Public Policy

  • May 27, 2025

    9th Circ. Revives Tribes', Green Groups' Power Line Suit

    The Ninth Circuit on Tuesday revived a lawsuit challenging the federal government's decision to allow a 520-mile power line route through cultural sites, saying in a published opinion that a coalition of tribes and conservation groups plausibly alleged the government authorized construction before properly identifying historic sites the project affected.

  • May 27, 2025

    Judge Follows The Users And The Money In Meta's FTC Case

    A D.C. federal judge on Tuesday looked for the right metrics to measure the effect that Meta Platforms Inc. has had on Instagram and WhatsApp in terms of users, growth and money spent buying the apps in deals the Federal Trade Commission says were designed to buy or bury the competition.

  • May 27, 2025

    FCC Mulls Adding Connected Vehicle Tech To Covered List

    The Federal Communications Commission is thinking about adding more technologies to the list of those whose components are banned if they come from China or Russia, but it wants to hear what the industry thinks first.

  • May 27, 2025

    Expert Says DuPont Knew Of PFAS Risk At NJ Site

    A former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy adviser told a New Jersey federal court on Tuesday that E.I. du Pont de Nemours knew of the risk of "forever chemicals" and failed to disclose that risk to federal and Garden State regulators despite its obligation to do so.

  • May 27, 2025

    Lawmakers Float Fast Patent Program For AI, Semiconductors

    Lawmakers in the U.S. Senate and House have introduced legislation that would require the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to create an experimental program to prioritize patent applications for technologies like artificial intelligence and semiconductors.

  • May 27, 2025

    Calif. Faces Long Odds Keeping Tariff Suit In District Court

    A California federal judge said Tuesday that "California has a bit of an uphill battle" keeping its lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's recent tariffs in federal district court, noting that two judges have already sent similar cases to the U.S. Court of International Trade.

  • May 27, 2025

    Debate Over Moratorium On State AI Oversight Goes To Senate

    Before going on recess, the U.S. House of Representatives passed their budget reconciliation bill that includes a hotly debated moratorium on states' enforcement of artificial intelligence-related legislation, and the debate continues as the bill heads to the U.S. Senate, where at least a few Republicans have voiced opposition.

  • May 27, 2025

    DOJ Wants Google Docs Analyzing Potential Ad Tech Breakup

    Enforcers are asking a Virginia federal court for access to Google documents analyzing a potential break up of the company's ad tech business, as the court considers what remedies to impose after finding Google monopolized key ad tech markets.

  • May 27, 2025

    Feds No Longer Advise COVID Shot For Kids, Pregnant Adults

    The nation's public health agency on Tuesday pulled the COVID-19 vaccine from the list of recommended shots for healthy children and pregnant adults, a move that experts say could reduce demand for the vaccine and make it more expensive for some families.

  • May 27, 2025

    Mass. Pot Regulator Enters Battle Over Town's Hosting Fees

    Massachusetts' cannabis regulator is seeking to intervene in a lawsuit brought by a group of marijuana retailers in state court, alleging a town unlawfully pocketed approximately $6 million in community impact fees.

  • May 27, 2025

    Ill. Panel Says Man Can't Keep Guns Bought During Injunction

    An Illinois man cannot possess or register assault weapons he purchased during a period of time that the enforcement of Illinois' ban on such rifles was blocked by a federal court, an intermediary appellate panel ruled Friday.

  • May 27, 2025

    Canada Could Use Tax System For Growth, OECD Says

    While Canada's economy has been largely resilient, changes in areas like goods and services taxes and its research and development tax incentives could help protect against projected slowed growth brought on by its trade dispute with the U.S., the Organization for Economic Coooperation and Development said.

  • May 27, 2025

    Crypto Exec's IRS Privacy Appeal Tossed By 5th Circ.

    A cryptocurrency executive who sought to quash IRS summonses for his bank records must wait at least until the U.S. government decides whether to bring legal proceedings against him before he can appeal a ruling denying his request to block the agency's demands, the Fifth Circuit said Tuesday.

