Public Policy

  • December 13, 2024

    Justices To Decide If Industry Can Test Calif. Auto Waiver

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday granted fossil fuel industry groups' request to review a decision backing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Air Act waiver that allows California to set its own greenhouse gas emissions standards for vehicles and run a zero-emission vehicles program, but the justices won't consider the legality of the waiver itself.

  • December 13, 2024

    Trump Rips DA's 'Dark Dream' To Legally Treat Him As Dead

    Donald Trump's attorneys Friday slammed a proposal by the Manhattan district attorney to preserve the president-elect's hush money conviction by treating him like a defendant who dies after a verdict, pushing the judge to dismiss the case altogether.

  • December 13, 2024

    Lawmakers Press Tech Giants As TikTok D-Day Looms

    A pair of lawmakers on Friday leaned on TikTok to ensure it meets a Jan. 19 deadline to sell its operations or face a U.S. ban, while also pressing tech giants Apple and Google to be prepared to deplatform the video-sharing app if it refuses to sell.

  • December 13, 2024

    White House Reviewing 2nd Half Of H-1B Modernization Rule

    With just over a month to go before the inauguration, the White House is reviewing the second half of a regulation to overhaul the H-1B temporary visa program for specialty occupations, the last step before the rule can be finalized.

  • December 13, 2024

    Minn. Senior Home's Tax Appeal Nixed For Lack Of Info

    A Minnesota senior living community failed to provide a local assessor with required income and expense information related to its property tax appeal, the Minnesota Tax Court said, dismissing the case.

  • December 12, 2024

    Vidal Reflects On USPTO Achievements As She Leaves Office

    Kathi Vidal will serve her last day as U.S. Patent and Trademark Office director on Friday and rejoin her former firm, Winston & Strawn LLP, on Monday. She talked to Law360 as she prepared her exit from the agency, with internal changes top of mind as she looked back on her tenure.

  • December 12, 2024

    Sens. Say Bipartisan Efforts Possible For Telecom In 2025

    Key lawmakers who work on telecom policy suggested Thursday that Capitol Hill could come together in a bipartisan way next year to tackle some important issues left outstanding from the Biden era, including permitting reform to spur broadband expansion.

  • December 12, 2024

    Ballot Issue Group Can't Nose Into Ark. Casino Measure Suit

    The ballot issue committee backing an Arkansas amendment that revoked a Cherokee Nation business's casino license can't intervene in the tribal entity's challenge that looks to block the law, a federal district court judge said Thursday, arguing that it has not adequately refuted the presumption that the state can defend its rights.

  • December 12, 2024

    Pawnbroker Pleads Guilty To Bribing Ex-Newark Deputy Mayor

    A Garden State pawnbroker and jeweler admitted in New Jersey federal court Thursday that he took part in a bribery scheme to influence a former Newark official regarding the acquisition and redevelopment of city-owned properties.

  • December 12, 2024

    Electric Co-Ops Oppose Proposed FCC Customer Service Regs

    The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is adding its name to the list of those who think the Federal Communications Commission's plan to impose new rules surrounding customer service is a bad idea.

  • December 12, 2024

    Bitcoin Investor Gets 2 Years For Tax Fraud In Landmark Case

    An investor who concealed millions of dollars he earned in bitcoin and became the first person criminally charged for failing to report gains from the sale of cryptocurrency by filing false returns was sentenced to two years in federal prison Thursday.

  • December 12, 2024

    Sierra Club-EPA Row Has 6th Circ. Debating Smog Data

    A Sixth Circuit judge questioned Thursday whether a Sierra Club challenge over Detroit's air quality was "a debate over the science" as opposed to the law, as the group fights federal regulators' determination that air pollution in the area is under control.

  • December 12, 2024

    SEC Will Be GOP-Only Without Crenshaw's Vote, Groups Warn

    More than 40 organizations sent a collective letter to U.S. senators in support of Democrat Caroline Crenshaw's reconfirmation to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday, a day after Senate Republicans blocked a closed-door vote on her nomination.

