Public Policy

  • April 17, 2025

    Ill. Sen. Planned To Report Red-Light Camera Exec, Jury Hears

    An Illinois state senator accused of taking a bribe to help a red-light camera company testified Thursday that he "didn't have a chance" to report his questionable interactions closer to when they occurred in summer 2019, but he intended to raise his concerns later that fall.

  • April 17, 2025

    4th Circ. Refuses To Halt Abrego Garcia Probe In Sharp Order

    A Fourth Circuit panel on Thursday rejected the Trump administration's "extraordinary" emergency motion to stay a discovery order in litigation over Kilmar Abrego Garcia's deportation to El Salvador, while cautioning the administration against ignoring federal courts, saying it could degrade both executive and judicial branch powers and that "law in time will sign its epitaph."

  • April 17, 2025

    Patent Office Plans Rulemaking For New PTAB Denial Process

    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office intends to go through the notice-and-comment rulemaking process for its new procedures allowing its director to decide whether petitions challenging patents at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board should be denied for discretionary reasons, a panel of judges and agency personnel said at a webinar on Thursday.

  • April 17, 2025

    Think Tank Urges FCC To Drop $4.5M Fine Against Telnyx

    A think tank claimed Thursday the Federal Communications Commission went too far when floating a nearly $4.5 million fine against a telecom for alleged robocall violations and that due process concerns call for rescinding the penalty.

  • April 17, 2025

    Top Democrats Urge DOJ To Defend GAO's Legislative Status

    Three top House Democrats are looking for assurances from the U.S. Department of Justice that it will "zealously defend" a government watchdog in upcoming litigation by a conservative legal organization that challenges its status in the government.

  • April 17, 2025

    DC Circ. Seems Torn On White House Press Pool Ban On AP

    A D.C. Circuit panel seemed conflicted Thursday as it considered the Trump administration's bid to pause a court order restoring the Associated Press' access to the White House press pool and other events with President Donald Trump.

  • April 17, 2025

    Arkansas Bans PBMs From Owning Pharmacies

    Pharmacy benefit managers operating in Arkansas will soon be prohibited from owning pharmacies in the state after Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a bill that lawmakers say is meant to minimize conflicts of interest and safeguard patients.

  • April 17, 2025

    Tribal Members Fight Bid To Transfer Canadian Tariff Dispute

    Four members of Montana's Blackfeet Nation are fighting a motion by the federal government to transfer their bid to block several Trump administration orders and proclamations imposing tariffs on Canadian goods, arguing there's no legal basis for the move to the U.S. Court of International Trade.

  • April 17, 2025

    Globalstar Pushes For Feds' OK On Mobile Satellite Plan

    Globalstar is pressing its bid for the Federal Communications Commission to approve its plan for a U.S. mobile satellite service using licensed spectrum in what's known as the "Big LEO" band.

  • April 17, 2025

    Fla. Arrest Defies Court Order Blocking Anti-Migrant Law

    Florida authorities have arrested an individual under a new law criminalizing the entry of unauthorized migrants into the state despite a federal court order temporarily barring enforcement of the law.

  • April 17, 2025

    DC Circ. Refreezes EPA Climate Grant Funds

    The D.C. Circuit has paused a federal court's order directing Citibank to start disbursing funds to nonprofits undertaking climate change projects that were appropriated by Congress to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during the Biden administration.

  • April 17, 2025

    Music Rights Orgs. Trade Barbs In Copyright Office Inquiry

    The organizations responsible for getting musical artists their royalty payments sparred with each other in comments to the U.S. Copyright Office, with one legacy organization accusing newer entrants of insufficient transparency, and one of those competitors in turn alleging "anticompetitive practices" by the established players.

  • April 17, 2025

    Program To Speed Up Climate Change Patent Exams Axed

    Federal patent officials have officially pulled the plug on a program that sped up examination of patent applications for inventions that are intended to mitigate climate change, after suspending it earlier this year.

