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Public Policy
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November 25, 2024
'Shameful': Dems Rip Credit Bureaus Over Scrapped Hearing
Democratic senators on Monday lit into the Big Three credit bureaus for allegedly backing out of preelection commitments to testify last week before the Senate Banking Committee, calling the move "shortsighted and shameful."
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November 25, 2024
SEC Secured Historic $8.2B Enforcement Haul In 2024
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission obtained $8.2 billion in civil penalties and disgorgement via successful enforcement actions in 2024, the highest amount in the history of the agency despite a significant decline in total enforcement actions, the SEC has announced.
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November 25, 2024
Texas AG Loses 'Unserious' Bid For Jack Smith Doc Order
A Texas federal judge refused Monday to enter an emergency order preserving special counsel Jack Smith's records, saying there is no reason to think the U.S. Department of Justice will not follow document retention laws and slamming Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's allegations to the contrary as "unserious."
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November 25, 2024
Ad Tech Judge Says Google 'Completely Different' From Amex
The Virginia federal judge weighing the fate of Google's display advertising placement business cast doubt Monday on a key element of the company's defense, asserting during closing arguments that the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Amex decision, requiring consideration of two-sided markets, is far removed from Google's ad tech stack.
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November 25, 2024
Cruz Calls Digital Equity Program Rules 'Unlawful'
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is criticizing the U.S. Commerce Department's grant program created to encourage broadband use among minorities, saying it unlawfully discriminates based on race in distributing broadband funds.
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November 25, 2024
Gov't Defends EB-5 Rule That Hikes Up Petition Fees
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency pushed for an early win in Texas federal court against a suit challenging increases for filing fees for petitions related to USCIS' EB-5 immigrant investor program.
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November 25, 2024
Informant Says He Brought Developers To Madigan's Law Firm
An ex-Chicago alderman who wore a wire to meetings with former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan was back on the stand Monday describing how he arranged a meeting with developers of a Chicago apartment building at Madigan's law office, with jurors hearing a call in which Madigan said to "go ahead and process" a zoning change for that project after the alderman asked if the developer gave him legal work.
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November 25, 2024
Swinomish Tribe Wants In On Tidegate Opinion Fight
The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community has asked a Washington federal judge to let it intervene in a lawsuit by a county dike district against a U.S. government biological opinion that finds that a proposed tidegate project endangers salmon.
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November 25, 2024
Colo. Law Could Imperil Dual Banking System, 10th Circ. Told
Texas, Utah and other Republican-led states have joined industry calls for the Tenth Circuit to affirm a court-ordered hold on a Colorado law targeting higher-cost online lending, warning the measure could lead to the unraveling of the dual banking system.
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November 25, 2024
FHWA Says Rule Doesn't 'Compel' States To Lower Emissions
The Federal Highway Administration defended a new rule calling on states to set targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from federally funded highway projects, telling the Fifth Circuit in a Friday brief the rule doesn't actually compel states to lower their emissions.
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November 25, 2024
Colo. Judge Won't Keep SJSU Trans Athlete From Tournament
A Colorado federal judge on Monday refused to prohibit a San Jose State University transgender volleyball athlete from competing, shutting down a bid from a group of female players in the sport hoping to secure a preliminary injunction against the Mountain West Conference.
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November 25, 2024
Legal YouTuber Files FOIA Suit To Get Trump Cases Docs
Popular legal YouTuber Legal Eagle has filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit asking for a court order forcing the federal government to expeditiously process requests for documents related to the prosecutions of Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., and Florida that special counsel Jack Smith is now seeking to dismiss.
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November 25, 2024
DEA And Anti-Pot Group Reject Accusations Of Collusion
The Drug Enforcement Administration and a leading anti-cannabis-legalization advocacy group on Monday each pushed back against allegations that they colluded with each other in the run-up to administrative law judge hearings on a proposal to loosen federal restrictions on pot.
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November 25, 2024
Spectrum, Rip And Replace Are Top FCC Priorities, Carr Says
Congress needs to focus next year on restoring the Federal Communications Commission's authority to auction spectrum bands and figure out how to pay for adequate telecom cybersecurity, says Brendan Carr, the agency's upcoming Republican chair.
