Public Policy

  • April 21, 2026

    House Subcommittee Mulls SAT Streamlining Act

    Everyone at Tuesday's SAT Streamlining Act hearing agreed it is time for U.S. policy to catch up with the booming satellite industry, but while Republicans seemed more prepared to slash and burn permitting hurdles, Democrats expressed concern about creating what one witness called a "rubber stamp."

  • April 21, 2026

    Justices Look Split In 7th Amendment Feud Over FCC Fines

    Several U.S. Supreme Court justices seemed convinced Tuesday that Federal Communications Commission fines are nonbinding unless enforced and don't deprive alleged rule violators of the right to a jury trial, but some colleagues still questioned whether the parties sanctioned by the agency have a meaningful chance of facing a jury.

  • April 21, 2026

    7th Circ. Says Fed. Laws Don't Preempt Wis. Vape Sale Ban

    The Seventh Circuit declined Tuesday to revive vaping interest groups' bid to halt enforcement of a Wisconsin law banning sales of e-cigarettes that aren't approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, finding federal law doesn't preempt the state's authority to regulate the marketing and sales of tobacco products. 

  • April 21, 2026

    Copyright Head Touts 6,000 Registrations Of Human-AI Works

    The U.S. Copyright Office has issued more than 6,000 registrations for works that incorporate artificial intelligence-generated materials and follow the agency's guidance for combined human-made and AI-created works, U.S. Copyright Office leader Shira Perlmutter said Tuesday.

  • April 21, 2026

    Fla. AG Backs Bal Harbour Shops Owner In Live Local Dispute

    Florida's Office of the Attorney General has asked a state court for permission to file an amicus brief supporting developer Bal Harbour Shops LLC's suit against a municipality that rejected the developer's application for a mixed-use project that would have included homes, a hotel and a retail area.

  • April 21, 2026

    Arkansas' Second Attempt At Age Verification Law Blocked

    Tech trade group NetChoice has won another battle in its war against age verification laws, convincing an Arkansas federal court to again block a state law that would restrict minors' ability to use social media.

  • April 21, 2026

    Congress Rallies More For Bills On Copyrights Than Patents

    There have been more intellectual property bills floated in Congress that are supportive of copyright rights than patent rights, according to a new report looking at how lawmakers treat the IP system.

  • April 21, 2026

    US Lawmakers Float Path For Fintech Fed Accounts

    Two federal lawmakers from California introduced a bipartisan bill on Tuesday that would create a path for nonbank fintechs to directly access the Federal Reserve's payment rails in the hopes of reducing bank fees and delays for consumers using payment apps.

  • April 21, 2026

    Board Says Opposition To Gangs Not Enough For Asylum

    Disapproval of criminal gangs or opposition to them is not enough to establish a protected political opinion for asylum purposes, the Board of Immigration Appeals ruled on Tuesday, affirming an immigration judge's denial of an El Salvadoran woman's application.

  • April 21, 2026

    Feds Say Arctic Lease Sale For Oil Drilling Begins In June

    The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management has announced that it will hold an oil and gas lease sale on the 1.56-million-acre Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, saying the bid opening for tracts will take place June 5.

  • April 21, 2026

    Watchdog Says Ex-Fla. Rep Used Straw Donors For Campaign

    A Washington, D.C.-based watchdog organization accused former Florida Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of improperly funding her 2022 reelection bid to the U.S. House of Representatives, saying she orchestrated a complex straw donor scheme to funnel $725,000 in Haitian "dark money" into her campaign. 

  • April 21, 2026

    NM Couple Plead Guilty To Selling Vietnam Jewelry As Navajo

    A New Mexico husband and wife have admitted in North Carolina federal court to importing counterfeit Native American jewelry from Vietnam and marketing it to U.S. buyers as genuine handmade Navajo pieces, according to federal prosecutors and court documents.

  • April 21, 2026

    Squires Hints At New 'Holistic' Decision On PTAB Discretion

    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires previewed at a conference Tuesday an imminent "comprehensive decision" that will articulate current policy on discretionary factors that inform the viability of Patent Trial and Appeal Board challenges, saying he's seeking "predictability" for the PTAB.

