Public Policy

  • May 02, 2025

    USPTO's Financial Officer Latest To Depart Agency Leadership

    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's chief financial officer has left the agency, marking another departure of a high-level USPTO official while the Trump administration looks to reduce government headcount.

  • May 02, 2025

    Virginia Accuses Tribe Of Medicaid Billing Fraud

    Virginia is fighting a bid by the Nansemond Indian Tribe for an order that would require it to continue processing the tribe's unpaid Medicaid reimbursement claims, telling a federal court that it instead suspended payments and its Medicaid fraud unit is investigating the tribal healthcare entity.

  • May 02, 2025

    IRS Updates Rates For Foreign Insurance Company Equations

    The Internal Revenue Service on Friday published updated domestic asset/liability and yields percentages for 2024 that foreign life insurance companies and foreign property and liability insurance companies need to compute their minimum effectively connected net investment income.

  • May 02, 2025

    DOL Halts Enforcement Of Biden's Contractor Rule

    The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division will stop enforcing a former President Joe Biden-era final rule determining whether workers are independent contractors or employees under federal law, the agency announced, as three federal courts paused suits challenging the rule.

  • May 02, 2025

    Community Groups Accept Pause In CTA Litigation

    A group of community associations has told the Fourth Circuit they aren't opposed to a government motion to pause litigation over the Corporate Transparency Act, even as they maintained the information disclosure law aimed at small businesses still carries constitutional flaws.

  • May 02, 2025

    DC US Atty Pick Vows To Take On Judicial Threats

    Ed Martin, nominee to be U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia who is currently serving in the role on an interim basis, has told federal judges in D.C. he is concerned about the increase in threats to judges and pledged to work together to stop it.

  • May 02, 2025

    Trump Announces First Judicial Nominee Of 2nd Term

    President Donald Trump announced his first judicial nominee of his second administration late Thursday night.

  • May 01, 2025

    Judge Won't Ax Anti-DEI Injunction For Plaintiffs' Tweaks

    A Maryland federal judge Thursday declined to upend his preliminary injunction barring the Trump administration from implementing the bulk of the president's executive orders aiming to slash diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the public and private sectors.

  • May 01, 2025

    New Bill Holds Judges Accountable Even After They Retire

    A Georgia Congressman on Thursday introduced legislation that would ensure misconduct complaints against judges would still be investigated, even if the judge has resigned, retired or even died.

  • May 01, 2025

    Ex-Credit Union Regulator Says Suing Trump 'Had To Be Done'

    One of two Democrats suing President Donald Trump for unlawful termination from the National Credit Union Administration warned Thursday of damaging potential ripple effects if their firings are allowed to stand, casting their decision to litigate as daunting but necessary.

  • May 01, 2025

    Ex-Amtrak Director Steered IT Contracts For Bribes, Feds Say

    Pennsylvania federal prosecutors announced Thursday that the former director of network planning and engineering for Amtrak is charged with taking bribes worth tens of thousands of dollars in exchange for steering millions of dollars in Amtrak contract work to various vendors.

  • May 01, 2025

    Troops Urge High Court To Keep Transgender Ban On Ice

    Several transgender service members and recruits told the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday to reject the Trump administration's bid to lift a federal judge's order prohibiting implementation of the Pentagon's ban on transgender military service, claiming the policy is so deeply rooted in animosity that it won't survive judicial inspection.

  • May 01, 2025

    DOJ Grilled On 'Bottleneck' After Refugee Processing Orders

    A Washington federal judge expressed frustration with the federal government Thursday for moving "with one hand behind its back" to resume processing of certain refugees after the Ninth Circuit clarified the scope of a partial block on the Trump administration's refugee program shutdown.

  • May 01, 2025

    Aetna And Humana Accused Of Medicare Kickbacks And Bias

    The federal government brought a bombshell False Claims Act suit Thursday against Aetna, Elevance and Humana, claiming the insurers paid hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal kickbacks to brokers in exchange for enrollments into their Medicare Advantage plans, with Humana and Aetna also accused of discriminating against disabled beneficiaries.

