4th Circ. Probes Party Standing Over FERC Grid Planning Rule

By Ganesh Setty

The Fourth Circuit on Tuesday appeared inclined to uphold the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's broad grid planning overhaul amid a raft of challenges from certain states, transmission providers and consumer advocates, with standing issues taking center stage.

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DOJ Says Fed Law Preempt Colo., Denver Efficiency Mandates

By Rae Ann Varona

The Trump administration told a Colorado federal court Tuesday that federal law preempts Colorado and the city of Denver's regulations on greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, backing a magistrate judge who recommended that a lawsuit challenging the regulations proceed.

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AG Pushes Data Center Rates To Protect NC Customers

By Elaine Briseño

The attorney general of North Carolina urged the state's Utilities Commission to create a new rate class for Duke Energy's data center customers, saying it would ensure they pay their fair share of energy use.

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EU Lawmakers Back Carbon Tax For Finished Steel Goods

By Josh White

The European Parliament voted Tuesday to approve a proposal to extend the carbon border tax to more than 450 finished goods, tightening rules for high-carbon imports into the European Union.

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EU States Resist Taxing Electricity No More Than Natural Gas

By Kevin Pinner

Many European Union member states are opposed to a draft regulation that would require them to keep tax rates on electricity no higher than on natural gas and to adopt a tax framework supporting electricity more generally, according to comments obtained by Law360 on Tuesday.

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Feds Seek $61M In Crypto From Iranian Military Oil Sales

By Madeline Lyskawa

The U.S. government filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking $61 million in cryptocurrency, the alleged proceeds of black market sales of sanctioned Iranian crude oil and petroleum products meant to finance the Iranian government and its military components.

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Feds Fight Ex-Fla. Rep's Bid For Time Served In FARA Case

By Carolina Bolado

Federal prosecutors urged a Florida federal judge on Monday to reject ex-Florida Rep. David Rivera's request for a sentence of time served after he was found guilty of failing to register as a foreign agent after signing a $50 million contract with a unit of Venezuela's state-owned oil company.

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Brief

US Finalizes Duties Rates For 3 Asian Countries' Solar Cells

By Jack McLoone

The U.S. Department of Commerce on Tuesday finalized steep duty rates for imports of certain solar cells from India, Laos and Indonesia after the department found they are being sold at less than fair value and with the benefit of government subsidies.

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Alaska Judge Defers To Army Corps In Gold Mine Permit Row

By Tom Lotshaw

An Alaska federal judge has told tribal and environmental groups that they failed to show the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers improperly approved a Clean Water Act permit allowing JT Mining Inc. to develop access to a mineral exploration site on privately owned land in Lake Clark National Park.

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Attorney Escapes $12M Unlawful Tax Strategy Suit In Colo.

By Zach Dupont

An attorney won't face claims from a precious metals partnership and its members accusing her of advocating an unlawful tax strategy after a Colorado federal judge Tuesday granted the attorney's motion to dismiss the $12 million suit.

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Foley Adds Corporate Ace From Gibson Dunn In Houston

By Lynn LaRowe

Foley & Lardner LLP has expanded its private capital offerings and national energy and infrastructure team with a Houston-based partner who came aboard from Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

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5th Circ. Ruling Hints At Loper Bright's Effect On OSHA Suits

The Fifth Circuit's recent decision in Exxon Mobil v. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission relied on Loper Bright to narrow the scope of illnesses that employers must record, signaling that courts may continue to scrutinize agency assertions that deference is due, say attorneys at Ogletree.

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Burford Exec, Holland & Knight Adviser Open AI-Native Firm

By Andrea Keckley

Two veterans of the legal industry announced on Wednesday that they have teamed up to launch FairPlay Law, an AI-native firm based in Manhattan and focused on representing employees.

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Michael Best Combines With NY-Based Kane Kessler

By Kevin Penton

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP announced Wednesday that it is combining with New York-based firm Kane Kessler PC, adding 36 attorneys and a Big Apple presence to a firm that ranked 143rd on Law360's list of the nation's largest law firms.

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Protesters Say Feds' Fight Shows Need For Misconduct Probe

By Lauraann Wood

The U.S. government's opposition to a special investigation of prosecutorial misconduct that "poisoned" a now-dismissed criminal conspiracy case suggests Chicago prosecutors are still shielding critical details regarding the extent of official communications preceding the prosecution, underscoring the probe's necessity, protesters argued Tuesday.

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Apple Backs Its $132K Fee Ask Over 'Bad Faith' Subpoenas

By Bonnie Eslinger

Apple has urged a California federal magistrate judge to grant its $132,700 attorney fee request as a sanction against plaintiff consumers' lead lawyer in antitrust litigation claiming Google muscles out rival search engines, but said Apple's counsel doesn't want to disclose their "highly and competitively sensitive" negotiated legal rates.

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Newman Saga Prompts Bill To Limit Judicial Suspensions

By Courtney Bublé

The long-running saga over Federal Circuit Judge Pauline Newman's fitness to remain on the court has exposed "major flaws" in the judicial accountability system, according to a Republican member of the House who introduced a bill Wednesday to reform it.

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Brief

Senate Panel Weighs 6 Trump Judicial Picks From Red States

By Courtney Bublé

Six nominees for U.S. district judge appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday for their nomination hearing.

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