Public Policy

  • January 07, 2026

    Conn. Regulator Clears Avangrid Unit In Fatal Electrocution

    An Avangrid Inc. subsidiary is not responsible for the death of a Connecticut man who grabbed a downed power line while clearing a fallen tree from a golf course driveway in August, but it should make changes to the way it responds to potentially life-threatening situations, the state's utility regulator said Wednesday.

  • January 07, 2026

    Trump Admin Asks Judge Not To Toss Boston Sanctuary Suit

    The Trump administration on Wednesday urged a judge not to dismiss its lawsuit against the city of Boston over its sanctuary immigration policies, saying the ordinance at issue is preempted by federal law.

  • January 07, 2026

    Philadelphia Settles Cops' OT Suit 6 Days Before Trial

    A group of mid-ranking officers in Philadelphia's police department have settled an overtime lawsuit against the city and the department's leaders, less than a week before it could have gone to trial.

  • January 07, 2026

    NJ Town Blasts 'Litigation Tactic' In Mall Sunday Sales Suit

    The New Jersey borough that's home to the American Dream megamall has asked a state judge to dismiss another municipality's lawsuit challenging Sunday sales there, arguing that the complaint failed to articulate any legally cognizable claim against the borough.

  • January 07, 2026

    Chief Cook Co. Judge Highlights First Month's Reforms

    In his first month on the job, Cook County Chief Judge Charles Beach has restructured the court to create three new deputy chief judge positions and has taken steps to review the court's pretrial electronic monitoring practices.

  • January 07, 2026

    FCC Plans To Raise Power Limits For Unlicensed 6 GHz Use

    The Federal Communications Commission plans to vote this month on whether to expand unlicensed uses of the 6 gigahertz airwaves, aiming to make more room for Wi-Fi, the Internet of Things and augmented and virtual reality.

  • January 07, 2026

    FERC Defends Grid Planning Policy Revamp At 4th Circ.

    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has told the Fourth Circuit that the overhaul of its regional transmission planning policy was needed to address a pervasive failure to efficiently build out the U.S. electric grid, and that allegations the agency acted unlawfully are meritless.

  • January 07, 2026

    Jones Day Adds Ex-SEC Deputy Enforcement Director In Ga.

    Jones Day has added to its Atlanta investigations and white collar defense practice a former deputy enforcement director of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the firm announced on Wednesday.

  • January 07, 2026

    FCC Urged To Revisit AT&T-UScellular Spectrum Deal OK

    Consumer advocates are teaming up with rural wireless carriers to call for the Federal Communications Commission to reverse its recent approval of a $1 billion deal for AT&T to snap up spectrum held by broken-up UScellular.

  • January 07, 2026

    Ind. House Bill Would Stop Property Taxes And Assessments

    Indiana would bar political subdivisions from assessing and taxing tangible property and instead allow school corporations to impose an annual fee to attempt to make up revenue under a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives. 

  • January 07, 2026

    Law Firms Step Up To Navigate Biz Opportunities In Venezuela

    Law firms are gearing up to assist clients exploring potential business opportunities in Venezuela following President Donald Trump's announcement that the U.S. would "run" the country for the time being after the arrest of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on narco-conspiracy charges.

  • January 07, 2026

    Cruz Tells House Speaker To Move On Judicial Impeachments

    Ahead of a hearing on impeachment of "rogue judges" on Wednesday, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, increased pressure on House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to advance impeachment proceedings against federal judges in D.C. and Maryland.

  • January 07, 2026

    Tax Funding Oil Spill Cleanups Has Expired, IRS Clarifies

    The Internal Revenue Service clarified Wednesday that the part of an added tax on crude oil and petroleum products earmarked for an oil spill cleanup fund expired at the end of 2025.

  • January 07, 2026

    Trump Says He Wants To Ban Wall Street From Buying Houses

    President Donald Trump announced in an online post Wednesday he plans to ask Congress to endorse coming steps from his administration to ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes in the U.S.

