Public Policy

  • January 08, 2025

    Ex-FBI Informant Who Smeared Bidens Gets 6 Years

    A former FBI informant who falsely told agents that a Ukrainian energy company had paid off President Joe Biden and his son Hunter was sentenced Wednesday in California federal court to six years in prison.

  • January 08, 2025

    FCC Hikes Fines For Failing To Comply With Robocall Rules

    The Federal Communications Commission unveiled rules Wednesday to increase the penalties that telecommunication companies could face if they don't comply with their obligation to send information to a central database that tracks anti-robocall compliance.

  • January 08, 2025

    Unraveling Misconceptions About The H-1B Visa Program

    Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy recently defended the H-1B visa program for skilled foreign workers, sparking a fierce debate that has stirred up misconceptions that the program largely supplies cheap indentured labor and displaces American tech workers. Here, Law360 untangles some of those misconceptions.

  • January 08, 2025

    Judge Says DOI Can't Get New Ageism Trial After Worker Win

    A Washington federal judge has reproached the U.S. Department of the Interior for seeking a new trial on damages in a former employee's age discrimination case after the Ninth Circuit vacated the plaintiff's initial $1.7 million win over calculation errors, saying the agency missed its chance to litigate the worker's lost wages.

  • January 08, 2025

    Wash. Justices To Review Airline Worker's COVID Comp. Case

    The Washington State Supreme Court has agreed to review whether an allegedly botched jury instruction dooms an Alaska Airlines flight attendant's COVID-19 workers' compensation win, after a split lower appeals court upended the jury's verdict.

  • January 08, 2025

    NY Fed Beats Puerto Rico Bank's Suit Over Master Account

    A New York federal judge on Wednesday tossed without prejudice a Puerto Rico bank's suit that sought to block the closure of its Federal Reserve master account, finding the New York Fed's interpretation of the Federal Reserve Act was correct and that the bank does not have a statutory right to a master account.

  • January 08, 2025

    Mich. Utility Tells DC Circ. It Can Challenge FERC Decision

    A Michigan transmission owner has told the D.C. Circuit that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's challenge of its ability to protest the agency's refusal to grant it sole ownership of grid updates needed to serve a Michigan solar farm is "meritless."

  • January 08, 2025

    DOI's Arctic Refuge Oil Lease Sale Yields No Bidders

    The U.S. Department of the Interior reported Wednesday that it has received no bids from companies to drill for oil and gas in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

  • January 08, 2025

    Biden Issues New Guidance On Missile Tech Exports

    President Joe Biden has issued new missile technology export guidance to allow more flexibility in reviewing transfers of certain military missiles, drones and space launch vehicles typically subject to strict export controls, the White House has announced.

  • January 08, 2025

    USTR Warns Of Risks Posed By Counterfeit Pharmacies

    The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Wednesday released its latest list of overseas "notorious markets" selling illicit and counterfeit goods, pointing in particular to a boom in counterfeit online pharmacies selling knock-off medications that pose a risk both to public health and businesses' intellectual property interests.

  • January 08, 2025

    Khan Acknowledges 'Open Question' On Trump Antitrust Plan

    Outgoing Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina M. Khan argued Wednesday that the Biden administration's aggressive antitrust enforcement has scored real wins, even as she expressed mixed optimism in remarks about that legacy as Donald Trump retakes the White House.

  • January 08, 2025

    Pension Plan Official's Estate Excused From Danish Tax Suit

    A New York federal court approved Wednesday an agreement for Denmark's tax authority to settle its claims against the estate of a pension plan official whose plan allegedly defrauded the agency out of $9 million.

  • January 08, 2025

    Warren Urges DOD Chief Nom. To Address 'Serious Concerns'

    Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., urged defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth to answer dozens of questions about his history ahead of his upcoming nomination hearing, citing "serious concerns" regarding issues such as allegations of sexual assault and mismanagement of veterans' organizations.

  • January 08, 2025

    Texas Station Faces $369K Fine For Emergency Alert Failures

    A local Texas television station is under fire from the Federal Communications Commission for failing to run proper nationwide emergency tests in three separate years, according to a new forfeiture notice from the agency.

