Public Policy

  • August 19, 2025

    Former Husch Blackwell Chair Named Missouri AG

    Former Husch Blackwell LLP chair Catherine L. Hanaway has been appointed Missouri's next attorney general by Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe, according to the firm on Tuesday.

  • August 19, 2025

    Trump Tariff Suit Belongs In Trade Court, Gov't Tells DC Circ.

    Suits challenging President Donald Trump's imposition of emergency tariffs belong in the U.S. Court of International Trade and a D.C. federal judge improperly considered a case lodged by Illinois-based toy makers in his court, the government told the D.C. Circuit.

  • August 19, 2025

    Pa. Justices OK Lower Court's Test For When Posts Are Public

    A split Pennsylvania Supreme Court endorsed a lower court's proposed test for whether an elected official's personal social media messages are subject to the state's open records law, with the majority agreeing the posts should only be considered public if they have the "trappings" of a government record.

  • August 19, 2025

    Cannabis Store Defends NY Labor Peace Law Challenge

    A cannabis store challenging New York's requirement that marijuana businesses have labor peace agreements with employees asserted on Monday that the state's arguments in favor of the case's dismissal were unavailing.

  • August 19, 2025

    FTC Fights Order Blocking Media Matters Probe

    The Federal Trade Commission is appealing a D.C. federal court's order preliminarily blocking an investigation into left-leaning watchdog Media Matters for America over concerns about collusion in the advertising industry and is asking to pause the order for the appeal.

  • August 19, 2025

    Public Broadcasters Alarmed At Warning Grant Cuts

    The Corporation for Public Broadcasting called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to take over its $136 million Next Generation Warning System grant program for local public media stations, saying it can no longer manage the program as it winds down operations.

  • August 19, 2025

    ​​​​​​​CSX To Shell Out $440K In DOL Retirement Plan Fee Suit

    CSX Transportation Inc. and the U.S. Department of Labor asked a Florida federal judge Tuesday to sign off on a $440,000 settlement ending the agency's lawsuit alleging the company unlawfully deducted fees from a trust devoted to funding its employee retirement plans.

  • August 19, 2025

    Trump Signs Bill To Boost Export Control Transparency

    President Donald Trump signed a bipartisan bill on Tuesday that aims to provide more transparency in the U.S. Department of Commerce's export control system, which restricts foreign adversaries from obtaining critical U.S. technologies and software.

  • August 19, 2025

    Feds Say They'll Rescind Biden-Era Species Protections

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has said it will rescind a Biden-era Endangered Species Act rule that automatically places the strongest protections on all plants and animals covered by law.

  • August 19, 2025

    5 Firms Build $6.2B Nexstar, Tegna Media Mega-Merger

    Broadcast television giant Nexstar Media Group Inc. on Tuesday unveiled plans to buy fellow broadcast digital media company Tegna Inc. in an all-cash deal that was built by five law firms and is valued at $6.2 billion.

  • August 19, 2025

    9th Circuit Pauses Oak Flat Land Transfer Pending Appeals

    A Ninth Circuit panel has hit pause on the federal government's scheduled transfer of a centuries-old Indigenous worship site within Arizona's Tonto National Forest to a copper mining company while challenges to a multibillion-dollar proposed project play out in the appellate court.

  • August 19, 2025

    Trump's 'Abnormal' Use Of FCA Could Get Tricky In Court

    The Trump administration is wielding the False Claims Act in unusually narrow ways to drive policies on social and cultural issues — including gender-affirming care and diversity, equity and inclusion programs — but the government's potential theories of liability under the federal law remain largely untested and might not hold up in court, experts say.

  • August 18, 2025

    NJ Feds Say Habba's US Atty Role Unusual, But Not Unlawful

    Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba on Monday doubled down on her argument that President Donald Trump legally appointed her New Jersey's top federal prosecutor, telling a federal judge that this is simply "an unusual situation" created when the district court last month refused to extend her interim tenure.

