Environmental

  • January 23, 2026

    Feds' Wind Farm National Security Claim Faces Skepticism

    Federal courts aren't buying the Trump administration's argument that construction of offshore wind farms should be halted for national security reasons, with some judges suggesting that the government isn't making its claim in good faith.

  • January 23, 2026

    Mich. Residents Can Pursue City's Insurer In Lead Water Case

    A Michigan federal judge on Thursday allowed a class of Benton Harbor residents a chance to pursue $25 million from the city's insurer over toxic lead levels in municipal water, citing the city's inability to pay settlements and the residents' risk of a "Pyrrhic victory" if they prevail at trial.

  • January 23, 2026

    DC Circ. Backs FERC In Oil Pipeline Pricing Dispute

    The D.C. Circuit on Friday denied a petition challenging the method used by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to determine the value of oil flowing through an Alaskan pipeline, finding the agency correctly considered inflation and other factors.

  • January 23, 2026

    Calif. Urges 9th Circ. To Block Sable Pipeline Permit

    California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Friday asked the Ninth Circuit to shut down the Trump administration's emergency approvals for Sable Offshore Corp.-owned onshore pipelines, calling it another "unlawful power grab" that violates the Administrative Procedure Act.

  • January 23, 2026

    Green, Tribal Orgs. Fear Utah Lawmaker 'Attack' On Monument

    Environmental and tribal groups have warned that Utah's Republican members of Congress are planning to launch an "attack" against the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument as they seek to overturn a resource management plan designed to protect the public land as an ecological and cultural resource.

  • January 23, 2026

    $7B Grain Belt Power Line Project Can Move Forward In Ill.

    The Illinois Supreme Court on Friday allowed Grain Belt Express LLC to move forward with plans to stretch a high-voltage direct current transmission line across nine southern Illinois counties as part of a $7 billion power supply project, reversing a lower court that said the company behind the project hadn't properly shown that it could finance it.

  • January 23, 2026

    Enviros Seek Quick Win In Mont. National Forest Logging Row

    A group of environmental nonprofits is asking a federal district court for a summary judgment win in their challenge to a plan to clear-cut 12,331 acres in Montana's Flathead National Forest, saying the project's biological opinion does not reflect the litany of construction that is already underway adjacent to the property.

  • January 23, 2026

    Ill. Justices Deem Permits 'Irrelevant' To Pollution Exclusion

    Whether emissions are allowed under a permit is "irrelevant" when determining whether a commercial general liability policy's pollution exclusion applies to a claim made over those emissions, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled Friday.

  • January 22, 2026

    Smucker Pet Food Buyers Win Cert. In PFAS Disclosure Fight

    A California federal judge certified Thursday a class of Golden State consumers who accuse The J.M. Smucker Co. of failing to disclose risks of so-called PFAS forever chemicals in certain pet food packaging, rejecting Smucker's arguments, among others, that PFAS exposure is too individualized for classwide resolution.

  • January 22, 2026

    Transportation Cases To Watch In 2026

    Clashes over the scope of federal preemption in personal injury cases involving freight brokers and motor carriers, the Trump administration's gutting of Biden-era vehicle emissions standards and cuts to states' transportation and infrastructure funding are among the court battles that transportation attorneys are monitoring in 2026.

  • January 22, 2026

    Fla. Archaeologist Says Stolen Artifact Claims Ruined Career

    A Florida archaeologist filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against a Maryland nonprofit and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service official, alleging she damaged his reputation and ruined his career with false claims that he trafficked stolen Native American human remains. 

  • January 22, 2026

    SpaceX Eyes IPO, Spirit Mulls PE Owner, And Other Rumors

    Elon Musk's SpaceX is putting together a group of Wall Street investment banks for a potential IPO, Spirit Airlines is in talks with investment firm Castlelake to help lead it out of bankruptcy, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman looks to the Middle East to potentially raise tens of billions of dollars. 

  • January 22, 2026

    Fla. Must Provide Everglades Detention Center Funding Docs

    A state judge on Thursday ordered the Florida Division of Emergency Management to fulfill a records request from an environmental group related to a federal grant that funded an immigration detention center in the Everglades.

