Public Policy

  • October 09, 2026

    FCC Urged To Put Hold On Repeal Of Media Ownership Cap

    Several groups are calling on the Federal Communications Commission to stay a recent order lifting its long-standing 39% cap on national broadcast audience reach while a court battle plays out.

  • October 09, 2026

    FCC To Begin Search For Upper C-Band Clearinghouse Admin

    The Federal Communications Commission has begun the process of selecting an entity that will serve as the clearinghouse charged with reimbursing incumbent spectrum users for making way for 5G wireless in the upper C-band.

  • October 09, 2026

    Pa. Justices Won't Extend Deadline For 'Skill Games' Removal

    The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has denied a request from three state lawmakers and a group of "skill games" operators to extend the deadline for businesses to remove devices that the high court recently deemed illegal slot machines.

  • October 09, 2026

    Phaseout Of FCC's E-Rate Could Dampen GDP, Report Says

    An advocacy group warned that a Federal Communications Commission plan to eventually phase out the E-Rate connectivity aid program could dampen U.S. economic output.

  • October 09, 2026

    Can Trade Secret Law Protect Indigenous Knowledge?

    As the U.S. and other countries struggle to agree on new international protections for Indigenous knowledge, trade secret law is drawing renewed attention as a possible solution for material that communities actually keep confidential.

  • October 09, 2026

    States Challenge DOL's Ax Of Unemployment Insurance Grant

    Fourteen states sued the federal government in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims on Friday, alleging the U.S. Department of Labor wrongfully terminated grants intended for modernizing their unemployment insurance programs.

  • October 09, 2026

    Noncitizen Guantánamo Detainees Fight Closed-Hearing Bid

    Lead plaintiffs in a certified class of noncitizen Guantánamo Bay detainees who are challenging a Trump administration policy to detain noncitizens at Guantánamo Bay asked a D.C. federal judge to reject an administration request to close an upcoming hearing when officials are anticipated to testify about the policy.

  • October 09, 2026

    Feds Say Calif. 'Clean Trucks' Pact Usurps Emissions Rules

    The Trump administration said Friday that California cannot usurp exclusive federal authority to set uniform motor vehicle emissions standards, urging a federal judge to strike down the Golden State's efforts to still enforce stricter emissions mandates on heavy-duty truck manufacturers in defiance of federal law.

  • October 09, 2026

    CU Boulder Hiked Fees For Records Requests, Suit Says

    An administrator at the University of Colorado Boulder claimed in Colorado state court Thursday that the school improperly withheld and attempted to overcharge for records requested related to harassment he experienced under the Colorado Open Records Act.

  • October 09, 2026

    SEC Proposes Restoring Funds' Ability To Cross-Trade Bonds

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission put forth a proposal on Friday to make it easier for mutual and other registered funds under the same manager to trade with one another, while promising to update the oversight rules for fund managers participating in such cross-trades.

  • October 09, 2026

    Vape Cos. FDA Suit On Hold As Agency Reviews Policy

    A Texas federal court has granted a joint motion to stay litigation by an Altria Group Inc. vape subsidiary challenging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's premarket authorization rule, pausing proceedings while the FDA pursues rulemaking to replace the challenged framework.

  • October 09, 2026

    EU, China Make Trade Pledges On Hybrid Vehicles, Minerals

    The European Union and China said Friday that they reached mutual understanding on several key trade matters following a bilateral meeting, including the facilitation of Chinese minerals to EU companies and limiting China's exports of hybrid vehicles to the bloc.

  • October 09, 2026

    Cannabis Wholesaler Settles Conn. AG's Consumer Claims

    A wholesaler that allegedly supplied Connecticut stores with high-potency cannabis products has agreed to settle a state enforcement action for $2 million and a promise not to operate without a license, according to a stipulated judgment Thursday.