  • April 17, 2025

    Judge Accused Of Sexting, Misusing Bench For Ex-Client

    A Colorado state judge improperly used his position to help a former client with legal advice and exchanged sexually explicit texts with her while on the bench, according to a judicial disciplinary complaint that also alleged the judge failed to disclose their "prior sexting" when he later presided over her case.

  • April 17, 2025

    Wash. Justices Strike Down Spokane's Homeless Camp Law

    The Washington Supreme Court said a voter-approved initiative restricting encampments for homeless people in Spokane is unconstitutional, in an opinion Thursday that said the measure exceeds the scope of local initiative power because it impermissibly "tinkers" with a policy the city had previously adopted.

  • April 17, 2025

    Lawmakers Probing Fire Truck Manufacturing For PE Harms

    A bipartisan pair of senators has launched an investigation into the alleged adverse effects of private-equity driven consolidation in the multibillion dollar fire truck industry.

  • April 17, 2025

    Trump Can't Reboot 'Remain In Mexico' Policy Amid Litigation

    A California federal judge on Wednesday blocked the Trump administration from re-implementing its so-called Remain in Mexico policy while an immigrants' rights group challenges it, finding the group's "core" business activities will be irreparably harmed without a stay and the group is likely to win its First Amendment claims.

  • April 17, 2025

    FCC Getting An Earful On Creating GPS Backstop

    Industries ranging from broadcast to broadband are giving the Federal Communications Commission their two cents on how to build an Earth-based network to reinforce the Global Positioning System, offering regulators a full menu of options to move ahead.

  • April 17, 2025

    AG Tells Nebraska City Shops To Stop Selling Synthetic THC

    The Nebraska attorney general on Thursday announced his office was sending cease and desist letters to Nebraska City shops that it found to be selling hemp products containing synthetic THC.

  • April 17, 2025

    CFPB Mass Layoffs Resume, Hitting All Corners Of Agency

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's acting Director Russell Vought moved Thursday to resume mass firings at the agency, prompting a scramble from its employee union to head off a torrent of pink slips terminating the vast majority of the agency's workforce.

  • April 17, 2025

    Students Sue DHS In Ill. Over Terminated Records And Visas

    Eight unnamed international students sued President Donald Trump and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Illinois federal court Thursday, saying DHS terminated student and exchange visitor information system records without due process or legal justification, barring them from continuing to study or work and risking their detention and deportation.

  • April 17, 2025

    Pot Cos. Can't Get Block On Mich. City Licensing Fees

    A Michigan federal judge won't block the enforcement of cannabis licensing fees by the city of Grand Rapids, finding the companies objecting to the fees haven't shown they face irreparable harm without an injunction.

  • April 17, 2025

    Trump Admin Resumes Funding Texas Refugee Program

    The Trump administration has released funding for Harris County, Texas' refugee resettlement program following a lawsuit the county filed last week against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the county's attorney announced Wednesday.

  • April 17, 2025

    AFL-CIO, Unions Can Pursue Some DOGE Access Claims

    The AFL-CIO, unions and advocacy groups may pursue allegations that Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency lacks the power to access data from the U.S. Department of Labor and other federal agencies, a D.C. federal judge ruled while tossing some claims under federal administrative and privacy law.

  • April 17, 2025

    Harvard Says No Grounds For IRS To Deny Tax-Exempt Status

    Harvard University said Thursday that there is no legal basis to rescind its tax-exempt status amid an investigation by President Donald Trump's administration into whether the university has violated the terms of that status.

Expert Analysis

  • How Attorneys Can Master The Art Of On-Camera Presence

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    As attorneys are increasingly presented with on-camera opportunities, they can adapt their traditional legal skills for video contexts — such as virtual client meetings, marketing content or media interviews — by understanding the medium and making intentional adjustments, says Kerry Barrett.

  • Justices' TikTok Ruling Sets Stage For 1st Amendment Battle

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's landmark ruling upholding a law requiring TikTok's sale sets the stage for an inevitable clash between free speech and government interests and signals that future cases will turn on whether a regulation poses a substantial burden on speech, say attorneys at Dykema.