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November 25, 2024
Kalshi's Election Contracts Are Here To Stay, DC Circ. Told
Prediction market advocates and legal scholars have told the D.C. Circuit that the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission stretched existing statutes too far in its bid to block KalshiEx's election wagering market, and now that the votes are in, the agency's concerns that the markets would threaten election integrity have not borne out.
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November 25, 2024
FCC To Bar Fla. Telecom From Aid After Fraud Conviction
The Federal Communications Commission is looking to block a Florida-based wireless service provider from participating in any universal service programs for at least three years after it was convicted of conspiring to defraud the federal government through the agency's Lifeline Program for low-income phone users.
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November 25, 2024
Hemp Sellers Say Conn. Cannabis Laws Violate Constitution
A dozen Connecticut hemp retailers filed a federal lawsuit against the governor and attorney general challenging a number of state laws meant to regulate so-called high-THC hemp products, claiming the statutes are so vague they are unconstitutional.
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November 25, 2024
Calif. Gov. Promises EV Tax Credit If Trump Axes Federal
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday said that he's preparing to save electric vehicle tax credits — at least for residents of his state — if the Trump administration and a Republican Congress eliminate federal ones.
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November 25, 2024
TMX Moves For Emergency Block On $52M Pa. Fine Hearing
An affiliate of TMX Finance asked a Texas federal court to pause Pennsylvania regulators' efforts to enforce the state's anti-usury laws against it, claiming it faced a "Hobson's choice" of responding to an enforcement proceeding whose legality was being questioned, or waiving its arguments and facing a $52.7 million fine.
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November 25, 2024
Colo. Justices Take Up Political Donor Secrecy Case
The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider whether election officials were allowed to fine a conservative political group for refusing to disclose its donors after it spent millions of dollars on state ballot questions in 2020.
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November 25, 2024
Calif. Board Seeks Comment On AI Rules Amid Pushback
The California Privacy Protection Agency on Friday opened the public comment period for its latest rulemaking package proposing expansive draft rules regulating technologies fueled by artificial intelligence — including in the employment, education, healthcare, consumer protection, banking and insurance contexts — which business groups have already criticized as being overly broad and burdensome.
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November 25, 2024
Judge Vacates Minnesota Mediation Order In Land Dispute
A federal district court judge on Monday vacated a mediation order in a dispute over more than 3,000 acres of land taken into trust for a Minnesota tribe after parties involved in the litigation said any settlement would require compromise on their legal positions or a voluntary remand.
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November 25, 2024
NJ Judge Allows Nonprofit To Join Affordable Housing Fight
A New Jersey nonprofit is aligned with the state's government in a challenge to a new affordable housing obligation framework it adopted, but that alignment of goals does not mean the nonprofit should not also be allowed to intervene on the case, a Garden State judge said in an order.
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November 25, 2024
5th Circ. Upholds Miss. Ban On Medical Pot Ads
Marijuana dispensaries do not have protections under the First Amendment to advertise their products because the drug is still illicit under federal law, the Fifth Circuit ruled, tossing a lawsuit that sought to upend the state's tight regulations on cannabis ads.
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November 25, 2024
4th Circ. Stands By HELOC 'Offset' Ruling Against PNC
The full Fourth Circuit has declined to reconsider a panel decision that extended protections under the Truth In Lending Act by barring banks from dipping into a cardholder's deposit account to cover outstanding payments on a home equity line of credit without the borrower's consent.
Expert Analysis
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What Higher Education Can Expect From A 2nd Trump Admin
The election of Donald Trump for a second presidential term has far-reaching ramifications for colleges and universities — come January, institutions can expect a crackdown on DEI, increased scrutiny of campus protests, a rollback of the Biden administration's Title IX rules and more, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.
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AI Monitoring And FCRA: Employer Compliance Essentials
As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission signal determination to treat AI-based workplace surveillance as a potential Fair Credit Reporting Act issue, employers must commit to educating HR and compliance staff on these quickly evolving regulatory expectations, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.
