Public Policy

  • January 13, 2025

    Google Says Sanctions Bid In Texas Ad Tech Case Too Late

    Google has urged a Texas federal court to reject a bid for sanctions in the ad tech monopolization case being brought by state enforcers over the company's prior policy for retaining internal chats, arguing that the bid comes too late.

  • January 13, 2025

    Judge Says California Tribe Can't Block Casino Land Decision

    A California tribe can't block the Interior Department from taking 65 acres into trust for a fellow state tribe's proposed casino project, a federal district judge said, arguing that it has not satisfied the burden to prove an immediate threat of irreparable harm.

  • January 13, 2025

    Newsom Waives Permits, Enviro Rules To Rebuild LA Faster

    California Gov. Gavin Newsom in an executive order Sunday suspended state environmental rules and permitting in coastal areas, a move intended to help rebuild from wildfires causing extensive destruction in Los Angeles.

  • January 13, 2025

    Dissuading A Witness Is Grounds For Removal, 9th Circ. Says

    Immigration courts correctly ruled that an El Salvador citizen's conviction for dissuading a witness by force or threat in California qualified as an aggravated felony and grounds for removal, a Ninth Circuit panel said Monday.

  • January 13, 2025

    GPS Backup Would Serve Larger 'Ecosystem,' FCC Told

    A public safety tech company is throwing its weight behind a plan to license a chunk of the lower 900 megahertz band to launch a network that would back up the Global Positioning System, calling on the Federal Communications Commission to "advance this critical initiative."

  • January 13, 2025

    NY's $15 Broadband Price Cap To Take Effect Wednesday

    Internet service providers in New York won't be allowed to charge low-income households more than $15 for basic broadband service come Wednesday, after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to weigh in on a ruling upholding the Empire State's right to cap internet costs.

  • January 13, 2025

    FHWA Ends 'Buy America' Waiver For Manufactured Products

    The Federal Highway Administration on Monday finalized a rule ending a decades-long exception to "Buy America" domestic sourcing requirements for manufactured products used in federally funded highway projects, a change the agency said was intended to boost domestic manufacturing.

  • January 13, 2025

    NJ Groups Sue To Revoke Offshore Wind Farm Approvals

    A group of environmental and business organizations are alleging in New Jersey federal court that federal approvals awarded to a Shell-backed developer's offshore wind projects violate a number of environmental statutes, and they are looking to halt the construction of two offshore wind facilities located just under nine miles off the Garden State coast.

  • January 13, 2025

    NY Dispensaries Say Pot Agencies Broke Proximity Rules

    A group of four adult-use marijuana dispensaries are suing New York's cannabis regulators, aiming to vacate the issuance of licenses for four competing dispensaries that they say violate the state's 1,000-foot buffer between outlets.

  • January 13, 2025

    Manufactured Housing Groups Seek Early Win Against DOE

    Two manufactured-housing trade groups pushed for an early win in Texas federal court in their suit against the U.S. Department of Energy over an energy conservation rule for manufactured housing that the groups claimed failed to hit "a rational balance between energy conservation and affordable housing."

  • January 13, 2025

    Uber Says Colo. Pay Disclosure Law Infringes Free Speech

    Uber is suing Colorado state officials in Denver federal court, contending new driver earnings and service fee disclosure requirements violate the First Amendment by forcing commercial speech, adding that they will ultimately mislead the public about how much in fares the company retains.

  • January 13, 2025

    T-Mobile, UScellular Say Tie-Up Will 'Greatly' Amp Up Service

    T-Mobile and UScellular defended their $4.4 billion deal to combine wireless operations, telling the Federal Communications Commission that expanding the T-Mobile footprint will improve consumers' experiences around the country.

  • January 13, 2025

    FCC Monitoring For Wireless Outages Caused By LA Fires

    The Federal Communications Commission said Monday it was closely monitoring the effect of the Los Angeles wildfires on telecommunications networks and was granting tentative authority for providers to fill any gaps in service.

