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Public Policy
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October 28, 2024
Voter Can Take 'Ballot Selfie' As Suit Persists, NC Judge Says
A North Carolina federal judge has clarified that a Libertarian state senate candidate and voter may take and share a selfie with her ballot without the threat of prosecution, granting the candidate's motion to amend the judge's earlier injunction order.
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October 28, 2024
Handbag Cos. Turn To 2nd Circ. Over Pause On $8.5B Merger
The owners of Michael Kors and Coach plan to ask the Second Circuit to review a New York federal judge's order granting the Federal Trade Commission's bid to halt an $8.5 billion merger between the companies while the agency conducts an in-house merger challenge, according to a notice filed Monday.
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October 28, 2024
Judge Wary Of Dems' Injunction Bid In Suit Over Ad Spending
A D.C. federal judge seemed skeptical Monday that setting aside the Federal Election Commission's refusal to weigh in on a potentially unlawful political advertising strategy would level what the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee alleges to be an uneven playing field.
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October 28, 2024
Wash. AG Candidates Clash On Consumer Protection, Guns
The candidates vying to replace Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who carved out a national reputation as an antitrust champion, present starkly different visions on whether to build upon his tenure or reverse course, clashing not just on consumer protection, but also gun safety and access to reproductive care.
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October 28, 2024
Feds Can't Shield DACA Names In ND Healthcare Access Suit
The Biden administration must disclose the names and addresses of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients in North Dakota to the state, after a federal judge refused Monday to reconsider the state's request for that data.
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October 28, 2024
Monsanto Attys Fined $20K For Late Reports In PCB Trial
A Washington state judge has ordered eight attorneys defending Monsanto in a Seattle PCB poisoning trial to pay $2,500 each to the local bar foundation for late disclosure of expert reports, saying the "sting" of personal sanctions should deter any future bad behavior causing "chaos and disruption."
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October 28, 2024
For-Profit College Says Colo. Can't Show Broad Public Harm
A defunct for-profit college told a Colorado judge Monday that the state hasn't shown enough students were directly impacted by its allegedly deceptive trade practices for consumer protection claims to survive, in a decade-old case that is now back before a trial judge after years of appeals.
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October 28, 2024
Investment Firm's Head Indicted For Alleged Ponzi Scheme
Federal prosecutors have unsealed an indictment accusing a Utah man of carrying out a Ponzi scheme to embezzle millions of dollars from private investors who believed they were contributing to restaurant ventures.
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October 28, 2024
Mich. Tribe Asks Court To Rethink DOI Contempt Order
A Michigan tribe is asking a D.C. federal judge to reconsider a ruling that declined to hold Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in contempt over a deadline to finalize a new rule on repetitioning for federal recognition, saying the agency's actions don't suggest it plans to do so anytime soon.
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October 28, 2024
Navajo See Growing Trend After Return Of Ceremonial Masks
The Navajo Nation says there is a growing trend among the descendants of collectors and amateur archaeologists to give Indigenous artifacts back to their rightful owners, after a donor returned a set of 11 ceremonial masks that the tribe says vitally define its sovereignty.
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October 28, 2024
Leader Of Bankers' Group Calls For Anti-Fraud Watchdogs
The head of the nation's largest banking trade group on Monday called on Congress and the White House to establish a federal office of scam and fraud prevention to counteract the rising tide of fraud costing the U.S. tens of billions annually.
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October 28, 2024
Colo. Will Decide How Judges Are Judged
The Colorado Supreme Court could soon lose some of its control over judicial discipline, from the rules governing the process to who doles out punishment, as voters decide whether to adopt constitutional reforms following a scandal over hush-money allegations that ensnared a former chief justice and other top judiciary officials.
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October 28, 2024
Pennsylvania Judge Yanks Delaware River Port Approvals
A Pennsylvania federal judge ruled Monday that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers "arbitrarily and capriciously departed from its own procedures" in authorizing plans for a new port on the Delaware River in Delaware, downriver from Philadelphia, ordering the agency to conduct a closer review of the project.