  • January 22, 2026

    Judge Expands Block On Trump's Grant Restrictions

    A Washington federal judge agreed to broaden a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration over its political restrictions for using over $12 billion worth of federal grants, expanding the block to cover additional plaintiffs who were added to the suit.

  • January 22, 2026

    FERC Commissioners Back Fed-State Push For PJM Changes

    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Thursday backed plans from the Trump administration, state governors and PJM Interconnection to address escalating power prices amid data center-fueled increases in electricity demand, and encouraged the nation's largest grid operator to promptly submit policy proposals.

  • January 22, 2026

    Md. Judge Keeps Ship Manager Liability Shield Bid Alive

    A Maryland federal judge Thursday allowed the manager of the container ship that slammed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge to press ahead, for now, with its request to invoke a nearly two-centuries-old maritime law to limit its liability for the 2024 wreck.

  • January 22, 2026

    AGs Target Investor Advocacy Group As 'Climate Cartel'

    A group of state attorneys general led by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier issued a warning letter Wednesday to climate advocacy organization Ceres claiming concerns about violations of antitrust and consumer protection laws.

  • January 22, 2026

    Golf Club Says Allianz Unit Owes $2.2M In Hurricane Coverage

    An Allianz unit acted in bad faith when refusing to pay nearly $2.3 million in coverage for damages caused by Hurricane Helene, a private golf club alleged in a suit removed to North Carolina federal court.

  • January 22, 2026

    Washington Drops $9M Climate Fund Suit Against NOAA

    Washington state dropped its lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Commerce after a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from withholding more than $9 million meant to shore up the state's resiliency to climate change.

  • January 22, 2026

    2 Firms Advise Energy Infrastructure Co.'s Go-Public Deal

    Utility-scale energy infrastructure developer Hecate Energy Group said Thursday that it is set to become a public company valued at $1.2 billion under a merger advised by Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP and Allen Overy Shearman Sterling LLP.

  • January 21, 2026

    BP Says Wash. Residents' 'Noxious Odors' Class Claims Stink

    A BP unit facing a proposed class action over oil refinery fumes urged a Washington federal judge to flush the suit, arguing that the plaintiffs' proposed class definition is flawed because individual residents would be affected differently based on wind direction, distance from the facility and other factors.

  • January 21, 2026

    Firm Seeks To Toss Suit Alleging Hurricane Claim Fee Scheme

    A law firm urged a Louisiana federal court Wednesday to toss a proposed class action over an alleged scheme to collect exorbitant fees on hurricane-related property insurance claims, saying the complaint fails to plead a certifiable class and involves a "smorgasbord" of individualized legal malpractice claims.

  • January 21, 2026

    4th Circ. Says Judge Wrongly Blocked Trump Grant Freeze

    The Fourth Circuit on Wednesday wiped out a federal district judge's order restoring 32 congressionally funded grants frozen by the Trump administration, saying it's a contractual matter for the U.S. Court of Federal Claims to decide.

  • January 21, 2026

    Cloover Raises $1.22B Via Series A, Debt Facility

    Cloover announced Wednesday that the green fintech company raised $22 million via a Series A equity financing as well as a $1.2 billion debt facility from a leading European bank, guided by Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. 

  • January 21, 2026

    Okla. Tribes Challenge Bid To Dismiss Hunting Rights Suit

    Three tribal nations are fighting a motion by Oklahoma to dismiss their challenge that looks to block the prosecution of Native Americans for hunting and fishing on tribal lands, telling the court that the state's Ex parte Young doctrine arguments are "not colorable."

Expert Analysis

  • Agentic AI Puts A New Twist On Attorney Ethics Obligations

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    As lawyers increasingly use autonomous artificial intelligence agents, disciplinary authorities must decide whether attorney responsibility for an AI-caused legal ethics violation is personal or supervisory, and firms must enact strong policies regarding agentic AI use and supervision, says Grace Wynn at HWG.