  • May 01, 2025

    HHS Report Finds 'Serious Concerns' On Trans Care For Youth

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday released a report it says raises "serious concerns" about medical interventions used to aid young people in gender transition.

  • May 01, 2025

    SEC Drops Case Against Crypto Promoter Ian Balina

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission moved Thursday to drop its suit over cryptocurrency influencer Ian Balina's alleged promotion of so-called SPRK tokens, about a month after Balina's attorneys said the federal regulator planned to walk away from the case.

  • May 01, 2025

    FinCEN Targets Cambodian Firm As Crypto Money Launderer

    The U.S. Department of the Treasury's financial crimes watchdog on Thursday called out Cambodia-based Huione Group as a primary money laundering concern and proposed to "sever its access to the U.S. financial system" due to its alleged laundering of $4 billion worth of crypto scam and other illicit proceeds.

  • May 01, 2025

    Judge Rejects Appeal Over Pronoun Use In Trans Athlete Case

    A Colorado federal judge told a group of athletes Thursday that any stigma they perceive over his choice of pronouns to refer to a transgender volleyball player is "self-inflicted," according to an order declining to get the Tenth Circuit involved in his decision not to recuse from the case. 

  • May 01, 2025

    Judge Told Data Would Let Rivals Mimic Google Search

    An academic testifying for Google on Thursday told a D.C. federal court that the data sharing provisions being proposed as a fix in the search monopolization case would allow rivals to reverse engineer Google search and if not match the results, at least mimic them.

  • May 01, 2025

    'Fingers Crossed' At FCC As Court's Subsidy Ruling Closes In

    There's plenty of hand-wringing at the Federal Communications Commission as a U.S. Supreme Court decision draws near over the legality of the revenue-raising scheme used to pay for more than $9 billion in broadband and phone service subsidies.

  • May 01, 2025

    NY School District Appeals Mascot Ban While Feds Investigate

    A Long Island, New York, school district is appealing a decision that denied its bid to block a ban on the use of Indigenous mascots and names in public schools, while the federal government investigates the state's education department and board of regents alleging Civil Rights Act violations.

  • May 01, 2025

    States, Green Groups Look To Vacate NEPA Ruling

    States that had asked the Eighth Circuit to revive vacated National Environmental Policy Act regulations are now abandoning their appeal because the White House has eliminated the standards — but they're still asking that a lower court's decision striking down the regulations be overturned.

  • May 01, 2025

    GOP Seeks To Stop 'Frivolous Lawsuits' With Reconciliation

    The House Judiciary Committee approved along party lines a proposal they say will prevent "frivolous lawsuits" by barring courts from enforcing contempt citations for failure to comply with injunctions if the plaintiff has not posted a bond for litigation costs.

  • May 01, 2025

    DHS Urges Justices To Let Venezuelan Protections Be Undone

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security turned to the nation's highest court on Thursday, asking the justices to pause a nationwide injunction blocking the agency from undoing the Biden administration's extension of temporary protected status for Venezuela during its appeal.

  • May 01, 2025

    Wash. Justices Take Up Meta's $35M Political Ad Penalty

    The Washington State Supreme Court has agreed to review a $35 million judgment for penalties and legal fees against Facebook parent company Meta for repeatedly running afoul of the state's political advertising transparency law.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    US Reassessment Of OECD Tax Deal Is Right Move

    Author Photo

    The wholesale U.S. reevaluation of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's global tax deal ordered by President Donald Trump is a positive step that could ultimately create a more durable international tax system, says Anne Gordon at the National Foreign Trade Council.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Be An Indispensable Associate

    Author Photo

    While law school teaches you to research, write and think critically, it often overlooks the professional skills you will need to make yourself an essential team player when transitioning from a summer to full-time associate, say attorneys at Stinson.

