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Public Policy
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November 15, 2024
Detroit 'Rain Tax' Stormwater Fees Upheld By Appellate Court
Fees that Detroit charges property owners to maintain its stormwater drainage system are not illegal taxes, a Michigan Court of Appeals panel held, finding that although the charges are effectively compulsory, they are not subject to constitutional restrictions on tax increases.
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November 15, 2024
USPTO Finalizes Adjustments In 2025 Trademark Fees
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is finalizing a proposal from earlier this year on changes to its fee structures, including adding surcharges on trademark applications lacking sufficient information and increasing the cost for paper applications.
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November 15, 2024
Ga. Attys Named Co-Class Counsel In BioLab Fire Suit
The judge overseeing a proposed class action filed against chemical manufacturer BioLab Inc. in the aftermath of an industrial fire at its Conyers, Georgia, plant gave four firms the green light to take the helm of the plaintiffs' case, clearing the way for the filing of a consolidated amended complaint.
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November 15, 2024
FCC Passes New Satellite Spectrum Sharing Rules
The Federal Communications Commission on Friday released new rules covering the sharing of spectrum by non-geostationary orbit fixed satellites that commissioners say will encourage industry growth but also protect existing systems.
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November 15, 2024
Texas Judge Strikes Down DOL Overtime Rule
The U.S. Department of Labor lacked the authority to raise the salary threshold for a Fair Labor Standards Act overtime exemption, a Texas federal judge ruled Friday, striking down a hotly contested rule that has been in effect since July.
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November 15, 2024
Pennsylvania AG Can't Stop Glass Plant From Moving To Ohio
A Pennsylvania federal judge denied the Keystone State attorney general's bid to stop a private equity firm from shutting down a Pyrex plant it purchased and moving its operations to Ohio, ruling that "there is simply insufficient evidence presented" to show that the move will be anticompetitive.
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November 15, 2024
Ayahuasca Church Urges Justices To Hear Discovery Case
An Arizona church that uses a psychedelic substance in its ceremonies has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider lower courts' rulings directing the church to turn over members' personal information to federal drug enforcement authorities.
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November 15, 2024
Off The Bench: NCAA Eligibility Fight, Movie Script Dispute
In this week's Off The Bench, a college football star takes the NCAA to court seeking one more year to play, the plot of a recent Netflix release might have been lifted from another creator and a transgender college athlete's right to compete is challenged by other players.
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November 15, 2024
Oil Terminal Co. Offers $2M To End Falsified-Inspection Claims
A Gulf Oil successor has offered to pay the state of Connecticut $2 million to settle accusations the company failed to secure new construction permits and spent years fabricating and falsifying inspection reports for existing bulk gasoline terminal tanks along New Haven Harbor in Long Island Sound, court filings show.
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November 15, 2024
Texas Judge Asked To Bar Biden Policies, Restart Border Wall
Texas counties and a rancher urged a Lone Star State federal judge Thursday to preliminarily block Biden administration immigration policies they allege run afoul of Congress' goal to have "zero illegal entries" at the U.S.-Mexico border and require the federal government to resume building a wall along the border.
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November 15, 2024
Grassley To Take 'Traditional Approach' To Blue Slips
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the incoming chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is signaling he will keep the process in place for home state senators' approval of district court nominees, although in the past he has claimed discretion to move forward when he thinks there's no good reason to block a nominee.
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November 15, 2024
Former ADA Notches Bias Win Against Georgia Prosecutor
A federal judge cast aside the "incredulous" defenses of a Georgia district attorney accused of denying a female attorney a promotion, finding her liable for sex discrimination after previously hitting the DA with a default order for her attempts to dodge being deposed.
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November 15, 2024
Visa Says European Commission Investigating 'Acquirer' Fees
Visa is telling investors that European competition regulators are looking into its merchant fees, disclosing in its annual report this week that the European Commission has been investigating it since August.