  • December 12, 2024

    Texas AG Targets Instagram, Reddit Over Youth Data Security

    Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Thursday that his office is looking into minors' privacy and safety policies of more than a dozen tech companies, including Character.AI, Reddit and Instagram, as part of his long-running campaign to stop companies from selling minors' personal information without permission from their parents.

  • December 12, 2024

    Mich. Judge Hesitant To Rule On $217M Dam Repair Tax

    A Michigan federal judge sounded reluctant Thursday to make a decision about whether a $217 million dam repair tax assessment violated homeowners' constitutional rights before a state appellate panel rules on the homeowners' challenge to the assessment in a parallel case over properties affected by flooding from the 2020 Edenville Dam collapse.

  • December 12, 2024

    Wash. Judge Weighs Stay Of Gas Reg Suit Amid New Cases

    A Seattle federal judge hinted on Thursday she might pause a building industry coalition's lawsuit challenging Washington regulations discouraging the use of natural gas appliances in new construction, pointing to fresh litigation in state court that could force regulators to revise the rules in the wake of an initiative voters passed in November.

  • December 12, 2024

    NY Judge Bars Pot Regulator From Processing Retail Apps

    A New York state judge Thursday ordered cannabis regulators to stop processing applications submitted by would-be marijuana sellers who did not secure a location for their proposed pot shop before November of last year, leaving hundreds of prospective retailers in limbo.

  • December 12, 2024

    AT&T Exec Can't Get Bribery Acquittal After Jury Deadlocks

    An Illinois federal judge on Thursday denied a former AT&T executive's bid for acquittal on charges he bribed ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan after his case resulted in a hung jury earlier this year, saying the government presented sufficient evidence of a quid pro quo.

  • December 12, 2024

    Feds Weigh In On High Court North Dakota Voting Dispute

    Two local North Dakota Republican Party officials lack standing to claim racial gerrymandering in a dispute over the state's newly created voting subdistricts, the federal government told the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing there's undisputed evidence to conclude that federal law requires the state to establish the boundaries.

  • December 12, 2024

    IRS Seeks Feedback On Limits In Previous Taxed Profit Rules

    The Internal Revenue Service will consider whether rules included in recently proposed guidance on previously taxed earnings and profits to limit instances where U.S. multinationals may use basis to offset gain are too restrictive, an official said Thursday.

  • December 12, 2024

    Immigrant Rights Groups Slam DHS 'Manifestation' Standard

    Immigrant rights organizations challenging the Biden administration's directive curtailing asylum at the southern border told a D.C. federal judge that the administration's latest brief confirms the updated rule goes far beyond what Congress authorized.

  • December 12, 2024

    Medicare Could Lose Billions From 'Patent Abuse,' Group Says

    The $6 billion a year Medicare is supposed to save by negotiating drug prices under the Inflation Reduction Act is close to the billions of dollars the government could lose due to "patent abuse" by drugmakers, according to a new report by a consumer interest group.

  • December 12, 2024

    3rd Circ. Backs Dismissal Of Anti-Abortion Group's Suit

    The Third Circuit on Thursday affirmed the dismissal of an anti-abortion pregnancy center's bid to block the enforcement of a subpoena seeking information about its donors, ruling its constitutional claims are not yet ripe.

  • December 12, 2024

    FDIC Must Reconsider Redactions Of Crypto 'Pause' Letters

    A Washington, D.C., federal judge told the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation on Thursday to "make more thoughtful redactions" of certain crypto-focused letters it handed over in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed on behalf of crypto exchange Coinbase, since the regulator's heavy-handed first pass seemed to lack a "good-faith effort."

  • December 12, 2024

    Ryan Park Withdraws Nomination For 4th Circ. Bench

    Ryan Young Park, solicitor general of North Carolina, has dropped his bid for a seat on the Fourth Circuit after it was clear he would not be getting a vote on the Senate floor.

