Environmental

  • June 04, 2026

    Data Center Power Co. Innio Prices Upsized $2.4B IPO

    Innio, a manufacturer of gas engines used to power artificial intelligence systems, began trading Thursday on the Nasdaq after raising $2.4 billion in an upsized initial public offering guided by Latham & Watkins LLP and Milbank LLP.

  • June 03, 2026

    5th Circ. Says ChampionX Lacks Rights Under Spill Policy

    A Fifth Circuit panel on Tuesday affirmed a decision finding that ChampionX Corp. lacked the contractual standing to sue insurers for coverage of a $40 million oil spill lawsuit involving one of its subsidiaries, but gave the company a chance to add parties to its complaint in the lower court. 

  • June 03, 2026

    Colo. Energy Co. Loses Fight Over ND Oil Lease Cancellation

    A North Dakota federal judge granted the government an early win in a Colorado energy company's bid for the court to vacate a series of Bureau of Indian Affairs decisions that found it didn't own interest in an oil lease, upholding the agency's decision that the company lacked standing.

  • June 03, 2026

    NJ Says Most Of $3B PFAS Deal Objector Issues Are Resolved

    New Jersey told a federal court this week it has reached agreements with all but two of the parties that objected to proposed deals worth a combined $3 billion with 3M Co. and various DuPont entities to resolve claims over contamination caused by forever chemicals, saying the agreements further support the court's approval of the settlements.

  • June 03, 2026

    Fireworks Cos. Settle Gender Reveal Wildfire Suit For $4M

    An Ohio-based smoke bomb-maker, its subsidiary and a gender reveal company have agreed to pay more than $4 million to settle claims from the federal government over the 2020 El Dorado Fire, which burned nearly 23,000 acres and killed a firefighter.

  • June 03, 2026

    OXEA's $8M Policy Covers Toxic Gas Exposure, 5th Circ. Told 

    The Fifth Circuit on Wednesday fielded dueling arguments from OXEA Corp. and insurance policy underwriters on whether the chemical giant is entitled to $8 million in coverage under an environmental pollution policy to cover part of a settlement reached with a contractor's employee who was exposed to carbon monoxide.

  • June 03, 2026

    Pillsbury Hit With Suit Over Alleged $145M Loan Fraud

    An investment fund has filed a complaint in New York State court accusing a Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman partner of conspiring with convicted fraudsters to con the fund into writing a $145 million loan to now-defunct financial services company Aspiration Partners.

  • June 03, 2026

    SEC Climate Rule Reversal May Spark Fresh Lawsuit

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's plan to withdraw corporate climate disclosure regulations could see the commission back in court two years after it was sued for adopting those same regulations, with investor advocates questioning the legality of the agency's change of direction.

  • June 03, 2026

    Iowa Creates Sales Tax Break For Nuclear Energy Facilities

    Iowa nuclear energy facilities that are beginning or restarting operation are eligible for a sales tax exemption on purchases of materials under a law signed by the governor.

  • June 03, 2026

    Derailment Litigants Say Flawed Tests Should Undo EPA Deal

    A pair of Ohio residents want a federal court to reject or significantly revise a proposed $350 million settlement between Norfolk Southern and the federal government over the 2023 East Palestine derailment, contending the deal was built on the flawed premise that the fiery train wreck and chemical spill did not leave behind significant contamination.

  • June 03, 2026

    4th Circ. Scraps Order Blocking Chemours PFAS Dumping

    The Fourth Circuit on Wednesday wiped out an injunction blocking the Chemours Co. FC LLC from discharging forever chemicals into the Ohio River, finding the environmental group spearheading a Clean Water Act suit against the company failed to show irreparable harm.

  • June 03, 2026

    Okla. Gov. Vetoes Solar Power Property Tax Break Exclusion

    Oklahoma's governor pocket vetoed a bill that would have excluded solar power companies and battery energy storage systems from a property tax exemption for manufacturing facilities.

  • June 02, 2026

    Feds Blocked From Divesting Wyo. Facility Stewardship

    A Colorado federal judge ruled that a Wyoming supercomputing facility used for atmospheric research must stay under a consortium of 129 universities' care pending litigation over the National Science Foundation's decision to divest the consortium of stewardship, saying the NSF failed to explain its decision and effectively ignored public comments.

