Environmental

  • February 11, 2025

    PFAS Litigation Finds A New Frontier: Consumer Products

    Smartwatch wristbands, adhesive bandages, tampons and juice containers — what do they all have in common? In a growing trend, plaintiffs attorneys allege the products contain toxic forever chemicals and that manufacturers misled consumers about it.

  • February 11, 2025

    Monsanto PCB Appeal Seems To Divide Wash. High Court

    Thorny choice-of-law issues seemingly divided the Washington State Supreme Court during oral arguments Tuesday, with one justice suggesting that the teachers who brought suit are relying on "forum-shopping" to reinstate a $185 million win against Monsanto, and another saying the company's stance violates state law intended to hold corporations accountable for harming citizens.

  • February 11, 2025

    EV Charging Supply Chain In Limbo Amid Funding Freeze

    The Trump administration's suspension of a $5 billion program funding electric vehicle charging stations nationwide infuses uncertainty into the future of the U.S. electric-vehicle supply chain, triggering costly project delays and fresh litigation, experts told Law360.

  • February 11, 2025

    Feds Must Enforce Law In Dakota Pipeline Row, Court Told

    The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is fighting a bid by the federal government and a slew of Republican-led states to dismiss its lawsuit that seeks to block an energy company from operating the Dakota Access Pipeline, saying there's a mandatory duty to ensure its operations comply with environmental laws.

  • February 11, 2025

    Insurer Says $641M Deal Over Tainted Flint Water Not Covered

    An insurer told a Michigan federal court Tuesday that it shouldn't have to pay any part of a $641 million settlement reached by a Flint, Michigan, medical center on behalf of patients who supposedly suffered from legionella and lead exposure because of unclean drinking water in the facility.

  • February 11, 2025

    Eaton Fire Victim Wants Sanctions Against SoCal Edison

    A victim of the recent devastating Eaton Fire in Altadena has told a California state judge that Southern California Edison and its attorneys should face sanctions for allegedly concealing efforts to reenergize electrical transmission lines while the blaze was still burning last month.

  • February 11, 2025

    Plant Nursery To Shell Out $2.5M In H-2A Wage Suit

    An operator of plant nurseries in California agreed to shell out $2.5 million in back wages after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation determined that it coerced H-2A workers to quit in order to dodge the program's wage and hour requirements, the department said. 

  • February 11, 2025

    Activist Elliott Targets Phillips 66 Again Over Lack Of Progress

    Activist investor Elliott Investment Management LP on Tuesday sent a letter to the board of directors of energy conglomerate Phillips 66 calling for "urgent changes" to improve operating performance and regain shareholder trust, saying "another year of empty rhetoric and broken promises is unacceptable."

  • February 11, 2025

    Pot Grower Says Nearby Farm's Pesticides Caused $17M Loss

    A Massachusetts cannabis grower says pesticides used by an adjacent berry farm contaminated its entire 2022 harvest, costing the lost value of that crop and two subsequent years' revenue, totaling at least $17 million.

  • February 11, 2025

    Award Enforcement Suit Must Focus On Italy Immunity First

    A D.C. federal judge said Italy has at least a "colorable" sovereign immunity defense to litigation by Dutch, Danish and Luxembourgish firms seeking to enforce $23 million in arbitral awards granted after the country rolled back renewable energy subsidies.

  • February 11, 2025

    Republican-Led SEC Pauses Climate Regulation Litigation

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission signaled Tuesday that it may not move forward with a Biden-era regulation requiring public companies to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions, asking the court overseeing litigation against the climate reporting rules not to schedule the case for oral argument.

  • February 11, 2025

    Automakers Lose Fight To Block Mass. 'Right To Repair' Law

    A Massachusetts federal judge on Tuesday tossed what was left of a long-running suit filed by major automakers seeking to block a Bay State law requiring vehicle manufacturers to provide open access to telematics systems.

  • February 10, 2025

    Xcel, Telecom Cos. Say Colo. Fire Plaintiffs Can't Opt Out Of Trial

    Xcel Energy and two telecom companies being sued over the Marshall Fire in Colorado told a state judge that hundreds of plaintiffs pushing to opt out of a common liability trial should not be able to do so, at least until expert reports are shared.

