Public Policy

  • September 26, 2024

    Air Force Urged To Cut Back On Using Chinese Suppliers

    Republican lawmakers have asked the U.S. Air Force to cut back on using suppliers from China for "critical weapons platforms," arguing that using Chinese suppliers poses a serious national security risk and empowers China to defeat the U.S. without the need for armed conflict.

  • September 26, 2024

    Virtua Discriminates Against Pregnant Patients, NJ Alleges

    Virtua Health discriminates against pregnant patients by forcing them to undergo drug testing for inpatient admission to its hospitals — a policy that does not apply universally to other patients, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin alleged in a lawsuit filed Thursday in New Jersey state court.

  • September 26, 2024

    5th Circ. Says Pair Can't Challenge Wi-Fi Program's New Rules

    The Fifth Circuit won't take up a challenge to the Federal Communications Commission's new rules allowing for subsidized Wi-Fi off campus through the E-Rate program for schools and libraries, granting the FCC's motion to dismiss the case for lack of jurisdiction while an in-house challenge from the petitioners proceeds.

  • September 26, 2024

    Ala. College Urges 11th Circ. To Grant Immunity In FMLA Suit

    The University of Alabama Board of Trustees urged the Eleventh Circuit on Thursday to reverse a lower court order allowing a former research associate's Family and Medical Leave Act complaint to proceed, arguing that it's entitled to sovereign immunity under the military caregiver provision of the law.

  • September 26, 2024

    Feds Split $71M Clean Energy Award Between 13 Tribes

    The Biden administration is investing $71 million to electrify homes in 13 tribal communities across Indian Country in an effort to close ongoing access to electricity gap problems with clean energy sources.

  • September 26, 2024

    Judge Says DOI Didn't Satisfy Cherokee Accounting Duties

    A D.C. federal judge ruled that the U.S. government has not fulfilled its duty to provide the Cherokee Nation with a full accounting of its assets held in federal trust, handing a win to the Oklahoma-based tribe after five years of litigation.

  • September 26, 2024

    VivoPower Keeps HQ In UK To Qualify For $21B Gov't Program

    Sustainable energy solutions company VivoPower International PLC and hydrogen technology business Future Automotive Solutions and Technologies on Thursday outlined additional terms to their proposed $1.13 billion merger, including settling the combined company's headquarters in the U.K. in order to qualify for potential "significant and attractive" government incentives.

  • September 26, 2024

    Pa. Justices Reject New Tax Hearing For Charter School

    The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court erred in sending a charter school's retroactive property tax appeal back to a county board, because the charter school had failed to exhaust statutory remedies, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

  • September 26, 2024

    Investor Ordered To Deposit $336K In Pot Co. Contract Suit

    A Nevada magistrate judge has ordered Capital Pure Assets Ltd. to deposit $336,000 with the court as part of a dispute with a cannabis payment company's subsidiary over a failed business venture, finding the subsidiary is likely to succeed on its claims that CPA tricked it into putting that amount into an escrow fund.

  • September 26, 2024

    Ga. Judge Halts Election Over Sapelo Island Zoning Change

    A Georgia state judge pulled the plug on a special election Gullah Geechee residents of Sapelo Island initiated to try to overturn a McIntosh County zoning change that more than doubled the size of dwellings allowed in their Hogg Hummock community.

  • September 26, 2024

    Pa. Justices Say COVID Closures Aren't Covered Losses

    Pennsylvania's Supreme Court shut the door Thursday on COVID-19 pandemic loss insurance coverage for businesses closed by government mandate, ruling that requisite physical loss or damage required tangible alteration to property, reversing a lower court decision that stated loss of use was sufficient.

  • September 26, 2024

    Senate Patent Bill Markups Delayed Until After Election

    Congressional hearings scheduled for Thursday to mark up several bills related to patents, including measures dealing with patent eligibility, validity challenges and drug patents, have been postponed until after Election Day due to the Senate's adjournment.

