Public Policy

  • May 08, 2026

    Google Denied Early Bid To Pause Search Data Sharing Duties

    A D.C. federal court rejected Google's request to pause parts of an order in the government's search monopolization case requiring it to give rivals syndicated search results and data, but will allow Google to try again once a competitor is lined up for access.

  • May 08, 2026

    Capital One Discloses 'Fair Access' Regulatory Inquiries

    Capital One has become the latest major bank to disclose that it is responding to demands and requests from government agencies related to President Donald Trump's "fair banking" executive order targeting alleged political and religious discrimination by financial institutions.

  • May 08, 2026

    Clarity Sought On Energy Tax Credits And Foreign Debt

    The IRS should issue more guidance on what kind of debt arrangements can limit a development project's access to clean energy tax credits under new prohibited foreign entity requirements as uncertainty over financial liability and ownership becomes a major market concern, practitioners said Friday.

  • May 08, 2026

    Montana PFAS Defendants Seek 'Forum Shopping' Sanctions

    The city of Stamford, Connecticut, and a local fire district spent two years litigating a PFAS suit against 3M Co. and others before suddenly transferring their claims more than 2,000 miles away in a clear effort at forum shopping, the corporate defendants said in seeking sanctions.

  • May 08, 2026

    Squires Says Yes To 7 Patent Petitions, No To A Dozen More

    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires granted seven petitions for patent review under the America Invents Act and denied 12 other petitions, including a host of challenges by Cisco Systems and Samsung Electronics.

  • May 08, 2026

    Trump Admin Says Mail-In Voting Suits Are Premature

    The Trump administration asked a Massachusetts federal judge to dismiss challenges to the president's executive order limiting mail-in voting, saying it's premature to challenge the directive before any concrete steps are taken to implement it.

  • May 08, 2026

    Prosecutor Faces Probe Into Withheld Immigration Case Info

    The lead assistant federal prosecutor for Rhode Island's civil division is under investigation for allegedly withholding information in an immigration case, according to an order from the Ocean State's top federal judge.

  • May 08, 2026

    FTC Cites Noncompete Lawsuit In Warning To Mortgage Co.

    The Federal Trade Commission said Friday that it has warned Pennsylvania-based lender Mortgage Connect to make sure its noncompete agreements comply with the law after information in a lawsuit led the agency to believe the company may have overstepped its boundaries in employment contracts.

  • May 08, 2026

    Alleged Would-Be Trump Assassin Aims To DQ Pirro, Blanche

    The California man accused of an attempted assassination of President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner last month is seeking to disqualify U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche from handling his case as they may be witnesses or victims in the matter.

  • May 08, 2026

    Top Atty In DOJ Appeal Over Law Firm Exec Orders To Depart

    The lead federal prosecutor on the Trump administration's appeal to reinstate executive orders targeting four law firms is stepping down from his government role at the end of May, he publicly announced this week.

  • May 08, 2026

    Texas Justices Say Nicotine Pouches Taxable As Tobacco

    The Texas Supreme Court on Friday found that oral nicotine pouches are taxable as tobacco products under state law, as they are made from "tobacco substitutes" through a combination of nicotine extracted from tobacco leaves and plant compounds.

  • May 08, 2026

    NYC Lawmaker Promises COPA Revival After Adams' Veto

    New York City Council Member Sandy Nurse confirmed at a May 8 panel that she plans to reintroduce an updated version of the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act that grants some preapproved buyers a first shot at purchasing some residential buildings, after Mayor Eric Adams vetoed a previous version on his last day in office.

  • May 08, 2026

    Trump Illegally Fired Mine Safety Commissioner, Suit Says

    A Biden-era appointee to the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission sued President Donald Trump in D.C. federal court, claiming the president illegally fired him from the adjudication body before his six-year term was up without justification.

  • May 08, 2026

    Mike Lindell's Atty Sanctioned Again For False Case Citation

    A Colorado federal judge has sanctioned the attorney defending Mike Lindell in a defamation lawsuit brought by a Dominion Voting Systems executive for a second time after finding an incorrect citation in a filing, despite the attorney's representation that the mistake was a product of human error, not artificial intelligence.

