Public Policy

  • October 22, 2025

    Holland & Hart Partner Confirmed To Montana Seat

    The U.S. Senate voted 52-45, along party lines, Wednesday evening on the confirmation of William Mercer, a Holland & Hart LLP partner and veteran government attorney, to the District of Montana.

  • October 22, 2025

    NIH Sued For Access To Research On Trans Youth Care

    A conservative government watchdog group sued the National Institutes of Health on Wednesday seeking access to data from a multiyear study on the impact of gender-affirming medical treatments for transgender youth.

  • October 22, 2025

    Ill. Judge Extends National Guard Block For Justices' Review

    An Illinois federal judge's order temporarily blocking the deployment of National Guard troops to the state will remain in place indefinitely as the U.S. Supreme Court considers whether President Donald Trump has the authority to send in hundreds of federalized troops and whether the justices are entitled to review his decision at all.

  • October 22, 2025

    UVA Strikes Deal To End DOJ's Civil Rights Probes

    The U.S. Department of Justice paused five civil rights investigations into the University of Virginia on Wednesday after the school agreed to follow discrimination guidance the DOJ issued in July for federal funding recipients that looked to rein in diversity, equity and inclusion programs and discourage transgender athletes.

  • October 22, 2025

    Texas Book Rating Law Struck Down As Unconstitutional

    A Texas federal judge ruled Tuesday that a Texas law aimed at regulating the types of books available at public school libraries still "misses the mark" on achieving its goal and is unconstitutional for a number of reasons, including forcing booksellers to take on the state government's preferred messages.

  • October 22, 2025

    Ed Dept. Must Face States' Case Over Mental Health Grants

    A Seattle federal judge declined to throw out a lawsuit accusing the U.S. Department of Education of illegally discontinuing grants for student mental health programming, recognizing that Washington and other states have valid claims that the move will cut them off from money meant for reducing violence in schools.

  • October 22, 2025

    DHS Unveils Proposal To Reduce EB-5 Investor Visa Fees

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday rolled out a proposed fee schedule for the EB-5 foreign investor visa program that will see investors paying about 14% less in form fees after a steep fee increase in 2024.

  • October 22, 2025

    USPTO Cuts TM Backlog Below 350K, Surpassing FY25 Goal

    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office said Wednesday it has reduced the backlog of unexamined trademark applications to under 350,000, exceeding the goal the government agency set to finish the 2025 fiscal year that concluded Sept. 30.

  • October 22, 2025

    Investor Advocates Criticize SEC's New Arbitration Stance

    Two investor advocacy groups are speaking out against a recent U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission decision to allow some newly public companies to adopt mandatory arbitration clauses, arguing that the move undermines shareholder rights and could make the U.S. a less attractive place to invest.

  • October 22, 2025

    Squires Confirms USPTO Has Funds To Last The Year

    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has enough funds to last through the year in the event that the government shutdown continues, Director John Squires told agency personnel on Wednesday.

  • October 22, 2025

    NC Lawmakers Probe 'Rogue' Legal Services Grants Process

    North Carolina State Bar leaders faced the third degree Wednesday in a state House committee hearing where Republicans sounded the alarm on grants for legal assistance programs going to what the GOP lawmakers view as left-leaning organizations, prompting a funding freeze that has threatened the operations of the state's largest legal aid group, which itself is not political.

  • October 22, 2025

    Energy Secretary Urges EU To Rethink Sustainability Rules

    U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Wednesday urged European leaders to scrap, or at least revise, proposed European Union corporate sustainability rules, claiming they will hamper exports of liquefied natural gas to the continent.

  • October 22, 2025

    Australia Issues Guidance For Minimum Tax Safe Harbor

    Australia released guidance Wednesday detailing when companies can forgo detailed top-up tax calculations for a jurisdiction under a safe harbor for the 15% global minimum tax that is based on country-by-country reporting.

  • October 22, 2025

    Fifth Attorney For Michigan Pastor Exits Zoning Suit

    A Michigan federal judge Wednesday allowed the fifth lawyer who represented a pastor in a zoning ordinance and retaliation dispute against a township to withdraw from the case, a few months after refusing to recuse himself from the case over a comment about the turnover rate for the pastor's counsel.

