Public Policy

  • July 31, 2026

    Case Challenging Ban On 'Conversion Therapy' Reopened

    A Washington federal judge has partly revived a family therapist's constitutional challenge of the state's prohibition on a practice commonly known as conversion therapy in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's March decision finding that a similar Colorado ban amounted to viewpoint discrimination against a Christian counselor.

  • July 31, 2026

    3rd Circ. Backs Trust In Pa. Game Commission Title Dispute

    The Pennsylvania Game Commission constitutes a Pennsylvania citizen, the Third Circuit ruled Friday in a land title dispute between the commission and a trust, rejecting the commission's "Hail Mary" change in position that it's instead an "arm" of Pennsylvania, which would erase the court's diversity jurisdiction.

  • July 31, 2026

    FTC, Southern Glazer Need More Time To Finalize Settlement

    The Federal Trade Commission has told a California federal judge that it needs a little more time to work out the finer points of its settlement with Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits, which would end the agency's first Robinson-Patman Act case in decades.

  • July 31, 2026

    Hotel Booking Cos. Ink $1.1M Deal To End Wash. AG's Suit

    Hotel booking companies Lexyl Technologies LLC and Bookonline.com LLC agreed to pay nearly $1.1 million to resolve claims from Washington's attorney general that the platforms deceptively added a "refund protection fee" to users' reservations, according to a settlement announced Friday.

  • July 31, 2026

    NC Judge Deems Alleged $55M Medicare Clawbacks Unfair

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services didn't give a hospital operator fair notice of its interpretation of the term "provider" in Medicare regulations that HHS relied on to claw back millions of dollars in reimbursements, a North Carolina federal judge ruled.

  • July 31, 2026

    DC Circ. Backs Ex-Steward CEO's Contempt Charge

    The D.C. Circuit on Friday upheld a U.S. Senate committee's criminal and civil contempt finding against former Steward Health Care System LLC Chief Executive Ralph de la Torre after he refused to appear before lawmakers despite a subpoena, calling his appellate arguments "wholly meritless."

  • July 31, 2026

    Conn., Developer Settle Suit Over Alleged Harm To Public Land

    Connecticut and its environmental protection agency have settled a state lawsuit against a developer they accused of destroying public lands by removing several acres of trees and vegetation to install a basketball court, a three-car garage and guesthouse.

  • July 31, 2026

    CFTC Fines George Santos Over Prediction Market Trades

    The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission ordered convicted former U.S. Rep. George Santos to pay $35,000 to settle claims he manipulated a prediction market on whether he would attend the 2026 State of the Union address.

  • July 31, 2026

    Verano Sues Over NJ's Cannabis Labor Peace Law

    Cannabis giant Verano Holdings Corp. filed a lawsuit Friday challenging a provision of New Jersey's cannabis law requiring labor peace agreements between cannabis operators and their employers, arguing that a federal judge has already declared that the requirement is invalid.

  • July 31, 2026

    Enviro Groups Say FWS Habitat Rule Favors Economics

    Environmental organizations are accusing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of surrendering its authority to balance environmental impacts with economics in a recent rule change that gives more weight to financial concerns when assessing sensitive habitats.

  • July 31, 2026

    ICE Contractor Seeks Block Of Colo. Health Inspection Law

    Immigration detention facility operator The GEO Group Inc. urged a Colorado federal judge Friday to block the enforcement of a new state law requiring health and safety inspections at its Aurora, Colorado, facility, arguing the law is unconstitutional and discriminatory in singling out the company.

  • July 31, 2026

    Mass. Seeks Exit From Undercover License Plate Policy Suit

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security hasn't shown that immigration enforcement has slowed because Massachusetts won't give its agents undercover vehicle plates, the state said in a bid to dismiss a federal government lawsuit.

  • July 31, 2026

    DC Circ. Backs FERC's Revised Grid Hookup Policy

    The D.C. Circuit on Friday endorsed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's revised policy for hooking up new power projects to the grid, saying the agency clearly acted within its authority to address growing interconnection backlogs.

  • July 31, 2026

    Broadcast Workers Blast FCC Plan To Nix TV Ownership Cap

    A broadcast workers' union urged the Federal Communications Commission to scrap a plan by agency chief Brendan Carr to lift the 39% national cap on TV station chains' audience reach, saying the proposal threatens local news operations.

  • July 31, 2026

    Some Visitors Face $20K Bond Under Finalized Visa Rule

    The U.S. Department of State on Friday released a final rule requiring some tourists and business travelers to post a bond up to $20,000 for a visa, making permanent a pilot program the government launched last year.

  • July 31, 2026

    Trump Appeals Judge's Block Of IRS Settlement To 11th Circ.

    President Donald Trump will ask the Eleventh Circuit to overturn a Florida federal judge's order blocking a settlement deal that would have given him and others broad protection from federal tax audits and investigations, according to a notice filed Friday.