  • May 08, 2026

    Squires Says Fitness Tracker Patent Date Key To PGR Ruling

    Wearable technology company Whoop Inc. has shown that an Omni Medsci Inc. patent can be challenged under the America Invents Act because its effective filing was after a cutoff date in the law, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires has found.

  • May 08, 2026

    Oregon Court OKs Farm Tax Break For Horse Stabling

    An Oregon property is eligible for a special farm use assessment because its stabling and pasturing of horses for profit were qualifying activities, the state tax court found Friday, reversing a local assessor's determination.

  • May 08, 2026

    Mass. Board Says Not Enough Evidence To Drop Home Value

    The owners of a Massachusetts home did not provide enough evidence in their analyses of comparable properties to lower the home's valuation for property tax purposes, the Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board said.

  • May 08, 2026

    DOL Benefits Chief Warns Of 'Bad Faith' Focus On ESG, DEI

    The top official for the U.S. Department of Labor's employee benefits subagency said at a trade association conference Friday that agency investigations will focus on benefit plan managers' loyalty conflicts, including disloyal pursuits of socially conscious investing or diversity goals.

  • May 07, 2026

    Judiciary Panel Punts AI Rules, Mulls Judges' Survey Results

    Buckle up: Efforts to modernize evidentiary rules amid artificial intelligence fears are getting bumpy, as judiciary advisers Thursday agreed to dramatically delay action while digesting an AI survey of nearly 1,000 judges and organizing a symposium of litigators and tech pros.

  • May 07, 2026

    OpenAI CEO Altman Fueled 'Toxic Culture Of Lying,' Jury Told

    California federal jurors weighing Elon Musk's challenge to OpenAI's for-profit conversion on Thursday watched prerecorded testimony from a former OpenAI board member who voted to oust CEO Sam Altman in 2023 over concerns his pattern of lies and deception fostered a "toxic culture of lying."  

  • May 07, 2026

    Proposed Meta Age Reforms Echo Europe Efforts, Judge Told

    An online safety expert testified Thursday that Meta would not be unduly burdened by age-verification reforms New Mexico's attorney general is seeking in a $3.7 billion bench trial over harm to teen users of its social media platforms, given that European regulators in recent weeks announced nearly identical demands.

  • May 07, 2026

    Agri Stats Reaches Meat Price-Fixing Deal With States, DOJ

    Agri Stats has agreed to stop putting together certain sales reports for broiler chicken processors to resolve the U.S. Department of Justice's allegations that those reports enabled price-fixing by meat processors, according to an announcement made Thursday.

  • May 07, 2026

    Judges Clash On Whether Kelly Urged Order Disobedience

    A D.C. Circuit panel appeared to be headed for a split decision on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's appeal of a district court order stopping him from dropping Sen. Mark Kelly's U.S. Navy rank, with judges clashing over whether Kelly ever told service members to disobey lawful orders.

  • May 07, 2026

    Incarcerated Woman Sues DOJ Over Transgender Policy Shift

    A transgender woman currently in federal prison has sued the U.S. Department of Justice, alleging a December memo issued by the agency illegally excludes transgender people from a major federal anti-sexual assault law designed to protect incarcerated people.

  • May 07, 2026

    Blue States Say Trump Admin Can't Duck Energy Order Suit

    Blue states have urged a federal judge to keep alive their lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's declaration of a national energy emergency, saying every action that's been taken by federal agencies to fast-track nonemergency energy activities flows from that order.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    FTC Case Risks Redefining Price Discrimination

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    Federal Trade Commission v. Southern Glazer puts a spotlight on the blurry line between illegal price discrimination and ordinary competition, and could potentially set a precedent that puts nearly any manufacturer at risk of Robinson-Patman Act enforcement, says Jeremy Sandford at Econic Partners.

  • Parsing Rule 12(c) Motion Overuse In Securities Class Actions

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    Defendants in securities class actions have more frequently been filing motions for judgment on the pleadings following the denial of motions to dismiss, but courts have recently demonstrated an increasing willingness to reject these previously rare motions, finding them transparent attempts to relitigate already-decided issues, say attorneys at Labaton Keller.