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Series
Circus Arts Make Me A Better Lawyer
Performing circus arts has strengthened my ability to be more thoughtful, confident and grounded, all of which has enhanced my legal practice and allowed me to serve clients in a more meaningful way, says Bailey McGowan at Stinson.
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How D&O Coverage Can Aid Against Increased AI Scrutiny
The recent increase in regulatory enforcement and securities class actions stemming from corporate use of artificial intelligence should prompt companies to ensure that their directors and officers liability insurance coverage is appropriately tailored to AI-related risks, say attorneys at Reed Smith.
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When Investigating An Adversary, Be Wary Of Forged Records
Warnings against the use of investigators who tout their ability to find an adversary’s private documents generally emphasize the risk of illegal activity and attorney discipline, but a string of recent cases shows an additional danger — investigators might be fabricating records altogether, says Brian Asher at Asher Research.
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Crypto Cos. Add New Play In Their Offense Against SEC
Consensys and Crypto.com have adopted a novel strategy of preempting U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement actions by moving to crypto-friendly Texas and filing declaratory lawsuits challenging the SEC's jurisdiction to regulate crypto-assets — an aggressive approach that may pay off, say attorneys at Herrick Feinstein.
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FTC Focus: Zeroing In On Post-Election Labor Markets
The presidential election and the push-and-pull of the administrative state's reach are likely to affect the Federal Trade Commission's focus on labor markets, including the tenor of noncompete rule enforcement, say attorneys at Proskauer.
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3 Ways To Train Junior Lawyers In 30 Minutes Or Less
Today’s junior lawyers are experiencing a skills gap due to pandemic-era disruptions, but firms can help bring them up to speed by offering high-impact skill building content in bite-sized, interactive training sessions, say Stacey Schwartz at Katten, Diane Costigan at Winston & Strawn and Lauren Tierney at Freshfields.
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Opinion
Why States Should Adopt ABA's 'Duty To Inquire'
State bars should codify the American Bar Association's proposed rule on a lawyer's duty to scrutinize each representation as it provides guardrails for lawyers, supports self-regulation of the profession, and helps avert money laundering and other crimes, says Deborah Winokur at Cozen O'Connor.
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$3B TD Bank AML Settlement Is A Wake-Up Call For All Banks
TD Bank’s historic settlement over anti-money laundering violations, resulting in over $3 billion in penalties, reminds banks of all shapes and sizes why they need to take financial crime compliance seriously, and highlights three areas that may be especially vulnerable to enforcement, says Jack Harrington at Bradley Arant.
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What Trump Presidency May Mean For Climate Reporting
While the Trump administration will likely take a hands-off approach to climate-related disclosures and rescind regulations promulgated under the Biden administration, state and international ESG laws mean the private sector may not reverse course on such disclosures, say attorneys at Seyfarth.
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Expect Surging Oil And Gas Industry Under New Trump Admin
Throughout his recent campaign, President-elect Donald Trump promised increased oil and natural gas production and reduced reliance on renewables — and his administration will likely bring more oil and gas dealmaking, faster federal permitting and attempts to roll back incentives for green energy, say attorneys at Sidley.
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Timing Of An NLRB Power Shift Hinges On Biden Nominees
President-elect Donald Trump seems certain to shake up the National Labor Relations Board's prounion Democrat majority, but the incoming president's timing depends on whether the current Senate confirms two pending nominees to board positions, say attorneys at Fox Rothschild.
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Opinion
The Right Kind Of Deregulation In Commercial Airline Industry
Similar to the economic deregulation that occurred more than four decades ago during the Carter administration, the incoming Trump administration should restore the very limited federal regulatory role in the economics of the airline industry, says former U.S. transportation secretary James Burnley at Venable.
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Medicare Overpayment Rules Are A Mixed Bag For Providers
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' updated rules for handling agency overpayments adopt a more reasonable definition of what it means to have "identified" an overpayment, which is a win for providers, but their new time frame for investigating related overpayments is unrealistic, says Susan Banks at Holland & Knight.