  • April 21, 2026

    Bills Sinking 'Texas Two-Step' Ch. 11 Cases Reintroduced

    Members of Congress have reintroduced bipartisan legislation meant to deter so-called Texas two-step Chapter 11s, a controversial maneuver companies have used to address mass tort liabilities in bankruptcy.

  • April 21, 2026

    Defendant Says Rx Software Was Guide For Docs, Not Fraud

    A man accused of swindling Medicare out of nearly half a billion dollars was simply trying to make it easier for doctors to navigate labyrinthine Medicare regulations to get orthotic braces approved for their patients, his attorney told jurors in Florida federal court Tuesday.

  • April 21, 2026

    Pesticide Study Admin Says Ex-Worker's Suit Is A 'Do-Over'

    Counsel for a former administrative adviser in a national pesticide safety study organization named in an ex-worker's wrongful firing lawsuit urged a North Carolina federal court Tuesday to dismiss the matter, arguing the adviser is immune from constitutional claims that have already been litigated elsewhere.

  • April 21, 2026

    Colo. Judge Narrowly Expands ICE Subpoena Block

    A Colorado state judge narrowly expanded a June order that enjoined Colorado's governor from directing the state's Labor Department employees to respond to federal immigration enforcement subpoenas, ruling Tuesday that the order includes a March 13 subpoena by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

  • April 21, 2026

    Judge Backs Release Of Family Held After Colo. Protest Attack

    A Texas federal judge has recommended that the wife and children of an Egyptian man accused of attacking pro-Israel demonstrators be released from immigration detention, finding that their more than 10-month detention has violated the family's due process rights.

  • April 21, 2026

    Feds Say They Don't Control Immigration Center Conditions

    Immigration officials said a California federal court should toss a proposed class action from inmates alleging intolerable living conditions in a Mojave Desert processing center because the plaintiffs have sued the wrong defendants.

  • April 21, 2026

    Colo. Republicans Say Late Ruling Forces Semi-Open Primary

    The Colorado Republican Party has asked a federal judge to issue an emergency temporary restraining order allowing the party to ban unaffiliated voters from participating in its upcoming primary election after the court last month found a supermajority requirement to opt out of the primary was unconstitutional.

  • April 21, 2026

    11th Circ. Says Builders Can't Block Biden-Era Labor Mandate

    An association of builders failed to show it would succeed on its claims challenging a Biden-era executive order requiring labor agreements for all federal contracts exceeding $35 million, the Eleventh Circuit ruled, affirming a federal court's decision rejecting the group's request for an injunction.

  • April 21, 2026

    House Panel Votes To Gut Corporate Transparency Act

    A House finance committee advanced a bill Tuesday that would defang the Corporate Transparency Act by exempting all domestically owned companies from compliance, codifying a limitation already implemented by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

  • April 21, 2026

    Feds Say Pot Foes Lack Standing To Stop CMS Hemp Program

    Federal health regulators have told a D.C. federal judge that anti-pot advocates' attempt to block a program to ease access for Medicare beneficiaries to federally legal hemp products that have small amounts of THC was not bolstered by the addition of a pharmaceutical company as a co-plaintiff.

  • April 21, 2026

    Calif. Says City Skirted Duties After Tribal Remains Found At Site

    California has accused a southern city in the state of failing to conduct further environmental review after Native American remains were discovered at a luxury home development site, saying the city improperly let certain construction activities continue.

  • April 21, 2026

    Suit Says DOJ Voter Data Checks Could Trigger Purges

    Voting rights advocates sued the U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday over its bid to acquire states' unredacted voter information to cross-check voter rolls against immigration databases, warning that the effort could enable purges of naturalized citizens who are eligible to vote.

Expert Analysis

  • Unpacking FCC's Proposed Rules For Offshore Call Centers

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    The Federal Communications Commission recently proposed rules that would restrict the use of offshore customer service operations, citing consumer frustration, data security risks and fraud as core reasons for the sweeping regulatory move, say attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland.

  • Series

    Calif. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1

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    As usual, California remained a hub for financial services activity in the first quarter of 2026, with key developments including the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation's eye on consumer issues, a bill targeting "pig butchering" schemes, and jam-packed courts, say attorneys at Joseph Cohen.

