Expert Analysis

• Where PCAOB Goes Next After A Year Of Uncertainty

  

  The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board will likely bring fewer enforcement matters in 2026, reflecting a notable change in board priorities following the change in administrations, say Robert Cox and Nicole Byrd at Whiteford Taylor and Matthew Rogers at Bridgehaven Consulting.

• As Federal Water Regs Recede, Calif.'s Permitting Tide Rises

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 decision in Sackett v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reduced federal protections for many wetlands and surface water features, but as California's main water regulator has made clear, many projects are now covered by state rules instead, which have their own complex compliance requirements, says Thierry Montoya at FBT Gibbons.

• Weathering FINRA's Scrutiny Of Foreign Small-Cap Issuers

  

  To prepare for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's recently announced targeted examinations, broker-dealers and firms that assist with IPOs abroad should consult years of FINRA guidance on managing the money-laundering and fraud risks inherent to foreign small-capitalization offerings, say Michael Watling and Elika Mohebbi at Seward & Kissel.

• Ambiguity Remains On Anti-DEI Grant Conditions

  

  Although a recent decision in City of Chicago and City of Saint Paul v. U.S. Department of Justice temporarily halts enforcement of anti-DEI conditions in federal grant applications, and echoes recent decisions in similar cases, companies remain at risk until the term “illegal DEI” is clarified, say attorneys at Moore & Van Allen.

• Radiation Standard Shift Might Add Complications For Cos.

  

  In keeping with the Trump administration's focus on nuclear energy, the U.S. Department of Energy recently announced that it will eliminate the "as low as reasonably achievable" radiation protection standard for agency practices and regulations — but it is far from clear that this change will benefit the nuclear power industry, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

• Bipartisan Enforcement Is Rising In Consumer Finance

  

  Activity over the past year suggests a bipartisan state enforcement wave is rippling across the consumer finance industry, which follows a blueprint set out by former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra, who notably now leads a Democratic Attorneys General Association working group, say attorneys at Hudson Cook.

• Ramped Up Psychedelic Production Carries Opportunity, Risk

  

  Kimberly Chew at Husch Blackwell discusses the key legal implications of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's recent dramatic increases in the production quotas for a range of psychedelic substances, offering guidance on compliance, risk management and strategic opportunities for practitioners navigating this rapidly evolving landscape.

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  Teaching Logic Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Teaching middle and high school students the skills to untangle complicated arguments and identify faulty reasoning has made me reacquaint myself with the defined structure of thought, reminding me why logic should remain foundational in the practice of law, says Tom Barrow at Woods Rogers.

• New Biotech Nat'l Security Controls May Have Blunted Impact

  

  While the newly enacted federal prohibition against contracting with certain biotechnology providers associated with countries of concern may have consequences on U.S. companies' ability to develop drugs, the restrictions may prove to be less problematic for the industry than the significant publicity around their passage would suggest, say attorneys at Wilson Sonsini.

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  Law School's Missed Lessons: Practicing Resilience

  

  Resilience is a skill acquired through daily practices that focus on learning from missteps, recovering quickly without internalizing defeat and moving forward with intention, says Nicholas Meza at Quarles & Brady.

• Takeaways From The DOJ Fraud Section's 2025 Year In Review

  

  Former acting Principal Deputy Chief Sean Tonolli of the U.S. Department of Justice's Fraud Section, now at Cahill Gordon, analyzes key findings from the section’s annual report — including the changes implemented to adapt to the new administration’s priorities — and lays out what to watch for this year.

• New State Regs On PFAS In Products Complicate Compliance

  

  The new year brought new bans and reporting requirements for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in half a dozen states — in many cases, targeting specific consumer product categories — so manufacturers, distributors and retailers must not only monitor their own supply chains, but also coordinate to ensure compliance, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

• What An Uptick In Shareholder Activism Means For Banking

  

  With increasing bank M&A activity, activists are becoming more focused on larger banking institutions, but there are ways banks can begin to prepare in case they need to defend against activist campaigns, say attorneys at Debevoise.

• Anticipating The SEC's Cybersecurity Focus After SolarWinds

  

  While the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent voluntary dismissal of its enforcement action against SolarWinds Corp. and its chief information security officer marks a significant victory for the defendants, it does not mean the SEC is done bringing cybersecurity cases, say attorneys at MoFo.

• Bid Protest Data Contradicts Claims That System Is Inefficient

  

  Recently released data debunks the narrative that the federal procurement system is overwhelmed by excessive or meritless bid protests, revealing instead that the process is healthy and functioning as intended, says Joshua Duvall at Duvy Law.