  • The Path Forward For Construction Cos. After Calif. Wildfires

    Author Photo

    The increasing frequency of disastrous wildfires, like those that recently occurred in California, presents a set of complex challenges for the construction industry, including regulatory hurdles and supply chain disruptions that can complicate rebuilding efforts, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.

  • What 2nd Trump Admin Means For Ship Pollution Compliance

    Author Photo

    As the second Trump administration's civil and criminal enforcement policies take shape, the maritime industry must ensure it complies with both national and international obligations to prevent oil pollution from seagoing vessels — with preventive efforts and voluntary disclosures being some of the best options for mitigating risk, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Know The Rules And Costs Of New Fla. Condo Inspection Law

    Author Photo

    Following the first report deadline for a structural integrity law meant to prevent disasters like the 2021 Surfside collapse, Florida condominium associations and unit owners should understand the process of conducting compliant inspections and anticipate new assessments to fund required maintenance, say attorneys at Ball Janik.

  • Mass. AG Emerges As Key Player In Consumer Protection

    Author Photo

    Through enforcement actions and collaborations with other states — including joining a recent amicus brief decrying the defunding of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell has established herself as a thought leader for consumer protection and corporate accountability, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • SEC Confidential Review Process Provides Issuers Flexibility

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recently announced enhancements to the process for confidentially submitting draft registration statements will be immediately impactful for issuers seeking to access the public capital markets, and should provide more grounds to explore and plan public offerings, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Series

    Birding Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Observing and documenting birds in their natural habitats fosters patience, sharpens observational skills and provides moments of pure wonder — qualities that foster personal growth and enrich my legal career, says Allison Raley at Arnall Golden.

  • What Pending FCPA Trials Suggest About DOJ Priorities

    Author Photo

    Following President Donald Trump's executive order in February instructing the U.S. Department of Justice to temporarily pause enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, developments surrounding five FCPA cases already set for trial provide a glimpse into how the DOJ is attempting to navigate the situation at hand, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Measuring And Mitigating Harm From Discriminatory Taxes

    Author Photo

    In response to new tariffs and other recent "America First Trade Policy" pronouncements, corporations should assess and take steps to minimize their potential exposure to discriminatory and reciprocal tax measures that are likely to come, say economists at Charles River Associates.

  • How Del. Law Rework Limits Corporate Records Requests

    Author Photo

    Newly enacted amendments to a section of the Delaware General Corporation Law that allows stockholders and beneficial owners to demand inspection of Delaware corporations' books and records likely curtails the scope of such inspections and aids defendants in framing motions to dismiss at the pleading stage, says Jonathan Richman at Brown Rudnick.

  • What Cos. Should Know About U.S. Minerals Executive Order

    Author Photo

    President Donald Trump's new executive order aimed at boosting U.S. mineral production faces challenges including land use and environmental regulations, a lack of new funding, and the need for coordination among federal agencies, but it provides industry stakeholders with multiple opportunities to influence policy and funding, say advisers at Holland & Knight.

  • Inside State AGs' Arguments Defending The CFPB

    Author Photo

    Recent amicus briefs filed by a coalition of 23 attorneys general argue that the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will irreparably harm consumers in several key areas, making clear that states are preparing to fill in any enforcement gaps, say attorneys at Kelley Drye.

  • Alien Enemies Act Case Could Reshape Executive Power

    Author Photo

    President Donald Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan nationals raises fundamental questions about statutory interpretation, executive power and constitutional structure, which now lay on the U.S. Supreme Court's doorstep, says Mauni Jalali at Quinn Emanuel.

  • HHS Directive Could Overhaul Food Ingredient Safety Rules

    Author Photo

    If the U.S. Food and Drug Administration eliminates the self-affirmed pathway that allows food ingredients to be used without premarket approval, per the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' directive, it would be a sea change for the food industry and the food-contact material industry, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Public Policy archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!