Public Policy

  • November 02, 2026

    Groups Urge Justices To Take Up Capital Group ERISA Fight

    Several employee benefits trade groups urged the U.S. Supreme Court Monday to review a Ninth Circuit ruling that refused to force arbitration of a retirement plan dispute against an investment management company, arguing the case could resolve a circuit split on the scope of relief under federal benefits law.

  • November 02, 2026

    Tax Court Denies IRS Bid To Revisit Easement Case Ruling

    The U.S. Tax Court said Monday it won't reconsider a September opinion finding a partnership's petition was filed late because of circumstances beyond its control, saying the court has already addressed the IRS' arguments that it improperly excused the lateness of the conservation easement suit.

  • November 02, 2026

    NTSB Defeats Ex-Member's Race Bias Suit Over Removal

    A D.C. federal judge shut down a former National Transportation Safety Board member's lawsuit alleging he was unlawfully removed by President Donald Trump because he's Black, pointing to the U.S. Supreme Court's June decision concluding that presidents have unlimited authority to fire members of independent agencies.

  • November 02, 2026

    DC Circ. Questions Lack Of Carbon Plan For Gas Terminal

    Judges on the D.C. Circuit on Monday pressed attorneys for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the company behind a natural gas export terminal and pipeline in South Texas on why they walked away from a connected proposal for carbon sequestration near the project without explanation.

  • November 02, 2026

    Judge Orders Chicago US Atty To Testify In Misconduct Probe

    An Illinois federal judge has ordered Chicago's top federal prosecutor and three assistant U.S. attorneys to testify under oath about potentially false statements made to her in a now-dismissed criminal conspiracy case against anti-ICE protesters, saying Monday that the government's shifting explanations about communications with DOJ leadership suggest prosecutors misled the court about outside involvement in the prosecution.

  • November 02, 2026

    XAI Fails To Dodge Miss. NAACP Pollution Suit

    A Mississippi federal judge denied X.AI Corp.'s bid to dismiss an NAACP citizen suit alleging that the company has unlawfully installed and operated dozens of polluting natural gas-fired turbines to power its Colossus 2 data center.

  • November 02, 2026

    IRS Donor Reporting Rule Violates 1st Amendment, Court Told

    The IRS' nonprofit donor disclosure rule violates organizations' and donors' First Amendment rights, a privacy group told a D.C. federal court, saying the rule is subject to a heightened level of judicial scrutiny that the government cannot overcome.

  • November 02, 2026

    Judge Tosses DOJ's Harvard Admissions Data Suit For Now

    A federal judge Monday threw out a lawsuit alleging Harvard University is withholding admissions data from the Trump administration, finding the government failed to take certain required steps before hauling the school into court.

  • November 02, 2026

    Trump To Remove Rwanda, South Africa From Trade Deal

    President Donald Trump intends to remove Rwanda and South Africa from a trade preference program for African countries, according to a statement released by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Monday.

  • November 02, 2026

    Reform But Don't Gut FCC Subsidies, Rural Telecoms Say

    Rural telecom providers say the Universal Service Fund needs reforms to run more smoothly, but they cautioned the Federal Communications Commission against structural changes that could disrupt the program.

  • November 02, 2026

    5th Circ. Skeptical Chinese Citizens Have Right To Texas Land

    A Fifth Circuit panel wants to know if Chinese citizens who wish to purchase property in Texas are arguing that everyone in the world has a constitutional right to do so, asking Monday if people globally "have the right to be treated as U.S. citizens for purposes of purchasing property in Texas."

  • November 02, 2026

    BigLaw Attys Step Up To Help Voters In Midterm Elections

    Attorneys from several BigLaw firms are volunteering across the country to make sure voters don't run into problems casting their ballots or having those ballots counted in Tuesday's midterm elections.

  • November 02, 2026

    'Our Bad': Feds' First Step Act Argument Surprises Justices

    Some U.S. Supreme Court justices considering a First Step Act case Monday appeared caught off guard by a government lawyer's argument that the defendant's impending release from prison renders the appeal moot.

