Public Policy

  • April 09, 2026

    7th Circ. Judge Questions Madigan Jury's Intent Instruction

    A Seventh Circuit judge appeared skeptical Thursday that jurors received a proper intent instruction before they ultimately convicted former Illinois House speaker Michael Madigan of participating in bribery schemes involving Exelon Corp. subsidiary Commonwealth Edison and a former Chicago alderman.

  • April 09, 2026

    Ohio Man First To Be Convicted Under Anti-Revenge Porn Law

    An Ohio man who sent to numerous women harassing messages that included nude images of the victims, both real and artificial intelligence-generated, became the first person to be convicted under a 2025 federal law targeting revenge porn, according to a Thursday announcement from the U.S. Department of Justice.

  • April 09, 2026

    EPA Plan To Revise Coal Ash Rules Draws Quick Objections

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday proposed a rule to update coal ash disposal regulations, sparking immediate outcry from environmental groups that accused it of seeking to roll back health protections and cleanup requirements in a Big Coal handout.

  • April 09, 2026

    Trump Inks Deal With Library Groups Over Agency Cuts

    The Trump administration reached a resolution Thursday in Washington, D.C., federal court with the American Library Association and a public sector union challenging an executive order eliminating an agency that disburses grants to libraries and museums, which means previously terminated grants will be reinstated and staff cuts will be rescinded. 

  • April 09, 2026

    Rivera's Ex-Partner Kept Cut Of $50M Venezuela Contract

    Real estate developer and convicted drug trafficker Hugo Perera told jurors Thursday he regretted "1,000%" getting involved with former U.S. Rep. David Rivera in a $50 million contract with a unit of Venezuela's state-owned oil company but admitted he kept his $5 million cut of the deal.

  • April 09, 2026

    Trump Picks Ohio Ex-Solicitor General For 6th Circ.

    President Donald Trump announced Thursday evening that he is tapping Benjamin Flowers, former solicitor general of Ohio, to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

  • April 09, 2026

    9th Circ. Axes Kids' 'Sprawling And Speculative' Climate Suit

    A Ninth Circuit panel affirmed Thursday tossing youths' lawsuit alleging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's greenhouse gas "discount" program discriminates against children by favoring present-day consumption over future consumption, finding the kids' "sprawling and speculative causal theory" of alleged environmental harms aren't traceable to the government's policies.

  • April 09, 2026

    Irish Mallinckrodt Unit Stuck In Drug Price-Fixing Suit

    An Irish entity of drugmaker Mallinckrodt waited too long to seek dismissal of a price-fixing lawsuit brought by states based on a lack of personal jurisdiction or proper service, a Connecticut federal judge has ruled, finding that the company first raised that argument more than five years after the complaint was filed.

  • April 09, 2026

    Arizona Check Casher Says FinCEN Rule Is 'Crushing' Business

    A Phoenix-area money services business has sued the Treasury Department over an order targeting such businesses along the Southern border for heightened anti-money laundering reporting requirements, saying the measure imposes "business-crushing burdens" that may force it to close.

  • April 09, 2026

    Ex-Law Officer Urges 4th Circ. To Uphold W.Va. Privacy Law

    The plaintiff in a lawsuit accusing data brokers of violating a West Virginia state law barring the dissemination of public officials' addresses and phone numbers defended the law's constitutionality Wednesday, arguing to the Fourth Circuit that it regulates speech "integral" to criminal conduct and shouldn't be subjected to strict scrutiny.

  • April 09, 2026

    Mich., Animal Rights Groups Take Aim At US's Egg Price Suit

    Animal advocacy groups and Michigan officials moved to end the U.S. government's federal lawsuit seeking to void the state's ban on eggs produced by caged hens, arguing Thursday the federal government lacks standing because it isn't the subject of enforcement, as it doesn't commercially sell, produce or distribute eggs in Michigan.

  • April 09, 2026

    IRS Urged To Clarify Foreign-Owner Rules For Energy Credits

    Public power and nuclear associations, along with battery groups, are among stakeholders urging the Internal Revenue Service to clarify foreign ownership rules that could disqualify projects from certain clean energy tax credits, emphasizing that timely guidance is critical to securing project financing.