  • What Del. Corporate Law Rework Means For Founder-Led Cos.

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    Although the amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law have proven somewhat divisive, they will provide greater clarity and predictability in the rules that apply to founder-led companies navigating transactions concerning controlling stockholders and responding to books-and-records requests, say attorneys at Munger Tolles.

  • Border Cash Transaction Rule Heralds Wider AML Crackdown

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    The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s new order for money services providers near the Mexican border to report cash transactions over $200 should warn financial institutions to prepare for the new administration's heightened scrutiny of cross-border transactions and anti-money laundering compliance, says Daniel Silva at Buchalter.

  • Opinion

    Congress Must Reform The PTAB To Protect Small Innovators

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    Lawmakers must reintroduce the Promoting and Respecting Economically Vital American Innovation Leadership Act or similar legislation to prevent larger companies from leveraging the Patent Trial and Appeal Board to target smaller patent holders, says Schwegman Lundberg's Russell Slifer, former deputy director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

  • Series

    Baseball Fantasy Camp Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    With six baseball fantasy experiences under my belt, I've learned time and again that I didn't make the wrong career choice, but I've also learned that baseball lessons are life lessons, and I'm a better lawyer for my time at St. Louis Cardinals fantasy camp, says Scott Felder at Wiley.

  • DOJ Immigration Playbook May Take Cues From A 2017 Case

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    A record criminal resolution with a tree trimming company accused of knowingly employing unauthorized workers in 2017 may provide clues as to how the U.S. Department of Justice’s immigration crackdown will touch American companies, which should prepare now for potential enforcement actions, says Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.

  • Paul Atkins' Past Speeches Offer A Glimpse Into SEC's Future

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    Following Paul Atkins' Thursday Senate confirmation hearing, a look at his public remarks while serving as a commissioner at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission between 2002 and 2008 reveals eight possible structural and procedural changes the SEC may see once he likely takes over as chair, say attorneys at Covington.

  • McKernan-Led CFPB May Lead To Decentralized Enforcement

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    Though Jonathan McKernan’s confirmation as director would likely mean a less active Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the decreased federal oversight could lead to more state-led investigations, multistate regulatory actions and private lawsuits under consumer protection laws, says Jonathan Pompan at Venable.

  • How Fla. Is Floating A Raft Of Bills To Stem Insurance Woes

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    Proposed reforms that follow a report skewering Florida's insurance industry offer a step in the right direction in providing relief for property owners, despite some limitations, say attorneys at Farah & Farah.

  • Include State And Local Enforcers In Cartel Risk Evaluations

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    Any reassessment of enforcement risk following the federal designation of drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations should include applicable state and local enforcement authorities, which have powerful tools, such as grand jury subpoenas and search warrants, that businesses would be wise to consider, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From Fed. Prosecutor To BigLaw

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    Making the jump from government to private practice is no small feat, but, based on my experience transitioning to a business-driven environment after 15 years as an assistant U.S. attorney, it can be incredibly rewarding and help you become a more versatile lawyer, says Michael Beckwith at Dickinson Wright.

  • How Del. Supreme Court, Legislature Have Clarified 'Control'

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    The Delaware Supreme Court's January decision in In re: Oracle and the General Assembly's passage of amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law this week, when taken together, help make the controlling-stockholder analysis clearer and more predictable for companies with large stockholders, say attorneys at Baker Botts.

  • Service By Token Is Transforming Crypto Litigation Landscape

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    As the Trump administration advocates a new course of cryptocurrency regulation, courts in the U.S. and abroad are authorizing innovative methods of process service, including via nonfungible tokens and blockchain messaging, offering practical solutions for litigators grappling with the anonymity of cyber defendants, says Jose Ceide at Salazar Law.

  • What To Expect For Stem Cell Regulation Under Trump Admin

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    The new administration's push for deregulation, plus the post-Chevron legal landscape, and momentum from key political and industry players to facilitate stem cell innovation may create an opportune backdrop for a significant reduction in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's regulatory framework for stem cells, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

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