Expert Analysis

  • US Intellectual Property-Based Sanctions Could Be Imminent

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    A recent presidential delegation suggests that regulators may be ready to wield the sanctions authority found in the Protecting American Intellectual Property Act, which has been unutilized for the first 22 months of its life, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Philly's Algorithmic Rent Ban Furthers Antitrust Policy Trends

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    A Philadelphia bill banning the use of algorithmic software to set rent prices and manage occupancy rates is indicative of growing scrutiny of this technology, and reflects broader policy trends of adapting traditional antitrust principles to respond to new technology, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.

  • Takeaways From State Votes On Abortion In The 2024 Election

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    Attorneys at Epstein Becker discuss how 10 states voted on ballot initiatives to either protect or restrict access to abortion in the 2024 general election, and analyze overarching trends.

  • Trump's 2nd Term May Be A Boost To Banking Industry

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    President-elect Donald Trump's personnel appointments could be instrumental in reshaping the financial regulatory landscape during his second administration, likely allowing for greater merger activity and halting or undoing some of the Biden administration's more restrictive financial services policies, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Loper Bright Offers New Materiality Defense To FCA Liability

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Loper Bight Enterprises v. Raimondo, ending Chevron deference, may have created a new defense to False Claims Act liability by providing the opportunity to argue that a given regulation is not material to the government's payment decision, says Tanner Cook at Husch Blackwell.

  • A Look At 2024 NIL Rights And Economies In College Sports

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    Permutations in the arena of name, image and likeness affecting collegiate athletics have continued unabated this year, and practitioners and industry representatives should anticipate significant activity at schools and continuing legal changes at the state level, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • How Expanded Birth Control Coverage May Affect Employers

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    Employers should consider the potential impact of recently proposed regulations that would expand group health plans' required coverage of preventive services and contraceptives, including questions about how the agencies would implement their plans to eliminate the prescription requirement and alter the exceptions process, says Jennifer Rigterink at Proskauer.

  • Unpacking CFPB's Unwieldy Buy Now, Pay Later Guidance

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    Both the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's recent interpretive rule regarding buy now, pay later transactions, and its FAQ guidance, place providers in murky waters with the unenviable position of attempting to place a square, closed-end product in a round, regulatory framework meant for open-end products, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • 9 Considerations Around Proposed Connected Vehicle Ban

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    Stakeholders should consider several aspects of the U.S. Department of Commerce's recent proposal to ban U.S. imports and sales of vehicles incorporating certain connectivity components made in China or Russia, including exempted transactions and vehicle hardware imports, say attorneys at Blank Rome.

  • Legislation Most Likely To Pass In Lame Duck Session

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    As Congress begins its five-week post-election lame duck session, attorneys at Greenberg Traurig break down the legislative priorities and which proposals can be expected to pass.

  • Predicting Shareholder Activism Trends In New Trump Admin

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    While President-elect Donald Trump has promised tax policies, deregulation and lax antitrust enforcement — which all fuel shareholder activism — a closer look at his first administration's track record suggests that his second presidency might be a mixed bag for activist investors and companies alike, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • What Trump's 2nd Presidency Could Mean For Crypto Sector

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    Trump's second term will bring a fundamental shift from the Biden administration's approach to crypto-asset regulation and banking supervision, with the most significant changes likely taking effect in the first two quarters of 2025 and broader policy shifts emerging over the next year, say attorneys at Cahill.

  • Promoting Diversity In The Selection Of ADR Neutrals

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Choosing neutrals from diverse backgrounds is an important step in promoting inclusion in the legal profession, and it can enhance the legitimacy and public perception of alternative dispute resolution proceedings, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Opinion

    Preserving The FCA Is Crucial In Trump's 2nd Term

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    While the Trump administration may pursue weaker False Claims Act enforcement, it remains an essential tool in safeguarding public funds and maintaining corporate accountability, so now is not the time to undermine ethical behavior, or reduce protections and incentives for whistleblowers, says Adam Pollock at Pollock Cohen.

  • Series

    Playing Ultimate Makes Us Better Lawyers

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    In addition to being fun, ultimate Frisbee has improved our legal careers by emphasizing the importance of professionalism, teamwork, perseverance, enthusiasm and vulnerability, say Arunabha Bhoumik and Adam Bernstein at Regeneron. 

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