  • September 26, 2024

    NY Lawmakers Beat ADA Suit Over Contentious Mask Ban

    A New York federal judge threw out a challenge to Nassau County's ban on face masks worn by people trying to hide their identities in public, noting in an order Wednesday the plaintiffs lack standing since the ban doesn't apply to coverings worn to protect the wearer's health and safety.

  • September 26, 2024

    US Census, Osage Nation Sign Info Sharing Agreement

    The U.S. Census Bureau and the Osage Nation signed an agreement to share the federally recognized Oklahoma tribe's aggregated administrative data in an effort to provide a more accurate picture of Indian Country and its needs.

  • September 26, 2024

    Tariff Tax Base Too Small To Replace Income Tax, Report Says

    Higher tariffs can't replace income tax revenue, as former President Donald Trump has suggested, since U.S. imports total $3 trillion annually while incomes top $20 trillion, but they would lower incomes by raising prices for U.S. consumers, a think tank reported Thursday.

  • September 26, 2024

    Pa. Justices Say State Lawmakers Can't Impeach Philly DA

    The clock ran out for the Pennsylvania Senate's planned trial on the impeachment of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, the state's highest court ruled in an opinion published Thursday.

  • September 26, 2024

    Healthcare Atty Rejoins Polsinelli After Foley Hoag Stint

    Polsinelli PC announced on Wednesday that a doctor and former healthcare policy attorney who spent 11 years during a previous stint with the firm has returned to its Washington, D.C., office as a public policy shareholder.

  • September 26, 2024

    Meet The Quinn Emanuel Atty Defending NYC Mayor Adams

    Embattled New York City Mayor Eric Adams has tapped Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP partner Alex Spiro to defend him against campaign fraud and bribery charges, putting his fate in the hands of a hotshot attorney known for celebrity clients and courtroom miracles.

  • September 26, 2024

    Harris' And Trump's Tax Plans Each Add To Deficit, Study Says

    The U.S. federal deficit would grow by at least $2 trillion over the next decade from the tax policy plans of both major parties' candidates, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, researchers said Thursday.

  • September 26, 2024

    NY Appeals Court Casts Doubt On $489M Trump Judgment

    Judges on a New York state appeals court expressed skepticism Thursday of a $489 million civil fraud judgment against Donald Trump, his sons, companies and their executives, raising the prospect that the fine awarded to the attorney general could be reduced or vacated.

  • September 26, 2024

    GOP Senator Blocks Fast-Tracking Of DC Judges

    A Republican senator has blocked the fast-tracking confirmation of two nominees to become Washington, D.C., judges, even though former President Donald Trump previously nominated them.

  • September 26, 2024

    Senate Recesses Without Votes On Biden NLRB Nominees

    The Senate left Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night without plans to return before the November election, leaving two nominees key to the partisan balance on the National Labor Relations Board facing uncertain futures in the chamber.

  • September 26, 2024

    Adams Accused Of 'Grave' Public Deceit As Feds Unveil Case

    New York City Mayor Eric Adams was charged in an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court Thursday with corrupting his office and defrauding the public by accepting foreign campaign contributions in exchange for favorable treatment.

  • September 25, 2024

    DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub Win NYC Diner Data Law Row

    A New York federal judge on Tuesday granted DoorDash Inc. and other food delivery app companies a win in their lawsuit challenging a New York City law requiring delivery services to provide restaurants with certain customer info, ruling that the law is unconstitutional.

  • September 25, 2024

    8th Circ. Told Student Debt Relief Should Remain Blocked

    Seven Republican-led states are asking the Eighth Circuit to finalize its court order blocking the Biden administration from implementing its second attempt at student loan forgiveness, accusing the White House of "hiding the ball" on the true cost of the plan.

Expert Analysis

  • What Patent Litigators Should Know About CHIPS Act Grants

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    With the U.S. Department of Commerce now actively awarding grants under the CHIPS and Science Act, recipients should ensure they understand the implications of promises to construct new semiconductor manufacturing facilities, especially in jurisdictions with active patent litigation dockets, say Gabriel Culver and Peter Hillegas at Norton Rose.

