Public Policy

  • April 16, 2026

    Conn. Justices Nix Asbestos Widow's 'Double Recovery' Bid

    A town and a state agency are entitled to a lien on private asbestos litigation settlements in cases of combined work and home exposures, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Thursday, blocking a widow from obtaining through lawsuits and worker compensation claims what one justice dubbed a possible "double recovery."

  • April 16, 2026

    Seattle's COVID-Era Tenant Protections Face Appellate Skeptic

    A Washington state appellate judge pushed back Thursday on Seattle's defense of COVID-19-era tenant rights ordinances, observing that the plaintiff landlord may have a stronger Fifth Amendment takings claim than usual because of the "unique" situation of "six regulations passed within a short time period."

  • April 16, 2026

    Fla. Panel Upholds Ex-Worker's Postclaim Arbitration Deal

    A Florida state appellate panel on Wednesday barred a woman from pursuing sexual discrimination allegations against her former employer in court, saying she agreed to arbitrate her claims in a settlement that followed her initial U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charge. 

  • April 16, 2026

    Telecom Tower Builder Fights Ga. County's Project Rejection

    A telecommunications tower builder has sued Georgia's Clayton County after officials rejected its construction request over risk of harm to the community, saying the county's denial lacked evidence for its reasoning.

  • April 16, 2026

    Equity Residential Cuts $56M Deal In RealPage MDL

    A Chicago-based real estate investment trust has reached a $56 million settlement in a sprawling, multidistrict antitrust class action that claims the REIT and multiple landlords used property management software company RealPage Inc.'s revenue management software for rent price-fixing.

  • April 16, 2026

    Google Says EU Search Data Sharing Plan Raises Concerns

    Google has pushed back after European enforcers outlined how they expect the company to share its search data to comply with its obligations as a gatekeeper in the search engine market, saying the measures raise privacy and other concerns.

  • April 16, 2026

    Feds Can't Hide Records Of FEMA Cuts, Labor Coalition Says

    The government has upended discovery rules by blanketly shielding records of cuts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency from public view, a labor-led coalition challenging the cuts told a California federal judge.

  • April 16, 2026

    FCC To Seek Carriers' Views On Connection Rule Revamp

    The Federal Communications Commission will soon ask key stakeholders, including local phone carriers, for their input on an agency plan to overhaul interconnection rules that govern how the nation's communications networks are linked, FCC Chair Brendan Carr said Thursday.

  • April 16, 2026

    IRS Proposes Regs For $2K Gambling Reporting Level

    The IRS unveiled proposed regulations Thursday to implement a higher threshold of $2,000 for when gambling businesses must report payouts to the government — including winnings from bingo, keno and slot machines — reflecting changes in the 2025 budget law.

  • April 16, 2026

    NYC Suit Alleges $1.3M Illegal Short-Term Rental Scheme

    A New York City landlord and several of his relatives and associates made over $1.3 million from an illegal short-term rentals scheme that involved hosting an illegal number of guests, the city alleged in New York state court.

  • April 16, 2026

    ICE Chief Says Shutdown Still Hurts Despite Billions

    The head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement told Congress Thursday that the agency is feeling the effects of the ongoing partial government shutdown, even though the agency received billions of dollars for much of its current operations.

  • April 16, 2026

    Ky. Conforms To Fed. Tax Changes, Nixes Tax Threshold

    The Kentucky General Assembly overrode the governor's veto of a bill that eliminates its sales tax nexus transaction threshold, levies sales tax on data brokering services and will conform the state's tax code with some provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.

  • April 16, 2026

    NJ US Atty's Office Turmoil Doesn't Nix Conviction, Judge Rules

    A federal judge on Thursday rejected a New Jersey criminal defendant's attempt to dismiss his conviction and disqualify the state's top federal prosecutor, holding that the appointment of the current U.S. attorney complies with federal law and that any earlier defects in leadership do not warrant dismissal.

  • April 16, 2026

    NJ Justices To Weigh Municipal Counsel Conflict Of Interest

    The New Jersey Supreme Court has agreed to review a state ethics opinion that bars attorneys from simultaneously serving as corporation counsel to a municipality and general counsel to a regional fire and rescue agency that the municipality helps fund, setting an expedited briefing schedule.

