Public Policy

  • October 15, 2025

    Florida Accused Of Hiding Info On Detention Center Grant

    A nonprofit focused on protecting the Everglades has accused the Florida Division of Emergency Management of breaking the state's laws by refusing to provide information about federal grant funding for the "Alligator Alcatraz" immigration detention center.

  • October 15, 2025

    Ethics Probe Of 2 Mich. Judges Recommended For Dismissal

    A retired Michigan judge overseeing an ethics probe of two state judges stemming from a dispute over a bike rental on Mackinac Island have recommended dismissing the complaints, determining that the judges did not commit misconduct and questioning why the matter led to a formal complaint.

  • October 15, 2025

    BREAKING: Some Federal Workers Win Quick Block On Shutdown Layoffs

    A California federal judge on Wednesday granted a request from two unions representing thousands of federal workers to immediately block the Trump administration from laying them off during the government shutdown, saying she believes the plaintiffs will show that "what's being done here is both illegal and is in excess of authority."

  • October 15, 2025

    Oregon, Groups Seek Dam Changes For Columbia River Basin

    The state of Oregon and several conservation groups asked a federal court to order changes to hydropower dam operations in the Columbia River Basin that they say will reduce harm to endangered salmon and steelhead.

  • October 15, 2025

    Ex-Trooper Gets 6 Years For Driver's License Bribery Scheme

    The former commanding officer of a Massachusetts State Police unit that conducted commercial driver's license exams has received a six-year prison sentence for leading a scheme to trade passing scores on road tests by unqualified drivers for what a prosecutor called the "oddest and greediest" of bribes.

  • October 15, 2025

    3rd Circ. Preview: US Atty, Columbia Activist, Ex-Union Prez

    The Third Circuit's late October arguments will include two nationally watched cases scrutinizing President Donald Trump's power to name "interim" government officials and his promise to deport foreign nationals who allegedly supported Hamas or took part in protests against Israel's war in Gaza.

  • October 15, 2025

    DHS Says Seizure Of Atty's Phone Tied To Employment Probe

    The government is pushing back on a Massachusetts immigration attorney's allegations that his work phone was seized in retaliation for his criticism of the Trump administration and advocacy for noncitizens, saying it's looking into whether he violated federal employment verification laws.

  • October 14, 2025

    GOP Bill Would Codify Trump Private Equity 401(k) Order

    A Montana Republican lawmaker announced Tuesday the introduction of a bill that would codify President Donald Trump's executive order that aims to make it easier for retirement plans to invest in nontraditional 401(k) assets like private equity and cryptocurrency.

  • October 14, 2025

    NJ, Del. Judges Stress Value Of Local Counsel For IP Attys

    Six judges with significant experience overseeing pharmaceutical patent litigation in the districts of New Jersey and Delaware urged litigators on Tuesday to rely on the expertise of local counsel if they're hoping to impress the court.

  • October 14, 2025

    Enviro Group Sues To Block LNG Export Terminal Extension

    An environmental group told a New Jersey federal judge that the Delaware River Basin Commission unlawfully granted a five-year lifeline for a delayed dock project tied to a proposed liquefied natural gas export terminal in the Garden State.

  • October 14, 2025

    Providers Bring No Surprises Act Fight To High Court

    Two air ambulance providers asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow them to use the courts to collect on out-of-network billing dispute resolution awards granted under the No Surprises Act, saying that without judicial review, insurers can just skip out on NSA bills to providers.

  • October 14, 2025

    DC Circ. Wonders If $820M Grant Cut Suit Is Contractual

    The D.C. Circuit is set to decide whether a fight with the U.S. Department of Justice over $820 million in canceled public safety grants belongs in district court or before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims after hearing both sides out Tuesday morning.