  • February 10, 2025

    Calif. Ruling Holds Wildfire Debris Not A Coverable Loss

    Two California homeowners didn't have a covered claim for wildfire debris that infiltrated their home, a state appeals panel ruled, saying there was no evidence the debris caused the kind of loss or damage required for coverage.

  • February 10, 2025

    Texas Property Owner Seeks Over $1M In Storm Coverage

    A Nationwide unit unlawfully failed to cover hail and wind damage to a Texas property, its owner alleged in federal court, accusing the insurer of fraud and violating state insurance statutes over unfair settlement practices and prompt claim payment and seeking over $1 million in damages.

  • February 10, 2025

    Gov't Defends Approval Of CP-KCS Rail Merger To DC Circ.

    The federal government told the D.C. Circuit a coalition of Illinois towns is challenging the approval of Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd.'s $31 billion merger with Kansas City Southern Railway Co. over the deal's potential effect on just 23 miles of a combined rail network that spans more than 20,000 miles.

  • February 10, 2025

    Judge: Dominican Republic Should Pay $44M Landfill Award

    A magistrate judge in Washington, D.C., recommended Friday that a $43.6 million arbitral award issued after the Dominican Republic terminated a landfill concession should be enforced, saying there was no evidence that the tribunal failed to investigate allegations of underlying fraud.

  • February 10, 2025

    Nevada Lithium Mine Violates Indigenous' Rights, Report Says

    The federal government's approval of an 18,000-acre open-pit lithium mine in northern Nevada is a violation of Indigenous' rights, according to a recent report, which says at least six tribes have ties to the site where they've experienced violations against their religion, culture and ancestral lands.

  • February 10, 2025

    SpaceX Says It Has Been Harmed By Coastal Commission

    SpaceX has argued it should be allowed to move forward with its suit alleging the California Coastal Commission wrongly tried to block the company's rocket launches, saying it had been harmed by the commission's allegedly unconstitutional actions.

  • February 10, 2025

    EPA Asks 5th Circ. To Uphold Asbestos Ban Rule

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is defending a Biden-era rule strengthening its restrictions on the use of the most prevalent variety of asbestos, which are being challenged by industry, worker and green groups.

  • February 10, 2025

    Latest Ore. Fire Verdict Brings PacifiCorp Damages To $270M

    An Oregon jury held that PacifiCorp must pay $49.5 million to eight victims of the state's 2020 Labor Day wildfires, bringing the total damages verdicts in the class action to $270 million so far as more bellwether trials loom throughout 2025.

  • February 10, 2025

    Green Groups Defend Methane Charge Against Industry Suit

    Conservation groups urged a Michigan federal judge to throw out industry group litigation challenging the constitutionality of an Inflation Reduction Act provision that directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to impose fees on methane emitters, while the Trump administration asked to have the case put on hold "to review the matter."

  • February 10, 2025

    NJ Hospital Hit With Class Claims Over Retirement Plan Fees

    A New Jersey health system has been accused of mismanaging its employees' retirement funds, according to a proposed class action filed by one of its employees in Garden State federal court.

  • February 10, 2025

    Trump Buyout Plan Still On Hold As Unions Cite 'Confusion'

    A Boston federal judge on Monday extended his hold on President Donald Trump's federal worker buyout program as he weighs a request from unions to block the so-called Fork Directive, which promises months of pay to government employees who resign their posts.

  • February 10, 2025

    Investor Urges US Steel To Dump Deal After Trump Comments

    Activist investor Ancora Holdings Group on Monday urged U.S. Steel to abandon its proposed $14.9 billion merger with Japan's Nippon Steel, stating that the deal has "no chance of being resurrected" in light of statements made by President Donald Trump on Friday.

Expert Analysis

  • Why K-Cup Claims Landed Keurig In Hot Water With SEC

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent settlement with Keurig Dr. Pepper for making incomplete statements regarding the recyclability of K-cup pods highlights the importance of comprehensive corporate disclosures, particularly with respect to ESG matters, say attorneys at BCLP.

