Environmental

  • February 25, 2025

    Chicago Escapes Bulk Of Insurer's $26M Willis Tower Suit 

    An Illinois federal judge dismissed the majority of a dozen counts brought by Travelers against the city of Chicago and its water district seeking repayment for $26 million in flood damage to Willis Tower, leaving only common law negligence claims.

  • February 25, 2025

    River Agency Says Harvey Flood Dispute Was Already Decided

    A Texas river management agency urged a state appeals court Tuesday to shut down claims brought by dozens of residents whose properties were flooded by Hurricane Harvey, pointing to a separate appellate court decision that ended similar claims by many of the same people.

  • February 25, 2025

    Petrochemical Cos. Want Judge Out Of Plastic Recycling Row

    Petrochemical companies called on a Missouri federal judge to recuse himself from a proposed class action accusing them of misleading customers about the recyclability of plastic, saying his wife has a direct interest in the case as a Kansas City city council member.

  • February 25, 2025

    Spent Fuel Casks Are Taxable Real Property, NJ Court Rules

    Storage casks housing highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel are subject to taxation as real property, the New Jersey Tax Court ruled Tuesday.

  • February 25, 2025

    Macquarie Investors Fight To Keep Stock-Drop Suit Alive

    Investors accusing Macquarie Infrastructure Corp. of hiding the expected impact of a high-sulfur fuel ban on its oil storage business say that because the U.S. Supreme Court left most of their claims against the company intact, the district court should not grant dismissal on remand.

  • February 25, 2025

    Calif. Wins Remand Of Exxon Plastic Suit, Green Groups Lose

    California convinced a federal judge to remand to state court its lawsuit alleging Exxon Mobil Corp. is responsible for plastic waste and pollution due to deceptive public messaging about recycling, but environmentalists' similar suit will stay in federal court.

  • February 25, 2025

    Utah Asks 10th Circ. To Block EPA's Ozone Standard Finding

    The state of Utah has called on the Tenth Circuit to block a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency determination that the state's most populous region is not complying with national ozone standards, saying international emissions are mostly to blame.

  • February 25, 2025

    Wiley Adds Environment And Product Regulation Pro In DC

    Washington, D.C., firm Wiley Rein LLP has expanded its environmental offerings with the addition of a veteran attorney and policy pro.

  • February 25, 2025

    WilmerHale, Cleary Steer $4.1B Thermo Fisher-Solventum Deal

    WilmerHale and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP are the principal advisers on a new agreement for Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. to purchase the purification and filtration business of Solventum for $4.1 billion in cash, according to statements from the companies on Tuesday.

  • February 24, 2025

    9th Circ. Mostly Clears The Way For Mont. Logging Project

    The Ninth Circuit on Monday reversed portions of a Montana federal judge's decision to vacate U.S. Forest Service approval of a controversial Black Ram logging project on the Kootenai National Forest, but told the lower court it had to take a closer look at some of the environmentalists' objections.

  • February 24, 2025

    Dominican Republic Slams Report Favoring $44M Award

    The Dominican Republic has urged a D.C. federal court to reject a magistrate judge's recommendation to enforce a nearly $44 million arbitral award issued after the country terminated a landfill concession, saying there was never an underlying arbitration agreement.

  • February 24, 2025

    Feds Say Tribe's 'Vague' Claims Won't Save Pipeline Suit

    The federal government on Monday doubled down on its attempt to dismiss the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's suit seeking to block an energy company from operating part of the Dakota Access Pipeline, saying the D.C. federal court can't grant the relief requested.

  • February 24, 2025

    Border Wall Cos. Learned Of Fund Row In 2024, 5th Circ. Told

    A group of contractors told the Fifth Circuit Monday that they had no choice but to intervene in Texas and Missouri's suit over border wall funds on the eve of a final judgment because they were only notified days before that a preliminary injunction regarding the funds would affect them.

  • February 24, 2025

    CPKC Tells DC Circ. Gov't Merger Approval 'Airtight'

    Canadian Pacific Kansas City is defending the government's approval of the $31 billion merger that created the railroad, telling the D.C. Circuit to reject a challenge to that decision because there was no flaw in the Surface Transportation Board's findings.

  • February 24, 2025

    Norfolk Southern's Tank Car Co. Liability Claims Head To Trial

    An Ohio federal judge said that Norfolk Southern can pursue its claims seeking to have tank car companies pay at least some of the damages over 2023's East Palestine derailment, teeing up for trial key questions of liability concerning the tank cars' maintenance and transport of toxic chemicals.

  • February 24, 2025

    Groups Fight Lawmakers' Bid To End Nat'l Monument Power

    More than 245 conservation, sporting, cultural heritage and tribal groups are urging U.S. Senate and House members to oppose any attempts to repeal existing protections for national parks and monuments, arguing that 18 presidents have used the law to expand the sites across the country.

  • February 24, 2025

    FAA, SpaceX Say Rocket Launch Review Passes Muster

    The Federal Aviation Administration and SpaceX asked a Washington, D.C., federal judge to grant them wins in litigation challenging the adequacy of an environmental review completed for the company's Starship rocket launch program in Boca Chica, Texas.

  • February 24, 2025

    Feds Fight Reinstatement Of Ousted Inspectors General

    The Trump administration fired back at a lawsuit brought by eight inspectors general who were fired last month, telling a D.C. federal judge that federal law does not require the president to hold off on the terminations for 30 days after notifying Congress.

  • February 24, 2025

    Penn National Settles NC Hurricanes Coverage Suit

    Penn National Mutual Casualty Insurance Co. settled a property owner's insurance payout suit filed in North Carolina federal court just before the suit headed to trial.

  • February 22, 2025

    NY Judge Extends Block On DOGE's Treasury Access

    A New York federal judge on Friday barred Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency from accessing U.S. Treasury Department data, handing a win to 19 state attorneys general who claimed giving the new entity access to citizens' personal information posed a massive cybersecurity risk.

  • February 21, 2025

    Quinn Emanuel-Backed Clients Join Eaton Fire Litigation Fray

    Southern California Edison on Friday was hit with yet another lawsuit over the destructive Eaton Fire, this time by an Altadena family represented by Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, the largest firm yet to get involved in the litigation.

  • February 21, 2025

    Colo. Woman Tells Jury Sterilization Plant Caused Cancer

    A woman claiming medical sterilization company Terumo caused a cancer cluster in her Colorado community took the stand Friday and told a state jury that her lymphoma gave her debilitating fatigue and self-doubt.

  • February 21, 2025

    Energy Transfer Brings $300M Greenpeace Case To Jury

    Dakota Access Pipeline builder Energy Transfer LP heads to trial Monday against Greenpeace in a $300 million defamation suit over Greenpeace's role in supporting Standing Rock Indian Reservation protests — a suit the environmental group calls an attempt to stifle free speech. Here, Law360 previews what to watch for in the hotly anticipated trial.

  • February 21, 2025

    GOP Leader Zeros In On Fintech And Enviro Rules For Repeal

    An Internal Revenue Service rule targeting digital asset sales and U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission guidance on the trading of voluntary carbon credits are among the environmental and financial regulations that Republicans are prioritizing for repeal, according to House Majority Leader Steven Scalise.

  • February 21, 2025

    Calif. Lawmakers Unveil 'Polluters Pay' Superfund Legislation

    A pair of California lawmakers on Friday introduced legislation that would require the biggest polluters to pitch in and put a portion of their profits toward climate-related disaster mitigation, a measure they said aims to relieve the burden on taxpayers in the wake of catastrophes such as wildfires.

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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