  • June 02, 2026

    Feds Say Lejeune Plaintiffs Seek Billion-Dollar 'Windfall'

    The federal government has told a North Carolina federal court that Camp Lejeune litigants are trying to rewrite the 2022 federal law that allowed them to recover damages from their exposure to toxic water on the base to give them a "windfall" of billions of dollars.

  • June 02, 2026

    Lowndes Launches Homebuilding, Development Team

    Florida-based law firm Lowndes has established a new group that focuses on "the transactional and regulatory matters that shape residential development," the firm announced Tuesday.

  • June 02, 2026

    Aspiration Co-Founder Gets 14 Yrs In $248M Fraud Scheme

    Joseph Sanberg, co-founder of the now defunct, celebrity-backed and sustainability-focused financial services company Aspiration Partners, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison by a California federal judge, stemming from a years-long scheme where he defrauded more than 130 victims of at least $248 million. 

  • June 02, 2026

    Calif. Fights Federal Moves To Nix Its Truck Emissions Regs

    California's air pollution regulator has told a federal judge that Congress and the Trump administration violated separation of powers and federalism principles by passing unlawful resolutions blocking state emissions regulations for heavy-duty trucks, arguing the regulations should still take effect.

  • June 02, 2026

    Wash. Panel OKs Challenges To Seattle's Comprehensive Plan

    A Washington state appeals panel Monday revived a pair of challenges to an environmental impact statement published as part of Seattle's comprehensive plan for the city's next two decades of growth, ruling that the challenges aren't barred by recent state laws encouraging the construction of more housing.

  • June 02, 2026

    Green Groups Challenge EPA Chemical Leak Rules

    Environmental and public health groups are challenging softened monitoring and reporting requirements for chemical manufacturing facilities.

  • June 02, 2026

    EV Co. Hit With Investor Suit Over Sales And Deliveries

    Electric vehicle maker Lucid Group Inc. was hit with a proposed investor class action alleging that the company made misleading statements about its production and sales before revealing an issue with a supplier was affecting vehicle deliveries, adding to the list of shareholder litigation it faces over production.

  • June 02, 2026

    Enviro Group Seeks Delay Of AI Prompt Reveal In Shell Suit

    An environmental advocacy group is asking to pause a magistrate judge's order requiring it to turn over any artificial intelligence prompts its expert witness may have used to craft her report in a Clean Water Act case, saying a stay is necessary while it challenges the ruling.

  • June 02, 2026

    Brazil Facing 25% US Tariff Over IP, Other 'Unfair Practices'

    The U.S. Trade Representative proposed hitting Brazil with a broad 25% tariff following a trade investigation that it says uncovered a slew of "unfair practices that imposed burdens on American businesses," including poorly enforced intellectual property rights and preferential tariffs.

  • June 02, 2026

    Detroit, Water Authority Must Face Insurers' Flood Payout Suit

    A Michigan federal judge on Tuesday largely kept intact three insurers' lawsuit seeking reimbursement for payouts to residents of homes damaged after 2021 flooding, finding the city of Detroit and the Great Lakes Water Authority are not immune to claims alleging the sewer system couldn't handle a foreseeable amount of rain.

  • June 02, 2026

    9th Circ. Won't Recharge Kids' Suit Over Trump's Energy EOs

    A Ninth Circuit panel refused Tuesday to revive a group of youths' legal challenge of President Donald Trump's executive orders spurring the use of fossil fuels to meet the country's energy needs, concluding the plaintiffs "can only speculate" that the orders will trigger agency decisions that ultimately intensify climate change.

  • June 02, 2026

    Northrop To Pay $75M In Midtrial LA Contamination Deal

    Residents of a Los Angeles suburb who sued Northrop Grumman over alleged environmental contamination have asked a California federal judge to preliminarily approve a $75 million class deal struck midtrial with the aerospace company that also proposes their attorneys receive up to 40% of the fund — and possibly more.

