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Government Contracts
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July 23, 2024
Oshkosh Says USPS Followed NEPA With New Vehicle Plan
Oshkosh Defense joined the U.S. Postal Service in firing back at environmentalists and a coalition of 17 states' attempt to secure judgment in litigation protesting the agency's decision to replace its aging delivery fleet with only 62% electric vehicles, saying the group's challenge threatens to undermine such a significant transformation.
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July 23, 2024
Senate Dems Roll Out Bill To Codify Chevron Deference
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., led a group of Democratic senators Tuesday in introducing a bill to codify the now-defunct doctrine of Chevron deference after it was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court last month.
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July 22, 2024
No Injunction For Co.'s DQ From Habitat Restoration Deal
A U.S. Court of Federal Claims judge denied an Illinois-based construction company's emergency bid to halt the U.S. Army's procurement for a habitat restoration deal it was disqualified from, saying the protester failed to show it would be irreparably harmed.
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July 22, 2024
EPA Awards $4.3B In Grants For Climate Change Projects
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it's steering $4.3 billion in grant funding to 25 projects that promise to help curb greenhouse gas pollution, advance environmental justice and transition the country to clean power.
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July 22, 2024
State Street Sets Aside $4.2M To Address Wage Discrimination
Federal financial services provider State Street agreed to set aside $4.2 million to make wage adjustments in the future as part of a settlement to resolve allegations that it discriminated against some women managing directors with its base pay and bonuses, the U.S. Department of Labor announced Monday.
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July 22, 2024
Gov't Wants Protest Over $186M In DOD Fuel Deals Thrown Out
The Defense Logistics Agency has urged the Court of Federal Claims to dismiss a protest alleging it wrongly ignored misconduct by companies awarded $186 million in fuel delivery deals, saying it adequately investigated the claims and found nothing untoward.
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July 22, 2024
Claims Court Upholds JV's $15M Boiler Plant Contract
A Court of Federal Claims judge rejected a construction company's protest over a $14.7 million U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs contract for renovating a boiler plant at a VA medical center in Pennsylvania, saying the agency reasonably awarded the contract to a mentor-protégé joint venture based on "best value trade-off."
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July 22, 2024
Ex-Lobbyist Asks To Be Severed From Madigan RICO Case
The former Commonwealth Edison lobbyist on track to face a jury alongside former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan this fall asked a federal judge Friday to sever his corruption case from Madigan's, saying a joint trial would be unfair because Madigan's lawyers intend to act as "second prosecutors" against him.
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July 22, 2024
NY Judge Declares Migrant Challenge To Housing Policy Moot
A New York federal court swept aside asylum-seekers' challenge to county-level housing restrictions that they say were designed to bar them, agreeing with local officials that the case was moot after they issued new policies.
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July 22, 2024
CEOs Want To Separate Bribery Trial From Navy Admiral's
A pair of CEOs charged with bribing a retired four-star Navy admiral to potentially secure lucrative government contracts have asked a D.C. federal judge to sever their cases from the retired admiral's bribery trial, arguing that there's a "serious risk" they would be unfairly prejudiced by holding a joint trial.
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July 22, 2024
1st Circ. Hints At Higher Bar For Feds In Anti-Kickback Cases
The First Circuit on Monday questioned the government's assertion that Congress intended to broaden the standard for liability in False Claims Act kickback cases when it passed a key amendment in 2010.
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July 22, 2024
Sullivan, Freshfields Steer $905M Goodyear Off-Road Biz Sale
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer guided the $905 million sale of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'s off-the-road tire business to Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. except for the part of that business providing off-road tires to the U.S. military and other defense entities, the companies announced Monday.
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July 22, 2024
Boston Fund Can't Duck SEC's Unregistered Dealer Case
A Massachusetts federal judge on Monday kept alive U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission allegations that Boston investment firm Auctus Fund violated securities laws by failing to register as a broker-dealer when harvesting deeply discounted shares of cash-strapped public companies through debt agreements.