  • January 13, 2025

    AGs, Lobbyists Ask Justices To Keep Shell Co. Law Blocked

    The U.S. Supreme Court should deny the federal government's emergency application to stay a Texas district court's injunction on a law aimed at cracking down on crimes committed with shell companies, according to numerous state attorneys general and interest groups and a handful of small businesses.

  • January 13, 2025

    Interior Department Approves Ore. Tribal Casino Amid Lawsuit

    The U.S. Department of the Interior gave its final approval to Oregon's first off-reservation casino amid litigation that looked to block the project, ending a 13-year application process for the Coquille Indian Tribe.

  • January 13, 2025

    Tax Firm Asks Court To Ax Final IRS Microcaptive Rules

    A global tax services provider asked a Texas federal court to vacate finalized tax rules requiring the reporting of certain transactions involving captive insurance companies deemed as potentially abusive, arguing the guidance goes beyond the agency's authority.

  • January 13, 2025

    Mich. Pot Agency Says Processor Violated State Regulations

    Michigan's Cannabis Regulatory Agency has filed a formal complaint against a Mt. Morris cannabis processor, saying that it handled hemp isolate without having a license to do so.

  • January 13, 2025

    Trump Taps Gibson Dunn Partner For EPA's No. 2 Post

    President-elect Donald Trump said he intends to nominate David Fotouhi, a partner at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, to serve in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's No. 2 post during his administration.

  • January 13, 2025

    RFK Jr.'s Wash. Anti-Vax Suit Can't Get High Court Save

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s bid for an emergency order to temporarily block a state of Washington medical board investigation into alleged anti-vaccine statements made by retired doctors.

  • January 13, 2025

    Sen. Warren To Grill Treasury Pick On Trump's Tax Agenda

    Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., plans to ask Treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent at his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday about President-elect Donald Trump's tax agenda and plans for the Internal Revenue Service, according to a letter she sent the nominee.

  • January 13, 2025

    Ore. Tax Court Says No Depreciation On Residences

    The owners of a pair of Oregon residences were denied depreciation deductions against their state income taxes because they did not demonstrate that the homes were income-producing properties, the state tax court said.

  • January 13, 2025

    Justices Mull Grammar In First Step Act Resentencing Case

    The U.S. Supreme Court grappled with grammar-heavy arguments Monday over whether lighter sentences under the First Step Act should apply to defendants who were sentenced before the 2018 law was enacted but later resentenced after their original sentences were thrown out.

  • January 13, 2025

    Chamber Challenges FTC And DOJ Merger Filings Overhaul

    The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups have filed a legal challenge contesting the looming overhaul to merger filing notification requirements that the Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department say will fill information gaps, but that the Texas federal lawsuit contends is overly burdensome and unjustified.

  • January 13, 2025

    Ore. Court OKs Farm Tax Break For Landfill, Corn Maze

    Portions of property in a farming operation used for a corn maze and for a landfill that was part of a remediation effort are eligible for a special agricultural property tax assessment, the Oregon Tax Court ruled.

  • January 13, 2025

    Contractor Drops Mich. Supreme Court 'Fees For Fees' Appeal

    A general contractor has moved to dismiss its Michigan Supreme Court appeal of an attorney-fee award that was slashed because the contractor was found responsible for dragging out litigation with a road agency after receiving the public records it sued the agency to obtain. 

Expert Analysis

  • Exploring Venue Strategy For Trump-Era Regulatory Litigation

    Author Photo

    Litigation will likely play a prominent role in shaping policy outcomes during the second Trump administration, and stakeholders have several tools at their disposal to steer regulatory litigation toward more favorable venues, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Searching For Insight On Requested Google Chrome Remedy

    Author Photo

    The potential for Google to divest its Chrome browser — a remedy requested by the Justice Department following a D.C. federal court’s finding the company is a monopolist — has drawn both criticism and endorsement, but legal precedent likely supports the former, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.