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November 15, 2024
Texas Justices Say Subpoena Can't Pause Roberson Death
The Texas Supreme Court on Friday said that a group of bipartisan Lone Star State legislators can't use its committee's subpoena power to pause the execution of a man convicted based on a "shaken baby syndrome" diagnosis.
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November 15, 2024
Biden Withdraws Cohen Weiss Atty's PBGC Nomination
President Joe Biden has withdrawn his nomination of a Cohen Weiss & Simon LLP attorney to lead the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., four months after putting her name forward and less than two weeks after former President Donald Trump secured a return to the White House.
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November 14, 2024
Trump Picks ND Gov. To Lead Interior Dept.
President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday evening that he has chosen North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to lead the U.S. Department of the Interior, a Republican who has been a staunch supporter of the fossil fuel industry.
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November 14, 2024
Volleyball Players, Coach Sue To Ban SJSU Trans Athlete
Female college volleyball players and a suspended San Jose State University coach urged a Colorado federal court on Wednesday to ban a transgender athlete from competition, alleging in a new suit that the Mountain West Conference and others discriminated against female athletes by keeping the outside hitter on SJSU's roster.
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November 14, 2024
DC Circ. Doubts Standing In Challenge To Grid Project Perk
A D.C. Circuit panel expressed skepticism Thursday that a coalition of energy consumers have standing to challenge the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's grant of an abandonment incentive to the developer of an Iowa transmission project.
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November 14, 2024
Trump's RFK Jr. Pick For HHS Draws Its Share Of Critics
The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — well-known for his opposition to vaccines — as the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is President-elect Donald Trump's latest controversial pick for his administration, and one that could disrupt the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and its mission.
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November 14, 2024
DHS, ICE Accused Of Not Making Detainee Records Available
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's withholding of documents used to assess the treatment of individuals in immigration custody is frustrating the University of Washington's "legislatively mandated mission" of expanding human rights education, the university alleged Wednesday in Washington federal court.
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November 14, 2024
Student Loan Servicer Wants CFPB Deal Paused Amid Appeal
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency has asked a Pennsylvania federal judge to pause its obligation to pay more than $3.2 million as a part of a settlement with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that is being challenged in the Third Circuit by a third party.
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November 14, 2024
Florida AG Says FEMA Failed Trump Supporters After Storms
The Florida Attorney General's Office announced Thursday it has launched a federal lawsuit against the Federal Emergency Management Agency's administrator and a fired agency official over an alleged directive instructing hurricane relief workers to avoid homes displaying signs in support of President-elect Donald Trump.
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November 14, 2024
Trade Groups Back Red States In EPA Water Rule Dispute
A slew of trade groups have joined a dozen red states in urging a North Dakota federal judge to strike down a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule requiring all states in the nation to consider tribal treaty rights when they set their water quality standards.
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November 14, 2024
Biden Admin Backs Controversial Alaskan Land Swap, Road
The Biden administration is backing a federal land swap that will allow a road to be built through Alaska's Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, while conservation groups and tribes say the move will cause major impacts to the area's migratory birds and cut off a food source for Indigenous communities.
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November 14, 2024
5th Circ. Judge Pummels Judicial Integrity Critics
Fifth Circuit Judge Edith H. Jones co-opted a panel discussion Thursday to denounce the rise in criticism over purported judge shopping, especially in relation to Texas judges who handled a large portion of lawsuits challenging Biden administration policies, and called on legal groups to do more to defend the judiciary's integrity.
Expert Analysis
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Series
After Chevron: Courts Will Still Defer To Feds On Nat'l Security
Agencies with trade responsibilities may be less affected by Chevron’s demise because of the special deference courts have shown when hearing international trade cases involving national security, foreign policy or the president’s constitutional authority to direct such matters, say attorneys at Venable.
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Reassessing Lease Provisions To Account For ESG Initiatives
As companies seek to build ESG considerations into their businesses, it's crucial to understand how such initiatives can quickly become significant enough to compel reassessment of lease agreement provisions, and how best to modify leases accordingly, say Julian Freeman and Gabe Pitassi at Cox Castle.