  • October 09, 2026

    NM Groups Contest Militarization Of Public Land On Border

    A coalition of New Mexico groups has accused the Trump administration of unlawfully transferring more than 110,000 acres of public land along the southern border to the U.S. Department of Defense to close it off and rope the military into immigration enforcement.

  • October 09, 2026

    FCC Aims To Boost Mexico, Canada Telecom Border Security

    The Federal Communications Commission will vote on proposed new rules that would strengthen border security by improving transparency and disclosures for communications across the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders.

  • October 09, 2026

    CNN Says Azerbaijan Can't Sue Over Israel-Iran Report

    CNN has urged a Delaware federal court to throw out Azerbaijan's defamation lawsuit over the network's report that Israel used the country as a base for covert operations against Iran, arguing the First Amendment bars governments, foreign or domestic, from suing news organizations over criticism of their conduct.

  • October 09, 2026

    Feds Again Turn To 9th Circ. In Fight Over ICE Facility

    The Trump administration said Friday it will ask the Ninth Circuit to overturn a trial court decision requiring ICE to give independent monitors access to conduct inspections and electronic records for detained immigrants at a lockup in Adelanto, California, where a judge has twice called for conditions to be improved.

  • October 09, 2026

    US Sets Rules For Mexico, Canada Metal Tariff Discount

    The U.S. Department of Commerce on Friday defined how the U.S. content of certain metal products from Canada and Mexico will be determined for purposes of applying President Donald Trump's modifications to the steel, aluminum and copper tariff regimes.

  • October 09, 2026

    Squires Grants 4 PTAB Petitions, Rejects 3 In New Drop

    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires has instituted four new America Invents Act reviews at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and turned down three in his newest mass order.

  • October 09, 2026

    Md. Says No US Harm From Undocumented Tuition Law

    Maryland urged a federal court to reject a challenge to a state law that allows unauthorized immigrants to pay in-state college tuition, arguing the Trump administration has failed to identify any injury it has suffered from the law.

  • October 09, 2026

    M&A Attys See Resilience Through Q3 Amid Geopolitical Risk

    Global M&A activity remained strong through the first nine months of 2026 despite a third-quarter slowdown, as strategic buyers and private equity firms continued to pursue deals in areas ranging from technology and defense to essential services, attorneys told Law360.

  • October 09, 2026

    Bill Would Shift Unused Housing Vouchers To Tribal Veterans

    A bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would allow tribal nations to give back U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development vouchers that can be redistributed to Indigenous communities that are facing a shortage for their veterans.

  • October 09, 2026

    Up Next At High Court: Criminal Sentences & Video Privacy

    The U.S. Supreme Court will close out its October sitting by hearing oral arguments in two cases that ask what level of deference federal district courts should give to commentary interpreting the federal sentencing guidelines, and what purchases are protected under a video consumer privacy statute.

  • October 09, 2026

    Hospitals Ask Court To Block Revised Plan For 340B Rebates

    The American Hospital Association and four safety-net hospitals in Maine sued the Trump administration Friday to block plans to establish a rebate system in the 340B drug discount program, alleging it violates procedural requirements and threatens hospital finances.

  • October 09, 2026

    Grassley Attacks Dems' Claims Of Rule-Breaking Over Hearing

    Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, clapped back at Democrats for their accusations that Republicans broke Senate rules during a hearing last week at which former special counsel Jack Smith appeared.

Expert Analysis

  • Conn. Insurers Should Prepare To Explain Premium Hikes

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    As of Jan. 1, Connecticut insurers must provide a reasonable explanation for personal risk insurance premium increases upon policyholder request, and thus should familiarize themselves with a recent bulletin that prescribes the details, say attorneys at Troutman.

  • Where The 3 Prediction Market Appellate Rulings Diverge

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    Although the recent Third, Sixth and Ninth Circuit opinions concerning prediction markets overlap on some issues, they differ on key statutory questions, deepening a circuit split over both the classification of sports event contracts and the scope of federal preemption, says Levi Giovanetto at Sheppard.

