Public Policy

  • August 28, 2024

    11th Circ. Trans Health Redo May Spark Supreme Court Fight

    The Eleventh Circuit's recent decision to rehear Georgia county officials' appeal seeking to exclude gender-confirmation surgery from its employee healthcare coverage rekindles an appellate debate on the extent to which Title VII protects transgender workers that could soon reach the U.S. Supreme Court, attorneys say.

  • August 28, 2024

    Rural Carriers Say Broadband Map Errors Undermine 5G Fund

    Rural wireless carriers are urging the Federal Communications Commission to verify broadband map data on its own in order to resolve long-standing concerns that inaccurate industry maps of the country's broadband coverage threaten the effective distribution of the FCC's recently revived 5G Fund.

  • August 28, 2024

    Insurer Blasts Ralph Lauren's Appeal For COVID-19 Coverage

    Factory Mutual Insurance Co. urged the Third Circuit on Wednesday to reject Ralph Lauren Corp.'s bid to recoup up to $700 million in COVID-19 pandemic losses, blasting the fashion house's "conclusory allegations" that it was entitled to coverage.

  • August 28, 2024

    4th Circ. Says Immigration Board 'Flouted' Review Precedent

    The Fourth Circuit on Wednesday overturned a Board of Immigration Appeals decision denying a Yemeni national another chance to seek asylum, ruling that the BIA "flouted its own precedents" in applying a needlessly strict standard to reconsideration of his case.

  • August 28, 2024

    HUD Gives $10M For Homeless Native America Veteran Services

    The federal government has announced that it would give $10 million to various tribal housing authorities, saying the money is for currently or nearly homeless Native Americans who fought for the U.S. military.

  • August 28, 2024

    Colo. House OKs Additional Property Tax Rate Cuts

    The Colorado House approved a legislative package Wednesday aimed at limiting property tax increases by lowering assessment rates and capping local revenue growth, sending the measures to the state Senate.

  • August 28, 2024

    Wash. AG Fears Kroger Will Move Goalposts For Merger Trial

    The Washington Attorney General's Office told a state court Wednesday that Kroger refuses to commit to sticking with the current terms of its divestiture package in its merger with Albertsons, which the state fears would unfairly "move the goalposts" less than three weeks before a trial on the state's merger challenge kicks off.

  • August 28, 2024

    The Biggest Enviro Cases To Watch In 2024: Midyear Report

    Environmental attorneys can expect to see several developments in pending litigation during the remainder of 2024, including two cases that the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear about Clean Water Act regulations for San Francisco and the extent of the federal government's authority as part of environmental reviews for projects. Here are some of the biggest cases to watch in the rest of 2024.

  • August 28, 2024

    NY Biz Group Rips FTC Suit Over $8.5B Luxury Handbags Deal

    A New York City business group is urging Empire State Democratic lawmakers to oppose the Federal Trade Commission's "ideologically motivated litigation" to block an $8.5 billion deal that would bring together brands including Michael Kors, Kate Spade and Coach.

  • August 28, 2024

    Covering Up For Mayor Not Fire Chief's Job, 6th Circ. Says

    Covering up alleged misconduct to help a Michigan mayor pursue reelection was not part of an ex-fire chief's official job duties, a Sixth Circuit panel said Tuesday, finding the fire chief's refusal to lie was protected speech and denying the mayor immunity.

  • August 28, 2024

    Judge Stays Enbridge's Bid For Quick Win In Pipeline Fight

    Enbridge Energy's bid for a quick win in its challenge to Michigan over the company's Line 5 pipeline must wait until Michigan officials' appeal of a ruling to the Sixth Circuit that seeks to overturn an immunity order is resolved, a federal district court judge said.

  • August 28, 2024

    For Native Voters, Mail Delivery Is A Big Obstacle, Reports Say

    Despite a modest uptick in turnout, Native American voters' participation in elections trails other racial and ethnic groups, two new reports say, most likely due to the unavailability of reliable mail delivery services in areas with large Indigenous populations.

  • August 28, 2024

    SEC Omits 'Swing Pricing' Plan From Fund Disclosure Rules

    A divided U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday agreed to require more detailed and frequent disclosures from mutual funds, though regulators dropped plans — at least for now — to implement a controversial "swing pricing" provision.

  • August 28, 2024

    Ga. Appeals Court Says Worker Should Get Pandemic Aid

    The Georgia Court of Appeals overturned a superior court order affirming the denial of pandemic unemployment assistance benefits to a college student who worked part-time at a Chick-fil-A, saying both the trial court and the Georgia Department of Labor's review board wrongly found he quit his job for personal reasons.

  • August 28, 2024

    TikTok Lawsuit, Kids' Privacy Bills Push Cos. 'Back To Basics'

    The federal government's lawsuit challenging TikTok's policing of kids on its platform and mounting efforts to boost online protections for teens is ramping up pressure on a broad range of website operators, highlighting the importance for companies to think beyond existing legal frameworks to avoid growing legal scrutiny.