  • April 09, 2026

    FCC's Carr Signals No Slowdown In 'Public Interest' Battles

    Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr signaled Thursday that his effort to make broadcasters fulfill their "public interest" obligations will continue with potential legal actions well into the Trump administration.

  • April 09, 2026

    Calif. AI Guardrails Split From Feds, Other States May Follow

    California Gov. Gavin Newsom's recent executive order directing state agencies to implement guardrails for contracting with artificial intelligence companies marks a rift with the Trump administration's deregulatory approach that could proliferate across other states.

  • April 09, 2026

    ACLU Says DHS Database Expansion Risks Citizens' Privacy

    The American Civil Liberties Union has urged a D.C. federal judge to block the Trump administration's attempt to expand the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements system to include voter registration data, warning it will create a centralized surveillance platform.

  • April 09, 2026

    Suit Seeks To Kill Washington Tax On Earnings Above $1M

    Washington state's new tax on millionaires violates the state Constitution and should be invalidated, opponents told a state court Thursday.

  • April 09, 2026

    Split 4th Circ. Backs West Virginia Schoolchildren Vax Law

    A split Fourth Circuit panel struck down an order barring West Virginia from applying a compulsory vaccination law to a student whose parents alleged the law violates her religious rights, ruling the law serves the state's interest in reducing the spread of infectious diseases.

  • April 09, 2026

    Ga. Jail Policy Scrutinized In Bookstore's Free Speech Suit

    A Georgia federal judge pored over a county jail's policy of only allowing in books sent from authorized retailers, as jail leadership argued its approach was narrowly tailored and a local bookstore claimed it was arbitrary and unconstitutional.

  • April 09, 2026

    Colo. Appeals Court Upholds State Sanctuary Law

    A Colorado law that prohibits counties from entering into immigration detention agreements with the federal government does not violate the state's constitution, the Colorado Court of Appeals held Thursday in rejecting Douglas County's challenge to the law.

  • April 09, 2026

    Trump Had No Reason To Seek Mass. Voter Data, Judge Says

    A Massachusetts federal judge on Thursday dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit demanding the state's voter data, saying the government offered no factual basis for seeking residents' personal information.

  • April 09, 2026

    Miami Police Chief's Firing Was Justified, 11th Circ. Told

    Former Miami officials urged the Eleventh Circuit on Thursday to dismiss retaliation claims against them, arguing they're immune from a lawsuit brought by a police chief who alleged he was wrongfully terminated after informing the FBI and state law enforcement officials that corruption was occurring within the city.

  • April 09, 2026

    1st Circ. Sees Rationale For Puerto Rico 'X' Birth Marker Ban

    A First Circuit panel floated a possible legal pathway for Puerto Rico to refuse to add a neutral gender option on birth certificates Thursday as the commonwealth appealed a mandate to permit nonbinary people to change their gender to "x."

  • April 09, 2026

    FCC Plans To End '90s Framework For Satellite Power Limits

    The Federal Communications Commission released details late Thursday of its plan to replace a 1990s-era framework for satellite power limits, saying the rules will be replaced with a system requiring space companies to coordinate to avoid signal disruption.

  • April 09, 2026

    Senators Warn EPA Rule Will Erode State, Tribal Water Review

    Nearly a dozen Democratic U.S. senators are opposing a proposed Environmental Protection Agency rule that will limit states' and tribes' rights to block and regulate the effects of hydropower dams on water quality on their lands.

  • April 09, 2026

    Wash. Justices Oust Judge Pro Tem Over Forged Parking Doc

    Washington's highest court voted unanimously Thursday to remove a substitute judge from his King County District Court post for forging a court document in an effort to save $10 on daily parking costs.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    FTC Case Risks Redefining Price Discrimination

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    Federal Trade Commission v. Southern Glazer puts a spotlight on the blurry line between illegal price discrimination and ordinary competition, and could potentially set a precedent that puts nearly any manufacturer at risk of Robinson-Patman Act enforcement, says Jeremy Sandford at Econic Partners.

