Telecommunications

November 12, 2025
Wage Rule Inapplicable To 'Plug And Play' Work, Panel Told

A New Jersey utility systems installer told a state appellate panel Wednesday that its subcontracted cell tower work — limited to plugging in pre-terminated fiber optic cables — was wrongly categorized under the state's prevailing wage for electricians instead of the lower rate under the electrician teledata classification.
November 12, 2025
Railroads Have Conditions For Supporting 900 MHz Changes

The nation's railroads say they're fine with the Federal Communications Commission's plans to open up two more bands of 900 megahertz spectrum for broadband use, but not without protections in place to ensure that their critical safety communications aren't affected.
November 12, 2025
NTIA Aims To Cut 'Red Tape' From Tribal Programs

The Commerce Department agency in charge of two tribal connectivity programs said Wednesday it will streamline their funding rules in a notice coming out next spring.
November 12, 2025
China Continues To Drive Surge In Global Patent Applications

The number of patent applications filed worldwide in 2024 surged, continuing years of growth due in significant part to filings out of China, according to a World Intellectual Property Organization report released Wednesday.
November 12, 2025
Albright Won't Reconsider Axing $65.7M Cisco Patent Verdict

A Texas federal judge on Tuesday denied a request from Paltalk Holdings to reconsider his decision to toss a $65.7 million patent infringement verdict against Cisco Systems Inc., saying in a brief order that he found no errors or new evidence to warrant such a move.
November 12, 2025
Regional Cable Biz Looks Toward Permit Reform Priorities

Independent cable providers want the Federal Communications Commission to wield its statutory powers to slash state and local rules that their main trade group considers impediments to broadband deployment.
November 12, 2025
House Looks To Undo Sens.' Ability To Sue Over Phone Info

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Wednesday that House Republicans will be introducing stand-alone legislation to repeal a provision tucked into the government funding package the Senate passed Monday that would allow Republican senators investigated by special counsel Jack Smith to sue for damages.
November 12, 2025
NTIA Readies Plans For 2 Fed-Dominated Spectrum Bands

The Trump administration will consider making more private-use spectrum available across two bands that are predominantly used by federal agencies, a U.S. Commerce Department official said Wednesday.
November 12, 2025
Lawmakers Should Re-Up FirstNet, Advocacy Group Says

Congress needs to reauthorize the national FirstNet public safety response network before it expires in just over a year, an advocacy group said, touting a survey of first responders who largely back the measure.
November 12, 2025
Fed. Circ. Upholds New England Patriots' Patent Win

The Federal Circuit on Wednesday refused to revive a patent on technology for providing wireless connections in sports and entertainment venues, shooting down a patent-holding company's appeal in its suit against the New England Patriots.
November 10, 2025
Law360 MVP Awards Go To Top Attorneys From 76 Firms

The attorneys chosen as Law360's 2025 MVPs have distinguished themselves from their peers by securing significant achievements in high-stakes litigation, complex global matters and record-breaking deals.
November 10, 2025
Google Faces More Headwater IP Claims Over Android OS

Texas-based Headwater Research LLC has filed another patent suit against Google, claiming in its federal complaint that the tech giant is making tens of billions of dollars on mobile phones and other Android operating system devices that infringe two of its wireless communications technology patents.
November 10, 2025
Kochava, Class Seek Final OK For Location Data Settlement

Mobile device users have come to terms with data analytics provider Kochava to end their claims that the company had been selling their geolocation data without proper consent after nearly three years of litigation.
November 10, 2025
Fed. Circ. Won't Reconsider Decision Axing $181M Verdict

A Federal Circuit panel on Monday shot down Finesse Wireless LLC's rehearing request, which aimed to reinstate a $181 million patent infringement verdict over wireless communication technology that it won against AT&T and Nokia.
November 10, 2025
Gov't Told To Expediate National Mall Cell Service Upgrades

Cell service on the National Mall isn't great — especially when there are crowds, which is often — and while the National Park Service has gotten the ball rolling on the issue by opening a discussion on how to best address the connectivity problems, one trade group says the agency ought to move even faster.
November 10, 2025
SG To Join Args At High Court In Cox IP Fight Against Sony

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday granted the government's request to participate in oral arguments in a case addressing whether internet service providers can be held liable for their customers' infringing activity online.
November 10, 2025
Pot Shop Bombards People With Promo Texts, TCPA Suit Says

A Southern California cannabis dispensary was hit with a proposed class action in federal court Friday alleging it violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act by sending unsolicited telemarketing messages to individuals to promote its services, despite the fact their numbers have been placed on the national Do Not Call registry.
November 10, 2025
Rep. Wants Schools Warned On Security Of Chinese AI Toys

The top Democrat on a House committee that weighs potential dangers posed by the Chinese Communist Party is urging the U.S. Department of Education to issue "clear guidance" to schools and parents about the data security and privacy risks around artificial intelligence-enabled toys made by Chinese companies, which are increasingly finding their way into classrooms.
November 10, 2025
Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

Delaware's top court issued a flurry of rulings last week and heard arguments on recently passed legislation that expanded liability shields for some corporate acts while the Court of Chancery passed on another round of arguments over control of Caribbean broadcaster Caribevision.
November 10, 2025
High Court Passes On LPTV Licensing Challenge

The U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to take up the appeal of a Connecticut television licensee that took issue with the eligibility criteria the Federal Communications Commission uses to decide which stations qualify for small-market protections.
November 10, 2025
Justices Won't Wade Into Jurisdiction Question In Fee Dispute

