Judge Blocks Nebraska Power Permit's Emergency Use

By Crystal Owens

A Colorado district judge has partially blocked the federal government's approval of a 226-mile, 345-kilovolt electricity transmission line in the Nebraska Sandhills, finding that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service bypassed required cultural resource and environmental consultations without proving that an emergency existed under a presidential executive order.

Order attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Environmentalists Challenge EPA Methane Rule Rollback

By Jared Foretek

The Environmental Defense Fund will challenge a new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule loosening methane emission standards for the oil and gas industry in the D.C. Circuit.

Petition attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

CIT Judge Skeptical Of Gov't's IEEPA Refund Appeal

By Jack McLoone

A U.S. Court of International Trade judge spent much of an hour-plus hearing Tuesday attempting to talk the federal government out of appealing his order requiring immediate refunds of President Donald Trump's invalidated tariffs, but he seemed to make little headway.

2 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

The Law360 400: A Look At The Top 100 Firms

By Xiumei Dong

The race to build the legal industry's largest law firm accelerated in 2025, with major firms leaning on mergers, lateral hiring and strategic expansion to climb the ranks of the Law360 400.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

RICO Trade Secret Suit Can Survive In Texas, 5th Circ. Says

By Adam Lidgett

The Fifth Circuit on Tuesday reversed a lower court's decision dismissing a lawsuit against the head of an industrial cleaning services company over allegations that his business routinely steals employees from competitors, finding there was a plausible claim against him personally.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Latham, V&E Lead WhiteHawk Minerals' Upsized $200M IPO

By Jade Martinez-Pogue

Natural gas mineral and royalty interests company WhiteHawk Income Corp. began trading publicly Tuesday after raising $200 million in its upsized initial public offering.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Phillips 66 Workers Seek $4M Atty Fees In $12.5M Wage Deal

By Gina Kim

Phillips 66 employees who reached a $12.5 million settlement to resolve their wage-and-hour class action over unpaid don-doff time and missed breaks have asked a California federal judge to grant their attorneys' request for about $4.17 million in fees, highlighting the work they've spent in the eight-year litigation on a contingency basis.

Motion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Wash. Man Gets 5 Years For $100M Oil Investor Crypto Con

By Gina Kim

A Washington man was sentenced to five years in prison by a federal judge on Tuesday stemming from a scheme where he conned unwitting victims out of nearly $100 million after falsely promising them their funds would go toward oil and gas investments, and routing them to cryptocurrency wallets instead. 

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

XAI, SpaceX Sued Over Data Center Plant's 'Intrusive' Noises

By Rae Ann Varona

Residents of a Mississippi suburb have accused Elon Musk's xAI and SpaceX companies of upending their community's "small-town charm" by operating a noisy power plant to power massive artificial intelligence data centers, saying in a proposed federal class action that the operations diminish their home values and quality of life.

Complaint attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Ex-Fla. Rep. Asks For Trial Redo On Foreign Agent Charges

By David Minsky

A former congressman urged a Florida federal court to overturn a jury verdict finding him guilty of secretly lobbying for Venezuela's leftist regime for $50 million, arguing several missteps by the court resulted in his conviction.

Memorandum attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Crystallex Warns Of Delay Tactic In Citgo Sale Appeal

By Caroline Simson

Defunct Canadian miner Crystallex on Friday urged the Third Circuit to order Venezuela's counsel to prove its authority as the country challenges an order greenlighting the nearly $6 billion sale of Citgo to satisfy billions of dollars of its debt, pointing to the new administration of Delcy Rodriguez. PC: Elliott Affiliate Urges 3rd Circ. To Keep Citgo Sale On Track.

