Public Policy

  • January 15, 2026

    HUD Must Award Homeless Housing Grants, Court Hears

    A coalition of local governments and service providers have urged a Rhode Island federal court to order the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to award funding previously allocated under a key homelessness program, without making changes to grant requirements.

  • January 15, 2026

    NJ Courts Report Bail Reform Successes, COVID Snags

    A New Jersey state court report on Thursday found that the state's mostly cashless, risk-based bail system has resulted in a dramatic decrease in people jailed because of an inability to post minimal bail, despite lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • January 15, 2026

    ICE Detention Facilities Nearly Doubled Last Year, Report Says

    An American Immigration Council report said the Trump administration detained record numbers of noncitizens last year, most without criminal records, and held them in a rapidly expanding network of facilities that could soon rival the federal criminal prison system.

  • January 15, 2026

    3M Brings Conn. Town's PFAS Case To Federal Court

    Pointing to immunity defenses for federal contractors and officers, 3M has removed to federal court a Connecticut town's claims that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from a U.S. Army reserve training facility and other sources contaminated local water supplies.

  • January 15, 2026

    Judge Sanctions 'Breathtaking' Plot Against Gaza Protesters

    A Massachusetts federal judge on Thursday said immigration actions taken against noncitizen class members in a free speech lawsuit will be presumed retaliatory, as a sanction for what he called a "breathtaking" unconstitutional conspiracy by the Trump administration to chill the right to protest.

  • January 15, 2026

    Verizon, Calif. Strike Diversity Deal In Frontier Takeover

    California utility regulators approved Verizon's takeover of Frontier Communications' fiber network Thursday, after the wireless giant has reached several agreements to support statewide diversity and digital equity initiatives.

  • January 15, 2026

    Equinor Win Makes Wind Projects 2-For-2 In Restart Bids

    A D.C. federal judge on Thursday allowed work to resume on the Empire Wind project, the second time this week that a federal court has enjoined the Trump administration's stoppage of offshore wind projects under construction.

  • January 15, 2026

    Five Tribes Demand Federal Talks On Indian Education Deals

    The Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Tribes has approved a series of resolutions that call for more formal consultation efforts from federal agencies, oppose an immigration detention center in Oklahoma and support Haskell Indian Nations University's efforts to transition to a self-governing, federally chartered corporation.

  • January 15, 2026

    Trump Admin Open To Settling Ill. National Guard Case

    An Illinois federal judge agreed to stay forthcoming deadlines in a suit over the deployment of National Guard troops to Illinois, with the parties exploring a possible settlement after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled President Donald Trump can't federalize the Guard to aid in immigration enforcement.

  • January 15, 2026

    Ex-LA Fire Official Alleges Retaliation In Whistleblower Case

    A former Los Angeles Fire Department deputy chief Thursday filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the city in state court, alleging she was discriminated against for being a gay female and constructively terminated after reporting the misappropriation of wildfire funds by a subordinate. 

  • January 15, 2026

    Seattle Judge Fights Removal Rec Over Forged Parking Doc

    Washington state's high court seemed split Thursday on whether to bar a substitute county judge from the bench for using an official court stamp without permission in pursuit of a parking discount, with one justice remarking she "can't even imagine" behaving that way, while another suggested removal would be a disproportionate sanction.

  • January 15, 2026

    PTAB Denials, Reexams & New Patent Suits Rose In 2025

    The volume of Patent Trial and Appeal Board petitions dropped last year, while requests for ex parte reexaminations surged with a 66% increase from those in 2024, according to a new report from Unified Patents.

  • January 15, 2026

    Feds Must Show Their Work On Ending South Sudan Protections

    A Massachusetts judge on Thursday ordered the federal government to produce records documenting the decision-making process that led to ending deportation protections for South Sudanese nationals, as she weighs whether to keep the protections in place.

  • January 15, 2026

    IRS Updates Rules For Groups Seeking Tax-Exempt Status

    The Internal Revenue Service released new rules Thursday for obtaining tax-exempt status as a group, addressing concerns of religious organizations that had worried they would be excluded if they were forced to submit financial information to their central organizations.

  • January 15, 2026

    State Dept. Releases List Of Countries Targeted By Visa Pause

    The U.S. Department of State released an official list of the 75 countries for which it will pause issuing immigrant visas, after it said immigrants from these countries "take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates."

  • January 15, 2026

    Colo. Bill Would Widen Ranch, Farm Definitions For Taxes

    Colorado would broaden its definitions of ranches and farms for property tax purposes under a bill introduced in the state Senate.

  • January 15, 2026

    Fla. Eye Clinics To Pay $6M Over False Medical Billing Claims

    Five Florida ophthalmology clinics have reached settlements with the government over allegations that they filed false claims to Medicare and Medicaid, agreeing to collectively pay nearly $6 million to resolve accusations that the clinics billed the federal healthcare programs for medically unnecessary eye procedures.

  • January 15, 2026

    Nvidia Sued In Del. For US 'Tax' On Chip Deal With China

    Alleging possible company conflicts of interest and unlawful agreements involving the White House and Commerce Department, two NVIDIA Corp. stockholders sued the company late Wednesday for records involving company agreements to pay the U.S. Department of Commerce percentages of high-end graphics processing chip sales to buyers in China.

  • January 15, 2026

    EU Should Use Tax Transparency For Public Bids, Report Says

    The European Union should require large companies to submit country-by-country tax reports to authorities when bidding for public contracts, a tax transparency group and EU public-sector union said ahead of the bloc revising its public procurement laws.

  • January 15, 2026

    Colo. Bill Would Allow Taxes On Vacant Residential Property

    Colorado would authorize local governments to impose taxes on vacant residential properties under a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives.

