Public Policy

  • June 09, 2025

    Migrant Kids Funding Suit Belongs In Claims Court, Feds Say

    The government has asked a California federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit challenging its termination of legal services programs for immigrant unaccompanied minors, arguing that the case is essentially a contract dispute the court lacks authority over.

  • June 09, 2025

    'No Question' DuPont Polluted Delaware River, NJ Court Told

    New Jersey told a federal judge on Monday that it was clear E.I. du Pont de Nemours discharged "forever chemicals" into the Delaware River, wrapping up the majority of a first-of-its-kind series of bench trials over whether the company is liable for contamination at a longstanding manufacturing facility.

  • June 09, 2025

    CEOs Back Trump's Tax-Deferred Child Investment Accounts

    The CEOs of several large corporations, including Dell Technologies, Uber and Goldman Sachs, pledged to contribute millions of dollars to tax-advantaged brokerage accounts for newborns that would be established under the House-passed budget bill, President Donald Trump announced at the White House on Monday.

  • June 09, 2025

    MoneyLion Must Wait To Challenge CFPB's Fed Funding

    A New York federal judge has said that while MoneyLion may challenge the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's funding as a defense to an enforcement lawsuit, the fintech must first answer the agency's allegations that it overcharged service members.

  • June 09, 2025

    US Eyes Deal With China On Rare Earths, Chips, Official Says

    The U.S. government hoped to reach an agreement Monday with China's government to loosen export controls on rare earth elements in exchange for the U.S. relaxing controls on semiconductors, the White House National Economic Council director said. 

  • June 09, 2025

    Madigan Denied Acquittal, New Trial Ahead Of Sentencing

    An Illinois federal judge on Monday denied former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan's bid for acquittal or a new trial, clearing the way for him to be sentenced for bribery, wire fraud and conspiracy later this week.

  • June 09, 2025

    Businesses Warn Fed. Circ. Against Pausing Block On Tariffs

    Thousands of businesses will suffer "irreparable harm" if the Federal Circuit halts the U.S. Court of International Trade's order that struck down President Donald Trump's global tariffs, a wine importer told the appellate court, urging against a long-term pause.

  • June 09, 2025

    Fla. Sheriff Charged In $21M Gambling, Corruption Scheme

    Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued an executive order suspending a county sheriff following a state and federal investigation into an illegal $21.6 million gambling operation, resulting in racketeering-related charges against the law enforcement official for his involvement in the enterprise, state officials said.

  • June 09, 2025

    Justices Urged To Keep Pause On 'Breakneck' Gov't Overhaul

    The U.S. Supreme Court should leave in place a California federal judge's order barring implementation of layoffs and reorganizations at various federal departments and agencies, several unions and nonprofits argued Monday, claiming a decision allowing the changes would irreversibly harm the federal government and render Congress and the judiciary powerless.

  • June 09, 2025

    Feds Say Columbia Grad's Release Bid Lacks Harm Showing

    Columbia graduate Mahmoud Khalil should be denied a court order for his release, the government argued in a letter Monday to a New Jersey federal judge, saying he has not met his burden to prove irreparable harm.

  • June 09, 2025

    NY Tribe Can Revive Lawsuit Against State In Lottery Row

    A New York federal judge has allowed the Cayuga Nation to refile its tribal gambling lawsuit against State Gaming Commission officials after the tribe settled its dispute with state-licensed mobile lottery game provider Jackpocket Inc.

  • June 09, 2025

    Vice Chancellor Wants Clarity On Del. Corporate Law Change

    Citing "an important and urgent" need, a Delaware vice chancellor has asked the state supreme court to rule on the constitutionality of recent corporate law amendments providing conflicted directors or controlling investors expanded "safe harbor" liability shields for contested actions.

  • June 09, 2025

    Feds Argue Koi Nation's Historic Ties Justify Calif. Land Trust

    The Interior Department is looking to dismiss a challenge to its decision to take 70 acres into trust for a proposed tribal hotel and casino project in Sonoma County, California, telling a federal court that the Koi Nation has a significant historical connection to the site.