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October 28, 2024
Surge In Nicotine Fee Suits Shows Wellness Program Risks
A recent crop of suits accusing large employers of violating nondiscrimination provisions in federal benefits law by making workers who use nicotine pay more for health insurance underscore the risk of using fees to offset healthcare costs, attorneys say. Here are five nicotine surcharge suits to keep an eye on.
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October 28, 2024
FTC, DOJ Tell 9th Circ. Google Wrong On Play Store Fixes
Federal antitrust enforcers told the Ninth Circuit there should be consequences after a jury found Google monopolized the Android app distribution market, as Google pushes to keep a court order paused in the antitrust case being brought by Epic Games.
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October 28, 2024
Colo. Judge: Attys Have Work To Do On Disability Acceptance
A Colorado appeals court judge who co-founded the Colorado Disability Bar Association told a room of law students Monday that while the legal community has made progress on being inclusive of those with physical disabilities, work remains on accepting lawyers with "invisible disabilities" like mental health conditions, neurodivergence and chronic pain.
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October 28, 2024
Feds Defend DEI Monitor Provision In Boeing Plea Deal
The U.S. Department of Justice said it will consider diversity and inclusion when it picks an independent compliance monitor for The Boeing Co. under a proposed plea agreement in the company's criminal conspiracy case, reassuring a Texas federal judge that the selection process will be rigorous.
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October 28, 2024
NY Suit Over Inaccurate Background Check Gets Dropped
A man who lost a job opportunity with the Home Shopping Network after an allegedly faulty background check pinned him for cocaine trafficking instead of marijuana peddling agreed to drop his suit against the screening company.
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October 28, 2024
Ga. Election Denier Sues Over Council Meeting Arrest
A Georgia election denier sued a host of Floyd County officials over his arrest last year at a county commission meeting, alleging that the county government conspired to have him jailed after he lobbied for its attorney to be fired.
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October 28, 2024
FCC Looks To Build 'Single Network Future' Through Regs
The federal government envisions a "single network future" where smartphones can connect almost anywhere in the country thanks to regulations allowing signal coverage enhanced by satellites, the Federal Communications Commission's chief told academics.
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October 28, 2024
FCC Urged To Include Credit Unions In Broadband Fund Rules
Credit unions should be included along with banks under Federal Communications Commission requirements to secure letters of credit in order to receive funding for broadband networks, a national trade group told the FCC.
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October 28, 2024
Supreme Court Keeps 5th Circuit Horse Racing Ruling On Ice
A Fifth Circuit ruling that declared the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's oversight of federal horse safety regulation to be unconstitutional was put on hold by the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday while it decides whether to hear the authority's appeal.
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October 28, 2024
Biden Immigration Rule Pushes 'Mass Amnesty,' Texas Says
Texas told a federal judge that a Joe Biden administration rule allowing noncitizens and stepchildren of U.S. citizens to stay in the country while they apply for green cards and work permits ignores existing immigration law and was an attempt at pushing "mass amnesty."
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October 28, 2024
No COVID Property Tax Break For Hotels, Wash. Court Told
Hotels in Washington state should not get property tax breaks for COVID-19 because the pandemic was not a natural disaster that allows relief, the assessor of the state's most populous county told a state court.
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October 28, 2024
HHS Says In-Home Evals Raised Insurers' Medicare Payments
Private Medicare insurers collected an estimated $4.2 billion in extra federal payments last year from in-home health assessments they conducted, even though the evaluations led to no treatment, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' internal watchdog.
Expert Analysis
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Implementing Proposed AML Rules May Take More Guidance
Two recent rules proposed by financial regulators would modernize requirements for programs aimed at countering money laundering and terrorist financing by centering more robust risk assessments, but financial institutions may need more specific guidance before they could confidently comply, say Meghann Donahue and Nikhil Gore at Covington.
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What To Know About Major Fla. Civil Procedure Rule Changes
The Florida Supreme Court recently amended the state's Rules of Civil Procedure, touching on pretrial procedure, discovery, motion and trial practice, and while the amendments are intended to streamline cases, the breadth of the changes may initially present some litigation growing pains, say Brian Briz, Benjamin Tyler and Yarenis Cruz at Holland & Knight.
