Public Policy

  • October 08, 2024

    Neb. Officials Cast Doubt On Medical Pot Legalization Effort

    Nebraska state officials are alleging that signatures gathered by activists trying to put medical marijuana legalization on the ballot may be invalid because of purported irregularities and have asked a state judge to determine whether to void the legalization effort.

  • October 08, 2024

    Avian Orgs Say FWS Unlawfully Tossed Bid To Import Parrots

    Two exotic bird nonprofits told the Eleventh Circuit Tuesday that they should have the chance to make their case for importing two parrot species to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which the nonprofits say unlawfully refused to even consider the petitions.

  • October 08, 2024

    1st Circ. Warned Not To 'Speculate' In Union Debt Ceiling Suit

    A lawyer for a governmental workers' union challenging the constitutionality of the federal debt limit told a First Circuit panel on Tuesday that a January default is a virtual certainty under existing law, and urged the judges to avoid trying to predict whether President Joe Biden and a lame-duck Congress might extend the ceiling.

  • October 08, 2024

    Texas Tribune Can Attend Bail Hearings, 5th Circ. Told

    A Fifth Circuit panel pushed back on a Texas county's argument that the Texas Tribune and other news organizations do not have the right to enter magistration proceedings, asking why the process of setting bail would count as an informal procedure during oral arguments Tuesday.

  • October 08, 2024

    Freelancers' Challenge To DOL's Contractor Rule Can't Stand

    Four freelance writers and editors failed to show how they are being hurt by the U.S. Department of Labor's final rule determining whether workers are independent contractors under federal law, a Georgia federal judge ruled, tossing their suit challenging the rule.

  • October 08, 2024

    Colo. Supreme Court Punts On Transgender Cake Case

    The Colorado Supreme Court said Tuesday it couldn't consider the merits of a discrimination case alleging a bakery refused to make a cake to celebrate a customer's gender transition, finding a trial court didn't have jurisdiction to hear the case in the first place.

  • October 08, 2024

    DC Judge Won't Rethink Striking Down USDA Wetland Rule

    A Washington, D.C., federal judge on Tuesday refused to reconsider her decision to vacate a U.S. Department of Agriculture rule designed to stop the development of wetlands on farmland and struck down those regulations.

  • October 08, 2024

    Industry, Utilities Take Aim At EPA's Drinking Water PFAS Rule

    Water utility associations and chemical industry players asked the D.C. Circuit to strike down the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rule setting the first-ever limits for forever chemicals in the nation's drinking water.

  • October 08, 2024

    Fla. Riot Law Targets Only Violent Protesters, 11th Circ. Says

    The Eleventh Circuit reversed a lower court's preliminary injunction putting a halt to a recent Florida riot law put in place in the wake of the George Floyd protests, saying the law only targets violent agitators after the state's high court clarified that it doesn't apply to peaceful demonstrations.

  • October 08, 2024

    Hemp Cos. Say 'Protectionist' NJ Law Violates Farm Bill

    A group of hemp makers and distributors is urging a New Jersey federal court to grant them a win in their challenge to the state's soon-to-be-enacted restrictions on hemp products, saying the restrictions violate the 2018 Farm Bill and favor Garden State companies over out-of-state ones.

  • October 08, 2024

    Mass. Seeks Order Forcing Steward To Maintain Coverage

    Massachusetts officials are asking the Texas bankruptcy judge presiding over Steward Health Care's Chapter 11 proceedings to order the company to maintain medical malpractice and workers' compensation coverage for current and potential claims from its operation of hospitals and medical practices in the Bay State.

  • October 08, 2024

    3rd Circ. Won't Rehear Pa., NJ Businesses' Virus Loss Suits

    The Third Circuit declined to rehear consolidated pandemic-related loss coverage disputes brought by New Jersey and Pennsylvania businesses, according to an order issued Tuesday, upholding its decision that the businesses' insurers didn't owe coverage for the claimed losses.

  • October 08, 2024

    SEC Approves Nasdaq Plan To Accelerate Delistings

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has approved a Nasdaq rule change that would enable the stock exchange to accelerate removals of struggling companies that try to delay delistings through the use of reverse stock splits.

  • October 08, 2024

    3rd Circ. Preview: Constitutional Rights Fears Top October

    Constitutional challenges dominate an October argument lineup that will task the Third Circuit with mulling drug price fights by AstraZeneca and other pharmaceutical powerhouses and a suit by a Pennsylvania man claiming his past convictions don't foreclose his right to own a gun. 

  • October 08, 2024

    Crypto.com Sues SEC Over 'Unlawful' Crypto Approach

    Crypto.com became the latest crypto exchange to push back on a potential enforcement case from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday when it sued the regulator after allegedly receiving a notice that the agency believes it operates as an unregistered broker-dealer and clearing agency.

  • October 08, 2024

    Airlines Say Chicago Sick Leave Law Would Impact Business

    An organization representing the largest U.S. airlines urged an Illinois federal court to keep afloat its challenge to Chicago's new paid sick leave law, saying its claims that the statute would impact flight prices and routes are fact-intensive and should proceed to discovery.

  • October 08, 2024

    Justices Divided Over 'Prevailing Party' Status For Atty Fees

    The U.S. Supreme Court appeared noncommital on Tuesday while grappling with what constitutes a "prevailing party" for the purpose of awarding attorney fees in civil rights lawsuits, a question that has broad implications for both government agencies and legal advocacy groups.