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Considering Possible PR Risks Of Certain Legal Tactics
Disney and American Airlines recently abandoned certain litigation tactics in two lawsuits after fierce public backlash, illustrating why corporate counsel should consider the reputational implications of any legal strategy and partner with their communications teams to preempt public relations concerns, says Chris Gidez at G7 Reputation Advisory.
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Defamation Law Changes May Be Brewing At Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court's significant rightward shift has produced dramatic changes in many areas of the law, and the long-standing "actual malice" standard protecting speech about public figures could be the next precedent to fall, say attorneys at Paul Hastings.
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Integrating ESG Into Risk Management Programs
Amid increasing regulations and reporting requirements for corporate sustainability in the European Union and the U.S., companies might consider how to incorporate environmental, social and governance factors into more formalized risk management, say directors at Alvarez & Marsal.
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Exploring Practical Employer Alternatives To Noncompetes
With the Federal Trade Commission likely to appeal a federal court’s recent rejection of its noncompete ban, and more states limiting the enforceability of these agreements, employers should consider back-to-basics methods for protecting their business interests and safeguarding sensitive information, says Brendan Horgan at FordHarrison.
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How Increased Sanctions Scrutiny Is Affecting Debt Markets
U.S. sanctions and export control regulators have recently taken several steps that broaden financial sector oversight, and banks, lenders and borrowers must adapt their syndication and risk assessment processes in different ways or risk incurring substantial penalties, say Cristina Brayton-Lewis and Kerrick Seay at White & Case.
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What The SEC Liquidity Risk Management Amendments Entail
Fund managers should be cognizant of the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission's recent changes to certain reporting requirements and guidance related to open-end fund liquidity risk management programs, and update their filing systems if need be, says Rachael Schwartz at Sullivan & Worcester.
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It's No Longer Enough For Firms To Be Trusted Advisers
Amid fierce competition for business, the transactional “trusted adviser” paradigm from which most firms operate is no longer sufficient — they should instead aim to become trusted partners with their most valuable clients, says Stuart Maister at Strategic Narrative.
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Vertex Suit Highlights Issues For Pharma Fertility Support
Vertex Pharmaceuticals' recent lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' interpretation of the Anti-Kickback Statute is influenced by a number of reproductive rights and health equity issues that the Office of Inspector General should address more concretely, including in vitro fertilization and fertility preservation programs, says Mary Kohler at Kohler Health Law.
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Expect More Restaurant Ch. 11s As COVID Debt Comes Due
The wave of restaurant bankruptcies is likely to continue in the coming months as companies face the looming repayment of COVID-19 pandemic-era government loans, an uncertain economy and increased interest rates, says Isaac Marcushamer at DGIM Law.
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Calif. Bill, NTIA Report Illustrate Open-Model AI Safety Debate
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s balanced recommendations for preventing misuse of open artificial intelligence models, contrasted with a more aggressive California bill, demonstrate an evolving regulatory debate about balancing democratic access to this powerful new technology against potential risks to the public, say Stuart Meyer and Fredrick Tsang at Fenwick.
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Commerce Proposal Could Ease Trade Remedy Administration
Recently proposed international trade enforcement regulations could help the U.S. Department of Commerce more easily administer antidumping and countervailing duty remedies, in turn maximizing relief to American companies adversely affected by unfair trade, says Natan Tubman at Buchanan Ingersoll.
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What To Know About Ill. Employment Law Changes
Illinois employers should review their policies in light of a number of recent changes to state employment law, including amendments to the state’s Human Rights Act and modifications to the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act, say attorneys at Kilpatrick.
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Complying With FTC's Final Rule On Sham Online Reviews
The Federal Trade Commission's final rule on deceptive acts and practices in online reviews and testimonials is effective Oct. 21, and some practice tips can help businesses avert noncompliance risks, say Airina Rodrigues and Jonathan Sandler at Brownstein Hyatt.