  • October 14, 2025

    Skinny Labels, Orange Book Take Center Stage In IP Talks

    Patent litigators focused on pharmaceuticals and biotechnology met Tuesday to work through the biggest issues in their industries, including possible reform to skinny label law, frustration with position-switching in litigation, concerns about when to list patents in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Orange Book and data on the relatively low impact of new policies at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

  • October 14, 2025

    US Revokes Visas Over Comments Critical Of Charlie Kirk

    The U.S. State Department said Tuesday that it revoked the visas of at least six foreigners over comments they made about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

  • October 14, 2025

    Mass. Judge Strikes Down Pentagon's Research Rate Cap

    A Massachusetts federal judge ruled that the U.S. Department of Defense unlawfully capped universities' indirect research cost reimbursements at 15%, calling the move a sudden break from six decades of agency practice that lacks justification and ignores federal regulations. 

  • October 14, 2025

    Justices Decline To Hear Cannabis User's Gun Rights Case

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear one of several petitions urging review of a federal law that prohibits cannabis users from owning guns.

  • October 14, 2025

    Relief Concerns Grow As Sectoral Tariff Actions Build

    Importers' hopes for relief from industrywide tariffs are lagging alongside the trade deals President Donald Trump is trying to broker for some goods, while the administration's accelerated rollout of sectoral levies is also stoking concerns the government may be hamstringing its onshoring goals.

  • October 14, 2025

    Sony Is Among Latest To Apply For OCC Crypto Bank License

    Sony's online banking unit has applied with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to set up a U.S. offshoot that would mint stablecoins and custody digital assets, joining a wave of firms that have approached the agency with crypto-related business plans.

  • October 14, 2025

    Fla. Professor Wins Bid To Halt Trump Library Land Transfer

    A Florida state judge Tuesday temporarily blocked the transfer of roughly 3 acres of land Miami Dade College gave to the state to build the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library.

  • October 14, 2025

    Calif. Says Feds Can't Divert $4B High-Speed Rail Funds

    The California High-Speed Rail Authority has asked a federal judge to block the Trump administration from diverting $4 billion in grant funds that were previously set aside for the Golden State's electric high-speed rail project, saying the administration's contrived funding decisions are based on overt political animus.

  • October 14, 2025

    State Farm Must Submit Underwriting Data, Ill. Regulator Says

    Illinois' director of insurance accused State Farm of failing to turn over nationwide data at a zip-code level relating to its homeowners insurance business, telling a state court that the insurance giant has relied on two "legally baseless objections" to avoid its data-sharing obligations.

  • October 14, 2025

    PTAB Discretionary Denials, Reexam Bids Way Up: Report

    The number of Patent Trial and Appeal Board petitions that were denied for discretionary reasons reached a record level in the third quarter of 2025 — more than 200% higher than in all of last year — and patent reexamination requests also spiked, according to a new report from Unified Patents.

  • October 14, 2025

    Calif. Passes New Laws On Children's Use Of Social Media, AI

    California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed into law several bills aimed at protecting children from threats associated with social media and emerging technologies, including by requiring age verification, limiting liability defenses for artificial intelligence developers and users and having companion chatbots remind minors to take breaks.

  • October 14, 2025

    DC Circ. Upholds SEC's Cap On Exchange Fees

    The D.C. Circuit on Tuesday rejected a call to overturn a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regulation capping the fees that exchanges can charge investors, ruling that the agency has "broad regulatory authority" to police the space.

  • October 14, 2025

    Calif. City Wins Cannabis Lab Permit Suit Over RICO Claims

    A cannabis entrepreneur's lawsuit accusing the mayor of a Los Angeles suburb of soliciting a $350,000 bribe in exchange for a permit has been thrown out by a California state judge, who ruled that because no money was actually paid, the businessman's racketeering claims couldn't survive.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Client Service

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    Law school teaches you how to interpret the law, but it doesn't teach you some of the key ways to keeping clients satisfied, lessons that I've learned in the most unexpected of places: a book on how to be a butler, says Gregory Ramos at Armstrong Teasdale.

  • How Occasional Activists Have Reshaped Proxy Fights

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    The sophistication and breadth of first-time activist engagement continue to shape corporate governance and strategic outcomes, as evidenced across corporate annual meetings this summer, meaning advisers should anticipate continued innovation in tactics, increased regulatory complexity, and a persistent focus on board accountability, say attorneys at MoFo.