  • October 22, 2025

    Feds Urge Justices To Back Machinists Fund In Pension Fight

    The federal government wrote in support of trustees of an International Association of Machinists pension fund in a dispute with employers at the U.S. Supreme Court, backing the union's argument that a pension plan actuary could change the methods and assumptions used to calculate withdrawal payments.

  • October 22, 2025

    H-1B Fee May Hinder University Hiring And Gut Programs

    The Trump administration framed recent changes to the H-1B visa program as a way to bolster a homegrown STEM workforce and protect U.S. jobs, but experts think it could do the opposite — shrinking budgets and opportunities for American students the policies are meant to foster.

  • October 22, 2025

    Tax Court Judge Warns Against Unchecked AI Use In Filings

    A U.S. Tax Court judge cautioned attorneys Wednesday against relying on artificial intelligence to write filings without verifying the information it generates, saying recent "unfortunate incidents" have prompted the court to double down on accuracy in using such tools.

  • October 22, 2025

    States Back Boston Hospital In Fight Over Trans Care Records

    A group of states backed a Boston hospital in its bid to block the Trump administration from accessing transgender care records, warning a federal judge that allowing the government's request could expose a wide variety of doctors to criminal charges.

  • October 22, 2025

    'The Right Facts' Can Reduce Cos.' Tariff Impacts, Atty Says

    Multinational companies with U.S. distributors that typically bear fewer business risks and earn low profit margins may be able to mitigate the effect of U.S. tariffs on their business as a whole by having a foreign principal bear the tariff costs, an attorney said Wednesday.

  • October 22, 2025

    Gutting Broadband Labels Erodes Consumer Trust, FCC Told

    A pro-consumer group is warning that reducing the data disclosed on broadband "nutrition" labels will undermine consumer trust about the online services they're receiving.

  • October 22, 2025

    NJ Panel Hints Affordable Housing Rules Fight Is Moot

    A New Jersey appellate panel questioned on Wednesday whether 28 towns' challenge to interim affordable housing rules might become moot, as permanent regulations are expected within two months — but municipal attorneys argued the current rules have already forced planning decisions that could be upended.

  • October 22, 2025

    Bankers Ask FCC To Further Delay Call Consent Rule To 2027

    Financial service providers Monday pushed for the Federal Communications Commission to extend by a year the April 2026 deadline to implement a "revoke-all" rule making it easier to opt out of robotexts and calls while the agency reconsiders it, warning they could waste resources to comply if the rule is changed or modified.

  • October 22, 2025

    Presidential Firing Limits Fight Builds At High Court

    The ousted U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board chair has encouraged the U.S. Supreme Court to include a caveat for "legislative courts" if it overturns precedent that empowers Congress to limit the president's authority to fire certain agency officials, but opponents of independent agencies want a clean break from the status quo. 

  • October 22, 2025

    NY AG James Seeks Canal Street ICE Raid Photos, Videos

    New York Attorney General Letitia James on Wednesday opened a new online portal for pictures and videos of federal immigration enforcement actions following a massive raid on street vendors on Canal Street in Lower Manhattan.

  • October 22, 2025

    OCC Drops $10M Fine, Ban In Wells Fargo Ex-Exec Deal

    The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has agreed to end a long-running case accusing a former Wells Fargo risk officer of failing to prevent the bank's fake accounts scandal, striking a deal that drops its pursuit of a $10 million fine and industry ban.

Expert Analysis

  • Annual Report Shows CFIUS Extending Its Reach In 2024

    Author Photo

    The recently released 2024 annual report from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States reveals record civil penalties and enhanced internal capabilities, illustrating expanding jurisdiction and an increasing appetite for enforcement actions, says Nathan Fisher at StoneTurn.

  • Trump Tax Law's Most Impactful Corp. And Individual Changes

    Author Photo

    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act built on and reshaped elements of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, including business interest deductions, bonus depreciation and personal income relief, delivering substantial changes to both corporate and individual tax policy, say attorneys at Weil.