  • Resilience Planning Is New Key To Corporate Sustainability

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    While the current wave of deregulation may reduce government enforcement related to climate issues, businesses still need to evaluate how climate volatility may affect their operations and create new legal risks — making the apolitical concept of resilience increasingly important for companies, says J. Michael Showalter at ArentFox Schiff.

  • Cos. Face EU, US Regulatory Tension On Many Fronts

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    When the European Union sets stringent standards, companies seeking to operate in the international marketplace must conform to them, or else concede opportunities — but with the current U.S. administration pushing hard to roll back regulations, global companies face an increasing tension over which standards to follow, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

  • How EU Is Tweaking Enviro Laws After US Trade Deal

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    While a recent joint statement from the European Union and the U.S. in the wake of their trade deal does not mention special treatment for U.S. companies, the EU's ongoing commitment to streamline its sustainability legislation suggests an openness to addressing concerns raised by the U.S., say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Series

    Being A Professional Wrestler Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Pursuing my childhood dream of being a professional wrestler has taught me important legal career lessons about communication, adaptability, oral advocacy and professionalism, says Christopher Freiberg at Midwest Disability.

  • Restored Charging Project Funds Revive Hope For EV Market

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    While 2025 began with a host of government actions that prompted some to predict the demise of the U.S. electric vehicle market, the Trump administration's recent restoration of federal funding for EV charging infrastructure under new terms presents market participants with reason for optimism, says Levi McAllister at Morgan Lewis.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Adapting To The Age Of AI

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    Though law school may not have specifically taught us how to use generative artificial intelligence to help with our daily legal tasks, it did provide us the mental building blocks necessary for adapting to this new technology — and the judgment to discern what shouldn’t be automated, says Pamela Dorian at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Ch. 11 Ruling Voiding $2M Litigation Funding Sends A Warning

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    A recent Texas bankruptcy court decision that a postconfirmation litigation trust has no obligations to repay a completely drawn down $2 million litigation funding agreement serves as a warning for estate administrators and funders to properly disclose the intended financing, say attorneys at Kleinberg Kaplan.

  • Demystifying The Civil Procedure Rules Amendment Process

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    Every year, an advisory committee receives dozens of proposals to amend the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, most of which are never adopted — but a few pointers can help maximize the likelihood that an amendment will be adopted, says Josh Gardner at DLA Piper.

  • Parenting Skills That Can Help Lawyers Thrive Professionally

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    As kids head back to school, the time is ripe for lawyers who are parents to consider how they can incorporate their parenting skills to build a deep, meaningful and sustainable legal practice, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Series

    Teaching Trial Advocacy Makes Us Better Lawyers

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    Teaching trial advocacy skills to other lawyers makes us better litigators because it makes us question our default methods, connect to young attorneys with new perspectives and focus on the needs of the real people at the heart of every trial, say Reuben Guttman, Veronica Finkelstein and Joleen Youngers.

  • Navigating Brazil's Regulations, Incentives For Green Projects

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    Brazil's evolving environmental regulatory framework and ongoing moves to attract international capital for climate-focused projects may appeal to U.S.-based companies and investors interested in sustainable development — but taking advantage of these opportunities requires careful planning and meaningful stakeholder engagement, says Milena Angulo at Guimarães.

  • Federal AI Action Plan Marks A Shift For Health And Bio Fields

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    The Trump administration's recent artificial intelligence action plan significantly expands federal commitments across biomedical agencies, defining a pivotal moment for attorneys and others involved in research collaborations, managing regulatory compliance and AI-related intellectual property, says Mehrin Masud-Elias at Arnold & Porter.

  • Data Center Construction Trends, Challenges In Ill. And Texas

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    Data centers in Illinois and Texas are reshaping the industrial landscape, but this growth brings legal complexity, so developers, contractors and corporate legal departments must have a deep understanding of each state's legal terrain and take a proactive approach to risk management, say attorneys at Hicks Johnson.

  • 5 Key Steps To Prepare For Oral Arguments

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    Whether presenting oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court or a local county judge, effective preparation includes the same essential ingredients, from organizing arguments in blocks to maximizing the potential of mock exercises, says Allison Rocker at Baker McKenzie.

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