  • How The FTC Is Stepping Up Subscription Enforcement

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    Despite the demise of the Federal Trade Commission's click-to-cancel rule in July, the commission has not only maintained its regulatory momentum, but also set new compliance benchmarks through recent high-profile settlements with Match.com, Chegg and Amazon, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • How DHS' H-1B Proposal May Affect Hiring, Strategic Planning

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    For employers, DHS’ proposal to change the H-1B visa lottery from a random selection process to one favoring higher-wage workers may increase labor and compliance costs, limit access to entry-level international talent, and raise strategic questions about compensation, geography and long-term workforce planning, says Ian MacDonald at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Colo. Law Brings Some Equilibrium To Condo Defect Reform

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    Colorado's American Dream Act, effective next year, does not eliminate litigation risk for developers entirely, but it does introduce a process, some predictability and a more holistic means for parties to resolve condominium construction defect claims, and may improve the state's housing shortage, says Bob Burton at Winstead.

  • A Primer For Lenders On NY's New Mortgage Disclosure Regs

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    A recent New York regulation requiring licensed lenders and mortgage bankers to distribute a significant new disclosure pamphlet, essentially a borrower bill of rights, to applicants serves as a reminder to the industry to follow existing best practices, says Scott Samlin at Blank Rome.

  • Mass. Ruling May Pave New Avenue To Target Subpoenas

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    A Massachusetts federal court’s recent decision to quash a subpoena seeking information on gender-affirming care at Boston Children’s Hospital is a significant departure from courts' deferential approach to subpoena enforcement, and may open a new pathway for practitioners challenging investigative tools in the future, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

  • How Trump Admin. Is Shifting Biden's Antitrust Merger Enforcement

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    Antitrust enforcement trends under the Trump administration have included a moderation in the agencies' approach to merger enforcement as compared to enforcers compared to the prior administration, but dealmakers should still expect aggressive enforcement when the agencies believe consumers will be harmed and they expect to win in court, say attorneys at Rule Garza.

  • Why Justices Seem Inclined To Curtail Del. Affidavit Statute

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    After recent oral argument before the U.S. Supreme Court in Berk v. Choy — asking whether Delaware's affidavit-of-merit statute applies in federal diversity actions, or whether the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure displace the state requirement — it appears the court is poised to simplify the standard approach, says Eric Weitz of The Weitz Law Firm.

  • How Financial Cos. Can Prep As NYDFS Cyber Changes Loom

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    Financial institutions supervised by the New York State Department of Financial Services can prepare for two critical cybersecurity requirements relating to multifactor authentication and asset inventories, effective Nov. 1, by conducting gap analyses and allocating resources to high-risk assets, among other steps, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • Shutdown May Stall Hearings, But Gov't Probes Quietly Go On

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    Thanks to staff assurances under the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, the core work of congressional investigations continues during the shutdown that began Oct. 1 — and so does the investigative work that is performed behind closed doors on Capitol Hill, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • Opinion

    Ending Quarterly Reporting Would Erode Investor Protection

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    President Donald Trump recently called for an end to the long-standing practice of corporate quarterly reporting, but doing so would reduce transparency, create information asymmetries, provide more opportunities for corporate fraud and risk increased stock price volatility, while not meaningfully increasing long-term investments, say attorneys at Bleichmar Fonti.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: 3 Tips On Finding The Right Job

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    After 23 years as a state and federal prosecutor, when I contemplated moving to a law firm, practicing solo or going in-house, I found there's a critical first step — deep self-reflection on what you truly want to do and where your strengths lie, says Rachael Jones at McKool Smith.

  • Strategies For Defending Banks In Elder Abuse Cases

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    Several recent cases demonstrate that banks have plenty of tools to defend against claims they were complicit in financial abuse of older adults, but financial institutions should also continue to educate customers about third-party scams before they happen, say attorneys at Troutman.

  • AG Watch: Va. Race Spotlights Consumer Protection Priorities

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    Ahead of the state's attorney general election, Virginia companies should assess how either candidate's approach could affect their compliance posture, with incumbent Jason Miyares promising a business-friendly atmosphere that prioritizes public safety and challenger Jay Jones pledging to focus on economic justice and corporate accountability, says Chuck Slemp at Cozen O’Connor.

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