  • Series

    Ultramarathons Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    Completing a 100-mile ultramarathon was tougher, more humbling and more rewarding than I ever imagined, and the experience highlighted how long-distance running has sharpened my ability to adapt to the evolving nature of antitrust law and strengthened my resolve to handle demanding, unforeseen challenges, says Dan Oakes at Axinn.

  • Key Takeaways From The 2026 ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting

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    Last week's American Bar Association Spring Meeting revealed an antitrust landscape defined by heightened friction and tension — between federal and state enforcers, domestic and international regimes, competing political visions, and traditional enforcement tools and novel challenges, say attorneys at Skadden.

  • State FARA Laws Pose Unique Constitutional Challenges

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    Several states have recently enacted foreign agent registration and disclosure regimes that were modeled after the Foreign Agents Registration Act, but these state laws raise several constitutional questions, including concerns about preemption, speech and petition, and vagueness, says Alexandra Langton at Covington.

  • Series

    Pa. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1

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    The first quarter of 2026 brought several consequential developments for Pennsylvania financial institutions, including the state banking department's first assessment overhaul in 10 years, a bill prohibiting interchange fees on card transaction sales taxes and a federal appeals court's upholding of a $52 million enforcement action, say attorneys at Gross McGinley.

  • Informal Announcements Are Reshaping FDA Regulations

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    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recent shift toward using press releases, podcasts and other informal channels to announce major policy changes reflects a valid desire to modernize and accelerate regulatory efforts, but it could lead to diminished transparency, increased industry burden and reduced policy durability, says Rachel Turow at Skadden.

  • Motorola Case Shows Reach Of NLRA Dishonesty Protections

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    A recent National Labor Relations Board case, involving a Motorola employee who was terminated for lying about discussing wages, illustrates the broad reach of National Labor Relations Act protections for concerted activity, which may take on new significance as the agency shifts toward more restrained enforcement, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.

  • In First For DOJ, Action Signals New CFIUS Enforcement Era

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    The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking judicial enforcement of a divestment order, an unprecedented action for the agency that ushers in a new phase for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, one in which judicial proceedings complement administrative oversight and presidential divestment orders may be enforced through litigation, says attorney Sohan Dasgupta.

  • Berk May Spur More Pushback Against Med Mal Gatekeeping

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Berk v. Choy may appear to be a run-of-the-mill reminder that a federal procedural rule trumps its state counterpart, but it could inspire more challenges to state-created prerequisites to filing medical malpractice lawsuits, say attorneys at Decof Mega.

  • Getting The Most Out Of Learning And Development Programs

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Junior associates can better develop the legal, business and interpersonal skills they need for long-term success by approaching their firms’ learning and development programs armed with five tips for getting the most out of these resources, says Lauren Hakala at Reed Smith.

  • OhioHealth Suit Signals Higher Antitrust Heat On Hospitals

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    The recent antitrust lawsuit against OhioHealth by the U.S. Justice Department and Ohio attorney general shows that federal and state enforcers are closely examining the competition issues in the healthcare sector, including restrictive contracts and antisteering practices, say attorneys at Freshfields.

  • OCC Rule Tests Nonfiduciary Powers Of Trust Banks

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    The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's updates to its final rule on national bank chartering, effective April 1, may augur a showdown between the OCC, states and traditional banking institutions over both the authority of national trust banks to engage in nonfiduciary activities under the National Bank Act, and the scope of federal preemption, says Audrey Carroll at Stinson.

  • Proposed Oracle Act Tests NY's Prediction Markets Clout

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    New York's proposed Oracle Act could if passed force a high-stakes showdown over event contracts in the prediction markets as well as state gambling laws, and legal practitioners should closely monitor litigation, parallel developments in other states, Commodity Futures Trading Commission rulemaking and congressional action, says Linda Goldstein at CM Law.

  • How A High Court Music Piracy Ruling Shrinks ISP Liability

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent opinion in Cox Communications Inc. v. Sony Music Entertainment, which concerned the boundaries of contributory copyright infringement for internet service providers, dramatically lessens both the risk that an ISP will be held contributorily liable and, relatedly, the incentives an ISP may have to help combat online copyright infringement, say attorneys at Debevoise.

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