  • January 07, 2026

    Feds Say Rubio Has Authority To Halt Ally Visa Processing

    The federal government defended its authority to suspend visa processing for Afghan and Iraqi allies even though a final court order requires prompt action, arguing that the secretary of state can override the court.

  • January 07, 2026

    NC Panel Backs GOP In Judicial Appointment Power Clash

    A split panel in North Carolina's intermediate appeals court Wednesday sided with Republican lawmakers in an ongoing constitutional battle over the governor's appointment powers, finding the Legislature can restrict his ability to fill judicial vacancies in the state appellate courts.

  • January 07, 2026

    Objector To PACER Overcharge Settlement Faces Uphill Battle

    An objector to a $125 million settlement to end class claims alleging the federal government overcharged nonprofits and other lawyers to access court documents faced a skeptical Federal Circuit panel Wednesday, with judges indicating they had not found legal errors in the district court's approval of the deal.

  • January 07, 2026

    DOJ Seeks Nod For HPE Merger Deal Over State Objections

    The U.S. Department of Justice has requested court approval for its settlement that would end a challenge of Hewlett Packard Enterprise's acquisition of a networking equipment rival, despite objections raised by state enforcers over allegations of improper lobbying influence.

  • January 07, 2026

    Tribes, Feds Both Denied Early Win In Riverbed Rights Case

    The D.C. federal court won't give early victories to three Indigenous tribes or the federal government in a dispute with North Dakota over ownership rights of a Missouri River mineral bed, saying a review of the case underscores the need for it to go to trial.

  • January 07, 2026

    NLRB Gets Up To Speed As Members And GC Are Sworn In

    The National Labor Relations Board is set to resume deciding cases after two new members arrived at the agency Wednesday along with President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Office of the General Counsel.

  • January 07, 2026

    Ørsted Expands Challenge To Halt Of Offshore Wind Projects

    Danish energy developer Ørsted has expanded its legal fight against the Trump administration's latest order halting offshore wind projects, filing a lawsuit claiming the order unlawfully blocks the construction of its Sunrise Wind project off the New York coast.

  • January 07, 2026

    Commerce Opens Probe Into Canadian Mushroom Imports

    The U.S. Department of Commerce announced Wednesday that it has opened a pair of investigations into whether fresh mushrooms from Canada should be subject to antidumping and countervailing duties.

  • January 07, 2026

    Ind. Bill Seeks Uniform Assessments Regardless Of Owner

    Indiana would require that all tangible property and agricultural land be assessed in a uniform manner regardless of the owner under a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives.

  • January 07, 2026

    Compass' $1.6B Anywhere Buy Goes Unchallenged By Government

    Real estate brokerage Compass Inc.'s $1.6 billion acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate Inc. is expected to move forward Wednesday without being scrutinized by the federal government even though congressional lawmakers previously urged the government to do so.

  • January 07, 2026

    New York Tribal Land Settlement Awaits Senate Approval

    A bill that would ratify a land settlement agreement among two tribes, New York and two of its counties that would return about 140,000 acres to reservation status is stalled in the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

Expert Analysis

  • Sports Gambling Scrutiny Expands Risks For Teams, Leagues

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    The Minnesota attorney general recently sent warning letters to 14 website operators for offering what the state considers illegal online gambling, demonstrating why the sports industry, including teams and leagues, should ask critical questions about organizational compliance, internal controls and potential criminal liability, say attorneys at Stinson.

  • The CFTC's Road Ahead Under Newly Confirmed Chair

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    Michael Selig's Dec. 18 confirmation as U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission chair comes at a critical juncture, as the agency is poised to gain oversight over the crypto industry and increase its jurisdictional mandate covering prediction markets, says Elizabeth Lan Davis at Davis Wright.