  • August 18, 2025

    Battle Brews Over Fed's Plan For Big Bank Ratings Revamp

    Leading banking industry groups are urging the Federal Reserve to move full speed ahead with a supervisory ratings overhaul that could classify more big banks as "well managed," but critics warn the plan amounts to dangerous, and potentially unlawful, grade inflation.

  • August 18, 2025

    Meta Faces Senate Probe Over AI Chatbots' Talks With Kids

    Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri has launched an investigation into how artificial intelligence-fueled chatbots being deployed by Meta interact with children, following reports that the social media giant internally approved rules that would enable these products to engage "romantic" and "sensual" exchanges with minors. 

  • August 18, 2025

    HHS Says Layoffs, Reorganization Are Within Its Authority

    The Trump administration urged a Rhode Island federal judge to toss claims that massive cuts to the Health and Human Services Department violate the U.S. Constitution and usurp congressional authority, arguing the state plaintiffs don't have the authority to dictate how the executive branch manages its personnel.

  • August 18, 2025

    Ex-NY AG Immune From Malicious Prosecution Suit

    Former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has immunity from a suit by a former New York City Council member claiming wrongful prosecution, a federal judge has ruled.

  • August 18, 2025

    SDNY Judges OK Trump's Selection Of Jay Clayton As US Atty

    The Southern District of New York on Monday permitted Jay Clayton to continue overseeing the district's prosecutorial office, appointing Clayton as U.S. attorney just a day before his tenure as interim U.S. attorney was set to expire.

  • August 18, 2025

    OMB Says Agencies Can Cut Some Gov't Contract Requirements

    The Office of Management and Budget authorized federal agencies to immediately start eliminating requirements from future government contracts as part of the Trump administration's effort to get rid of non-statutory rules from the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

  • August 18, 2025

    9th Circ. Splits Over Ore.'s Denial Of Christian Youth Grants

    A split Ninth Circuit panel on Monday largely upheld a lower court's refusal to preliminarily block Oregon's requirement that recipients of certain youth grants agree not to discriminate on the basis of religion, though it also said the rule is unconstitutional if it restricts any initiatives that aren't tied to the grants.

  • August 18, 2025

    Unions Attack Gov't's Bid To Nix Federal Firings Dispute

    Four unions representing federal workers challenged the Trump administration's request to end an amended lawsuit fighting the efforts to downsize the federal workforce, telling a D.C. federal judge that the government is trying to send claims to administrative agencies that are nonfunctional.

  • August 18, 2025

    Monsanto Reaches Terms To Settle Wash. School PCB Torts

    Monsanto has come to tentative settlement terms to end claims from roughly 200 people who say they developed various health problems from chemical contamination at a Washington state school site, parent company Bayer AG said Monday.

  • August 18, 2025

    Texas Judge Stays PWFA Suit After 5th Circ. Decision

    A Texas federal judge on Monday stayed a challenge to the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act after the Fifth Circuit ruled in a separate case that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission could enforce the law.

  • August 18, 2025

    FTC Targets Ticket Resellers Over Eras Tour Sales Meltdown

    The Federal Trade Commission on Monday sued ticket brokers in Maryland federal court for allegedly snatching up hundreds of thousands of Taylor Swift Eras Tour tickets and selling them at high markups after bypassing Ticketmaster's purchase limit rules and verification processes by using fake accounts and spoofed IP addresses.

  • August 18, 2025

    College And Students Take Texas Dream Act Suit To 5th Circ.

    A Texas federal judge has ruled that bids by a state community college and a student association to intervene in a suit challenging a Texas law allowing in-state tuition for unauthorized immigrants would be "legally futile," prompting their appeal to the Fifth Circuit.

Expert Analysis

  • Bills' Defeat Means Brighter Outlook For Texas Renewables

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    The failure of a trio of bills from the recently concluded Texas legislative session that would have imposed new burdens on wind, solar and battery storage projects bodes well for a state with rapidly growing energy needs, say attorneys at Troutman.

  • Examining TCPA Jurisprudence A Year After Loper Bright

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    One year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Chevron deference in Loper Bright v. Raimondo, lower court decisions demonstrate that the Telephone Consumer Protection Act will continue to evolve as long-standing interpretations of the act are analyzed with a fresh lens, says Aaron Gallardo at Kilpatrick.