  • April 16, 2026

    DOL Benefits Chief Pressed On Labor Secretary's Conduct

    The head of the U.S. Department of Labor's employee benefits arm faced tough questions from House Democrats at an oversight hearing Thursday, fielding questions about the labor secretary's on-the-job conduct as well as the DOL's take on mental health parity enforcement. 

  • April 16, 2026

    Foreign Truckers Sue Over 'Catastrophic' License Ban

    Nineteen foreign truckers sued the federal trucking regulator and Florida's motor vehicle agency over a federal rule barring roughly 200,000 noncitizen truckers from getting commercial driver's licenses, saying those with valid federal work permits are being left in the lurch.

  • April 16, 2026

    Calif. Lawyer Sues Over State Bar Investigations

    A California trial lawyer claimed in a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday that he has been unfairly investigated by the state bar since 2019, alleging the office "illegally prioritizes revenue-generation over protection of the public."

  • April 16, 2026

    USPTO Ends COVID Patent Appeals Program

    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has decided to end a program launched five years ago that aimed to prioritize and fast-track ex parte appeals of rejections on patent applications for inventions related to combating COVID-19.

  • April 16, 2026

    Dems Call On Watchdog To Probe DOJ Antitrust Work

    A group of Democratic federal lawmakers this week called on the U.S. Department of Justice's acting inspector general to investigate the possibility that lobbying has led to misconduct in the department's antitrust work, including the DOJ's recent surprise settlement with event ticketing giant Live Nation.

  • April 16, 2026

    ICE Ordered To Stop Work On Maryland Detention Center

    A Maryland federal court blocked the Trump administration from continuing construction work to convert an existing warehouse into an immigrant detention center while a challenge brought by the state under federal environmental regulations plays out.

  • April 16, 2026

    Higher Ed Group Seeks Fees After Beating DOE Research Cap

    An organization of public and private research universities has asked a Massachusetts federal judge to award attorney fees and costs in a successful challenge to a U.S. Department of Energy limit on reimbursements for indirect costs of grant-funded research, the third such request since last fall.

  • April 16, 2026

    8th Circ. Weighs Link Between Cannabis Use And Danger

    An Eighth Circuit panel weighing a man's conviction for owning a firearm as an unlawful marijuana user appeared inclined Thursday to reject his Second Amendment challenge and rule that his violent actions warranted the charge as it was applied to him.

  • April 16, 2026

    Texas Judge Vacates IRS' Steep Microcaptive Reporting Rule

    A Texas federal judge vacated a tax code regulation designating microcaptive insurance transactions as listed transactions subject to deep scrutiny and hefty penalties, saying the Internal Revenue Service didn't prove that they are mostly for tax avoidance and not really for insurance.

  • April 16, 2026

    Nebraska Inmates Sue Over Access To Native Religious Area

    Two Indigenous men are asking a federal court to block a Nebraska Department of Corrections' 60-day ban on access to a religious space within a Lincoln prison yard, arguing that the policy is keeping roughly 60 inmates from practicing essential elements of their faith.

  • April 16, 2026

    Pa. Justices Eye New Approach For 'De Facto' Juvenile Lifers

    The Pennsylvania Supreme Court seemed open Thursday to subjecting "de facto life sentences" for juvenile offenders to additional scrutiny, though several justices hypothesized that heinous crimes could still carry long prison terms if a court weighed all the necessary factors.

Expert Analysis

  • Why Prediction Market Regulation Is At Major Inflection Point

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    As prediction markets experience tremendous growth and rapid mainstream adoption, regulators have begun to exercise enforcement authority to ensure market integrity and protect participants, though forthcoming guidance will shed light on how aggressively the agencies will police the fast-changing landscape, say attorneys at Latham.

  • How Cos. Should Prepare For NY RAISE Act Compliance

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    With the New York Responsible AI Safety and Education Act taking effect March 19, state regulators will expect subject artificial intelligence governance policies to understand whether appropriate safeguards and protocols are in place to prevent or mitigate discriminatory or adverse outcomes by frontier models, says Michael Paulino at Gordon Rees.