  • Parsing Rule 12(c) Motion Overuse In Securities Class Actions

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    Defendants in securities class actions have more frequently been filing motions for judgment on the pleadings following the denial of motions to dismiss, but courts have recently demonstrated an increasing willingness to reject these previously rare motions, finding them transparent attempts to relitigate already-decided issues, say attorneys at Labaton Keller.

  • Preparing For New Calif. Pay Data Reporting Requirements

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    California's S.B. 464 overhauls the state's pay data reporting framework by requiring employers to use job categories that are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, increasing both the potential visibility of pay disparities and the complexity of compliance, say attorneys at Kaufman Dolowich.

  • Series

    Mich. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1

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    Michigan's financial services sector saw several significant developments in 2026's first quarter, including the state Department of Insurance and Financial Services' issuance of a bulletin on the use of artificial intelligence and the Michigan House's introduction of a bill based on the Model Money Transmission Modernization Act, say attorneys at Dykema.

  • Justices' Ruling Stresses Quick Action Against Absconders

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    Following the U.S. Supreme Court's recent holding in Rico v. U.S. that a supervised release term is not automatically extended when a defendant absconds, probation officers and prosecutors risk being unable to address later violations if they don't act promptly to secure warrants, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

  • New DOD Framework Offers Key Guidance On PFAS Disposal

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    The U.S. Department of Defense's recently updated guidance on disposal of materials containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ends its moratorium on incineration of PFAS-containing waste, but contractors must be ready to demonstrate stringent compliance with the department's new permitting system, operational controls and data practices, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • How Cos. Can Navigate The Patchwork Of AI Safety Bills

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    In the first few months of 2026, state and federal lawmakers introduced hundreds of bills to address the perceived safety risks of artificial intelligence, so companies should assess whether existing or planned services could be scoped into AI safety legislation across jurisdictions, say attorneys at Hogan Lovells.

  • Unpacking FCC's Proposed Rules For Offshore Call Centers

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    The Federal Communications Commission recently proposed rules that would restrict the use of offshore customer service operations, citing consumer frustration, data security risks and fraud as core reasons for the sweeping regulatory move, say attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland.

  • Series

    Calif. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1

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    As usual, California remained a hub for financial services activity in the first quarter of 2026, with key developments including the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation's eye on consumer issues, a bill targeting "pig butchering" schemes, and jam-packed courts, say attorneys at Joseph Cohen.

  • Series

    Ultramarathons Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    Completing a 100-mile ultramarathon was tougher, more humbling and more rewarding than I ever imagined, and the experience highlighted how long-distance running has sharpened my ability to adapt to the evolving nature of antitrust law and strengthened my resolve to handle demanding, unforeseen challenges, says Dan Oakes at Axinn.

  • Key Takeaways From The 2026 ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting

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    Last week's American Bar Association Spring Meeting revealed an antitrust landscape defined by heightened friction and tension — between federal and state enforcers, domestic and international regimes, competing political visions, and traditional enforcement tools and novel challenges, say attorneys at Skadden.

  • State FARA Laws Pose Unique Constitutional Challenges

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    Several states have recently enacted foreign agent registration and disclosure regimes that were modeled after the Foreign Agents Registration Act, but these state laws raise several constitutional questions, including concerns about preemption, speech and petition, and vagueness, says Alexandra Langton at Covington.

  • Series

    Pa. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1

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    The first quarter of 2026 brought several consequential developments for Pennsylvania financial institutions, including the state banking department's first assessment overhaul in 10 years, a bill prohibiting interchange fees on card transaction sales taxes and a federal appeals court's upholding of a $52 million enforcement action, say attorneys at Gross McGinley.

  • Informal Announcements Are Reshaping FDA Regulations

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    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recent shift toward using press releases, podcasts and other informal channels to announce major policy changes reflects a valid desire to modernize and accelerate regulatory efforts, but it could lead to diminished transparency, increased industry burden and reduced policy durability, says Rachel Turow at Skadden.

  • Motorola Case Shows Reach Of NLRA Dishonesty Protections

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    A recent National Labor Relations Board case, involving a Motorola employee who was terminated for lying about discussing wages, illustrates the broad reach of National Labor Relations Act protections for concerted activity, which may take on new significance as the agency shifts toward more restrained enforcement, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.

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