Public Policy

  • April 22, 2026

    Va. Lawmakers Enact Updated Family Leave Program

    Virginia's Legislature greenlighted a law Wednesday that will allow workers to take paid family and medical leave through a statewide insurance program, approving Gov. Abigail Spanberger's proposed changes.

  • April 22, 2026

    2nd Circ. Amends Revival Of Mortgage-Backed Securities Suit

    The Second Circuit on Wednesday pulled back from a holding that mortgages underlying a union pension fund's mortgage-backed securities investments that tanked during the financial crisis were plan assets under federal benefits law in a proposed class action that the appellate court revived in March against Wells Fargo and Ocwen.

  • April 22, 2026

    Justices Would Back Vax Law Challenge, 2nd Circ. Told

    The U.S. Supreme Court's March 2 decision in a California gender-related school policy case requires the Second Circuit to advance a 2023 challenge to Connecticut's preschool and daycare student vaccine mandates, an attorney for a Constitution State congregation told a three-judge panel on Wednesday.

  • April 22, 2026

    Kash Patel's Suit Over Pundit's 'Nightclubs' Quip Gets Axed

    A Houston federal judge has tossed Kash Patel's defamation suit against news analyst Frank Figliuzzi, who during an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" quipped that the FBI director is more often seen in nightclubs than in his office, saying Patel's claims include an "'unreasonably literal interpretation'" of Figliuzzi's remark.

  • April 22, 2026

    NY Gov. Bans State Officials Using Inside Info For Online Bets

    New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order Wednesday blocking state officials from trading on prediction markets using insider information they obtained during the course of their official duties, citing recent reports of bets related to the U.S. military action within Venezuela and the war in Iran.

  • April 22, 2026

    11th Circ. Mulls Whether High Court Ruling Backs Book Ban

    The Eleventh Circuit on Wednesday pressed Florida on its argument that a landmark 1988 U.S. Supreme Court case supported its defense of a state law barring books with sexual content from school libraries, with two judges hinting that the high court's decision might not be directly on point.

  • April 22, 2026

    4th Circ. Won't Rehear Spat Over DOGE's Agency Data Access

    The Fourth Circuit has declined to reconsider a split panel's decision to vacate an injunction that blocked the Department of Government Efficiency's access to personal information held by three federal agencies.

  • April 22, 2026

    5th Circ. Bars Dead Veteran's VA Surgery Suit As Untimely

    The estate of a dead veteran who filed a medical malpractice lawsuit 18 years after an unauthorized operation at a Veterans Affairs hospital didn't bring the suit within Mississippi's seven-year deadline for medical malpractice claims, the Fifth Circuit ruled Wednesday.

  • April 22, 2026

    Justices Lean Toward Parole For Charged Green Card Holders

    The U.S. Supreme Court appeared unconvinced on Wednesday that returning green card holders with pending criminal charges must be admitted rather than paroled into the country, with one justice suggesting it could backfire on lawful permanent residents and might be impractical.

  • April 22, 2026

    Split 6th Circ. Lets Brewer Challenge Tax Code's Distilling Ban

    An Ohio brewery owner has standing to challenge the constitutionality of the federal tax code's ban on distilling whiskey at home, but the ban is necessary for the government to collect taxes on distilled spirits, a split Sixth Circuit panel ruled.

  • April 22, 2026

    CIT Backs Expanded Scope For Chinese Cabinet Duties

    Certain wooden cabinets and vanities completed in Vietnam and Malaysia with components manufactured in China were correctly found to be in-scope of duty orders on such products from China, the U.S. Court of International Trade said Wednesday, sustaining two U.S. Department of Commerce determinations.

  • April 22, 2026

    Oklahoma Sports Betting Bill Wins Thunder, Tribal Backing

    Two Republican lawmakers in Oklahoma have amended a version of a bill to legalize sports betting in the state with the backing of the Oklahoma City Thunder that will allow wagers to be placed through platforms operated in partnership with the state's tribal nations.

  • April 22, 2026

    USTR Seeking 'Outcomes' On DSTs, Stronger USMCA Rules

    U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told a U.S. House of Representatives panel Wednesday that efforts to eliminate digital service taxes implemented by jurisdictions across the world continue to be prioritized by President Donald Trump's administration, and potential tariff actions are ready in waiting.