  • Opinion

    3 New Year's Resolutions For Antitrust Agencies To Consider

    Author Photo

    James Fredricks at Skadden rings in 2025 with his wish list for the federal antitrust agencies, starting with a provision for a presumptive safe harbor for information sharing.

  • FTC Focus: A Changing Of The Guard

    Author Photo

    While rigorous antitrust enforcement is unlikely to slow down at the Federal Trade Commission, the focus will undoubtedly change, including when it comes to Big Tech, as Andrew Ferguson prepares to take the reins from Chair Lina Khan, say attorneys at Proskauer.

  • 5th Circ.'s Nasdaq Ruling Another Piece In DEI Policy Puzzle

    Author Photo

    The Fifth Circuit's recent en banc opinion vacating Nasdaq's board diversity listing rule wades into the hotly debated topic of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at a time when many public companies are navigating the attention that DEI commitments are drawing from activists and shareholders, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • 8 Trends And Predictions Following PE's Late 2024 Surge

    Author Photo

    Private equity will remain at the forefront of value creation in 2025, and anticipated market trends include sponsors' desire to return capital to investors and a more business-friendly tack by the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, say attorneys at Weil.

  • Series

    Playing Esports Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Competing in a global esports tournament at Wimbledon last year not only fulfilled my childhood dream, but also sharpened skills that are essential to my day job, including strategic thinking, confidence and networking, says AJ Schuyler at Jackson Lewis.

  • How Changes In State Gift Card Laws May Affect Cos. In 2025

    Author Photo

    2024 state legislative movements around the escheatment of unused gift card balances and consumer fraud protections should prompt issuers to consider whether changes in company domicile or blanket cash-back policies are needed in the new year, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Health Tech Regulatory Trends To Watch In 2025

    Author Photo

    With an upcoming change in administration and the release of some long-awaited rules, the healthcare industry should prepare for shifting trends, including a growing focus on health data and interest in technology-enabled delivery of healthcare, say attorneys at Orrick.

  • Expect Continued Momentum For Nuclear Power In 2025

    Author Photo

    With increasing electricity demand, growing interest in carbon-free energy and recent policy initiatives favoring atomic power, the future is looking bright for the U.S. nuclear energy industry — and the imminent switch of administrations in Washington is unlikely to change that, say attorneys at Venable.

  • An Associate's Guide To Career Development In 2025

    Author Photo

    As the new year begins, associates at all levels should consider establishing career metrics, fostering key relationships and employing other specific strategies to help move through the complexities of the legal profession with confidence and emerge as trailblazers, say EJ Stern and Amanda George at Fractional Law Firm.

  • The Securities Litigation Trends That Will Matter Most In 2025

    Author Photo

    2025 is shaping up to be a significant year for securities litigation, as plaintiffs and defendants alike navigate shifting standards for omission theories of liability, class certification, risk disclosure claims and more, say attorneys at Willkie.

  • Predicting The Lasting Changes CFPB May Face In 2025

    Author Photo

    President-elect Donald Trump and the incoming Republican-controlled Congress' likely attempts to reshape the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau could significantly alter its rulemaking, supervisory and enforcement abilities for years to come, says Jim Sandy at McGlinchey Stafford.

  • 5 Proactive Immigration Best Practices For Employers In 2025

    Author Photo

    Businesses that depend on foreign talent should take specific steps in anticipation of changes to federal immigration policies that could affect the H-1B visa and other programs, and likely require changes in organizational operations and compliance strategy, says Dustin O'Quinn at Ballard Spahr.

  • 2025 Patent And TM Policy At USPTO: What We Know So Far

    Author Photo

    This upcoming year at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office promises a continued focus on artificial intelligence-related policies, as well as initiatives to drive efficiency and modernize standard processes, say attorneys at Knobbe Martens.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Public Policy archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!