Public Policy

  • April 22, 2026

    Kash Patel's Suit Over Pundit's 'Nightclubs' Quip Gets Axed

    A Houston federal judge has tossed Kash Patel's defamation suit against news analyst Frank Figliuzzi, who during an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" quipped that the FBI director is more often seen in nightclubs than in his office, saying Patel's claims include an "'unreasonably literal interpretation'" of Figliuzzi's remark.

  • April 22, 2026

    NY Gov. Bans State Officials Using Inside Info For Online Bets

    New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order Wednesday blocking state officials from trading on prediction markets using insider information they obtained during the course of their official duties, citing recent reports of bets related to the U.S. military action within Venezuela and the war in Iran.

  • April 22, 2026

    11th Circ. Mulls Whether High Court Ruling Backs Book Ban

    The Eleventh Circuit on Wednesday pressed Florida on its argument that a landmark 1988 U.S. Supreme Court case supported its defense of a state law barring books with sexual content from school libraries, with two judges hinting that the high court's decision might not be directly on point.

  • April 22, 2026

    4th Circ. Won't Rehear Spat Over DOGE's Agency Data Access

    The Fourth Circuit has declined to reconsider a split panel's decision to vacate an injunction that blocked the Department of Government Efficiency's access to personal information held by three federal agencies.

  • April 22, 2026

    5th Circ. Bars Dead Veteran's VA Surgery Suit As Untimely

    The estate of a dead veteran who filed a medical malpractice lawsuit 18 years after an unauthorized operation at a Veterans Affairs hospital didn't bring the suit within Mississippi's seven-year deadline for medical malpractice claims, the Fifth Circuit ruled Wednesday.

  • April 22, 2026

    Justices Lean Toward Parole For Charged Green Card Holders

    The U.S. Supreme Court appeared unconvinced on Wednesday that returning green card holders with pending criminal charges must be admitted rather than paroled into the country, with one justice suggesting it could backfire on lawful permanent residents and might be impractical.

  • April 22, 2026

    Split 6th Circ. Lets Brewer Challenge Tax Code's Distilling Ban

    An Ohio brewery owner has standing to challenge the constitutionality of the federal tax code's ban on distilling whiskey at home, but the ban is necessary for the government to collect taxes on distilled spirits, a split Sixth Circuit panel ruled.

  • April 22, 2026

    CIT Backs Expanded Scope For Chinese Cabinet Duties

    Certain wooden cabinets and vanities completed in Vietnam and Malaysia with components manufactured in China were correctly found to be in-scope of duty orders on such products from China, the U.S. Court of International Trade said Wednesday, sustaining two U.S. Department of Commerce determinations.

  • April 22, 2026

    Oklahoma Sports Betting Bill Wins Thunder, Tribal Backing

    Two Republican lawmakers in Oklahoma have amended a version of a bill to legalize sports betting in the state with the backing of the Oklahoma City Thunder that will allow wagers to be placed through platforms operated in partnership with the state's tribal nations.

  • April 22, 2026

    USTR Seeking 'Outcomes' On DSTs, Stronger USMCA Rules

    U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told a U.S. House of Representatives panel Wednesday that efforts to eliminate digital service taxes implemented by jurisdictions across the world continue to be prioritized by President Donald Trump's administration, and potential tariff actions are ready in waiting.

  • April 22, 2026

    Retailers Ready To Fight FCC Over Call Center 'Onshoring'

    Large retail chains aren't happy with the Federal Communications Commission's plan to "onshore" customer service call centers, saying that even though it's geared toward communications companies, the proposal risks being foisted onto retailers as well.

  • April 22, 2026

    EEOC 'Delayed Its Own' Antisemitism Probe, Penn Says

    The University of Pennsylvania has pushed back on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's implication that it is delaying the agency's probe into antisemitism on campus by seeking a pause of a subpoena's enforcement, saying the EEOC's previous lack of urgency in the case undermines its argument.

  • April 22, 2026

    Acting DOJ Inspector General Tapped For Permanent Post

    President Donald Trump has nominated the U.S. Department of Justice's acting inspector general, who investigated the FBI's probe into Trump's links with Russia, to remain in that role on a permanent basis, according to a White House announcement.

  • April 22, 2026

    FCC Boosts Mobile Service From Space With AST Exemptions

    The Federal Communications Commission's staff approved some rule exemptions for AST & Science LLC to launch a 248-satellite constellation, which they said would encourage the growth of mobile services from space.