  • January 08, 2025

    ATF Says Loophole Rule Passes 2nd Amendment Smell Test

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has doubled down in its bid to uphold a new rule in a case over the so-called gun-show loophole rule, saying in a Texas federal court that a group of red states hadn't shown how the rule lacks founding-era precedent.

  • January 08, 2025

    Farm Owner Can't Claim $6.5M For Border Wall, 5th Circ. Told

    The federal government argued Wednesday that a Texas woman isn't owed millions of dollars in compensation for a section of the state's border wall built on her land, telling the Fifth Circuit that a principle giving landowners rights to property improvements can't be equitably applied to the federal government.

  • January 08, 2025

    Judge Reverses His Own Ruling In Chicago Hotel Zoning Fight

    An Illinois federal judge ruled against the owners of a historic Chicago hotel Tuesday, dialing back an earlier victory he had granted them last year in a zoning suit against the city.

  • January 08, 2025

    Epic Gets Backing For Google App Store Changes

    Epic Games has received support from federal antitrust enforcers, Microsoft and others at the Ninth Circuit as the game developer fights Google's bid to appeal an order forcing the tech giant to loosen its policies surrounding the distribution of apps on Android devices.

  • January 08, 2025

    Final Treasury Regs Grow Low-Income Bonus Energy Credits

    New hydropower, nuclear, solar, geothermal and other nonpolluting energy facilities developed in areas designated as low-income communities are eligible for bonus investment tax credits under final regulations the U.S. Treasury Department unveiled Wednesday.

  • January 08, 2025

    CFPB Hit With Industry Suit Over Medical Debt Reporting Rule

    A top trade group for the credit reporting industry has moved to challenge the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's new rule that would take billions of dollars in medical debt off credit reports, accusing the agency of overreach in a lawsuit filed in Texas federal court.

  • January 08, 2025

    Madigan Denies Extorting Developers For Law Firm Business

    Ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan testified Wednesday that he never wanted a Chicago alderman to leverage his chairmanship of a powerful city council committee to steer business to Madigan's law firm, saying he merely asked for introductions to developers and felt "surprise and concern" when the alderman referenced a quid pro quo deal.

  • January 08, 2025

    IRS Updates Guidance For Taxes In Employment Disputes

    The Internal Revenue Service updated guidance Wednesday related to disputes over whether individuals are considered employees for employment tax purposes as well as clarified situations in which an employer can remit unpaid taxes at reduced rates in cases where the employer treated an employee as a nonemployee.

  • January 08, 2025

    T-Mobile-UScellular Deal Won't Hurt Wireless Market, FCC Told

    T-Mobile's $4.4 billion plan to buy spectrum and lease cell towers from UScellular appears likely to benefit consumers, a free-market think tank told the Federal Communications Commission as public interest groups continue to fight the deal.

  • January 08, 2025

    Indiana Lawmakers File Medical Pot, Decriminalization Bills

    Indiana lawmakers this week filed bills to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana and to legalize medical marijuana and create a regulatory regime to oversee its cultivation and sale.

  • January 08, 2025

    DOI Reveals No Bids In Alaska Oil, Gas Lease Sale

    The U.S. Department of the Interior revealed Wednesday that it received no bids in response to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil and gas lease sale, just days after Alaska accused the agency of imposing too severe restrictions on development.

Expert Analysis

  • Preparing For The New Restrictions On Investment Into China

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    In light of a new regulatory program governing U.S. investments in China-related technology companies of national security concern, investors should keep several considerations in mind, including the rules' effect on existing and new investments, compliance hurdles, and penalties for noncompliance ahead of the rules' January implementation, say attorneys at Gunderson Dettmer.

  • Opinion

    Congress Should Expand Investment Options For 403(b)s

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    Lawmakers should pass pending legislation to give 403(b) plan participants access to collective investment trusts, leveling the playing field for public sector retirement investors by giving them an investment option their private sector counterparts have had for decades, says Jason Levy at Great Gray Trust Company.