  • January 15, 2026

    Utah Urges Decision In Fight With Tribe Over Split Estate Lands

    The state of Utah and three of its counties are asking a federal district court to declare that split estate lands within the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation are not Indian Country for the purpose of determining criminal and civil jurisdiction, arguing that appellate and Supreme Court precedent settles the dispute.

  • January 15, 2026

    NJ Requires Update Of Requirements For Ag Land Taxation

    New Jersey will require a state committee to periodically adjust gross sales and income requirements for land to be deemed devoted to agricultural and horticultural use for assessment and tax purposes under a bill signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.

  • January 15, 2026

    Ga. Election Board Disputes $435K Cost For County Records

    Georgia's State Election Board has challenged the estimated $435,000 that Fulton County's elections director said it would have to pay to obtain the county's 2020 presidential election records.

  • January 15, 2026

    RJ Reynolds Asks ITC To Probe Vape Restriction Violations

    R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. is pushing the U.S. International Trade Commission to open an investigation into China-based competitors' alleged skirting of vape restrictions in order to illicitly grow their market share.

  • January 15, 2026

    Civil Rights Groups Fight Relaxed Media Ownership Regs

    Groups representing Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders urged the Federal Communications Commission not to allow media companies to further expand their ownership of local broadcasters, citing the need to protect viewpoint diversity and consumers.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    Justices Should Clarify Loper Bright Doctrine Via Patent Case

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    The U.S. Supreme Court should use the Lynk Labs v. Samsung patent case to provide urgently needed guidance on how last year’s Loper Bright decision should be applied to real-world questions of agency authority in the post-Chevron world, says Timothy Hsieh at Oklahoma City University School of Law.

  • How OECD Tax Update Tackles Mobile Workforce Complexity

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    The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s recently updated model tax convention — a recalibration of international tax principles in response to an increasingly mobile workforce — should prompt companies to reevaluate cross-border operations, transfer pricing policies and tax controversy strategies, say attorneys at Eversheds.

  • Reviewing 2025's Most Pertinent Wiretap Developments

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    2025 was a remarkable year in the world of web tracking wiretapping litigation, not only for the increased caseload but also because of numerous developing theories of liability, with disputes expected to continue unabated in 2026, say attorneys at Squire Patton.

  • 2025 Legal Milestones That Will Shape Psychedelics Sector

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    As 2025 draws to a close, psychedelic drug development stands at an inflection point, experiencing unprecedented momentum through recent sweeping regulatory changes and landmark clinical milestones, amid rapidly evolving regulatory expectations, say Odette Hauke at Odette Alina LLC and Kimberly Chew at Husch Blackwell.

  • M&A Midmarket Shows Resilience Amid 2025 Challenges

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    Midmarket mergers and acquisitions showed a slight decline in volume but climbed in value for much of 2025, particularly in the private equity space, indicating that the middle market M&A environment is cautious but steady heading into 2026, say attorneys at Stoel Rives.

  • Del. Dispatch: Key 2025 Corporate Cases And Trends To Know

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    The Delaware corporate legal landscape saw notable changes in 2025, spurred by amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law, ubiquitous artificial intelligence fervor, boardroom discussion around DExit, record shareholder activism activity and an arguably more expansive view of potential Caremark liability, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

  • Series

    Nature Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Nature photography reminds me to focus on what is in front of me and to slow down to achieve success, and, in embracing the value of viewing situations through different lenses, offers skills transferable to the practice of law, says Brian Willett at Saul Ewing.

  • 2025 Brought A New Paradigm For Federal Banking Regulation

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    A series of thematic shifts defined banking regulation in 2025, including a fundamental reform of prudential supervision, a strategic easing of capital constraints, steps to streamline merger reviews, and a new framework for fair access and entrants seeking to offer banking services, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • What 2025 Transpo And Logistics Legal Trends Mean For 2026

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    2025 was challenging for the transportation and logistics sector, with emergent trends including dramatic federal policy shifts, developments in tort risk, and a host of mergers and acquisitions — but a review of these themes offers a useful playbook for where the industry is headed in 2026, says Jonathan Todd at Benesch.

  • How Cos. Can Roll With NY's New Algorithmic Pricing Rules

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    Despite uncertainty from New York’s new ban on artificial intelligence and computer algorithms for setting rents, and efforts to further restrict individualizing prices based on consumers' personal data, property managers, software providers and merchants can take several steps to stay compliant, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

  • 2025 State AI Laws Expand Liability, Raise Insurance Risks

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    As 2025 nears its end, claims professionals should be aware of trends in state legislation addressing artificial intelligence use, as insurance claims based on some of these liability-expanding statutes are a certainty, say attorneys at Wiley.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Practical Problem Solving

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    Issue-spotting skills are well honed in law school, but practicing attorneys must also identify clients’ problems and true goals, and then be able to provide solutions, says Mary Kate Hogan at Quarles & Brady.

  • Crypto In 2025: From Federal Deregulation To State Action

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    The cryptocurrency enforcement landscape evolved in 2025, marked by federal deregulatory trends and active state attorney general enforcement, creating both opportunity and risk for businesses navigating the digital asset market, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.

  • How CFTC Enforcement Shifted In 2025 And What's Next

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    The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission pivoted sharply under acting Chairman Caroline Pham in 2025, resulting in a pared-back enforcement docket, sweeping policy changes intended to provide greater transparency, and a renewed focus on fraud prevention and maintaining market integrity for the CFTC's core markets, say attorneys at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Learning From 2025 FCA Trends Targeting PE In Healthcare

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    False Claims Act enforcement trends and legislative developments from this year signal intensifying state and federal scrutiny of private equity's growing footprint in healthcare, and the urgency of compliance, says Lisa Re at Arnold & Porter.

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