  • October 08, 2024

    Judge Security Data Reflects Policy Shifts As Much As Threats

    Former employees of the U.S. Marshals Service say that while judicial security has never been more urgent, finding trends is nearly impossible: The way threats against federal judges are tracked has varied so much from year to year, the data is essentially meaningless.

  • October 08, 2024

    Mass. High Court Won't Loosen Bail Rules In Rape Cases

    Massachusetts' highest court ruled Tuesday that a provision in state law allowing judges to deny bail to defendants charged with crimes involving physical force applies to rape cases, rejecting an argument on behalf of an accused serial rapist seeking release from custody.

  • October 08, 2024

    Colo. Freed From Union Protest Of Southwest Sick Leave Deal

    Colorado isn't on the hook for claims by a union representing Southwest Airlines flight attendants related to a settlement between the state and airline about a sick leave law, a state court judge ruled, finding the union lacks standing to raise its allegations.

  • October 08, 2024

    Ex-FDNY Safety Chief Cops To Taking Bribes For Inspections

    A Staten Island firefighter who headed the New York City Fire Department's office tasked with fire prevention told a Manhattan federal judge on Tuesday he took thousands of dollars in exchange for speedier safety checks, pleading guilty to bribery conspiracy.

  • October 08, 2024

    Contractors Tell 5th Circ. They Belong In Border Wall Suit

    Border wall construction firms urged the Fifth Circuit to insert them into Texas' suit challenging the Biden administration's border wall spending plan, saying they were barred from the case even though it threatens their financial rights under their old contracts.

  • October 08, 2024

    Trump Held Back FBI's 2nd Kavanaugh Probe, Report Says

    The FBI's follow-up investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation process in September 2018 was restrained by the Trump White House, according to a report released by a Democratic senator on Tuesday.

  • October 08, 2024

    EU Removes Antigua And Barbuda From Tax Blacklist

    The Council of the European Union removed Antigua and Barbuda from its blacklist of noncooperation jurisdictions on global tax standards, the EU's Economic and Financial Affairs Council announced Tuesday.

  • October 08, 2024

    Ex-Aide To NYC Mayor Charged With Witness Tampering

    Manhattan federal prosecutors on Tuesday charged a former aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams with witness tampering and destroying evidence, alleging he told five witnesses to lie to FBI agents investigating his boss.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Round-Canopy Parachuting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Similar to the practice of law, jumping from an in-flight airplane with nothing but training and a few yards of parachute silk is a demanding and stressful endeavor, and the experience has bolstered my legal practice by enhancing my focus, teamwork skills and sense of perspective, says Thomas Salerno at Stinson.

  • Navigating Restrictions Following Biotech Bill House Passage

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    Ahead of the BIOSECURE Act’s potential enactment, companies that obtain equipment from certain Chinese biotechnology companies should consider whether the act would restrict their ability to enter into contracts with the U.S. government and what steps they might take in response, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

  • Dealmaker Lessons From CFIUS' New Enforcement Webpage

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    The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States’ recently launched webpage, which details the actions — and inactions — that led to enforcement activity, provides important insights for dealmakers about filing requirements, mitigation commitments and the cost of noncompliance, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • Presidents And Precedents May Direct Khan's Future Course

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    While the Sept. 25 technical expiration of Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan's term demands no immediate action, it does invite an analysis of commission policy and post-election possibilities, says Axinn's Richard Dagen, a former FTC official.

  • SEC Settlement Holds Important Pay-To-Play Lessons

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s recent fine of an investment adviser, whose new hire made a campaign contribution within a crucial lookback period, is a seasonable reminder for public fund managers to ensure their processes thoroughly screen all associates for even minor violations of the SEC’s strict pay-to-play rule, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • What's In Colorado's 1st-Of-Its-Kind Neural Privacy Law

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    Colorado recently became the first U.S. state to directly regulate neurotechnology with new legislation amending the Colorado Privacy Act to specifically protect biological and neural data, offering an example of how lawmakers can tackle the perceived regulation gaps in this area, say attorneys at Goodwin.

  • What To Expect From Calif. Bill Regulating PE In Healthcare

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    A California bill currently awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom's approval, intended to increase oversight over private equity and hedge fund investments in healthcare, is emblematic of recent increased scrutiny of investments in the space, and may affect transactions and operations in California in a number of ways, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

  • 7 Takeaways For Companies After Justices' Bribery Ruling

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s Snyder v. U.S. decision this summer, holding that a federal law does not criminalize after-the-fact gratuities made to public officials, raises some key considerations for companies that engage with state, local and tribal governments, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.

  • Why Now Is The Time For Law Firms To Hire Lateral Partners

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    Partner and associate mobility data from the second quarter of this year suggest that there's never been a better time in recent years for law firms to hire lateral candidates, particularly experienced partners — though this necessitates an understanding of potential red flags, say Julie Henson and Greg Hamman at Decipher Investigative Intelligence.

  • Series

    After Chevron: Courts Will Still Defer To Feds On Nat'l Security

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    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.

  • Reassessing Lease Provisions To Account For ESG Initiatives

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    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.

  • Considering Possible PR Risks Of Certain Legal Tactics

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    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.

  • Defamation Law Changes May Be Brewing At Supreme Court

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    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.

  • Integrating ESG Into Risk Management Programs

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    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.

  • Exploring Practical Employer Alternatives To Noncompetes

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    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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