  • August 28, 2024

    Trump Prosecutor Restarts Precarious Road To DC Trial

    The revised federal indictment accusing Donald Trump of scheming to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss is crafted in a way that experts say should allow it to survive scrutiny under the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling granting broad immunity to former presidents for official acts, but the justices could have the final say.

  • August 28, 2024

    Biden's Latest Judge Nominees Include Pick For Northern NY

    President Joe Biden announced judicial nominees on Wednesday for federal district courts in New York, New Mexico and Arizona.

  • August 28, 2024

    DC Circ. Rejects Challenges To Nuke Waste Storage Site

    A D.C. Circuit panel rejected a slew of challenges to federal regulators' approval of a temporary nuclear waste storage site in New Mexico, ruling that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission was right to include forward-looking terms about federally owned spent nuclear fuel in the license.

  • August 28, 2024

    Trim Advised In White Homeowners' Claims Against NC City

    A magistrate judge in North Carolina recommended that a federal court trim a discrimination claim from a lawsuit lodged by white homeowners challenging Asheville's Human Relations Commission appointments, ruling that the relevant statute only applies to people who are members of minorities.

  • August 28, 2024

    Pa. Ex-Cop Faces Feb. Trial On Trimmed Jan. 6 Charges

    A D.C. federal judge set a February date for Joseph Fischer's Jan. 6 Capitol attack trial, clearing the way for the former Pennsylvania cop to be tried by prosecutors after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the obstruction of Congress charge in his case.

  • August 28, 2024

    Justices Won't Revive Student Debt Relief Plan Right Now

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to reinstate President Joe Biden's latest student loan debt relief program, leaving the $475 billion plan on ice until the Eighth Circuit decides whether the administration has the authority to continue its new push to reduce student loan bills for millions of people.

  • August 28, 2024

    Farella Braun Can Pursue Unpaid SVB Fees From FDIC

    Farella Braun & Martel LLP can go after the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. for $49,000 in legal fees owed by Silicon Valley Bank's parent after the agency was appointed as the bank's receiver, a California federal judge ruled Wednesday.

  • August 28, 2024

    Congress Urged To Address Trump Financial Conflicts

    After possible financial conflicts of interest caused consternation during President Donald Trump's first term, an ethics watchdog is calling for a series of legislative reforms to prevent them from recurring if he's reelected.

  • August 28, 2024

    DOL Backs IBM Retirees' Bid To Revive Suit At 2nd Circ.

    The U.S. Department of Labor urged the Second Circuit to revive a proposed class action alleging IBM shorted retirees on pension payments through the use of outdated mortality data, stating the lower court's ruling tossing the case "flies in the face" of U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

  • August 28, 2024

    Ex-Defender Opposes Bid To Fix Record In Harassment Case

    A former assistant public defender in North Carolina who lost her suit accusing the judiciary of botching her sexual harassment complaint has called out mistakes in the trial transcripts but opposed the government's method for correcting them, calling the proposal "fundamentally unfair."

Expert Analysis

  • 3 Presidential Privilege Questions After Trump Ruling

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Trump v. U.S., carving out a new evidentiary privilege for presidents, leaves unanswered several key questions concerning whether this new privilege is waivable or subject to various exceptions, says Jeremy Bates at Frankfurt Kurnit.

  • What To Expect From Evolving Wash. Development Plans

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    The current round of periodic updates to Washington counties' growth and development plans will need to address new requirements from recent legislation, and will also likely bring changes that should please property owners and developers, says Jami Balint at Seyfarth.

  • 4 Steps To Address New Sanctions Time Bar Extension

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    Recent guidance from the Office of Foreign Assets Control clarifies details of the newly extended statute of limitations for civil and criminal enforcement of U.S. sanctions law, so compliance teams should implement key updates, including to lookback periods and recordkeeping policies, say attorneys at Freshfields.

  • Implementing Proposed AML Rules May Take More Guidance

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    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.

  • What To Know About Major Fla. Civil Procedure Rule Changes

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    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.

  • Series

    Playing Golf Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    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.

  • What To Expect From CFPB And DOT Card Rewards Inquiry

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    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.

  • Preparing For The NLRB's New Union Recognition Final Rule

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    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.

  • Brownfield Questions Surround IRS Tax Credit Bonus

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    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.

  • Law Firms Should Move From Reactive To Proactive Marketing

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    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.

  • Remedy May Be Google's Biggest Hurdle Yet In Antitrust Case

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    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.

  • 3 Ways To Limit Risks Of Black-Box AI In Financial Services

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    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.

  • Energy And AI: Key Issues And Future Challenges

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    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.

  • Opinion

    Transpo Board Should Broaden Ex Parte Rules Further

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    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.

  • The Regulatory Headwinds Facing Lab-Developed Tests

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    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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