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July 22, 2024
Ga. Dems Challenge 'Cronyism' Behind Fundraising Law
A special campaign finance committee created by Georgia Republicans three years ago to sidestep limits on political fundraising is in the crosshairs of a recent lawsuit filed by the state's Democratic Party, which alleges the law creates an "asymmetrical campaign contribution scheme" designed to protect incumbents.
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July 22, 2024
Bus Parts Co. To Pay Up To $4M To End Criminal Fraud Probe
French bus parts supplier CBM will pay up to about $4 million and enter into a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. government to end an investigation into an alleged scheme to pass off generic parts to U.S. transit authorities as brand-name parts, Manhattan federal prosecutors said Monday.
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July 22, 2024
NYC Says Migrant Busing Has Stopped Amid Border Curbs
New York City retreated from its pending motion in state court to block eight charter bus companies from contracting with Texas to transport migrants to the city, saying the busing has already stopped after the Biden administration implemented new border policies.
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July 19, 2024
Calif. Bar Backs Creating New Virtual Bar Exam To Cut Costs
The State Bar of California's Board of Trustees has signed off on plans to negotiate a potentially $8 million, five-year deal with Kaplan North America LLC to replace the Multistate Bar Exam with its own state exam that could be taken remotely, according to a statement issued Friday.
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July 19, 2024
Mich. Judge Axes Challenge To Student Loan Payment Freeze
A Michigan federal judge on Thursday tossed a challenge to the Biden administration's suspension of student loan payments during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding the think tank that brought the suit lacked standing.
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July 19, 2024
SolarWinds' Ruling 'No Comfort' For Cybersecurity Leaders
Although a federal district court has struck down significant portions of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's data breach case against software developer SolarWinds Corp., attorneys say what remains of the lawsuit gives "no comfort" to chief information security officers hoping to avoid similar suits over statements about their company's cybersecurity practices.
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July 19, 2024
2nd Circ. Rejects Webuild Discovery Bid In Panama Arbitration
The Second Circuit on Friday affirmed a Manhattan federal judge's order that quashed a subpoena from Italian builder Webuild SPA to engineering firm WSP USA for use in an arbitration related to an expansion of the Panama Canal.
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July 19, 2024
NJ Towns Not Liable For Water Contaminants, Panel Rules
A panel of New Jersey state appeals court judges ruled Friday that municipalities charging for water service aren't in an implied contractual relationship with residents and thus can't be found in breach of contract for elevated contaminant levels in the water.
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July 19, 2024
Axon Says FTC Has 'No Reason' To Wade Into Suit
Axon urged a New Jersey federal judge Thursday to "give no weight" to a Federal Trade Commission amicus intervention into a proposed class action against the company, arguing that however much the FTC bristles at references to an abandoned merger case, that consternation isn't relevant to the instant suit.
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July 19, 2024
Regeneron Rips DOJ's FCA Suit As 'Divorced From Reality'
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. has told a Massachusetts federal judge that a False Claims Act suit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice claiming the company withheld information about a drug's average sales price was "divorced from reality" and the practice the government was complaining about was commonplace.
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July 18, 2024
DaVita To Pay $34M In Medicare Kickback Whistleblower Suit
Dialysis company DaVita will pay more than $34 million to settle a Medicare fraud case over alleged kickbacks doctors received in exchange for patient referrals, after a whistleblower from the company's C-suite came forward, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado announced Thursday.
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July 18, 2024
Fed. Circ. OKs Navy Deal Despite Contractor's Labor Unrest
The Federal Circuit denied Thursday a contractor's protest bids for U.S. Navy aircraft services contracts at two European bases, rejecting arguments that the lower court didn't properly consider the winning contractor's past labor violations and that the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of the so-called Chevron doctrine "upends" the underlying decision.
Expert Analysis
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Series
Playing Hockey Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Nearly a lifetime of playing hockey taught me the importance of avoiding burnout in all aspects of life, and the game ultimately ended up providing me with the balance I needed to maintain success in my legal career, says John Riccione at Taft.
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For Lawyers, Pessimism Should Be A Job Skill, Not A Life Skill
A pessimistic mindset allows attorneys to be effective advocates for their clients, but it can come with serious costs for their personal well-being, so it’s crucial to exercise strategies that produce flexible optimism and connect lawyers with their core values, says Krista Larson at Stinson.