Expert Analysis

  • Legal And Industry Impacts Of America's Maritime Action Plan

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    America's Maritime Action Plan, unveiled by the White House last month, introduces changes to trade investigations, a new maritime trust fund and more — adding regulatory and compliance obligations for companies and counsel, but also new avenues for client engagement in project finance, contract negotiation and dispute resolution, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Series

    Coaching Soccer Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Coaching youth soccer for my 7-year-old son's team has sharpened how I communicate with clients, prepare witnesses, work within teams and think about leadership, making me a more thoughtful and effective lawyer in many ways, says Joshua Holt at Smith Currie.

  • What Texas Anti-Boycott Ruling Means For ESG Landscape

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    A Texas federal court's recent ruling in American Sustainable Business Council v. Hegar that Texas' anti-ESG law is unconstitutional on First Amendment grounds will likely embolden legal challenges to similar laws in other states that have adopted fossil fuel boycott statutes, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: The Human Element

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    Law school teaches you to quickly apply intellect and logic when handling a legal issue, but every fact pattern also involves a person, making the ability to balance expertise with empathy critical to the growth of relationships with clients, colleagues and adversaries, says Rachel Adcox at Adcox Strategies.

  • As Justices Mull Suncor, Cos. Face New Climate Suit Realities

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    Following the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to hear Suncor Energy v. Boulder County — its first case analyzing the litigation impact of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rescission of its 2009 greenhouse gas endangerment finding — companies must consider new preemption questions surrounding climate lawsuits after the rescission, say attorneys at Hollingsworth.

  • The Benefits Of Choosing A Niche Practice In The AI Age

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    As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly accessible, lawyers with a niche practice may stand out as clients seek specialized judgment that automation cannot replicate, but it is important to choose a niche that is durable, engaging and a good personal fit, says Daniel Borneman at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • What New Animal Welfare Enforcement Push Means For Cos.

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    The Trump administration's recently announced multiagency focus on violations of the Animal Welfare Act and related laws will likely lead to broader enforcement actions across industries, heightened scrutiny of compliance standards and a need for businesses to adopt effective risk management practices, says Shennie Patel at Crowell & Moring.

  • Trial Advocacy Lessons From 3 Oscar-Nominated Films

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    Several films up for best picture at this weekend’s Academy Awards provide useful tips for trial lawyers, from the power of a dramatic opening to the importance of pivoting when the unexpected happens, say attorneys at Robins Kaplan.

  • Series

    Podcasting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Podcasting has changed how I ask questions and connect with people, sharpening my ability to listen without interrupting or prejudging, and bringing me closer to what law is meant to be: a human profession grounded in understanding, judgment and trust, says Donna DiMaggio Berger at Becker.

  • Structuring Water Agreements For Data Center Development

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    For developers of artificial intelligence data centers, water use is now a threshold feasibility and financing variable amid a regulatory landscape with a state-driven push for transparency and federal push to streamline pathways for AI-related infrastructure, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • What Cos. Must Know About Pa.'s Proposed Data Center Regs

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    Under Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's new proposal to balance hyperscale data center infrastructure with grid stability, water resources and community transparency, businesses in the state face a strategic choice: wait for binding requirements to emerge, or proactively align projects with the standards now, say Wade Stephens and Sasha Burton at Langsam Stevens.

  • Lessons From Justices' Split On Major Questions Doctrine

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    The justices' varied opinions in Learning Resources v. Trump, which held the International Emergency Economy Powers Act did not confer the power to impose tariffs, offer a meaningful window into the U.S. Supreme Court's perspective on the major questions doctrine that will likely shape lower courts' approach to executive action challenges, say attorneys at Venable.

  • Calif. Case Could Lead To A Redefined Pollution Exclusion

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    In recently agreeing to hear Montrose Chemical v. Superior Court, the California Supreme Court will decide whether a court should consider extrinsic evidence offered by a party to prove its interpretation of the insurance policy language, opening the door to a different definition of "sudden" in insurance policies' pollution exclusions, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • PFAS Risks In M&A Amid Litigation, Legislative Developments

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    Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances have become a significant M&A concern amid new trends in settlements and state laws, and potential buyers must find ways to evaluate potential related risks, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Series

    Volunteering With Scouts Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Serving as an assistant scoutmaster for my son’s troop reaffirmed several skills and principles crucial to lawyering — from the importance of disconnecting to the value of morality, says Michael Warren at McManis Faulkner.

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