  • June 09, 2025

    HI Gov. Eyes Veto Of Medical Pot Bill Over Privacy Concerns

    Hawaii Gov. Josh Green has signaled that he intends to veto a bill modifying the state's medical marijuana program, saying that it would impinge the privacy rights of the Aloha State's medical cannabis patients.

  • June 09, 2025

    Budget Bill Needs To Fund Next-Gen 911, Senators Told

    Even though 911 systems are falling behind in incorporating technology that could improve public safety, first responder groups are complaining that the recent House-passed budget bill lacks any provisions to direct money from spectrum auctions to the next-gen 911 upgrade.

  • June 09, 2025

    Janitorial Contractor Fights Portland Labor Peace Policy

    A nonprofit that supplies janitors to the city of Portland, Oregon, is challenging the city's requirement for certain city contractors to enter into labor peace agreements with unions, claiming in a new lawsuit in federal court that the rule is preempted by the National Labor Relations Act.

  • June 09, 2025

    WilmerHale Seeks Full Fed Compliance On Struck-Down Order

    WilmerHale is asking a D.C. federal judge to make clear that a ruling invalidating an executive order against the firm applies to all federal agencies subject to President Donald Trump's directives.

  • June 09, 2025

    9th Circ. Awaits Justices' Ruling On Birthright Citizenship

    A Ninth Circuit panel has elected to hold off on deciding whether to affirm a Washington federal court order blocking the Trump administration from limiting birthright citizenship until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the matter.

  • June 09, 2025

    15 States, DC Sue ATF Over Machine Gun Trigger Turnaround

    Fifteen states and the District of Columbia sued the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Attorney General Pamela J. Bondi on Monday, alleging the Trump administration "suddenly reversed course" on regulations of machine gun conversion devices called forced reset triggers, switching from banning the triggers to returning them to their owners.

  • June 09, 2025

    City Says Insurer Owes $9M For Wrongful Incarceration Deal

    An insurer for a North Carolina city improperly denied coverage for an underlying suit brought by a Black man who was wrongfully imprisoned for 44 years and is now on the hook for a $9.3 million settlement payment, the city argued in a suit removed to federal court.

  • June 09, 2025

    Iowa Expands Property, Sales Tax Breaks For Data Centers

    Iowa expanded property tax and sales and use tax breaks for data centers to include leased facilities under legislation signed by the governor.

  • June 09, 2025

    Legal Industry Boosts Cuomo's Bid For NYC Mayor With $1.6M

    The legal industry has spent at least $1.57 million to support Andrew Cuomo’s candidacy for New York City mayor, with attorneys shelling out thousands to his campaign and an independent committee bolstering his bid.

  • June 09, 2025

    Nadine Menendez Says Counsel Shake-Up Erases Conviction

    Former Sen. Robert Menendez's wife, Nadine Menendez, has asked a Manhattan federal judge to vacate the jury's guilty verdict in her bribery case, arguing that her Sixth Amendment rights were violated when she was denied her choice of legal representation.

  • June 08, 2025

    11th Circ. Denies Fla. AG's Bid To Unpause Immigration Law

    The Eleventh Circuit on Friday denied Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's bid to lift a block on a state law criminalizing the entry of unauthorized immigrants into the state, finding that Florida had failed to make a strong showing that it would fend off a challenge to the law.

  • June 06, 2025

    FTC Scoffs At Meta's Accusation Of 'Biased' Econ Expert

    The FTC on Friday urged a Washington, D.C., federal judge to reject Meta's bid to strike testimony the agency's lead economics expert gave during the antitrust trial over Meta's purchase of Instagram and WhatsApp, scoffing at the allegation the New York University School of Law professor is biased.