  • November 02, 2026

    Union, Groups Challenge Trump's 'Noncitizen' Ballot Demand

    A labor union and two voter advocacy groups have asked a Washington federal court to stop President Donald Trump's administration from pressuring state election officials to set aside ballots from about 400 registered voters federal agencies believe are or were noncitizens.

  • November 02, 2026

    Fed. Circ. Probes Mattress Data In Indonesia Duty Dispute

    The U.S. Department of Commerce should be required to explain why it inconsistently approached data that contains impossibilities from an Indonesian exporter of mattresses during an antidumping duty investigation, counsel for domestic mattress importers and manufacturers told the Federal Circuit on Monday during oral arguments.

  • November 02, 2026

    High Court Rejects Trump's Bid To Set Aside 20K Calif. Ballots

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday quickly denied the Trump administration's request to set aside 20,000 California mail-in ballots that the federal government claims were sent to noncitizens.

  • November 02, 2026

    Copyright Board Rejects UPS Logo Registration Bid

    The U.S. Copyright Office Review Board has ruled that UPS can't register a copyright for its brown-and-gold shield logos, finding that they weren't creative enough to warrant copyright protection.

  • November 02, 2026

    Trump Admin Seeks Revival Of Blocked Fixed-Term Visa Rule

    The Trump administration has told a Massachusetts federal court that its currently blocked final rule setting firm duration limits on foreign student and press visas is critical for national security, while education groups and labor unions said the court's prior analysis "needs no retreading."

  • November 02, 2026

    FCC Clears More Drones, Inverters, Robots From Covered List

    The Federal Communications Commission has cleared several foreign-produced products for sale in the U.S., exempting certain uncrewed aircraft systems, advanced robotic devices and power inverters from the Covered List, which restricts foreign-made devices for national security reasons.

  • November 02, 2026

    5th Circ. Keeps UPS Death Suit In Texas Federal Court

    The Fifth Circuit has reversed an order sending a woman's wrongful death claims against United Parcel Service Inc. back to Texas state court, finding the district judge should have allowed UPS to fix a procedural defect rather than remanding on their own accord.

  • October 30, 2026

    Law360 MVP Awards Go To Top Attorneys From 89 Firms

    The lawyers chosen as Law360's 2026 MVPs stand out from their peers by notching significant achievements in high-stakes litigation, complex global matters and record-setting transactions.

  • November 01, 2026

    DOJ Can't Block Alaska Senate Vote Certification, Judge Says

    A federal judge Sunday dismissed the U.S. Department of Justice's lawsuit seeking to block the certification of the Senate election results in Alaska if the incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, R-Alaska, does not win — a decision the DOJ said it would appeal.

  • October 30, 2026

    Feds Want 5 Years For John Bolton In Classified Info Case

    Federal prosecutors say former National Security Adviser John Bolton should be sentenced to five years in prison after he pled guilty to charges he illegally retained classified national defense information, while Bolton says he should only be sentenced to probation, according to dueling memos filed Friday in Maryland federal court.

  • October 30, 2026

    OCC Has 'Serious' Concerns On Calif. Climate-Disclosure Law

    The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is lobbying California environmental regulators for a national bank carveout from their anticipated state climate-related disclosure rules, signaling it could otherwise seek to shield banks with its federal preemption powers.

  • October 30, 2026

    Binance's $6.3B Crypto Hack Puts Customer Trust To The Test

    The record $6.3 billion hack of Binance is likely to test customers' faith in the cryptocurrency giant, with its ability to repay losses and willingness to take steps to strengthen its cyber defenses poised to shape whether investors stick with the platform.

Expert Analysis

  • Conn. Insurers Should Prepare To Explain Premium Hikes

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    As of Jan. 1, Connecticut insurers must provide a reasonable explanation for personal risk insurance premium increases upon policyholder request, and thus should familiarize themselves with a recent bulletin that prescribes the details, say attorneys at Troutman.

