Public Policy

  • July 10, 2025

    Mass. Man Agrees To $10K Fine For Pirate Radio Stations

    The Federal Communications Commission slapped a $10,000 fine on a Massachusetts man in a consent decree for operating pirate radio stations from three locations, though it was a reduction from the nearly $598,000 fine the FCC initially proposed.

  • July 10, 2025

    4th Circ. Pauses Air Quality Suit As EPA Rethinks W.Va. Plan

    The Fourth Circuit on Thursday granted a request to pause West Virginia's ozone regulation lawsuit so the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency can reconsider the state's air quality compliance plan.

  • July 10, 2025

    Okla. Gov.'s Brother Seeks High Court Review Of Tribal Ticket

    Keith Stitt, brother of Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a decision that denied his appeal of a speeding ticket issued on tribal lands, arguing that the state never intended to accept a landmark ruling on the restoration of proper criminal jurisdiction in Indian Country.

  • July 10, 2025

    Groups Ask 9th Circ. To Sink EPA Pesticide Seed Exemption

    Green groups on Wednesday asked the Ninth Circuit to revive their lawsuit alleging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is violating federal law by failing to regulate pesticide-coated crop seeds.

  • July 10, 2025

    $4.4B T-Mobile, UScellular Deal Gets DOJ OK, With A Warning

    The U.S. Department of Justice gave its all-clear Thursday to T-Mobile's plan to take over most of UScellular's wireless operations, finding that T-Mobile's commitments to bolster the flagging company outweigh, at least for now, worries over the disappearance of UScellular's underdog offerings.

  • July 10, 2025

    IRS Leaker Fairly Sentenced To 5 Years, Gov't Tells DC Circ.

    The judge who sentenced an IRS contractor for leaking thousands of wealthy people's tax returns to the media, including those of President Donald Trump, kept an open mind when she decided to deliver the maximum five-year prison term, the government told the D.C. Circuit, arguing the sentence was fair.

  • July 10, 2025

    FCC Says Yes To T-Mobile's $5B Metronet Buy After Nixing DEI

    T-Mobile has received the Federal Communications Commission's blessing to go ahead with its $4.9 billion joint venture to acquire fiber company Metronet, one day after telling the agency it would end its diversity, equity and inclusion programs in furtherance of the FCC chair's goals.

  • July 10, 2025

    Ga. Sheriff Fired Deputy For Supporting Rival, Suit Says

    Fulton County, Georgia, its sheriff's office and its sheriff have been sued in federal court by a former sheriff's office employee who alleged he was fired because he supported the sheriff's political opponent in the 2024 election.

  • July 10, 2025

    Ga. Atty Avoids Sanctions In Suit Over Fatal Police Shooting

    A Georgia federal judge has rejected Savannah officials' bid to sanction attorneys suing for civil rights violations in the 2022 shooting death of a Black man by a police officer who's facing murder charges, finding Wednesday that an attorney's comments to the media weren't made in bad faith — but warned counsel to "tread carefully."

  • July 10, 2025

    Broadcast Groups Want Status Quo On AM Band Licenses

    AM broadcasters urged the Federal Communications Commission to allow them to continue dual operations in both the expanded and standard AM bands, telling the commission in a new filing that it should go ahead and shut down two AM-related dockets if it means that the status quo is maintained.

  • July 10, 2025

    Senate Tees Up 6th Circ. Nom Vote As 1st Of 2nd Trump Term

    The first judicial confirmation of the second Trump administration was readied on Thursday, with the U.S. Senate voting 51-43 to end debate on the nomination of Whitney Hermandorfer to the Sixth Circuit.

  • July 10, 2025

    DOL Urges 9th Circ. To OK Toss Of HP 401(k) Forfeiture Suit

    The U.S. Department of Labor urged the Ninth Circuit to reject HP Inc. workers' bid to revive a proposed class action alleging forfeited employee 401(k) plan contributions were mismanaged, arguing a lower court properly tossed the case for failure to state a claim for violating federal benefits law.

  • July 10, 2025

    Senate Confirms Gould As OCC Head

    The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed Jones Day partner Jonathan Gould as Comptroller of the Currency in a 50-45 vote along party lines, marking his return to the agency where he spent more than two years as chief counsel.