  • Opinion

    State Bars Must Probe Misconduct Claims, Even If It's The AG

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    The Florida Bar’s recent refusal to look into misconduct allegations against Attorney General Pam Bondi is dangerous for the rule of law, and other lawyer disciplinary bodies must be prepared to investigate credible claims of ethical lapses against any lawyer, no matter their position, say attorneys James Kobak and Albert Feuer.

  • New FCPA Guidance Creates 5 Compliance Imperatives

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    In light of new Foreign Corrupt Practices Act guidelines that mark a fundamental shift in enforcement priorities, companies should consider several specific steps to ensure compliance, from enhanced due diligence to robust whistleblower protections, says Andrew Wirmani at Reese Marketos.

  • How Justices' Ruling Limits Options To Challenge DHS Orders

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    In Riley v. Bondi, the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that a 30-day deadline for challenging deportation orders begins when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issues a final administrative review order, opening the door for the government to effectively bar circuit court review in future similar cases, says Kevin Gregg at Kurzban Kurzban.

  • Series

    Playing The Violin Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Playing violin in a string quartet reminds me that flexibility, ambition, strong listening skills, thoughtful leadership and intentional collaboration are all keys to a successful legal practice, says Julie Park at MoFo.

  • Employer Tips As Deepfakes Reshape Workplace Harassment

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    As the workplace harassment landscape faces the rising threat of fabricated media that hyperrealistically depict employees in sexual or malicious contexts, employers can stay ahead of the curve by tracking new legal obligations, and proactively updating policies, training and response protocols, say attorneys at Littler.

  • Series

    NY Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q2

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    In the second quarter of the year, New York utilized every available tool to fill gaps left by federal retrenchment from consumer finance issues, including sweeping updates to its consumer protection framework and notable amendments to cybersecurity rules, say attorneys at Steptoe.

  • SEC Proposal Could Hurt Foreign Issuers' US Market Access

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s June call for feedback on potentially narrowing how it designates foreign private issuers of securities could ultimately result in significant new barriers for traders that rely on FPI accommodations to participate in U.S. markets, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

  • State, Fed Junk Fee Enforcement Shows No Signs Of Slowing

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    The Federal Trade Commission’s potent new rule targeting drip pricing, in addition to the growing patchwork of state consumer protection laws, suggest that enforcement and litigation targeting junk fees will likely continue to expand, says Etia Rottman Frand at Darrow AI.

  • Federal Regs Order May Spell Harsher FDCA Enforcement

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    A recent executive order aimed at reducing criminal prosecutions of those who unknowingly violate complex federal regulations may actually lead to more aggressive felony indictments under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, but companies and executives can mitigate risks by following several key principals, say attorneys at McGuireWoods.

  • DOJ's 1st M&A Declination Shows Value Of Self-Disclosures

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    The U.S. Department of Justice's recent decision not to charge private equity firm White Deer Management — the first such declination under an M&A safe harbor policy announced last year — signals that even in high-priority national security matters, the DOJ looks highly upon voluntary self-disclosures, say attorneys at Perkins Coie.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Practicing Self-Care

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    Law schools don’t teach the mental, physical and emotional health maintenance tools necessary to deal with the profession's many demands, but practicing self-care is an important key to success that can help to improve focus, manage stress and reduce burnout, says Rachel Leonard​​​​​​​ at MG+M.

  • New Laws Show How States Are Checking AI Developers

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    Recent state consumer protection legislation shows Utah, Colorado and Texas are primed to impose controls on artificial intelligence, and exemplifies the states' unwillingness to accord strong deference to developers and deployers of AI tools, say attorneys at Polsinelli.

  • Nev. Steps Up Efforts To Attract Incorporations With New Law

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    Recent amendments to Nevada corporate law, which will narrow controlling stockholders’ liability, streamline mergers and allow companies to opt out of jury trials, show the interstate competition to attract new and reincorporating companies is still heating up, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

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