  • April 22, 2026

    Retailers Ready To Fight FCC Over Call Center 'Onshoring'

    Large retail chains aren't happy with the Federal Communications Commission's plan to "onshore" customer service call centers, saying that even though it's geared toward communications companies, the proposal risks being foisted onto retailers as well.

  • April 22, 2026

    EEOC 'Delayed Its Own' Antisemitism Probe, Penn Says

    The University of Pennsylvania has pushed back on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's implication that it is delaying the agency's probe into antisemitism on campus by seeking a pause of a subpoena's enforcement, saying the EEOC's previous lack of urgency in the case undermines its argument.

  • April 22, 2026

    Acting DOJ Inspector General Tapped For Permanent Post

    President Donald Trump has nominated the U.S. Department of Justice's acting inspector general, who investigated the FBI's probe into Trump's links with Russia, to remain in that role on a permanent basis, according to a White House announcement.

  • April 22, 2026

    FCC Boosts Mobile Service From Space With AST Exemptions

    The Federal Communications Commission's staff approved some rule exemptions for AST & Science LLC to launch a 248-satellite constellation, which they said would encourage the growth of mobile services from space.

  • April 22, 2026

    Federal Agencies Hit With FOIA Suit Over Palantir Records

    A transparency-focused nonprofit has asked a Washington federal court to order federal agencies to respond to its Freedom of Information Act request regarding their involvement with technology company Palantir after President Donald Trump called for maximal interagency information sharing.

  • April 22, 2026

    Va. Lawmakers Reject Governor's Changes To Pot Bill

    Virginia legislators on Wednesday rejected Gov. Abigail Spanberger's proposed changes to a bill that would create a regulated cannabis market.

  • April 22, 2026

    Commerce Opens Path For Canadian, Mexican Metal Tariff Cut

    Canadian and Mexican steel and aluminum producers that commit to expanding their U.S. domestic production capacity and provide the goods to U.S. automotive manufacturers can apply to have the 50% tariff rate on the metals halved, the U.S. Department of Commerce said Wednesday.

  • April 22, 2026

    Bondi's Proposed Rule Change May Shield Her In Ethics Case

    A federal rule change that Pam Bondi proposed before she was fired as U.S. attorney general could stymie an ethics complaint against her in Florida, which is expected to be refiled after the state bar declined to take up the case during her tenure, experts say.

  • April 22, 2026

    Developer Says Power Broker, Atty Brother Seek Rushed Ruling

    A Philadelphia-based developer has told a New Jersey state court that South Jersey power broker George Norcross and his attorney brother's opposition to his bid to amend his suit is really an effort to get an untimely ruling.

  • April 22, 2026

    WIPO Head Gets Another Term To Lead UN Agency

    World Intellectual Property Organization Director General Daren Tang has been reappointed to the position after being nominated by its coordination committee earlier this year to again lead the United Nations agency.

  • April 22, 2026

    Mass. Justices Reject Additional Rules For Punitive Damages

    Massachusetts' highest court on Wednesday rejected a bid by Philip Morris USA Inc. to impose rules aimed at curbing big-dollar punitive damages awards, declining to wipe out or further reduce a verdict against the tobacco company that was already slashed from $1 billion to $56 million.  

  • April 22, 2026

    Neb. Agrees To Ax Unauthorized Immigrants' Tuition Benefits

    The Trump administration and the state of Nebraska have asked a Nebraska federal court to sign off on a consent decree they reached seeking to permanently block state laws that provide in-state tuition benefits to unauthorized immigrants, agreeing that federal law preempts them.

Expert Analysis

  • How Leveraged Lending Pivot May Alter Bank Risk Oversight

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    The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's recent withdrawal of leveraged lending guidance introduces several principles that may allow banks to better apply enterprisewide risk management programs and potentially create additional competition in the private credit loan market, say attorneys at Mayer Brown.

  • Pros And Cons Of FDA's Push For Nonprescription Drugs

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    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recent moves to shift more prescription drugs to over-the-counter status could increase access to important medications, but also bring potential safety risks and other trade-offs for drug companies, say attorneys at Hogan Lovells.

