Public Policy

  • September 12, 2024

    IRS Lacked Way To Track CAMT Comments, TIGTA Finds

    The IRS Office of Chief Counsel did not always track comments it received in response to guidance issued on the corporate alternative minimum tax and did not have detailed procedures in place for the pre-rulemaking guidance process, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration reported Thursday.

  • September 12, 2024

    Treasury Floats Long-Awaited Rules For Corp. Minimum Tax

    Treasury and the IRS released eagerly awaited rules Thursday on the new 15% corporate alternative minimum tax on corporations with reported profits of $1 billion or more, taking a step toward implementing a key provision of President Joe Biden's signature 2022 tax and climate law.

  • September 11, 2024

    Litigation Spending To Rise As Cases Grow More Aggressive

    A substantial number of large companies are expecting to increase their litigation spending by double digits next year in the face of more complex and hard-fought cases — and they are more open to bringing in new legal talent to navigate the matters, according to a report released Thursday. 

  • September 11, 2024

    Utah Social Media Law Blocked Amid 1st Amendment Fight

    A Utah federal judge has blocked the state from enforcing a new law requiring social media companies to verify the ages of minor users and impose restrictions on their accounts, saying the state law likely violates tech companies' First Amendment rights.

  • September 11, 2024

    Atlanta Fed Chief Violated Trading Blackout Rule, OIG Says

    The president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Raphael Bostic, violated internal rules and policies covering trading during blackout periods, financial disclosures, holding limits, and trading preclearances, but did not trade based on confidential information, according to a report issued by the Fed's internal watchdog.

  • September 11, 2024

    Top DC Real Estate News From Summer 2024

    Catch up on the hottest real estate news out of Washington, D.C., this summer, including shifting office footprints and building conversion incentives.

  • September 11, 2024

    FTC Fights Pa. Noncompete Ban Challenger's Pause Bid

    The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday urged a Pennsylvania federal judge to reject a tree service company's bid to pause its challenge of the agency's noncompete ban, arguing that another district court's decision to set the ban aside nationwide doesn't justify a stay because the agency is mulling an appeal.

  • September 11, 2024

    Gender Care Hearing Centers On Ohio Bill Of Rights

    Questions about potential conflicts between an Ohio gender care ban and a right to healthcare "freedom" enshrined in the state constitution dominated much of a Wednesday hearing in a state appellate court.

  • September 11, 2024

    Gov't Spent $236B In Fraud And Improper Payments In 2023

    Federal agencies made $236 billion in improper payments in fiscal 2023, a drop of about $11 billion from the prior year, according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

  • September 11, 2024

    Wisconsin Town Urges Court to Block Tribe's Road Barricades

    The town of Lac Du Flambeau, Wisconsin, says it will continue suffering irreparable harm when temporary right-of-way permits expire Thursday if a neighboring Native American band again barricades four roadways that cut across tribal land.

  • September 11, 2024

    Top Calif. Biz Bills Sitting On Gov. Newsom's Desk

    Among the hundreds of bills awaiting California Governor Gavin Newsom's signature are a number that would create new guidelines for Golden State employers, healthcare industry players, as well as artificial intelligence labeling, textile recycling and increasing criminal penalties for corporate malfeasance by tens of millions of dollars.

  • September 11, 2024

    Split 6th Circ. Backs SEC Win In Proxy Adviser Rule Change

    A divided Sixth Circuit has upheld the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's decision to partially undo Trump-era rules governing proxy advisers, creating an apparent split with the Fifth Circuit on whether the agency's regulatory actions violated the Administrative Procedure Act.

  • September 11, 2024

    Watchdog Sues DOD Alleging 'Abbey Gate' FOIA Violations

    Nonprofit watchdog Judicial Watch Inc. has asked a D.C. federal court to compel the U.S. Department of Defense to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request pertaining to communications among top officials about the 2021 suicide bombing at Kabul airport in Afghanistan known as "Abbey Gate."

  • September 11, 2024

    Department Of Homeland Security's Top Lawyer Steps Down

    The Department of Homeland Security's top lawyer has resigned from his position in the administration, according to a LinkedIn post.