  • Jarkesy's Impact On SEC Enforcement Will Be Modest

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    Though the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy decision found that fraud defendants have a constitutional right to a jury trial, the ruling will have muted impact on the agency’s enforcement because it’s already bringing most of its cases in federal court, say Jeremiah Williams and Alyssa Fixsen at Ropes & Gray.

  • Opinion

    Data Breach Reporting Requirements Must Change In AI Age

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    Outdated data breach reporting laws are inadequate to protect consumers in the age of artificial intelligence, as AI’s ability to determine relationships coupled with its improvements to deepfake technology mean that the very definitions used in breach reporting laws are no longer sufficient, says Collin Walke at Hall Estill.

  • Unpacking HHS' Opinion On Cell Therapy Refund Programs

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    A recent advisory opinion from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, determining that a biopharma company's refund program for its cell therapy will not be penalized, indicates an encouraging willingness to engage, but the regulator's assumptions about the program's limited term warrant a closer look, says Mary Kohler at Kohler Health.

  • Series

    Rock Climbing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Rock climbing requires problem-solving, focus, risk management and resilience, skills that are also invaluable assets in my role as a finance lawyer, says Mei Zhang at Haynes and Boone.

  • What Chevron's End Means For How Congress Does Business

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision, overturning the Chevron doctrine, will have a far-reaching impact across the entire public policy life cycle, beginning with how Congress writes its laws and extending through agency implantation and judicial review, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • How 5 States' Deal Notification Laws Are Guiding Healthcare

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    Healthcare transaction notification laws at various stages of implementation in California, Illinois, Indiana, Oregon and Washington are shaping sector mergers and acquisitions, with significant transparency, continuity of care and compliance implications as providers tackle complex regulatory requirements, says Melesa Freerks at DLA Piper.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Dance The Legal Standard Two-Step

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    From rookie brief writers to Chief Justice John Roberts, lawyers should master the legal standard two-step — framing the governing standard at the outset, and clarifying why they meet that standard — which has benefits for both the drafter and reader, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Examining Chancery's Relaxed New Confidential Filing Rules

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    The Delaware Court of Chancery’s overhauled Rule 5.1, which governs confidential filings, risks permitting nonconfidential information to be shielded from public review unless and until a challenge notice is filed — but several potential solutions could help to override this issue, says Delaware attorney Daniel J. McBride.

  • Recent Settlement Shows 'China Initiative' Has Life After Death

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    Though the U.S. Department of Justice shuttered its controversial China Initiative two years ago, its recent False Claims Act settlement with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation demonstrates that prosecutors are more than willing to civilly pursue research institutions whose employees were previously targeted, say attorneys at Benesch.

  • How Orange Book Antitrust Scrutiny Is Intensifying

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    Pharmaceutical patent holders should be reviewing Orange Book listing practices, as the Federal Trade Commission takes a more aggressive antitrust approach with actions such as the Teva listing probe, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration calls attention to potentially improper listings, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • What To Know As Children's Privacy Law Rapidly Evolves

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    If your business hasn't been paying attention to growing state and federal efforts to protect children online, now is the time to start — there is no sign of this regulation slowing down, and more aggressive enforcement actions are to be expected in the coming year, says Susan Rohol at Willkie Farr.

  • Opinion

    OFAC Sanctions Deserve To Be Challenged Post-Chevron

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's Loper Bright decision opens the door to challenges against the Office of Foreign Assets Control's sanctions regime, the unintended consequences of which raise serious questions about the wisdom of what appears to be a scorched-earth approach, says Solomon Shinerock at Lewis Baach.

  • Behind The Delay Of Final HSR Premerger Filing Rules

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    Erin Toomey at Epiq discusses the wait for the final version of the revised Hart-Scott-Rodino premerger filing requirements that were first introduced in June 2023, the factors that might be behind the delay, and how to plan for the potential data-focused rule change

  • What Cos. Should Know About New Global Plastics Regs

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    As the global regulatory landscape for plastics and recycling changes rapidly — with new policies coming into effect in California, at the federal level, in the European Union and at the United Nations — businesses that operate across jurisdictions must stay informed to remain compliant, mitigate legal risk and achieve stewardship goals, say attorneys at O'Melveny.

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