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Public Policy
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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."
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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.
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December 12, 2024
IRS Chief Makes Case To Restore $20B Funding Shortfall
Congress should reverse a $20 billion IRS funding gap in a year-end budget bill to help the agency modernize its technology, improve customer service and collect unpaid taxes from wealthy businesses and individuals, Internal Revenue Commissioner Daniel Werfel said Thursday.
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December 12, 2024
6th Circ. Appears Divided On Telecom Breach Reporting Rule
A Sixth Circuit panel seemed split over the Federal Communications Commission's tightened telecommunications data breach rules, with one judge defending the commission as taking necessary steps to safeguard consumers from a "true" danger and another claiming that the rule seemed to run afoul of lawmakers' wishes.
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December 12, 2024
AGs Launch Gun Violence Crackdown With Glock Suits
New Jersey and Minnesota unveiled lawsuits Thursday against Glock Inc. aimed at ending "once and for all" the homemade machine gun industry, marking the start of a crackdown by a coalition of enforcers looking to hold the firearms industry liable for gun violence.
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December 12, 2024
Cannabis Shops Ask DC Judge To Halt Store Shutdowns
A coalition of Washington, D.C.-based recreational marijuana shops is asking a D.C. federal judge to put a stop to district regulators' enforcement actions against their stores, saying the businesses face "imminent destruction" absent an injunction.
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December 12, 2024
DOI Plan Would Protect NM Land From New Mining Claims
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland on Thursday initiated a two-year segregation period to temporarily withdraw 165,000 acres of public lands in New Mexico from new mining claims and the issuance of new federal mineral leases.
Expert Analysis
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California's New AV Law May Steer Policy Nationwide
California's new law establishing various requirements for autonomous vehicles is something other states should pay close attention to — especially because the Golden State's policies may become a de facto mandate for manufacturers due to its market size, says Vineet Dubey at Custodio Dubey.
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Alpine Ruling Previews Challenges To FINRA Authority
While the D.C. Circuit's holding that the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority can't expel member firm Alpine prior to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission review was relatively narrow, it foreshadows possibly broader constitutional challenges to FINRA's enforcement and other nongovernmental disciplinary programs, say attorneys at Stradley Ronon.
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Wage Whiplash: Surviving A Compliance Roller Coaster
As the transition to the Trump administration causes mounting uncertainty about federal wage and hour policies, employers can transform compliance challenges into opportunities for resilience and growth by taking key steps to comply with stricter state and local requirements, says Lee Jacobs at Barclay Damon.
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Series
Group Running Makes Me A Better Lawyer
The combination of physical fitness and community connection derived from running with a group of business leaders has, among other things, helped me to stay grounded, improve my communication skills, and develop a deeper empathy for clients and colleagues, says Jessica Shpall Rosen at Greenwald Doherty.
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Marketing Messages Matter In State AG Consumer Protection
Attorneys general interpret marketing claims far more broadly than many companies may realize, so to mitigate potential risk, businesses should be vigilant about all consumer messaging, including communications that may not traditionally be considered advertising in the colloquial sense, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.
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Tips For Employers Facing Looming Immigration Changes
As Trump's second term heralds a challenging period for immigration policy, employers should look to lessons from his first administration as they implement strategies for their global talent programs and communications protocols, says Eileen Lohmann at BAL.
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Opinion
6 Changes I Would Make If I Ran A Law School
Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner identifies several key issues plaguing law schools and discusses potential solutions, such as opting out of the rankings game and mandating courses in basic writing skills.
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The Current State Of Play Around Corporate Transparency Act
Although a Texas court preliminarily enjoined enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act and paused an impending Dec. 31 reporting deadline, multiple states have similar requirements, so companies should continue to monitor compliance obligations regardless of the CTA's constitutionality, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.
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Predictions For Trump Antitrust Enforcement Of Life Sciences
Key life sciences antitrust issues of the past two administrations may indicate the direction of enforcement during President-elect Donald Trump's second term, including in areas such as drug prices, killer acquisitions and merger remedies, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.
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What To Know About Fla. Civil Procedure Rule Revisions
While some may be apprehensive about the looming changes coming to Florida’s Rules of Civil Procedure on Jan. 1, these essential modifications that affect tenets of civil litigation long taken for granted will increase efficiency and streamline the litigation process, say attorneys at Farah & Farah.
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From Football To Pickleball, Sports Investing Evolved In 2024
The NFL's decision to allow private-equity investments in football franchises capped off a transformative year in U.S. sports that also included landmark PE transactions in emerging sports ranging from women's soccer to pickleball, say attorneys at Weil.
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Implications Of NY Climate Case For Generating Facilities
Regardless of how Greenidge Generation LLC v. New York Department of Environmental Conservation develops on remand, this decision has immediate repercussions for generating facilities seeking permit applications and renewals in New York, likely involving Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act considerations, say attorneys at Hodgson Russ.
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How CFPB Rule Would Affect Data Brokers And Beyond
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently proposed a rule that would not only expand data broker oversight by classifying many as consumer reporting agencies, but would also impose new limitations on companies seeking to obtain information from them, potentially requiring such entities to alter their business models, say attorneys at Orrick.
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Firms Still Have The Edge In Lateral Hiring, But Buyer Beware
Partner mobility data suggests that the third quarter of this year continued to be a buyer’s market, with the average candidate demanding less compensation for a larger book of business — but moving into the fourth quarter, firms should slow down their hiring process to minimize risks, say officers at Decipher Investigative Intelligence.
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Reviewing 2024's State Consumer Privacy Law Enforcement
While we are still in the infancy of state consumer privacy laws, a review of enforcement activity this year suggests substantial overlaps in regulatory priorities across the most active states and gives insight into the likely paths of future enforcement, says Thomas Nolan at Quinn Emanuel.