  • May 27, 2025

    Ferry Cos. Urge Mich. Judge To Block Rate Freeze Ordinance

    Ferry service companies that provide transportation into and out of a popular Michigan tourist destination are asking a federal judge to stop the city of Mackinac Island from enforcing an ordinance that the companies say would put the businesses at risk of closing.

  • May 27, 2025

    Trump Withdraws Biden's NEPA Greenhouse Gas Guidance

    The White House Council on Environmental Quality on Tuesday said it's withdrawing 2023 National Environmental Policy Act guidance for federal agencies that are assessing the greenhouse gas and climate change effects of actions, including the approval of infrastructure projects.

  • May 27, 2025

    Conn. Firefighters Say Age Bias Taints Retirement Program

    Connecticut's municipal employee pension system unlawfully barred a group of firefighters with over two decades of service from participating in a deferred retirement program because they're under 55 years old, the workers and their union claimed in a federal lawsuit.

  • May 27, 2025

    Bank Groups Agree To Pause Of Fed Stress Test Suit

    Major banking trade groups and the board of governors of the U.S. Federal Reserve System came together to ask an Ohio federal judge to pause their dispute over the board's big bank stress test practices, telling the court that the trade groups' concerns are being addressed.

  • May 27, 2025

    DC Circ. Backs FERC In NY Grid Upgrade Cost Fight

    The D.C. Circuit on Tuesday upheld the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's refusal to allow New York utilities to earn investment returns from grid upgrades, saying the agency reasonably concluded that shifting from the current nonprofit approach was unwarranted.

  • May 27, 2025

    Wireless Mics Need Fewer Reg Restrictions, FCC Told

    A group that advocates for making more spectrum available for wireless microphones has its own ideas about what regulations the Federal Communications Commission should be cutting, starting with two areas it says are hindering the wireless mic industry.

  • May 27, 2025

    Philly Atty Suspended 3 Years For Sexual Conduct With Client

    Philadelphia personal injury lawyer Brian Dooley Kent has been suspended from the practice of law for three years for engaging in sexual conduct with a client he represented while investigating claims against the Church of Scientology.

  • May 27, 2025

    Texas Judge Certifies Class In Alien Enemies Act Case

    A Texas federal judge has certified a class of Venezuelan nationals in custody in the Western District of Texas subject to President Donald Trump's proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act to remove alleged Tren de Aragua gang members from the United States.

  • May 27, 2025

    Justices Will Consider Judges' Limits Under First Step Act

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear arguments in a case that could determine how much discretion trial judges have when considering whether to reduce defendants' sentences under the First Step Act.

  • May 27, 2025

    DOJ Pushes Back Against Agri Stats Recusal Bid

    The U.S. Department of Justice told a Minnesota federal judge Friday there is no reason to recuse himself from a case accusing Agri Stats of helping meat processors exchange sensitive information because the clerk who allegedly created a conflict is not working on the case.

  • May 27, 2025

    Rental Co. Signs Deal With Pa. AG Over AI-Related Delays

    The Pennsylvania arm of a Las Vegas-based rental management company will pay the state $45,000 — including $30,000 in refunds for tenants — to settle allegations that its artificial intelligence platform contributed to delays in repairs and rentals of unsafe housing, the Pennsylvania attorney general's office announced Tuesday.

  • May 27, 2025

    Calif. Bar Seeks More Remedies After Problematic Feb. Exam

    The state bar of California has formally asked the state Supreme Court to approve measures including a limited provisional licensure program and a more direct pathway to admission for out-of-state attorneys, in the state bar's latest attempt to seek equitable remedies amid the fallout from the bungled February 2025 California bar exam.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    GENIUS Act Can Bring Harmony To Crypto-Banking Discord

    Author Photo

    ​​​​​​​By embracing crypto innovation while establishing appropriate guardrails, the so-called GENIUS Act charts a path forward that promotes financial inclusion and technological advancement without compromising stability or constitutional rights, says J.W. Verret at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School.