  • July 10, 2025

    Navigation Co. Says Study 'Validates' GPS Backup Plan

    Geolocation company NextNav Inc. told the Federal Communications Commission in a letter Wednesday that detractors of its proposal to use the lower 900 MHz spectrum to deploy an Earth-based backstop for the Global Positioning System have raised unfounded concerns and mischaracterized an engineering study supporting its proposal.

  • July 10, 2025

    Texas Judge Partially Voids DOL's ERISA Rollover Rule

    A Texas federal judge partially invalidated an investment advice regulation from President Donald Trump's first administration involving employee retirement savings and rollover transactions, ruling the U.S. Department of Labor exceeded its authority when it handed down a new interpretation of federal benefits law.

  • July 10, 2025

    Trump Says 50% Copper Tariff Will Begin Aug. 1

    President Donald Trump said his new 50% tariff on copper imports will take effect Aug. 1, citing national security concerns.

  • July 10, 2025

    Dems Say 3rd Circ. Nominee Urged DOJ To Ignore Courts

    Senate Democrats on the Judiciary Committee on Thursday unveiled 150 pages of documents, which they say substantiate whistleblower allegations against Third Circuit nominee Emil Bove and raise concerns about his conduct during his tenure at the U.S. Department of Justice.

  • July 10, 2025

    5 Employee Benefits Takeaways On The GOP Tax Bill

    Congressional Republicans' sweeping tax and policy bill, which President Donald Trump sought and then signed, contains multiple provisions that caught the attention of employee benefits and executive compensation attorneys, including new changes to high-deductible health plans and an employer-side deduction limit affecting highly compensated employees. Here are five takeaways from employee benefits and executive compensation attorneys on what's in — and out of — the GOP megabill.

  • July 10, 2025

    Fla. Can't Enforce Residency Rule On Some Canvassers

    A Florida federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction blocking state officials from enforcing residency and citizenship requirements for paid canvassers aligned with some sponsors and supporters of ballot initiatives, finding the blanket ban violates the First Amendment.

  • July 10, 2025

    Judge Blocks Trump's Birthright Citizenship Order Nationwide

    A New Hampshire federal judge on Thursday issued a nationwide block of President Donald Trump's executive order limiting birthright citizenship, and granted certification to a nationwide class that will cover all affected children born in the U.S.

  • July 09, 2025

    Judge Unlikely To Halt ATF Return Of 'Machine Gun' Triggers

    A Maryland federal judge said she was unlikely to block settlements between the federal government and gun-component manufacturers allowing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to return "forced reset triggers" to their owners and questioned the standing of states that claim the returns would break their laws.

  • July 09, 2025

    Trump Slaps Brazil With 50% Tariff, Cites Bolsonaro Trial

    President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Brazilian goods sent to the U.S. can expect a 50% tariff starting in August, saying that the increased levy was in part due to Brazil's charges against its former president, Jair Bolsonaro.

  • July 09, 2025

    Iowa Urges Judge Not To Block Law Regulating PBMs

    The state of Iowa urged a federal judge Tuesday not to halt enforcement of state restrictions on pharmacy benefit managers that took effect earlier this month, arguing that most of the challenged law doesn't apply to the health plans and employers seeking to enjoin it.

  • July 09, 2025

    Sierra Club Says OMB Ignoring Funding Freeze Info Requests

    The Office of Management and Budget's refusal to produce records concerning the Trump administration's freeze of federal funding programs is impeding the Sierra Club's mission to advocate for and educate the public about pressing public health and environmental issues, the environmental organization alleged Tuesday in California federal court.

  • July 09, 2025

    Senate Confirms Airline Executive To Lead FAA

    The U.S. Senate Wednesday largely voted along party lines to confirm President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Federal Aviation Administration.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    IRS Should Work With Industry On Microcaptive Regs

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    The IRS should engage with microcaptive insurance owners to develop better regulations on these arrangements or risk the emergence of common law guidance as taxpayers with legitimate programs seek relief in the federal courts, says Dustin Carlson at SRA 831(b) Admin.