  • Series

    Calif. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q3

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    California's financial regulators spent the third quarter of 2026 focusing on consumer protection enforcement at home while resisting federal efforts to displace state oversight — reinforcing the state's intention to shape the compliance landscape for institutions operating within its borders despite federal deregulatory trends, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

  • DOJ's Unusual Warning Puts Protests In FARA Crosshairs

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    The U.S. Department of Justice’s recent atypical press release about Foreign Agents Registration Act liability may signal greater scrutiny of public demonstrations and foreign-directed advocacy — but it does not change the statutory requirements for companies and individuals, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • Changing Strategies To Protect Your Autonomous AI's IP

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    After Insilico recently named only human inventors on a patent application for an autonomous artificial intelligence's drug discovery, companies should take concrete steps to preserve the strongest possible intellectual property protection for AI-assisted work, including documenting human contributions and strengthening trade secret controls, says Stephen Ball at Husch Blackwell.

  • How States May Enter The Shareholder Proposal Landscape

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    Rescission of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's shareholder proposal rule doesn't herald the end of shareholder activism, but it allows state legislatures to play a central role in determining the future of shareholder proposals, with that uncertainty creating new opportunities for both issuers and activists, say attorneys at Thompson Coburn.

  • Series

    Mentalism Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Convincing strangers I can read their minds may seem like an unusual second career for a legal practitioner, but both disciplines share several important requirements, including trust and preparation, says Warren Biro at Manatt.

  • Why And How To Build A Neurodiversity-Informed Practice

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    By better understanding neurodiversity and implementing simple accommodations for clients with autism, ADHD or learning differences, attorneys can build stronger relationships with those who may otherwise struggle to obtain and benefit from legal services, while developing good habits that will benefit everyone they represent, says Ting Cheung at Sanford Heisler.

  • Series

    Illinois Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q3

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    Recent banking developments in Illinois include significant new consumer protection legislation, three meaningful Seventh Circuit decisions, and a high-profile constitutional challenge to the state's new digital asset tax, say attorneys at Barnes & Thornburg.

  • How FTC Win Charts A Court-1st Merger Litigation Playbook

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    A New York federal court's recent decision blocking Henkel's acquisition of Liquid Nails marked a decisive trial win for the Federal Trade Commission, and tips for merging parties in similar transactions now include preparing for full-blown federal litigation, including a complete evidentiary trial, say attorneys at Cooley.

  • How SEC Is Changing The Shareholder Proposal Landscape

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission continues to place its shareholder proposal rule at the center of its agenda, now with a newly proposed rule that would rescind it entirely, showcasing an agency seeking to narrow its overall focus, say attorneys at Thompson Coburn.

  • NLRB Memo Signals Narrower View Of Protected Activism

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    A recent National Labor Relations Board memo concluding that Microsoft lawfully discharged two employees who conducted a pro-Palestinian protest on company property indicates that the current NLRB general counsel may take a more restrictive view of when political or social advocacy qualifies as protected activity, say attorneys at Franczek.

  • What Insurers Need To Know About 2 New California Laws

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    California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two measures last week that while addressing distinct issues — catastrophe claims handling and insurers' corrective actions, respectively — reflect similar themes, including insurers' preparation before problems arise, transparency while they are being addressed, and meaningful remediation afterward, says Lucy Wang at Hinshaw.

  • Opinion

    PTAB Panels Should Revamp Their IPR Merits Decisions

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    In light of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires' recent announcement about returning merits institution determinations to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, the implementing framework should strengthen PTAB panels' responsibility for the benefit of both petitioners and patent owners, says Brandon Theiss at AddyHart.

  • FCC Covered List Is Pushing Limits Of Supply Chain Scrutiny

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    Companies outside the traditional telecommunications sector may now need to factor the Federal Communications Commission's equipment authorization requirements into supply chain compliance as the FCC covered list continues to expand as a national security tool, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

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