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How Export Controls Are Evolving To Address Tech Security
Recently proposed export control regulations from the U.S. Department of Commerce are an opportunity for stakeholders to help pioneer compliance for the increasing reliance on the use of outsourced technology service providers, say attorneys at Benesch.
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Opinion
New Mexico Fire Victims Deserve Justice From Federal Gov't
Two years after the largest fire in New Mexico's history — a disaster caused by the U.S. government's mismanagement of prescribed burns — the Federal Emergency Management Agency must remedy its grossly inadequate relief efforts and flawed legal interpretations that have left victims of the fire still waiting for justice, says former New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas.
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Opinion
Requiring Leave To File Amicus Briefs Is A Bad Idea
A proposal to amend the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure that would require parties to get court permission before filing federal amicus briefs would eliminate the long-standing practice of consent filing and thereby make the process less open and democratic, says Lawrence Ebner at the Atlantic Legal Foundation and DRI Center.
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4 Ways To Motivate Junior Attorneys To Bring Their Best
As Gen Z and younger millennial attorneys increasingly express dissatisfaction with their work and head for the exits, the lawyers who manage them must understand and attend to their needs and priorities to boost engagement and increase retention, says Stacey Schwartz at Katten.
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Lessons For Nursing Facilities From DOJ Fraud Settlement
The U.S. Department of Justice's recent settlement with the owner of skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in Florida provides a cautionary tale of potential fraud risks, and lessons on how facilities can mitigate government enforcement actions, say Callan Stein and Rebecca Younker at Troutman Pepper.
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5 Takeaways From SAP's Foreign Bribery Resolutions
German software company SAP’s recent settlements with the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, resolving allegations of foreign bribery, provide insights into government enforcement priorities, and how corporations should structure their compliance programs to reduce liability, say attorneys at Perkins Coie.
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Series
Serving As A Sheriff's Deputy Made Me A Better Lawyer
Skills developed during my work as a reserve deputy — where there was a need to always be prepared, decisive and articulate — transferred to my practice as an intellectual property litigator, and my experience taught me that clients often appreciate and relate to the desire to participate in extracurricular activities, says Michael Friedland at Friedland Cianfrani.
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Bid Protest Spotlight: Nonprecedential, Unreasonable, Scope
James Tucker at MoFo examines three recent decisions showing that while the results of past competitions may inform bid strategy, they are not determinative; that an agency's award may be deemed unreasonable if it ignores available information; and that a protester may be right about an awardee's noncompliance but still lose.
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Fears About The End Of Chevron Deference Are Overblown
While some are concerned about repercussions if the U.S. Supreme Court brings an end to Chevron deference in the Loper and Relentless cases this term, agencies and attorneys would survive just fine under the doctrines that have already begun to replace it, say Daniel Wolff and Henry Leung at Crowell & Moring.
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Former Minn. Chief Justice Instructs On Writing Better Briefs
Former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea, now at Greenberg Traurig, offers strategies on writing more effective appellate briefs from her time on the bench.
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Preparing For Possible Calif. Criminal Antitrust Enforcement
Though a recent announcement that the California Attorney General's Office will resume criminal prosecutions in support of its antitrust enforcement may be mere saber-rattling, companies and their counsel should nevertheless be prepared for interactions with the California AG's Antitrust Section that are not limited to civil liability issues, say Dylan Ballard and Lillian Sun at V&E.
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Stay Interviews Are Key To Retaining Legal Talent
Even as the economy shifts and layoffs continue, law firms still want to retain their top attorneys, and so-called stay interviews — informal conversations with employees to identify potential issues before they lead to turnover — can be a crucial tool for improving retention and morale, say Tina Cohen Nicol and Kate Reder Sheikh at Major Lindsey.
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Direct Claims Ruling May Alter Gov't Ties To Software Firms
A recent Federal Circuit decision allowing a software developer to pursue legal action under the Contract Disputes Act could change the government's relationship with commercial software providers by permitting direct claims, even in third-party purchase situations, say Dan Ramish and Zach Prince at Haynes Boone.