  • How Fractional GCs Can Manage Risks Of Engagement

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    As more organizations eliminate their in-house legal departments in favor of outsourcing legal work, fractional general counsel roles offer practitioners an engaging and flexible way to practice at a high level, but they can also present legal, ethical and operational risks that must be proactively managed, say attorneys at Boies Schiller.

  • SEC Rulemaking Radar: A Reset, A Shift And A Preview Of '26

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    With major proposals withdrawn and new priorities emerging, forthcoming U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission proposals in 2026 will look to reshape how digital assets are regulated, recalibrate market structure and simplify how small companies go public, says Christopher Grobbel at Goodwin.

  • Changes In Crypto, Cybersecurity Defined NY Banking In 2025

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    The major takeaways from 2025 in New York banking policy involve updated guidance, regulations and requirements primarily affecting innovation and digital banking, in areas such as cybersecurity, virtual currencies, and buy now, pay later programs, say attorneys at Steptoe.

  • Opinion

    Justices Should Clarify Loper Bright Doctrine Via Patent Case

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    The U.S. Supreme Court should use the Lynk Labs v. Samsung patent case to provide urgently needed guidance on how last year’s Loper Bright decision should be applied to real-world questions of agency authority in the post-Chevron world, says Timothy Hsieh at Oklahoma City University School of Law.

  • How OECD Tax Update Tackles Mobile Workforce Complexity

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    The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s recently updated model tax convention — a recalibration of international tax principles in response to an increasingly mobile workforce — should prompt companies to reevaluate cross-border operations, transfer pricing policies and tax controversy strategies, say attorneys at Eversheds.

  • Reviewing 2025's Most Pertinent Wiretap Developments

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    2025 was a remarkable year in the world of web tracking wiretapping litigation, not only for the increased caseload but also because of numerous developing theories of liability, with disputes expected to continue unabated in 2026, say attorneys at Squire Patton.

  • 2025 Legal Milestones That Will Shape Psychedelics Sector

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    As 2025 draws to a close, psychedelic drug development stands at an inflection point, experiencing unprecedented momentum through recent sweeping regulatory changes and landmark clinical milestones, amid rapidly evolving regulatory expectations, say Odette Hauke at Odette Alina LLC and Kimberly Chew at Husch Blackwell.

  • M&A Midmarket Shows Resilience Amid 2025 Challenges

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    Midmarket mergers and acquisitions showed a slight decline in volume but climbed in value for much of 2025, particularly in the private equity space, indicating that the middle market M&A environment is cautious but steady heading into 2026, say attorneys at Stoel Rives.

  • Del. Dispatch: Key 2025 Corporate Cases And Trends To Know

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    The Delaware corporate legal landscape saw notable changes in 2025, spurred by amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law, ubiquitous artificial intelligence fervor, boardroom discussion around DExit, record shareholder activism activity and an arguably more expansive view of potential Caremark liability, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

  • Series

    Nature Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Nature photography reminds me to focus on what is in front of me and to slow down to achieve success, and, in embracing the value of viewing situations through different lenses, offers skills transferable to the practice of law, says Brian Willett at Saul Ewing.

  • 2025 Brought A New Paradigm For Federal Banking Regulation

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    A series of thematic shifts defined banking regulation in 2025, including a fundamental reform of prudential supervision, a strategic easing of capital constraints, steps to streamline merger reviews, and a new framework for fair access and entrants seeking to offer banking services, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • What 2025 Transpo And Logistics Legal Trends Mean For 2026

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    2025 was challenging for the transportation and logistics sector, with emergent trends including dramatic federal policy shifts, developments in tort risk, and a host of mergers and acquisitions — but a review of these themes offers a useful playbook for where the industry is headed in 2026, says Jonathan Todd at Benesch.

  • How Cos. Can Roll With NY's New Algorithmic Pricing Rules

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    Despite uncertainty from New York’s new ban on artificial intelligence and computer algorithms for setting rents, and efforts to further restrict individualizing prices based on consumers' personal data, property managers, software providers and merchants can take several steps to stay compliant, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

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