  • Preparing For New Calif. Pay Data Reporting Requirements

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    California's S.B. 464 overhauls the state's pay data reporting framework by requiring employers to use job categories that are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, increasing both the potential visibility of pay disparities and the complexity of compliance, say attorneys at Kaufman Dolowich.

  • Series

    Mich. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1

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    Michigan's financial services sector saw several significant developments in 2026's first quarter, including the state Department of Insurance and Financial Services' issuance of a bulletin on the use of artificial intelligence and the Michigan House's introduction of a bill based on the Model Money Transmission Modernization Act, say attorneys at Dykema.

  • Justices' Ruling Stresses Quick Action Against Absconders

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    Following the U.S. Supreme Court's recent holding in Rico v. U.S. that a supervised release term is not automatically extended when a defendant absconds, probation officers and prosecutors risk being unable to address later violations if they don't act promptly to secure warrants, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

  • New DOD Framework Offers Key Guidance On PFAS Disposal

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    The U.S. Department of Defense's recently updated guidance on disposal of materials containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ends its moratorium on incineration of PFAS-containing waste, but contractors must be ready to demonstrate stringent compliance with the department's new permitting system, operational controls and data practices, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • How Cos. Can Navigate The Patchwork Of AI Safety Bills

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    In the first few months of 2026, state and federal lawmakers introduced hundreds of bills to address the perceived safety risks of artificial intelligence, so companies should assess whether existing or planned services could be scoped into AI safety legislation across jurisdictions, say attorneys at Hogan Lovells.

  • Unpacking FCC's Proposed Rules For Offshore Call Centers

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    The Federal Communications Commission recently proposed rules that would restrict the use of offshore customer service operations, citing consumer frustration, data security risks and fraud as core reasons for the sweeping regulatory move, say attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland.

  • Series

    Calif. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1

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    As usual, California remained a hub for financial services activity in the first quarter of 2026, with key developments including the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation's eye on consumer issues, a bill targeting "pig butchering" schemes, and jam-packed courts, say attorneys at Joseph Cohen.

  • Series

    Ultramarathons Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    Completing a 100-mile ultramarathon was tougher, more humbling and more rewarding than I ever imagined, and the experience highlighted how long-distance running has sharpened my ability to adapt to the evolving nature of antitrust law and strengthened my resolve to handle demanding, unforeseen challenges, says Dan Oakes at Axinn.

  • Key Takeaways From The 2026 ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting

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    Last week's American Bar Association Spring Meeting revealed an antitrust landscape defined by heightened friction and tension — between federal and state enforcers, domestic and international regimes, competing political visions, and traditional enforcement tools and novel challenges, say attorneys at Skadden.

  • State FARA Laws Pose Unique Constitutional Challenges

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    Several states have recently enacted foreign agent registration and disclosure regimes that were modeled after the Foreign Agents Registration Act, but these state laws raise several constitutional questions, including concerns about preemption, speech and petition, and vagueness, says Alexandra Langton at Covington.

  • Series

    Pa. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1

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    The first quarter of 2026 brought several consequential developments for Pennsylvania financial institutions, including the state banking department's first assessment overhaul in 10 years, a bill prohibiting interchange fees on card transaction sales taxes and a federal appeals court's upholding of a $52 million enforcement action, say attorneys at Gross McGinley.

  • Informal Announcements Are Reshaping FDA Regulations

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    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recent shift toward using press releases, podcasts and other informal channels to announce major policy changes reflects a valid desire to modernize and accelerate regulatory efforts, but it could lead to diminished transparency, increased industry burden and reduced policy durability, says Rachel Turow at Skadden.

  • Motorola Case Shows Reach Of NLRA Dishonesty Protections

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    A recent National Labor Relations Board case, involving a Motorola employee who was terminated for lying about discussing wages, illustrates the broad reach of National Labor Relations Act protections for concerted activity, which may take on new significance as the agency shifts toward more restrained enforcement, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.

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