  • What 2024 Election Means For Drugs, Medicare And Medicaid

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    With Republicans running the White House, U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, the incoming administration is likely to provide pathways — through new initiatives and others returning from Trump's previous presidency — for a range of potential changes to drug pricing, Medicare and Medicaid, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • AV Compliance Is Still A State-By-State Slog — For Now

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    While the incoming Trump administration has hinted at new federal regulations governing autonomous vehicles, for now, AV manufacturers must take a state-by-state approach to compliance with safety requirements — paying particular attention to states that require express authorization for AV operation, say attorneys at Frost Brown.

  • Opinion

    Antitrust Posturing Against Algorithmic AI Should End

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    President-elect Donald Trump needs to rein in the federal government's antitrust crusade against algorithmic AI, sending the message that antitrust enforcement must be grounded in evidence and real harm, says attorney David Balto, a former Federal Trade Commission assistant director of policy and evaluation.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: 1 Type Of Case Complexity Stands Out

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    In contrast to some cases that appear complex due to voluminous evidence or esoteric subject matter, a different kind of complexity involves tangled legal and factual questions, each with a range of possible outcomes, which require a “sliding scale” approach instead of syllogistic reasoning, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Immigration Atty Tips For Avoiding Prosecution Under Trump

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    Under the incoming Trump administration, immigration attorneys may need to protect themselves from prosecution when advising clients who may not qualify for relief sought by choosing their words carefully and keeping other key factors in mind, says Michele Carney at Carney & Marchi.

  • Back To The Future? Antitrust Enforcement Under Trump 2.0

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    While the transition to the second Trump administration's antitrust policy should be accompanied by less uncertainty, we're unlikely to get a full sense of the true focus and tenor of competition enforcement under Trump 2.0 before late next year, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • A Closer Look At SDNY Bankruptcy Rule Amendments

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    The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York’s recent amendments to its local rules aim to streamline key Chapter 11 processes, resolve misunderstandings about previous iterations of the rules and urge caution about the use of artificial intelligence, say attorneys at Skadden.

  • How Litigation, Supply Chains Buffeted Offshore Wind In 2024

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    U.S. offshore wind developers continue to face a range of challenges — including litigation brought by local communities and interest groups, ongoing supply chain issues, and a lack of interconnection and transmission infrastructure — in addition to uncertainty surrounding federal energy policy under the second Trump administration, say attorneys at Liskow & Lewis.

  • FTX Exec's Sentencing Shows Pros And Cons Of Cooperation

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    The sentencing of former FTX tech deputy Gary Wang, whose cooperation netted him a rare outcome of no prison time, offers critical takeaways for attorneys and clients navigating the burgeoning world of crypto-related prosecutions, says Andrew Meck at Whiteford.

  • What Bisphenol S Prop 65 Listing Will Mean For Industry

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    The imminent addition of bisphenol S — a chemical used in millions of products — to California's Proposition 65 list will have sweeping compliance and litigation implications for companies in the retail, food and beverage, paper, manufacturing and personal care product industries, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Note 3 Simple Types Of Legal Complexity

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    Cases can appear complex for several reasons — due to the number of issues, the volume of factual and evidentiary sources, and the sophistication of those sources — but the same basic technique can help lawyers tame their arguments into a simple and persuasive message, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Justices Mull Sex-Based Classification In Trans Law Case

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    After the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in U.S. v. Skrmetti this week, it appears that the fate of the Tennessee law at the center of the case — a law banning gender-affirming healthcare for transgender adolescents — will hinge on whether the majority read the statute as imposing a sex-based classification, says Alexandra Crandall at Dickinson Wright.

  • Permitting, Offtake Among Offshore Wind Challenges In 2024

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    Although federal offshore wind development started to pick up this year, many challenges to the industry became apparent as well — including slow federal permitting, the pitfalls of restarting permits after changes in project status, and the difficulties of negotiating economically viable offtake agreements, say attorneys at Liskow & Lewis.

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