid out a $16 billion proposal Wednesday to abolish the state's income tax, a plan that would gradually reduce the levy over the next six years with a goal of complete elimination by 2032.

  • January 07, 2026

    Judge Seeks Assurance That PFAS Deals Are Good For NJ

    A New Jersey federal judge on Wednesday asked attorneys for the state to assure that two proposed deals with 3M and E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. worth nearly $3 billion to resolve its claims over contamination by "forever chemicals" are in the best interest of the state's residents despite a number of objections.

Expert Analysis

  • What To Know About NY's Drastic 3rd-Party Practice Changes

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    Last month, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a law establishing new time limits for the commencement of third-party actions, which will have dramatic effects on insurance defense practice, particularly cases involving construction site accidents or claims of premises liability, says Shawn Schatzle at Lewis Brisbois.

  • Series

    Mass. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q4

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    Among the most significant developments on the banking regulation front in Massachusetts last quarter, Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced her bid for reelection, and the state Division of Banks continued its fintech focus by finalizing rules implementing a new money transmitter law, say attorneys at Nutter.

  • 3 DC Circ. Rulings Signal Shift In Search And Seizure Doctrine

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    A trio of decisions from courts in the District of Columbia Circuit, including a recent order compelling prosecutors to return materials seized from James Comey’s former attorney, makes clear that continued government possession of digital evidence may implicate the Fourth Amendment, says Gregory Rosen at RJO.

  • Series

    Muay Thai Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Muay Thai kickboxing has taught me that in order to win, one must stick to one's game plan and adapt under pressure, just as when facing challenges by opposing counsel or judges, says Mark Schork at Feldman Shepherd.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Intentional Career-Building

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    A successful legal career is built through intention: understanding expectations, assessing strengths honestly and proactively seeking opportunities to grow and cultivating relationships that support your development, say Erika Drous and Hillary Mann at Morrison Foerster.

  • How Changes At The IRS Will Affect Tax Controversy In 2026

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    Taxpayers will need to adjust approaches to dealing with the IRS in 2026, as the agency is likely to shift its audit strategies and increases reliance on technology following the significant reductions in funding and personnel last year, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • Chancery Exec Noncompete Ruling Offers PE Buyer Lessons

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    In Derge v. D&H United Fueling Solutions, the Delaware Court of Chancery sided with a private equity-backed portfolio company by enforcing a noncompete against an executive, providing private equity buyers with a checklist of factors for an enforceable noncompete in the sale-of-business context, says Danielle Asaad at Squire Patton.

  • Key Trends In PFAS Regulation And Litigation For 2026

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    As 2026 begins, the legal and regulatory outlook for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances is defined less by sweeping federal initiatives and more by incremental adjustments, judicial guardrails and state-driven regulations — an environment in which proactive risk management and close monitoring of policy developments will be essential, say attorneys at MG+M.

  • Navigating Workplace AI When Federal, State Policies Clash

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    Two recent federal bills and various state laws concerning employers' artificial intelligence use may clash with an executive order calling for minimal regulation, so employers should proactively monitor their AI usage and stay apprised of legislative updates while awaiting further direction from the federal government, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

  • State AG Enforcement During CFPB Gap Predicts 2026 Trends

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    State attorneys general responded to the decrease in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau enforcement in 2025 by stepping in to regulate consumer finance more than ever before, and the trends in rebooting CFPB investigations, cracking down on ESG and DEI initiatives, and fighting financial exploitation of homeowners will likely extend into 2026, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Trending At The PTAB: The Policies That Are Redefining IPR

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    The evolution of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's inter partes review institution regime last year, coupled with the policy considerations behind that evolution, marks a shift toward greater gatekeeping of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's resources and patent enforcement rights, say attorneys at Finnegan.

  • 4 Trends Shaping Drug And Medical Device Law For 2026

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    2025 saw some significant legal developments with potential impact for drug and device manufacturers, ranging from growing skepticism in science and regulatory entities to new regulation of artificial intelligence, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.

  • US Sanctions Targeting Russia's Oil Giants Heighten Biz Risks

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    Businesses operating in the energy sector, both in and outside the U.S., should review their operations for any links to Russian oil companies and their subsidiaries recently targeted by U.S. sanctions, to avoid unexpected reputational and financial risk, and even secondary sanctions, say authors at Blank Rome.

  • How Shareholder Activism Fared In 2025

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    2025 was a turbulent yet transformative year in shareholder activism, and there are several key takeaways to help companies prepare for a 2026 that is shaping up to be even more lively, including increased focus on retail investors and the use of social media as a tool, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • 2nd Circ. Ruling Shows Procedural Perils Of Civil Forfeiture

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    The Second Circuit’s recent U.S. v. Ross decision, partially denying the return of an attorney's seized funds based on rigid standing requirements, underscores the unforgiving technical complexities of civil asset forfeiture law, and provides several lessons for practitioners, says Elisha Kobre at Sheppard Mullin.

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