Analysis

Energy Cash-Grant Case Casts Light On Investment Tax Credit

By Kat Lucero

The U.S. Court of Federal Claims' long-awaited decision on a California wind farm's valuation for a now-defunct cash grant program offers insight into an issue on which the IRS has issued little guidance: how to value clean energy projects financed by the investment tax credit.

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Exxon Climate Suit Fate May Hinge On Preemption Precedent

By Aaron Keller

A Connecticut state judge on Monday seemed inclined to wait for upcoming U.S. Supreme Court preemption guidance before ruling on the state's attempt to nix one of Exxon Mobil's defenses in an environmental marketing lawsuit, though both sides drew some skepticism during oral argument Monday.

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Judge Orders EPA To Determine Soot Compliant Regions

By Gautama Mehta

A California federal judge ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to designate areas of the country as either meeting, or not, national regulations for soot and other particulate matter by February, handing a win to 10 states and nonprofit groups that sued the agency for failing to do so.

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CIT Judge Changes IEEPA Test Case But Retains Schedule

By Jack McLoone

The U.S. Court of International Trade has selected a new underlying case as the one to test the federal government's updates on its system for refunding duties charged under President Donald Trump's struck-down global tariff regime, though it otherwise kept in place certain reporting and hearing deadlines.

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Trump Unveils 50% Canada Tariffs Over 'Trade Discrimination'

By Hailey Konnath

President Donald Trump Monday unveiled plans for 50% tariffs on a slew of Canadian products, including alcoholic beverages, dairy products and motor vehicles, pointing to "discriminatory treatment of U.S. commerce" and a provision of the Tariff Act that has seldom been used.

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Trump Looks To Spur US Aluminum Output With Tariff Break

By Jack McLoone

Companies that pledge to build, expand or refurbish aluminum smelters in the U.S. will be able to apply for a reduced tariff rate on certain amounts of aluminum, President Donald Trump announced Monday.

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Chevron Wants $215M Award Against Ecuador Enforced

By Nadia Dreid

Chevron has brought its long-running dispute with the nation of Ecuador to D.C. federal court, asking a judge to force Ecuador to pay a $215 million arbitral award the gas giant won almost a year ago in a dispute over pollution in the Amazon.

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Kirkland, Troutman Guide $4B Magnolia Oil, WildFire Deal

By Al Barbarino

Houston-based Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp. said Monday it has agreed to acquire WildFire Energy for approximately $4.06 billion, including debt, in a deal steered by Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, respectively.

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Judge Questions Exxon Bid To Revive Claims In Records Suit

By Julie Manganis

A Massachusetts judge on Monday appeared unlikely to let Exxon Mobil revive equal protection claims in a public records lawsuit against state environmental regulators, saying counsel for the company was essentially asking him to second-guess a colleague who tossed the allegations in March.

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Oilfield Services Co. Says OT Suit Must Be Arbitrated

By Benjamin Morse

An oilfield services company urged a Colorado federal judge to compel arbitration of a proposed class and collective action alleging unpaid overtime, arguing the former worker behind the suit agreed to arbitrate wage claims individually before providing services for the company.

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DOJ Hints Russian Court Ruling May Not Stop $5B Award

By Caroline Simson

The Trump administration on Monday urged the D.C. Circuit to closely evaluate a Russian court's determination that an underlying arbitration agreement is invalid as it weighs whether to enforce a nearly $5 billion arbitral award against the Kremlin, saying circumstances surrounding the ruling should be a factor.

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NC Energy Efficiency Aggregator Hits Ch. 11 After $1B Penalty

By Hilary Russ

North Carolina-based energy efficiency aggregator American Efficient LLC has filed for bankruptcy, listing between $1 billion and $10 billion of estimated liabilities on its petition, three months after being hit with a penalty of more than $1 billion by federal energy regulators.

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NEPA Reforms Can Fix Permitting Without Weakening Review

Recent National Environmental Policy Act reforms, in tandem with a Senate bill proposing faster permitting reviews and greater agency coordination, mark a long overdue move toward more efficient energy and infrastructure permitting that does not sacrifice environmental assessment, say attorneys at GableGotwals.

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Preparing For Next Congress With Eye On Investigation Risk

Rod Rosenstein, Brian Whisler and Bruce Linskens at Baker McKenzie offer advice for organizations seeking to build a proactive response plan to potential congressional oversight as the election looms.

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How Competitive Is Your Compensation? Take Our Survey

Is your compensation keeping pace with the rate of inflation? Do you know what your colleagues made last year? Help Law360 Pulse answer these questions and more in this year's Law Firm Compensation Survey.

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Trump Admin Wants Susman Godfrey DQ In ABA's EO Suit

By Adrian Cruz

Over a year into a suit by the American Bar Association challenging 2025 executive orders targeting law firms, the Trump administration is looking to have Susman Godfrey LLP disqualified as plaintiffs' counsel, alleging the firm can't act as counsel in a case where it's also a key witness.

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Simpson Thacher Points To Audit Issues In Malpractice Trial

By Cara Salvatore

A corporate founder seeking more than $100 million in a malpractice case against Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP endured a withering cross-examination in Florida state court Monday over his companies' money flows and an auditor's refusal to certify their financial statements two years after the fundraising transaction he believes the firm botched.

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Jackson Walker, US Trustee Denied Delay In Romance Dispute

By Emma Cueto

Jackson Walker LLP and the U.S. Trustee's Office, grappling with the aftermath of a romantic relationship between one of the firm's former partners and a then-bankruptcy judge, will not be able to delay pretrial proceedings to continue negotiating a possible settlement, a judge ruled Monday.

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AGs Say DOJ Suit Would 'Upend' Atty Discipline System

By Phillip Bantz

Attorneys general in 20 states have raised alarms over the U.S. Department of Justice's "unprecedented effort" to halt a disciplinary case in D.C. against former federal prosecutor Jeffrey Clark, warning the Trump administration is trying to "upend a centuries-old system of attorney discipline" and put federal government lawyers beyond the reach of local disciplinary authorities.

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Tennessee Lawyer Disbarred For Doxxing Judge, Hiding Client

By Rachel Rippetoe

The Supreme Court of Tennessee on Monday upheld a decision to permanently disbar a family law attorney for harassing a juvenile court judge online and illegally hiding a client and their child from police officers in her home.

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Trump Demands Review Of Judges' Science Manual

By Courtney Bublé

President Donald Trump has escalated a recent controversy over a scientific manual for federal judges that has been around for over three decades. 

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Another NYC Public Defense Union Sets Strike Deadline

By Andrea Keckley

The Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem union became the latest New York City-area legal aid union to set a strike deadline this week, announcing Monday that its over 230 members will walk off the job if they don't reach a deal with their managers by Friday at 8 a.m.

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Atty Says Firm Used Info From Merger Talks Against Him

By Christine DeRosa

A Florida-based attorney and accountant has accused DeWitt LLP of retaliating against him after he declined to merge his estate practice with the firm by representing a woman he sued for defamation in a separate case after he had shared confidential information with DeWitt.

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NYC Judiciary Advisory Committee Executive Steps Down

By Andrea Keckley

The executive director of New York City's Mayor's Advisory Committee on the Judiciary has resigned, a City Hall spokesperson confirmed Monday, as the committee's near-total vacancy continues.

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Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

By Jarek Rutz

The Delaware Chancery Court last week tackled disputes involving intellectual property, corporate control, fiduciary duties, artificial intelligence, trust administration and cryptocurrency litigation.

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