  • Where The 3 Prediction Market Appellate Rulings Diverge

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    Although the recent Third, Sixth and Ninth Circuit opinions concerning prediction markets overlap on some issues, they differ on key statutory questions, deepening a circuit split over both the classification of sports event contracts and the scope of federal preemption, says Levi Giovanetto at Sheppard.

  • Series

    Calif. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q3

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    California's financial regulators spent the third quarter of 2026 focusing on consumer protection enforcement at home while resisting federal efforts to displace state oversight — reinforcing the state's intention to shape the compliance landscape for institutions operating within its borders despite federal deregulatory trends, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

  • DOJ's Unusual Warning Puts Protests In FARA Crosshairs

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    The U.S. Department of Justice’s recent atypical press release about Foreign Agents Registration Act liability may signal greater scrutiny of public demonstrations and foreign-directed advocacy — but it does not change the statutory requirements for companies and individuals, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • Changing Strategies To Protect Your Autonomous AI's IP

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    After Insilico recently named only human inventors on a patent application for an autonomous artificial intelligence's drug discovery, companies should take concrete steps to preserve the strongest possible intellectual property protection for AI-assisted work, including documenting human contributions and strengthening trade secret controls, says Stephen Ball at Husch Blackwell.

  • How States May Enter The Shareholder Proposal Landscape

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    Rescission of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's shareholder proposal rule doesn't herald the end of shareholder activism, but it allows state legislatures to play a central role in determining the future of shareholder proposals, with that uncertainty creating new opportunities for both issuers and activists, say attorneys at Thompson Coburn.

  • Series

    Mentalism Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Convincing strangers I can read their minds may seem like an unusual second career for a legal practitioner, but both disciplines share several important requirements, including trust and preparation, says Warren Biro at Manatt.

  • Why And How To Build A Neurodiversity-Informed Practice

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    By better understanding neurodiversity and implementing simple accommodations for clients with autism, ADHD or learning differences, attorneys can build stronger relationships with those who may otherwise struggle to obtain and benefit from legal services, while developing good habits that will benefit everyone they represent, says Ting Cheung at Sanford Heisler.

  • Series

    Illinois Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q3

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    Recent banking developments in Illinois include significant new consumer protection legislation, three meaningful Seventh Circuit decisions, and a high-profile constitutional challenge to the state's new digital asset tax, say attorneys at Barnes & Thornburg.

  • How FTC Win Charts A Court-1st Merger Litigation Playbook

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    A New York federal court's recent decision blocking Henkel's acquisition of Liquid Nails marked a decisive trial win for the Federal Trade Commission, and tips for merging parties in similar transactions now include preparing for full-blown federal litigation, including a complete evidentiary trial, say attorneys at Cooley.

  • How SEC Is Changing The Shareholder Proposal Landscape

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission continues to place its shareholder proposal rule at the center of its agenda, now with a newly proposed rule that would rescind it entirely, showcasing an agency seeking to narrow its overall focus, say attorneys at Thompson Coburn.

  • NLRB Memo Signals Narrower View Of Protected Activism

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    A recent National Labor Relations Board memo concluding that Microsoft lawfully discharged two employees who conducted a pro-Palestinian protest on company property indicates that the current NLRB general counsel may take a more restrictive view of when political or social advocacy qualifies as protected activity, say attorneys at Franczek.

  • What Insurers Need To Know About 2 New California Laws

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    California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two measures last week that while addressing distinct issues — catastrophe claims handling and insurers' corrective actions, respectively — reflect similar themes, including insurers' preparation before problems arise, transparency while they are being addressed, and meaningful remediation afterward, says Lucy Wang at Hinshaw.

  • Opinion

    PTAB Panels Should Revamp Their IPR Merits Decisions

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    In light of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires' recent announcement about returning merits institution determinations to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, the implementing framework should strengthen PTAB panels' responsibility for the benefit of both petitioners and patent owners, says Brandon Theiss at AddyHart.

  • FCC Covered List Is Pushing Limits Of Supply Chain Scrutiny

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    Companies outside the traditional telecommunications sector may now need to factor the Federal Communications Commission's equipment authorization requirements into supply chain compliance as the FCC covered list continues to expand as a national security tool, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

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