  • How Providers Can Brace For Drug Pricing Policy Changes

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    Though it's uncertain which provisions of the Trump administration's executive order aimed at addressing prescription drug costs will eventually be implemented, stakeholders can reduce potential negative outcomes by understanding pathways that could be used to effectuate the order's directives, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • Comparing New Neural Data Privacy Laws In 4 States

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    Although no federal law yet addresses neural privacy comprehensively, the combined effect of recent state laws in Colorado, California, Montana and Connecticut is already shaping the regulatory future, but a multistate compliance strategy has quickly become a gating item for those experimenting with neuro-enabled workplace tools, says Kristen Mathews at Cooley.

  • 2025's First Half Brings Regulatory Detours For Fintechs

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    The first half of the year has resulted in a bifurcated regulatory environment for fintechs, featuring narrowed enforcement in some areas, heightened scrutiny in others and a policy window that, with proper compliance, offers meaningful opportunities for innovation, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Debunking 4 Misconceptions Around Texas' IV Therapy Law

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    Despite industry confusion, an IV therapy law enacted in Texas last week may actually be the most business-friendly regulatory development the medical spa industry has seen in recent years, says Keith Lefkowitz at Hendershot Cowart.

  • A Pattern Emerges In Justices' Evaluation Of Veteran Statute

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    The recent Soto v. U.S. decision that the statute of limitations for certain military-related claims does not apply to combat-related special compensation exemplifies the U.S. Supreme Court's view, emerging in two other recent opinions, that it is a reviewing court's obligation to determine the best interpretation of the language used by Congress, says attorney Kenneth Carpenter.

  • Opinion

    Senate's 41% Litigation Finance Tax Would Hurt Legal System

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    The Senate’s latest version of the Big Beautiful Bill Act would impose a 41% tax on the litigation finance industry, but the tax is totally disconnected from the concerns it purports to address, and it would set the country back to a time when small plaintiffs had little recourse against big defendants, says Anthony Sebok at Cardozo School of Law.

  • Psychedelic Treatment Regs May Be At A Tipping Point

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    Recent scientific and public attention suggest that development of psychedelics as treatment for some conditions may be at a tipping point, which could bring on more rapid change and opportunities for stakeholders who may in the future benefit from greater access to safe and effective psychedelic medicines, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

  • In NRC Ruling, Justices Affirm Hearing Process Still Matters

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Nuclear Regulatory Commission v. Texas safeguards the fairness, clarity and predictability of the regulatory system by affirming that to challenge an agency's decision in court, litigants must first meaningfully participate in the hearing process that Congress and the agency have established, says Jonathan Rund at the Nuclear Energy Institute.

  • Comparing Stablecoin Bills From UK, EU, US And Hong Kong

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    For multinational stablecoin issuers, navigating the differences and similarities among regimes in the U.K., EU, Hong Kong and U.S., which are currently unfolding in several key ways, is critical to achieving scalable, compliant operations, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • What Baseball Can Teach Criminal Attys About Rule Of Lenity

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    Judges tend to assess ambiguous criminal laws not unlike how baseball umpires approach checked swings, so defense attorneys should consider how to best frame their arguments to maximize courts' willingness to invoke the rule of lenity, wherein a tie goes to the defendant, says Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.

  • Series

    Performing As A Clown Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    To say that being a clown in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has changed my legal career would truly be an understatement — by creating an opening to converse on a unique topic, it has allowed me to connect with clients, counsel and even judges on a deeper level, says Charles Tatelbaum at Tripp Scott.

  • Focusing On Fluoride: From FDA To Class Action

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    A class action filed two days after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced plans to remove ingestible fluoride prescription drug products for children from the market may be the tip of the iceberg in terms of the connection between government pronouncements on safety and their immediate use as evidence in lawsuits, says Rachel Turow at Skadden.

  • How Energy Cos. Can Prepare For Potential Tax Credit Cuts

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    The Senate Finance Committee's version of the One Big Beautiful Bill act would create a steep phaseout of renewable energy tax credits, which should prompt companies to take several actions, including conduct a project review to discern which could begin construction before the end of the year, say attorneys at Husch Blackwell.

  • The CFTC Is Shaking Up Sports Betting's Legal Future

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    The sports betting industry faces a potential sea change amid recent state and federal actions across the regulatory landscape that have expanded access to sporting event contracts against the backdrop of waning Commodity Futures Trading Commission opposition, says Nick Covek at Foley & Lardner.

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