Brief attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Sand Miners Say They Are Nearing Ch. 11 Sale Deal

By Emily Lever

Two bankrupt fracking sand miners on Tuesday asked a Texas bankruptcy judge for one more week to reach a deal for a cash offer outbidding the current $21 million stalking horse credit bid for their businesses.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Orrick Adds Energy Partner In Houston From King & Spalding

By Rose Krebs

Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP announced Tuesday that it has expanded its energy and infrastructure team in Texas by bringing on a partner from King & Spalding LLP who helps energy clients engineer, design and construct projects.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Opinion

At High Court, Oil Cos.' Suncor Preemption Claims Fall Short

In Suncor Energy v. Boulder County, pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, oil and gas companies argue that municipalities' climate deception claims are equivalent to emissions standards for their industry — but the suit is ultimately incapable of imposing such standards, say Thomas McGarity at the University of Texas School of Law and James Goodwin at the Center for Progressive Reform.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Checking For AI Errors Is Now A Two-Way Street

A handful of recent federal and state cases demonstrate the importance of checking for errors generated by artificial intelligence not only in your own court submissions, but also your opponent's, as well as when catching opposing counsel's AI mistakes could result in an award for attorney fees, says Tamara Barago at Hollingsworth.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Trial Boutiques Roll Out Associate Pay Raises

By Andrea Keckley

Three trial boutiques are planning to bump associate salaries by at least $10,000 next month, the firms confirmed to Law360 Pulse Tuesday.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Interview

Burford Sees Growing Market For Stakes In Elite Firms

By Marialuisa Taddia

Burford Capital plans to step up minority equity investments in elite law firms in the U.K. and U.S. that already use its litigation finance, as investor appetite for law firm equity increases, the firm's new London-based chief operating officer told Law360.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Fox Rothschild Sued Over Data Breach Tied To Ransom Group

By Allison Grande

Fox Rothschild LLP was hit with a proposed class action in Pennsylvania federal court Tuesday accusing the national law firm of failing to adequately protect the "highly sensitive and confidential" personal data entrusted to it from being exposed to a prominent ransomware group in a data breach last month. 

Complaint attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

All Attys In Miss. Suit DQd For Back-To-Back-To-Back AI Flubs

By Emily Sawicki

A Mississippi federal judge who found herself in the "unusual scenario" of reviewing briefs with artificial intelligence-created errors filed by both parties in a lawyer's fee dispute against a Magnolia State municipality has terminated all four attorneys from the case.

Order attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Q&A

Next ABA International Ethics Chair Looks To Year Ahead

By Emily Sawicki

Rob Misey, incoming chair of the American Bar Association's International Ethics Committee, brings a passion for international dialogue to his new role, set to begin in September. Misey discussed his goals of initiating ethics conversations throughout the ABA and with counterparts overseas.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Analysis

Fed. Circ. 'Recalibrates' Analysis For Constitutional Standing

By Dani Kass

The Federal Circuit eased the line between constitutional and statutory standing last month when reviving A.L.M. Holding Co.'s infringement suit against Zydex Industries Private Ltd., in a decision attorneys say makes standing more accessible and clarifies how patent licensors can maintain their rights.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

5 Firms Barred From Handling NFL Parkinson's Claims

By P.J. D'Annunzio

Five law firms have been disqualified from representing claimants seeking NFL concussion settlement funds for running a scheme that "laundered" questionable Parkinson's disease claims through the system to obtain $95 million, including $20 million in fees, a special masters' report issued Monday says.

Statement attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Pa. Law Firm Calls Uber and FedEx's RICO Suit A 'Sham'

By James Boyle

Nearly a month after its motion to dismiss a RICO suit filed by Uber and FedEx was denied by a Philadelphia federal judge, personal injury firm Simon & Simon PC has lodged a counterclaim against the companies, saying their complaint is a "frivolous sham."

1 document attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Senate Confirms Longtime Kan. Prosecutor, KBI Chief To Bench

By Courtney Bublé

The Senate voted 51-46, along party lines, on Tuesday to confirm Tony Mattivi, director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, to serve on the bench in the District of Kansas.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »