Environmental

  • January 02, 2026

    Consumer Protection Cases And Trends To Watch In 2026

    State attorneys general will litigate more consumer protection cases in the new year, whether the suits are filed by their own offices or with the help of outside counsel, while the federal government under the Trump administration will drop pending enforcement actions and continue its shift away from broad rulemaking.

  • January 02, 2026

    5 Policy Areas Benefits Attys Should Keep Tabs On In 2026

    The new year promises policy shifts that could change the legal landscape for health and retirement benefits, including action to follow through on an executive order encouraging alternative assets in 401(k) plans, and a potential replacement for a Biden-era rule covering how retirement plan managers can factor environmental and social issues into their investment strategy. Here are five policy areas benefits attorneys will be watching in 2026.

  • January 02, 2026

    DC Circ. Cases To Watch In January

    The D.C. Circuit will start the New Year hearing several noteworthy cases, including a challenge to the Trump administration's transgender troop ban and a fight over whether two common "forever" chemicals qualify as hazardous materials under the Superfund law.

  • January 02, 2026

    Illinois Cases To Watch In 2026

    The Seventh Circuit will have its first opportunities in 2026 to analyze recent U.S. Supreme Court precedent narrowing federal bribery convictions as it resolves two high-profile public corruption appeals, while the Illinois Supreme Court could significantly impact state jury management when it decides whether a juror's "surrender" note signaled enough deliberation discord to warrant a retrial. 

  • January 02, 2026

    Cases To Watch In Native American Law In 2026

    The new year in Native American law is expected to usher in rulings on the rights of Indigenous nations and their citizens, including disputes over voting, hunting and fishing, and a possible expansion of the Supreme Court's 2020 landmark decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma.

  • January 02, 2026

    California Cases To Watch In 2026

    Legal experts following California courts in 2026 are tracking high-stakes personal injury, antitrust and copyright battles against giants in the social media, artificial intelligence and entertainment industries, as well as wide-ranging legal disputes arising from Los Angeles wildfires and high-profile appeals pending before the California Supreme Court.

  • January 02, 2026

    Food & Beverage Cases To Watch In 2026

    There are several issues food and beverage attorneys will want to keep an eye on in 2026, from litigation challenging the marketing of ultra-processed foods, to false advertising claims over the presence of "forever chemicals" and microplastics, to the federal government's efforts to regulate additives. Here, Law360 has rounded up a number of matters that attorneys should be watching.

  • January 02, 2026

    North Carolina Cases To Watch In 2026

    In the new year, North Carolina state and federal courts are set to consider the intricacies of class action certification at the behest of thousands of fast-food workers and whether Chinese company TikTok Inc. is deliberately designing the app to addict children.

  • January 02, 2026

    4 Colorado Cases To Watch In 2026

    In 2026, Colorado will be center stage for legal fights surrounding the guardrails of generative AI platforms, a second trial will take place to determine if the ethylene oxide output of a medical sterilization company caused some Lakewood residents to develop cancer, and the state will continue its fight to stop the move of Space Command's headquarters. Here, Law360 looks at four cases to watch in the state.

  • January 02, 2026

    Michigan Cases To Watch In 2026

    Environmental issues are taking center stage in Michigan courts in 2026, with an upcoming federal bench trial to determine whether the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is liable for how it handled the Flint water crisis, and the Michigan and U.S. Supreme Courts tackling disputes between the state and Enbridge Energy over a pipeline project proposed for underneath the Straits of Mackinac.

  • January 02, 2026

    California Legislation And Regulations To Watch In 2026

    Legal experts expect California lawmakers and regulators to continue to grapple with the artificial intelligence boom, various battles with the Trump administration and new climate disclosure requirements in 2026. Here's a short list of the major developments that Golden State attorneys will be watching.

  • January 02, 2026

    Transactional Trends To Watch In The Energy Industry In 2026

    The growth of data centers and artificial intelligence will continue to drive the energy dealmaking bus in 2026, while a tax credit for renewable energy projects is set to expire midyear. Here are the energy transactional trends that attorneys will be watching.

  • January 02, 2026

    Energy And Environmental Policies To Watch In 2026

    The Trump administration has aggressively pursued deregulatory actions across the federal government, such as proposing to rescind the scientific finding that laid the groundwork for greenhouse gas emissions standards and narrowing the government's jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act. Here, Law360 takes a look at these and other policies that could be finalized in 2026.

  • January 02, 2026

    SnapChat, Pork And Big Prosecutions: Trials To Watch In 2026

    The coming year is set to bring high-profile trials, including in the criminal case against SCOTUSblog co-founder Tom Goldstein, as well as bellwether trials in multidistrict litigation concerning social media's effects on mental health and allegations of price-fixing in the generic-drug industry.

  • January 02, 2026

    Energy And Environmental Cases To Watch In 2026

    This year promises to be a big one for energy and environmental cases, with courts slated to consider California's authority to regulate vehicle emissions, the federal government's authority to rescind grant funding and whether the president can fire certain agency officials. Here, Law360 takes a look at key energy and environmental cases to watch at the U.S. Supreme Court and elsewhere.

  • January 02, 2026

    3 New Jersey Bills To Watch In 2026

    New Jersey legislators will be busy in 2026 as Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill takes the reins from outgoing Gov. Phil Murphy, while eagle-eyed policy wonks, anti-corruption advocates and environmental groups will be sure to keep close watch as proposals from 2025 make their way through the halls of Trenton.

  • January 02, 2026

    Transportation Regulation & Legislation To Watch In 2026

    New restrictions on nondomiciled commercial driver's licenses for immigrants, revised vehicle emission and fuel economy standards, and a railroad megamerger are some of the transportation industry's top regulatory developments to watch in 2026.

  • January 01, 2026

    Blue Slip Fight Looms Over Trump's 2026 Judicial Outlook

    In 2025, President Donald Trump put 20 district and six circuit judges on the federal bench. In the year ahead, a fight over home state senators' ability to block district court picks could make it more difficult for him to match that record.

  • January 01, 2026

    4 High Court Cases To Watch This Spring

    The U.S. Supreme Court justices will return from the winter holidays to tackle several constitutional disputes that range from who is entitled to birthright citizenship to whether transgender individuals are entitled to heightened levels of protection from discrimination. 

  • January 01, 2026

    BigLaw Leaders Tackle Growth, AI, Remote Work In New Year

    Rapid business growth, cultural changes caused by remote work and generative AI are creating challenges and opportunities for law firm leaders going into the New Year. Here, seven top firm leaders share what’s running through their minds as they lie awake at night.

  • December 23, 2025

    Top North Carolina Cases Of 2025

    A sweep of settlements in major lawsuits punctuated the second half of the year in North Carolina, from a record-breaking wrongful death deal to an eleventh-hour resolution in a lending fight over a biogas development project. Here are some of the top North Carolina case outcomes in the second half of 2025.

  • December 23, 2025

    Biggest Energy & Environmental Court Decisions Of 2025

    Two U.S. Supreme Court rulings that erected stricter boundaries on federal environmental reviews and permitting highlighted an action-packed 2025 for energy and environmental litigation. Here, Law360 looks back at this year's most consequential court decisions in energy and environmental law.

  • December 23, 2025

    Alaska Fights Feds, Tribes In High Court Fishing Regs Row

    Alaska is fighting opposition to its Supreme Court bid to reverse a Ninth Circuit order that barred it from opening part of the Kuskokwim River to all fishers, telling the justices that the U.S. and tribal associations are urging them to "just look the other way."

  • December 23, 2025

    Top New Jersey Cases Of 2025

    New Jersey courts saw some history-making litigation come to a close over the course of 2025, including the largest environmental settlement ever achieved by a single state and the first clergy abuse trial verdict since the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse claims was extended. Another notable development was the state's federal bench exercising a rarely used authority to reject President Donald Trump's pick for interim U.S. attorney.

  • December 23, 2025

    NJ Atty Disciplined For Leaving Client Claims In 'Limbo'

    The New Jersey Supreme Court last week reprimanded an attorney who left clients in "limbo" for years over their potential environmental contamination claims against drugmaker Bristol Myers Squibb.

Expert Analysis

  • Sales And Use Tax Strategies For Renewables After OBBBA

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    With the One Big Beautiful Bill Act sharply curtailing federal tax incentives for solar and wind projects, it is vital for developers to carefully manage state and local sales and use tax exposures through early planning and careful contract structuring, say advisers at KPMG.

  • Strategies To Get The Most Out Of A Mock Jury Exercise

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    A Florida federal jury’s recent $329 million verdict against Tesla over a fatal crash demonstrates how jurors’ perceptions of nuanced facts can make or break a case, and why attorneys must maximize the potential of their mock jury exercises to pinpoint the best trial strategy, says Jennifer Catero at Snell & Wilmer.

  • Series

    Writing Musicals Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My experiences with writing musicals and practicing law have shown that the building blocks for both endeavors are one and the same, because drama is necessary for the law to exist, says Addison O’Donnell at LOIS Law.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From Va. AUSA To Mid-Law

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    Returning to the firm where I began my career after seven years as an assistant U.S. attorney in Virginia has been complex, nuanced and rewarding, and I’ve learned that the pursuit of justice remains the constant, even as the mindset and client change, says Kristin Johnson at Woods Rogers.

  • 7 Document Review Concepts New Attorneys Need To Know

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    For new associates joining firms this fall, stepping into the world of e-discovery can feel like learning a new language, but understanding a handful of fundamentals — from coding layouts to metadata — can help attorneys become fluent in document review, says Ann Motl at Bowman and Brooke.

  • Reports Of Chemical Safety Board's Demise Are Premature

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    Despite the Trump administration's proposal to close down the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, companies should note that the agency recently enforced its accidental release reporting rule for the first time, is conducting ongoing investigations and expects more funding from Congress, say attorneys at Conn Maciel.

  • How Trump's Space Order May Ease Industry's Growth

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    President Donald Trump's recent executive order aimed at removing environmental hurdles for spaceport authorization and streamlining the space industry's regulatory framework may open opportunities not only for established launch providers, but also smaller companies and spaceport authorities, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Avoiding Unforced Evidentiary Errors At Trial

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    To avoid self-inflicted missteps at trial, lawyers must plan their evidentiary strategy as early as their claims and defenses, with an eye toward some of the more common pitfalls, says Nate Sabri at Perkins Coie.

  • 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.

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