  • From Clerkship To Law Firm: 5 Transition Tips For Associates

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
    Author Photo

    Transitioning from a judicial clerkship to an associate position at a law firm may seem daunting, but by using knowledge gained while clerking, being mindful of key differences and taking advantage of professional development opportunities, these attorneys can flourish in private practice, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Opinion

    Fla. Misses Opportunity To Rectify Wrongful Death Damages

    Author Photo

    Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' recent veto of a bill that would have removed certain arbitrary and unfair prohibitions on noneconomic wrongful death damages in medical negligence cases highlights the urgent need for reforms to current state law, say attorneys at Farah & Farah.

  • Cybersecurity Risks Can Lurk In Gov't Contractor Acquisitions

    Author Photo

    The Justice Department’s recent False Claims Act enforcement activity against Raytheon and Nightwing-related defense contractors demonstrates the importance of identifying and mitigating potential cybersecurity compliance risks when acquiring a company that contracts with the federal government, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

  • Budget Act Should Boost Focus On Trade Compliance

    Author Photo

    Passage of the One Big Beautiful Budget Act, coupled with recent U.S. Department of Justice statements that it will use the False Claims Act aggressively to pursue trade, tariff and customs fraud, marks a sharp increase in trade-related enforcement risk, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • NY Bill Would Complicate Labor Law Amid NLRB Uncertainty

    Author Photo

    The New York Legislature passed a bill that, if enacted, would grant state agencies the power to enforce federal labor law, potentially causing significant challenges for employers as they could be subject to both state and federal regulators depending on the National Labor Relations Board's operational status, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Trump Tax Law's Most Consequential International Changes

    Author Photo

    The international tax provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act may result in higher effective tax rates for some multinational corporations, but others, particularly those operating in low-tax jurisdictions, may benefit from alignment with global anti-profit shifting efforts, say attorneys at Weil.

  • Associates Can Earn Credibility By Investing In Relationships

    Author Photo

    As the class of 2025 prepares to join law firms this fall, new associates must adapt to office dynamics and establish credible reputations — which require quiet, consistent relationship-building skills as much as legal acumen, says Kyle Forges at Bast Amron.

  • How 6th Circ. Ruling Deepens Split On Broker Liability

    Author Photo

    A growing divide in Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act jurisprudence is ripe for U.S. Supreme Court review, after the Sixth Circuit last month found in Cox v. Total Quality Logistics that brokers can be held liable for negligent hiring, says Gregory Reed at Hanson Bridgett.

  • How The Genius Act May Aid In Fight Against 'Pig Butchering'

    Author Photo

    ​​​​​​​The recently enacted Genius Act represents a watershed moment in the fight against crypto fraud, providing new tools to freeze and recover funds that are lost to scams such as "pig butchering" schemes executed from scam factories abroad, but there are implementation challenges to watch, say attorneys at Treanor Devlin.

  • Assessing Strategies For Mixed-Use Pro Sports Projects

    Author Photo

    Counsel managing mixed-use sports and entertainment districts must combine expertise ranging from stadium-arena finance to municipal law to public relations into a unified strategy, and a series of practice tips can aid project management from inception to completion, say attorneys at Katten.

  • Opinion

    Congressional Bid Protest Concerns Lack Evidence

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Government Accountability Office's most recent congressionally mandated report on the bid protest process showed little reason for concern, and underlined that further scrutiny should cease until data is collected that would enable the identification of purported problems, say attorneys at Fox Rothschild.

  • Trending At The PTAB: IPR Memo And Its Fed. Circ. Backdrop

    Author Photo

    There are new rules for when and how evidence other than patents or printed publications can be considered in inter partes reviews, and while this change is intended to reflect current Federal Circuit precedent, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's memo seems to acknowledge tension with last month's Shockwave decision, say attorneys at Finnegan.

  • Biosolid Contaminants Spawn Litigation, Regulation Risks

    Author Photo

    While nutrient-rich biosolids — aka sewage sludge — can be an attractive fertilizer, pending legislation and litigation spurred by the risk of contamination with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and other pollutants should put stakeholders in this industry on guard, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Public Policy archive.