  • Why SDNY May Be Dusting Off The Financial Kingpin Statute

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    The Southern District of New York’s recent fraud indictments against executives of bankrupt companies Tricolor and First Brands have seemingly revived the Continuing Financial Crimes Enterprise statute, and if the cases succeed, prosecutors across the country will have ample reason to reach for this long-dormant tool, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert & Wohl.

  • What's Changed In Army Corps' Reissued Nationwide Permits

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    The final rule recently issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, renewing and revising nationwide permits for projects covered by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, makes measured adjustments rather than sweeping revisions, addressing key operational and compliance concerns while maintaining the existing framework, say attorneys at Spencer Fane.

  • What Kalshi Cases Reveal About State Authority, Regulation

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    Prediction markets like Kalshi have ignited complex legal battles that get to the heart of how novel financial products intersect with traditional state enforcement authority, and courts are already beginning to divide over whether federal law preempts state enforcement authority restricting these offerings, say attorneys at Holtzman Vogel.

  • Parsing Clarifications On Foreign Entity Rules For Tax Credits

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    Recent U.S. Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department guidance answers taxpayer questions on several key foreign entity rules under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, but questions remain over transactions with companies that have ties to covered nations such as Iran, say attorneys at Cleary.

  • What US Arms Sales Reforms Mean For Defense Industry

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    A recent executive order with the goal of increasing U.S. arms sales transparency, speed and government-industry collaboration carries both promise and risk for the defense industry as the government seeks to leverage the private sector and use commercial products for defense purposes, say attorneys at Fluet.

  • Prepping For The Future Of No Surprises Act Enforcement

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    This year is expected to be a transition point for the No Surprises Act framework from regulatory delay to operational enforcement, so stakeholders should use this time to stress-test systems, clean up processes and prepare for enforcement, say attorneys at Akerman.

  • A Tale Of 2 Self-Disclosure Policies: How SDNY, DOJ Differ

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    Though the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York’s recently announced corporate enforcement and voluntary self-disclosure policy shares many similarities with that of the U.S. Department of Justice, the two programs differ in meaningful ways, including subject matter scope and timeline to declination, say attorneys at Wiley.

  • Aligning Microsoft Tools With NYC Bar AI Recording Guidance

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    The New York City Bar Association’s recently issued formal opinion, providing ethical guidance on artificial intelligence-assisted recording, transcription and summarization, raises immediate questions about data governance and e-discovery for companies that use Microsoft 365 and Copilot, say Staci Kaliner, Martin Tully and John Collins at Redgrave.

  • What Employers Should Know About Calif. PAGA Proposal

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    Recently proposed regulations concerning the Private Attorneys General Act evidence an intent by California's Labor and Workforce Development Agency to play a greater role in the prosecution of PAGA actions, including more oversight over the exhaustion notices and settlement process, say attorneys at Paul Hastings.

  • FTC Focus: Antitrust Spotlight On 'Acqui-Hires,' Noncompetes

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    A recent Federal Trade Commission focus on labor issues, like 'acqui-hire' deals, in which only a company's workforce is acquired, and noncompetes, shows that the agency is scrutinizing these issues on a case-by-case basis, necessitating a meaningful look at these transactions, particularly in the technology and artificial intelligence industries, say attorneys at Proskauer.

  • FDA's Biosimilarity Guidance Holds Uncertain Implications

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    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's new draft guidance aimed at simplifying the biosimilarity demonstration process may not be enough to overcome the barriers that have historically constrained biosimilar competition, and could affect biosimilar access in unexpected ways, say analysts at Analysis Group.

  • Unpacking Key Themes From NY's New Healthcare Strategy

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    New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's 2026 State of the State agenda, read together with the state's fiscal year 2027 executive budget, reflect a clear framework to utilize Medicaid as the state's operating platform for healthcare reform, say attorneys at Sheppard.

  • A Single DOJ Corporate Enforcement Policy Raises Questions

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    The U.S. Department of Justice's soon-to-be-released uniform corporate criminal enforcement policy could address the challenges raised by the current decentralized approach, but it will need to answer a number of potential questions amid scant details, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

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