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday opted against taking up a dispute over an $829,000 award in favor of a satellite technology company that tested how far federal court jurisdiction extends to state law causes of action.
November 07, 2025
Drafted Bill Would Have States Return Leftover BEAD Money

Under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, states that don't use all the broadband infrastructure funds they have been allocated would get to keep whatever is left from the chunk of $42.5 billion they received — but one senator is proposing that any money remaining instead go back to the U.S. Treasury.
November 07, 2025
Ill. Resident Wins Cert. In Mortgage Marketing Robocall Case

An Illinois resident has received the green light to pursue claims against The Federal Savings Bank regarding mortgage marketing robocalls on behalf of more than 2 million people nationwide who allegedly received similar solicitations.
November 07, 2025
Telecom Co. Held In Contempt Over Docs In Tower Dispute

A New York federal judge found telecommunications tower company DT Holdings Inc. in contempt this week for failing to produce documents related to a Guatemalan court fight that resulted in the seizure of 163 towers worth more than $20 million.
November 07, 2025
Seattle Pot Shop Slapped With Site Tracking Pixel Privacy Suit

A Seattle cannabis dispensary has been hit with a proposed class action in Washington federal court by a customer who claims the retailer shared his private information about medical marijuana appointments and pot purchases with Google and other third parties by using online browser tracking tools on its website.

Expert Analysis

4 Consumer Class Action Trends To Watch In 2nd Half Of 2025

The first half of 2025 has seen a surge of consumer class action trends related to online tools, websites and marketing messages, creating a new legal risk landscape for companies of all sizes, says Scott Shaffer at Olshan Frome.
8 Ways Lawyers Can Protect The Rule Of Law In Their Work

Whether they are concerned with judicial independence, regulatory predictability or client confidence, lawyers can take specific meaningful actions on their own when traditional structures are too slow or too compromised to respond, says Angeli Patel at the Berkeley Center of Law and Business.
Series

Law School's Missed Lessons: Communicating With Clients

Law school curricula often overlook client communication procedures, and those who actively teach this crucial facet of the practice can create exceptional client satisfaction and success, says Patrick Hanson at Wiggam Law.
3 Judicial Approaches To Applying Loper Bright, 1 Year Later

In the year since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Chevron deference in its Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision, a few patterns have emerged in lower courts’ application of the precedent to determine whether agency actions are lawful, say attorneys at Husch Blackwell.
Trending At The PTAB: Shifts In Parallel Proceedings Strategy

Dynamics are changing between the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and federal courts, with two recent discretionary denials and one Federal Circuit decision offering takeaways for both patent owners and challengers navigating parallel proceedings, say attorneys at Finnegan.
Series

Adapting To Private Practice: From US Rep. To Boutique Firm

My transition from serving as a member of Congress to becoming a partner at a boutique firm has been remarkably smooth, in part because I never stopped exercising my legal muscles, maintained relationships with my former colleagues and set the right tone at the outset, says Mondaire Jones at Friedman Kaplan.
2025's First Half Brings Regulatory Detours For Fintechs

The first half of the year has resulted in a bifurcated regulatory environment for fintechs, featuring narrowed enforcement in some areas, heightened scrutiny in others and a policy window that, with proper compliance, offers meaningful opportunities for innovation, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.
Opinion

Senate's 41% Litigation Finance Tax Would Hurt Legal System

The Senate’s latest version of the Big Beautiful Bill Act would impose a 41% tax on the litigation finance industry, but the tax is totally disconnected from the concerns it purports to address, and it would set the country back to a time when small plaintiffs had little recourse against big defendants, says Anthony Sebok at Cardozo School of Law.
Series

Performing As A Clown Makes Me A Better Lawyer

To say that being a clown in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has changed my legal career would truly be an understatement — by creating an opening to converse on a unique topic, it has allowed me to connect with clients, counsel and even judges on a deeper level, says Charles Tatelbaum at Tripp Scott.
Series

Law School's Missed Lessons: Rejecting Biz Dev Myths

Law schools don’t spend sufficient time dispelling certain myths that prevent young lawyers from exploring new business opportunities, but by dismissing these misguided beliefs, even an introverted first-year associate with a small network of contacts can find long-term success, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.
Move Beyond Surface-Level Edits To Master Legal Writing

Recent instances in which attorneys filed briefs containing artificial intelligence hallucinations offer a stark reminder that effective revision isn’t just about superficial details like grammar — it requires attorneys to critically engage with their writing and analyze their rhetorical choices, says Ivy Grey at WordRake.
9th Circ. Has Muddied Waters Of Article III Pleading Standard

District courts in the Ninth Circuit continue to apply a defunct and especially forgiving pleading standard to questions of Article III standing, and the circuit court itself has only perpetuated this confusion — making it an attractive forum for disputes that have no rightful place in federal court, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.
Series

Competing In Modern Pentathlon Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Opening myself up to new experiences through competing in modern Olympic pentathlon has shrunk the appearance of my daily work annoyances and helps me improve my patience, manage crises better and remember that acquiring new skills requires working through your early mistakes, says attorney Mary Zoldak.
Series

Law School's Missed Lessons: Teaching Yourself Legal Tech

New graduates often enter practice unfamiliar with even basic professional software, but budding lawyers can use on-the-job opportunities to both catch up on technological skills and explore the advanced legal and artificial intelligence tools that will open doors, says Alyssa Sones at Sheppard Mullin.
How AI May Reshape The Future Of Adjudication

As discussed at a recent panel at Texas A&M, artificial intelligence will not erase the human element of adjudication in the next 10 to 20 years, but it will drive efficiencies that spur private arbiters to experiment, lead public courts to evolve and force attorneys to adapt, says Christopher Seck at Squire Patton.