  • Opinion

    US Reassessment Of OECD Tax Deal Is Right Move

    Author Photo

    The wholesale U.S. reevaluation of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's global tax deal ordered by President Donald Trump is a positive step that could ultimately create a more durable international tax system, says Anne Gordon at the National Foreign Trade Council.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Be An Indispensable Associate

    Author Photo

    While law school teaches you to research, write and think critically, it often overlooks the professional skills you will need to make yourself an essential team player when transitioning from a summer to full-time associate, say attorneys at Stinson.

  • The Path Forward For Construction Cos. After Calif. Wildfires

    Author Photo

    The increasing frequency of disastrous wildfires, like those that recently occurred in California, presents a set of complex challenges for the construction industry, including regulatory hurdles and supply chain disruptions that can complicate rebuilding efforts, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.

  • What 2nd Trump Admin Means For Ship Pollution Compliance

    Author Photo

    As the second Trump administration's civil and criminal enforcement policies take shape, the maritime industry must ensure it complies with both national and international obligations to prevent oil pollution from seagoing vessels — with preventive efforts and voluntary disclosures being some of the best options for mitigating risk, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Know The Rules And Costs Of New Fla. Condo Inspection Law

    Author Photo

    Following the first report deadline for a structural integrity law meant to prevent disasters like the 2021 Surfside collapse, Florida condominium associations and unit owners should understand the process of conducting compliant inspections and anticipate new assessments to fund required maintenance, say attorneys at Ball Janik.

  • Mass. AG Emerges As Key Player In Consumer Protection

    Author Photo

    Through enforcement actions and collaborations with other states — including joining a recent amicus brief decrying the defunding of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell has established herself as a thought leader for consumer protection and corporate accountability, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • SEC Confidential Review Process Provides Issuers Flexibility

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recently announced enhancements to the process for confidentially submitting draft registration statements will be immediately impactful for issuers seeking to access the public capital markets, and should provide more grounds to explore and plan public offerings, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Series

    Birding Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Observing and documenting birds in their natural habitats fosters patience, sharpens observational skills and provides moments of pure wonder — qualities that foster personal growth and enrich my legal career, says Allison Raley at Arnall Golden.

  • What Pending FCPA Trials Suggest About DOJ Priorities

    Author Photo

    Following President Donald Trump's executive order in February instructing the U.S. Department of Justice to temporarily pause enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, developments surrounding five FCPA cases already set for trial provide a glimpse into how the DOJ is attempting to navigate the situation at hand, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Measuring And Mitigating Harm From Discriminatory Taxes

    Author Photo

    In response to new tariffs and other recent "America First Trade Policy" pronouncements, corporations should assess and take steps to minimize their potential exposure to discriminatory and reciprocal tax measures that are likely to come, say economists at Charles River Associates.

  • How Del. Law Rework Limits Corporate Records Requests

    Author Photo

    Newly enacted amendments to a section of the Delaware General Corporation Law that allows stockholders and beneficial owners to demand inspection of Delaware corporations' books and records likely curtails the scope of such inspections and aids defendants in framing motions to dismiss at the pleading stage, says Jonathan Richman at Brown Rudnick.

  • What Cos. Should Know About U.S. Minerals Executive Order

    Author Photo

    President Donald Trump's new executive order aimed at boosting U.S. mineral production faces challenges including land use and environmental regulations, a lack of new funding, and the need for coordination among federal agencies, but it provides industry stakeholders with multiple opportunities to influence policy and funding, say advisers at Holland & Knight.

  • Inside State AGs' Arguments Defending The CFPB

    Author Photo

    Recent amicus briefs filed by a coalition of 23 attorneys general argue that the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will irreparably harm consumers in several key areas, making clear that states are preparing to fill in any enforcement gaps, say attorneys at Kelley Drye.

  • Alien Enemies Act Case Could Reshape Executive Power

    Author Photo

    President Donald Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan nationals raises fundamental questions about statutory interpretation, executive power and constitutional structure, which now lay on the U.S. Supreme Court's doorstep, says Mauni Jalali at Quinn Emanuel.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Public Policy archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!