  • September 11, 2024

    House Tax Panel OKs Repeal Of $600 Reporting Threshold

    The House Ways and Means Committee advanced several bills Wednesday, including one that would repeal a law requiring peer-to-peer payment platforms such as Venmo and PayPal to report aggregate payments of $600 or more.

  • September 11, 2024

    Mass. Jury Weighs Raft Of Fraud Charges Against Ex-Pol

    A Boston federal jury resumed deliberations Wednesday in a criminal case alleging a former Massachusetts state senator lied on his taxes and an application for pandemic unemployment aid, after the ex-politico testified in his own defense.

  • September 11, 2024

    Rights Groups Urge DHS To Free Immigrants Granted Asylum

    Immigrants granted fear-based protection from deportation are often held in detention, contrary to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement guidance, and should be freed, 80 civil rights organizations, legal services groups and law firms said in a Tuesday letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials.

  • September 11, 2024

    Mastro Bows Out Of NYC Top Atty Nom After Council Hearing

    Trial lawyer Randy Mastro is out of the running to serve as New York City's corporation counsel, two weeks after a contentious nomination hearing that called into question, among other things, the King & Spalding LLP attorney's ties to former mayor Rudy Giuliani.

  • September 11, 2024

    Sidley, Other Attys Get $850K In Fees For Migrant Family Suit

    A California federal judge signed off on $850,000 in legal fees for Sidley Austin LLP's and Public Counsel's work advising plaintiffs in a class action that saw the federal government ordered to provide mental health treatment for migrant families separated at the border.

  • September 11, 2024

    EU Struggles With Setup Of G7 Use Of Frozen Russian Assets

    European Union countries are struggling to agree on a legal solution to reassure the U.S. that windfall profits from frozen and immobilized Russian state assets will be used to repay a $50 billion loan to Ukraine over the entire length of the loan.

  • September 11, 2024

    Star Witness In Bankman-Fried Trial Seeks No Prison Time

    Former FTX insider Caroline Ellison urged a Manhattan federal judge not to sentence her to prison for her part in the crypto exchange's massive fraud scheme, citing her remorse and the "devastating" trial testimony she gave against onetime romantic partner and company founder Sam Bankman-Fried.

  • September 11, 2024

    NC Car Parts Biz Racks Up $10M In Fines For Cheat Devices

    A North Carolina automotive components business will pay a $2.4 million criminal penalty on top of a $7 million civil fine for dealing devices used to skirt federal vehicle emissions controls, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.

  • September 11, 2024

    Federal Pot Ban Out Of Step With The Times, 1st Circ. Told

    A group of cannabis businesses told the First Circuit the federal government no longer has a reasonable basis for prohibiting state-regulated marijuana, saying Congress has clearly changed its tune on pot commerce in the more than half-century since the ban was passed.

  • September 11, 2024

    Oligarchs Fridman, Aven Fail To Ax Sanctions Reporting Rules

    European Union measures that require oligarchs including Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven to disclose their assets and cooperate in investigations are lawful and "necessary" for maintaining the bloc's sanctions regime, a European court ruled Wednesday, saying the rules were "unprecedented."

  • September 11, 2024

    Shumaker Advisors Adds Ex-Fla. Senate Aide

    The lobbying arm of Shumaker Loop & Kendrick LLP, Shumaker Advisors, has added a former staffer in the Florida state senate to run the government affairs operations of its state team.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Playing Golf Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Golf can positively affect your personal and professional life well beyond the final putt, and it’s helped enrich my legal practice by improving my ability to build lasting relationships, study and apply the rules, face adversity with grace, and maintain my mental and physical well-being, says Adam Kelly at Venable.

  • What To Expect From CFPB And DOT Card Rewards Inquiry

    Author Photo

    Following the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's announcement of joint efforts with the U.S. Department of Transportation to investigate credit card rewards points, credit card issuers and airlines should keep a close eye on potential regulatory and class action litigation risks stemming from the inquiry, say attorneys at DLA Piper.

  • Preparing For The NLRB's New Union Recognition Final Rule

    Author Photo

    The National Labor Relations Board's impending new final rule on union recognition puts the employer at a particular disadvantage in a decertification election, and best practices include conducting workplace assessments to identify and proactively address employee issues, say Louis Cannon and Gerald Bradner at Baker Donelson.