  • April 22, 2026

    Federal Agencies Hit With FOIA Suit Over Palantir Records

    A transparency-focused nonprofit has asked a Washington federal court to order federal agencies to respond to its Freedom of Information Act request regarding their involvement with technology company Palantir after President Donald Trump called for maximal interagency information sharing.

  • April 22, 2026

    Va. Lawmakers Reject Governor's Changes To Pot Bill

    Virginia legislators on Wednesday rejected Gov. Abigail Spanberger's proposed changes to a bill that would create a regulated cannabis market.

  • April 22, 2026

    Commerce Opens Path For Canadian, Mexican Metal Tariff Cut

    Canadian and Mexican steel and aluminum producers that commit to expanding their U.S. domestic production capacity and provide the goods to U.S. automotive manufacturers can apply to have the 50% tariff rate on the metals halved, the U.S. Department of Commerce said Wednesday.

  • April 22, 2026

    Bondi's Proposed Rule Change May Shield Her In Ethics Case

    A federal rule change that Pam Bondi proposed before she was fired as U.S. attorney general could stymie an ethics complaint against her in Florida, which is expected to be refiled after the state bar declined to take up the case during her tenure, experts say.

  • April 22, 2026

    Developer Says Power Broker, Atty Brother Seek Rushed Ruling

    A Philadelphia-based developer has told a New Jersey state court that South Jersey power broker George Norcross and his attorney brother's opposition to his bid to amend his suit is really an effort to get an untimely ruling.

  • April 22, 2026

    WIPO Head Gets Another Term To Lead UN Agency

    World Intellectual Property Organization Director General Daren Tang has been reappointed to the position after being nominated by its coordination committee earlier this year to again lead the United Nations agency.

  • April 22, 2026

    Mass. Justices Reject Additional Rules For Punitive Damages

    Massachusetts' highest court on Wednesday rejected a bid by Philip Morris USA Inc. to impose rules aimed at curbing big-dollar punitive damages awards, declining to wipe out or further reduce a verdict against the tobacco company that was already slashed from $1 billion to $56 million.  

  • April 22, 2026

    Neb. Agrees To Ax Unauthorized Immigrants' Tuition Benefits

    The Trump administration and the state of Nebraska have asked a Nebraska federal court to sign off on a consent decree they reached seeking to permanently block state laws that provide in-state tuition benefits to unauthorized immigrants, agreeing that federal law preempts them.

  • April 22, 2026

    DHS Says Mich. Lacks Standing To Block Planned ICE Center

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency are fighting back against a suit filed by Michigan and one of its cities in Michigan federal court over a planned ICE detention center, arguing that the plaintiffs lack standing and that the Immigration and Nationality Act allows the federal government to convert a local warehouse into an immigrant detention center.

  • April 22, 2026

    Feds Get More Time To Tell Immigrants Of Bond Rights

    A Massachusetts federal judge has said she will give the government more time to notify detained immigrants of their right to a bond hearing and appeal, but also added a restriction barring transfers of detainees to other jurisdictions for at least 24 hours after they have been served.

  • April 22, 2026

    Chancery Sends Masimo Ex-CEO Pay Fight To California

    The Delaware Chancery Court sided with former Masimo Corp. CEO Joe E. Kiani in his fight with the global medical technology company, dismissing the company's lawsuit over a disputed $450 million severance package and ruling that the case must proceed in California, not Delaware.

Expert Analysis

  • How High Court Recast State Sovereign Immunity In Galette

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's unanimous ruling in Galette v. New Jersey Transit, asserting that the state-chartered transit agency has independent corporate personhood and sole obligation to pay judgments against it, turned on substance rather than form — and its analysis should be carefully reviewed in courthouses and statehouses, say attorneys at McCarter & English.

  • Get Smart: Navigating The Genius Act's Regulatory Gaps

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    While some recent Genius Act rulemaking has covered consumer protection issues within the stablecoin market, the context is generally narrow and the final outcome remains uncertain for financial institutions or companies in the evolving landscape, say attorneys at Paul Hastings.

  • Opinion

    Ga. HOA Reform Bills Risk Undermining Local Governance

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    Lawmakers considering several bills in Georgia that would centralize regulation of homeowners associations should acknowledge that effective reform needs to protect homeowners’ rights while preserving the financial and governance structures that allow communities to function, says Julie Howard at NowackHoward.

  • 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.

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