  • Compliance Takeaways Amid Increased Auto Finance Scrutiny

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    Recent supervisory focus on consumer protection in auto finance by agencies such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. provides meaningful signals regarding areas of heightened regulatory scrutiny for lenders, including data accuracy, AI risk management and vendor oversight, say attorneys at Snell & Wilmer.

  • The Benefits Of Choosing A Niche Practice In The AI Age

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    As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly accessible, lawyers with a niche practice may stand out as clients seek specialized judgment that automation cannot replicate, but it is important to choose a niche that is durable, engaging and a good personal fit, says Daniel Borneman at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • How PBMs Can Adapt To Plan Sponsors' Disclosure Demands

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    As federal reforms, growing state regulation and litigation threats push plan sponsors to expect visibility into revenue streams, pharmacy benefit managers should leverage transparency strategically, including by simplifying how they get paid, offering clients audit-ready data and co-designing contracts that are easy for fiduciaries to explain and defend, says Kristie Blase at Frazer + Blase.

  • Section 122 Tariffs Show Shift In Strategy, Not Trade Policy

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    By imposing temporary tariffs under Section 122 of the Trade Act as a stopgap measure while it pivots to less transitory statutory authorities, the Trump administration sent a clear message that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Learning Resources v. Trump, invalidating duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, will not precipitate a change in policy direction, say attorneys at Snell & Wilmer.

  • What New Animal Welfare Enforcement Push Means For Cos.

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    The Trump administration's recently announced multiagency focus on violations of the Animal Welfare Act and related laws will likely lead to broader enforcement actions across industries, heightened scrutiny of compliance standards and a need for businesses to adopt effective risk management practices, says Shennie Patel at Crowell & Moring.

  • The Practical Implications Of New FDIC Stablecoin Measures

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    The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s recent proposal to create a formal process for issuing payment stablecoins arrives with several practical implications for FDIC‑supervised banks pursuing digital asset strategies, including a safe harbor for early applicants and a focus on ownership and governance, say attorneys at Troutman.

  • Antitrust Crime Enforcement May Escalate Under New Chief

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    While the recent departure of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division chief created uncertainty about enforcement priorities, the debut speech from the new acting division head revealed that companies can only expect the division’s focus on vigorous criminal prosecution and offender deterrence to grow, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • 5 Takeaways From OCC's 'Appealing' Exam Challenge Revamp

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    The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's recent proposed overhaul of its bank appeals framework introduces several attractive, high-level changes that OCC-supervised banks and their counsel should note, and may lead to an increase in successful exam challenges, says James Williams at Venable.

  • Opinion

    It's Time To Clarify California's Elder Abuse Act

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    As California's elderly population soars, the Golden State's high court and Legislature must provide needed clarification about the scope of the Elder Abuse Act, to resolve the inconsistencies and ambiguities that have impeded the law's ability to remedy elder abuse, neglect and abandonment, say attorneys at Horvitz & Levy.

  • What The CFTC's Event Contracts Amicus Brief Is Missing

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    The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's recent amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit's North American Derivatives Exchange v. Nevada case declines to define the boundary between swaps and wagers, leaving market participants, exchanges and intermediaries operating within a regulatory framework whose boundaries remain undrawn, says Tamara de Silva at De Silva Law Offices.

  • Series

    Podcasting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Podcasting has changed how I ask questions and connect with people, sharpening my ability to listen without interrupting or prejudging, and bringing me closer to what law is meant to be: a human profession grounded in understanding, judgment and trust, says Donna DiMaggio Berger at Becker.

  • Structuring Water Agreements For Data Center Development

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    For developers of artificial intelligence data centers, water use is now a threshold feasibility and financing variable amid a regulatory landscape with a state-driven push for transparency and federal push to streamline pathways for AI-related infrastructure, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • AG Watch: Ohio Targets DEI Policies

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    As Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost seeks to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs in both public education institutions and private companies, Ohio entities must carefully navigate this constantly evolving, highly contentious topic to avoid litigation while also not forfeiting their core principles, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.

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