  • Legislation Most Likely To Pass In Lame Duck Session

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    As Congress begins its five-week post-election lame duck session, attorneys at Greenberg Traurig break down the legislative priorities and which proposals can be expected to pass.

  • Promoting Diversity In The Selection Of ADR Neutrals

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Choosing neutrals from diverse backgrounds is an important step in promoting inclusion in the legal profession, and it can enhance the legitimacy and public perception of alternative dispute resolution proceedings, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Series

    Playing Ultimate Makes Us Better Lawyers

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    In addition to being fun, ultimate Frisbee has improved our legal careers by emphasizing the importance of professionalism, teamwork, perseverance, enthusiasm and vulnerability, say Arunabha Bhoumik and Adam Bernstein at Regeneron. 

  • Dissecting New Circuit Split Over SEC's Proxy Adviser Rule

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    The Sixth Circuit recently upheld the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's partial rescission of enhanced conflict-of-interest disclosure requirements for proxy voting advice businesses, creating a circuit split over broader questions concerning the standard for assessing the legality of agency actions in general, say attorneys at Cahill Gordon.

  • The Unfolding Potential of Green Hydrogen In Brazil

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    A new federal law in Brazil establishing a legal framework for hydrogen development is the country's latest step toward creating a favorable environment for green hydrogen production, but significant challenges — including high production costs, technological hurdles and a lack of infrastructure — remain, says David Andrew Taylor at Almeida Advogados.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Recent Rulings On Metadata

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    Several recent rulings reflect the competing considerations that arise when parties dispute the form of production for electronically stored information, underscoring that counsel must carefully consider how to produce and request reasonably usable data, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • A Shift In Control Of Congress May Doom These Enviro Regs

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    If the election leads to a change in control of Congress, lawmakers will likely use the lookback provision of the Congressional Review Act to challenge the Biden administration's late-term regulatory efforts — including recent initiatives on air pollutant source classification, lead pipe removal and hydrofluorocarbon emissions, say attorneys at Jones Walker.

  • Election Could Bring Change In Weather For Offshore Wind

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    Under another Trump administration, the offshore wind sector would encounter substantial headwinds, as Trump's policy track record emphasizes fossil fuel dominance and environmental rollbacks, while a Harris victory would likely further entrench the pro-renewable energy stance taken by the Biden administration, say attorneys at Jones Walker.

  • Striking A Balance Between AI Use And Attorney Well-Being

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    As the legal industry increasingly adopts generative artificial intelligence tools to boost efficiency, leaders must note the hidden costs of increased productivity, and work to protect attorneys’ well-being while unlocking AI’s full potential, says Ed Sohn at Factor.

  • Empathy In Mediation Offers A Soft Landing For Disputes

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    Experiencing a crash-landing on a recent flight underscored to me how much difference empathy makes in times of crisis or stress, including during mediation, says Eydith Kaufman at Alternative Resolution Centers.

  • Series

    Being An Artist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My work as an artist has highlighted how using creativity and precision together — qualities that are equally essential in both art and law — not only improves outcomes, but also leads to more innovative and thoughtful work, says Sarah La Pearl at Segal McCambridge.

  • Consider The Impact Of Election Stress On Potential Jurors

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    For at least the next few months, potential jurors may be working through anger and distrust stemming from the presidential election, and trial attorneys will need to assess whether those jurors are able to leave their political concerns at the door, says Ken Broda-Bahm at Persuasion Strategies.

  • How Judiciary Can Minimize AI Risks In Secondary Sources

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    Because courts’ standing orders on generative artificial intelligence and other safeguards do not address the risk of hallucinations in secondary source materials, the judiciary should consider enlisting legal publishers and database hosts to protect against AI-generated inaccuracies, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert & Wohl.

  • Calif. Ruling Offers Hope For Mitigated Negative Declarations

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    In Upland Community First v. City of Upland, a California appeals court upheld a warehouse development's mitigated negative declaration over its greenhouse gas emissions thresholds — a rare victory against this type of challenge providing reassurance that such declarations can be upheld, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

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