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Series
Playing Golf Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Golf can positively affect your personal and professional life well beyond the final putt, and it’s helped enrich my legal practice by improving my ability to build lasting relationships, study and apply the rules, face adversity with grace, and maintain my mental and physical well-being, says Adam Kelly at Venable.
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What To Expect From CFPB And DOT Card Rewards Inquiry
Following the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's announcement of joint efforts with the U.S. Department of Transportation to investigate credit card rewards points, credit card issuers and airlines should keep a close eye on potential regulatory and class action litigation risks stemming from the inquiry, say attorneys at DLA Piper.
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Preparing For The NLRB's New Union Recognition Final Rule
The National Labor Relations Board's impending new final rule on union recognition puts the employer at a particular disadvantage in a decertification election, and best practices include conducting workplace assessments to identify and proactively address employee issues, say Louis Cannon and Gerald Bradner at Baker Donelson.
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Brownfield Questions Surround IRS Tax Credit Bonus
Though the IRS has published guidance regarding the Inflation Reduction Act's 10% adder for tax credits generated by renewable energy projects constructed on brownfield sites, considerable guesswork remains as potential implications seem contrary to IRS intentions, say Megan Caldwell and Jon Micah Goeller at Husch Blackwell.
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Law Firms Should Move From Reactive To Proactive Marketing
Most law firm marketing and business development teams operate in silos, leading to an ad hoc, reactive approach, but shifting to a culture of proactive planning — beginning with comprehensive campaigns — can help firms effectively execute their broader business strategy, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.
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Remedy May Be Google's Biggest Hurdle Yet In Antitrust Case
There are difficulties ahead in the remedies phase of the antitrust case against Google in District of Columbia federal court, including the search engine giant's scale advantage and the fast-moving nature of the tech industry, setting the stage for the most challenging of the proceedings so far, says Jonathan Rubin at MoginRubin.
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3 Ways To Limit Risks Of Black-Box AI In Financial Services
As regulators increasingly highlight the potential for artificial intelligence to make unfair consumer credit decisions, and require financial institutions to explain how these so-called black-box algorithms arrive at conclusions, companies should consider three key questions to reduce their regulatory risks from these tools, say Jeffrey Naimon and Caroline Stapleton at Orrick.
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Energy And AI: Key Issues And Future Challenges
Artificial intelligence promises new technical advantages for the energy industry, but it is also responsible for vast, and growing, energy consumption — so the future of AI and energy will require balancing technological advancement with regulatory oversight, environmental responsibility and infrastructure development, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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Opinion
Transpo Board Should Broaden Ex Parte Rules Further
The Surface Transportation Board's 2018 ex parte rule reform was an important step in increasing agency engagement with stakeholders — but the board should build on that progress by expanding the windows for communications in informal rulemakings, encouraging more communications with staff, and making other changes, say Matthew Warren and Allison Davis at Sidley.
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The Regulatory Headwinds Facing Lab-Developed Tests
Though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's final rule regarding regulation of laboratory-developed tests outlines a four-year plan for ending enforcement discretion, and though this rule is currently being challenged in courts, manufacturers should heed compliance opportunities immediately as enforcement actions are already on the horizon, say attorneys at Kirkland & Ellis.
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3 High Court Rulings May Shape Health Org. Litigation Tactics
Three separate decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court's most recent term — Loper Bright, Corner Post and Jarkesy — will likely strengthen healthcare organizations' ability to affirmatively sue executive agencies to challenge regulations governing operations and enforcement actions, say attorneys at McDermott.
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Opinion
The Big Issues A BigLaw Associates' Union Could Address
A BigLaw associates’ union could address a number of issues that have the potential to meaningfully improve working conditions, diversity and attorney well-being — from restructured billable hour requirements to origination credit allocation, return-to-office mandates and more, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.
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Opinion
It's Time For A BigLaw Associates' Union
As BigLaw faces a steady stream of criticism about its employment policies and practices, an associates union could effect real change — and it could start with law students organizing around opposition to recent recruiting trends, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.