  • Brownfield Questions Surround IRS Tax Credit Bonus

    Author Photo

    Though the IRS has published guidance regarding the Inflation Reduction Act's 10% adder for tax credits generated by renewable energy projects constructed on brownfield sites, considerable guesswork remains as potential implications seem contrary to IRS intentions, say Megan Caldwell and Jon Micah Goeller at Husch Blackwell.

  • Law Firms Should Move From Reactive To Proactive Marketing

    Author Photo

    Most law firm marketing and business development teams operate in silos, leading to an ad hoc, reactive approach, but shifting to a culture of proactive planning — beginning with comprehensive campaigns — can help firms effectively execute their broader business strategy, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.

  • Remedy May Be Google's Biggest Hurdle Yet In Antitrust Case

    Author Photo

    There are difficulties ahead in the remedies phase of the antitrust case against Google in District of Columbia federal court, including the search engine giant's scale advantage and the fast-moving nature of the tech industry, setting the stage for the most challenging of the proceedings so far, says Jonathan Rubin at MoginRubin.

  • 3 Ways To Limit Risks Of Black-Box AI In Financial Services

    Author Photo

    As regulators increasingly highlight the potential for artificial intelligence to make unfair consumer credit decisions, and require financial institutions to explain how these so-called black-box algorithms arrive at conclusions, companies should consider three key questions to reduce their regulatory risks from these tools, say Jeffrey Naimon and Caroline Stapleton at Orrick.

  • Energy And AI: Key Issues And Future Challenges

    Author Photo

    Artificial intelligence promises new technical advantages for the energy industry, but it is also responsible for vast, and growing, energy consumption — so the future of AI and energy will require balancing technological advancement with regulatory oversight, environmental responsibility and infrastructure development, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Opinion

    Transpo Board Should Broaden Ex Parte Rules Further

    Author Photo

    The Surface Transportation Board's 2018 ex parte rule reform was an important step in increasing agency engagement with stakeholders — but the board should build on that progress by expanding the windows for communications in informal rulemakings, encouraging more communications with staff, and making other changes, say Matthew Warren and Allison Davis at Sidley.

  • The Regulatory Headwinds Facing Lab-Developed Tests

    Author Photo

    Though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's final rule regarding regulation of laboratory-developed tests outlines a four-year plan for ending enforcement discretion, and though this rule is currently being challenged in courts, manufacturers should heed compliance opportunities immediately as enforcement actions are already on the horizon, say attorneys at Kirkland & Ellis.

  • 3 High Court Rulings May Shape Health Org. Litigation Tactics

    Author Photo

    Three separate decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court's most recent term — Loper Bright, Corner Post and Jarkesy — will likely strengthen healthcare organizations' ability to affirmatively sue executive agencies to challenge regulations governing operations and enforcement actions, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • Opinion

    The Big Issues A BigLaw Associates' Union Could Address

    Author Photo

    A BigLaw associates’ union could address a number of issues that have the potential to meaningfully improve working conditions, diversity and attorney well-being — from restructured billable hour requirements to origination credit allocation, return-to-office mandates and more, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.

  • Opinion

    It's Time For A BigLaw Associates' Union

    Author Photo

    As BigLaw faces a steady stream of criticism about its employment policies and practices, an associates union could effect real change — and it could start with law students organizing around opposition to recent recruiting trends, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.

  • Why DOJ's Whistleblower Program May Have Limited Impact

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Department of Justice’s new whistleblower pilot program aims to incentivize individuals to report corporate misconduct, but the program's effectiveness may be undercut by its differences from other federal agencies’ whistleblower programs and its interplay with other DOJ policies, say attorneys at Milbank.

  • CFPB's Earned Wage Access Rule Marks Regulatory Shift

    Author Photo

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's newly issued interpretive rule on earned wage access products, classifying them as extensions of credit, marks a significant shift in their regulatory landscape and raises some important questions regarding potential fringe cases and legal challenges, say Erin Bryan and Courina Yulisa at Dorsey & Whitney.

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.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!