Expert Analysis

  • What Bank Regulator Consolidation Would Mean For Industry

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    Speculation over the Trump administration’s potential plans to consolidate financial service regulators is intensifying uncertainty, but no matter the outcome for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the industry should expect continued policy changes, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

  • Getting Ahead Of The SEC's Continued Focus On Cyber, AI

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is showing it will continue to scrutinize actions involving cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, but there are proactive measures that companies and financial institutions can take to avoid regulatory scrutiny going forward, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Navigating Florida's Bad Faith Reforms After Appellate Ruling

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    A Florida appellate court's recent decision is among the first to interpret two significant amendments to the state's insurance bad faith law, and its holding that one of the statutes could not apply retroactively may affect insurers' interpretation of the other statute, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.

  • 3 Steps For In-House Counsel To Assess Litigation Claims

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    Before a potential economic downturn, in-house attorneys should investigate whether their company is sitting on hidden litigation claims that could unlock large recoveries to help the business withstand tough times, says Will Burgess at Hilgers Graben.

  • IRS And ICE Info Sharing Could Drive Payroll Tax Enforcement

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    Tax crimes are historically difficult to prosecute, but the Internal Revenue Services’ recent agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to share taxpayer records of non-U.S. citizens could be used to enhance payroll tax-related enforcement against their employers, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Breaking Down Ill. Bellwether Case For Bank Preemption

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    The banking industry's pending lawsuit against the state of Illinois stands to permanently enjoin state regulation of bank card processing, as well as clarify the outstanding and consequential issue of whether conflict preemption continues to cover third parties in certain circumstances, says Tom Witherspoon at Stinson.

  • Despite SEC Climate Pause, Cos. Must Still Heed State Regs

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    While businesses may have been given a reprieve from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's rules aimed at standardizing climate-related disclosures, they must still track evolving requirements in states including California, Illinois, New Jersey and New York that will soon require reporting of direct and indirect carbon emissions, say attorneys at Husch Blackwell.

  • A Primer On The Trading And Clearing Of Perpetual Contracts

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    The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission recently released a request for comment on the trading and clearing of perpetual-style derivatives, most common in the cryptocurrency market, necessitating a deep look at how these contracts operate and their associated risks, say attorneys at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Series

    Teaching College Students Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Serving as an adjunct college professor has taught me the importance of building rapport, communicating effectively, and persuading individuals to critically analyze the difference between what they think and what they know — principles that have helped to improve my practice of law, says Sheria Clarke at Nelson Mullins.

  • 5 Areas Contractors Should Watch After 1st 100 Days

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    Federal agencies and contractors face challenges from staff reductions, contract terminations, pending regulatory reform and other actions from the second Trump administration's first 100 days, but other areas stand to become more efficient and cost-effective, say attorneys at Thompson Hine.

  • Planning For Open Banking Despite CFPB Uncertainty

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    Though pending litigation or new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau leadership may reshape the Biden-era regulation governing access to consumer financial data, companies can use this uncertain period to take practical steps toward an open banking strategy that will work regardless of the rule’s ultimate form, says Adam Maarec at McGlinchey Stafford.

  • Crunching The Numbers Of Trump SEC's 1st 100 Days

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    During the first 100 days of the second Trump administration, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission brought significantly fewer stand-alone enforcement actions than at the beginning of the Biden and the first Trump administrations, with every one of the federal court complaints including allegations of fraudulent conduct, say attorneys at Dentons.

  • Charging A Separate Tariff Fee May Backfire For Retailers

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    In the wake of the Trump administration's newly imposed tariffs, retailers facing significant supply chain cost increases may be considering adding a tariff fee to offset these costs, but doing so risks violating state drip pricing bans, say attorneys at Benesch.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From DOJ Enviro To Mid-Law

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    Practitioners leaving a longtime government role for private practice — as when I departed the U.S. Department of Justice’s environmental enforcement division — should prioritize finding a firm that shares their principles, values their experience and will invest in their transition, says John Cruden at Beveridge & Diamond.

  • Independent Contractor Rule Up In The Air Under New DOL

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    In several recent court challenges, the U.S. Department of Labor has indicated its intent to revoke the 2024 independent contractor rule, sending a clear signal that it will not defend the Biden-era rule on the merits in anticipation of further rulemaking, say attorneys at Jackson Lewis.

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