  • July 31, 2026

    Teck Asks Justices To Ax Wash. Tribal Cultural Loss Claims

    A Canadian mining company is asking the Supreme Court to reverse a Ninth Circuit ruling that revived Washington tribes' natural resource damages claims for alleged pollution of the Columbia River, arguing the appellate court upended an environmental cleanup statute's tradeoff between broad liability and limited remedies.

  • July 31, 2026

    Hemp Beverage Cos. Take Aim At Ohio Law

    A coalition of more than a dozen hemp beverage manufacturers is seeking to block enforcement of a new Ohio law that reclassified the products as "marijuana," at least the second federal lawsuit to challenge the new state policy.

  • July 31, 2026

    Split 3rd Circ. Says Pa. Town Wrongly Limited Jewish Worship

    A Northeast Pennsylvania town's zoning code placed unacceptable burdens on the religious exercises of an Orthodox Jewish congregation using two properties for worship, instruction and communal living, a split Third Circuit panel said in an opinion ordering the properties to be reopened.

  • July 31, 2026

    Pa. Panel Again Says 'Clickwrap' Arbitration Unenforceable

    The Pennsylvania Superior Court has reiterated that "clickwrap" arbitration agreements are unenforceable, holding in the case of an amusement park patron dissatisfied over a roller coaster closure that the inconspicuous digital disclaimers weren't enough to deny a litigant's right to a jury trial.

  • July 31, 2026

    Dad's Role In Smuggling Son Blocks Bid To Cancel Removal

    The Board of Immigration Appeals on Friday denied a Guatemalan man's efforts to stop his deportation, saying his alleged use of a smuggler to bring his child to the United States showed he was not a person of "good moral character."

  • July 31, 2026

    Fla. Tells 11th Circ. Migrant Transport Law Isn't Preempted

    Florida urged the Eleventh Circuit on Friday to reverse an injunction blocking a state law that criminalizes the transportation of immigrants living in the country illegally, arguing that the law's challengers are reading the state law too broadly.

  • July 31, 2026

    FIFA Calls Off Investor Sales Plan After Worldwide Backlash

    FIFA announced on Friday that it will drop its plan to sell shares of the World Cup to private investors, after three days of condemnation from the international soccer community, its senior advisor's resignation and a planned boycott by the European football federation.

  • July 31, 2026

    NTIA Tees Up 4.4 GHz Band For Commercial Wireless Use

    A federal plan would reinvigorate the 4.4 gigahertz airwaves for possible use in 6G wireless development, the U.S. Department of Commerce said Friday.

  • July 31, 2026

    Judges Rip DHS GC's 'Worst' Posts As Intimidation Campaign

    Sitting federal judges on Friday blasted the general counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for "painting a target" on judges' backs in a recent series of social media posts attacking judges who ruled against the Trump administration in immigration cases and called on him to take them down.

Expert Analysis

  • Checking For AI Errors Is Now A Two-Way Street

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    A handful of recent federal and state cases demonstrate the importance of checking for errors generated by artificial intelligence not only in your own court submissions, but also your opponent's, as well as when catching opposing counsel's AI mistakes could result in an award for attorney fees, says Tamara Barago at Hollingsworth.

  • Opinion

    SEC Enforcement Reforms Must Address Post-Wells Limbo

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent changes to how it notifies companies of a potential enforcement action fail to address what happens after the Wells process is over, highlighting the need for meaningful process reform that includes a formal closure determination, says Kimble Cannon at Mahdavi Bacon.

  • Green Card Memo Warps Long-Standing Adjustment Process

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    A recent policy memorandum that treats a nonimmigrant visa holder’s decision to seek adjustment of status in the U.S., rather than at a U.S. consulate, as an adverse factor reinterprets existing discretionary frameworks, compounds risks for applicants required to apply abroad and changes practitioner approaches to application preparation, says attorney Jack Jrada.

  • Opinion

    Congress Must Bolster Wrongful Conviction Framework

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    The Trump administration's recent decision to abandon its flawed “anti-weaponization” fund should not end the conversation about compensating those wronged by the U.S. justice system, — it should open the door for Congress to build a principled system that strengthens and expands the existing framework, say Marc Levin and Khalil Cumberbatch at the Council on Criminal Justice.

  • Series

    The Biz Court Digest: Shoring Up Corporate Law In Maryland

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    Launched more than 20 years ago to improve complex corporate adjudication, Maryland's Business and Technology Case Management Program has been a solid success in some areas, but there always is room for improvement, says Bill Krulak at Miles & Stockbridge.

  • How End Of SEC 'Gag Rule' Affects Free Speech Certiorari Bid

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    The Securities and Exchange Commission's recent rescission of the so-called gag rule, which forbade defendants in settlements from denying the SEC’s allegations, may sway the outcome of a petition to the Supreme Court in a case challenging the rule on First Amendment grounds, say attorneys at Troutman.

  • 7 Ways Va. Employers Can Prep For New Noncompete Limits

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    As of July 1, Virginia noncompete agreements with employees fired without "cause" must provide "severance benefits" — but with those key terms undefined, employers should implement several flexible but defensible compliance strategies to limit their exposure once the rule is rolled out, say attorneys at Cooley.

  • Data Collection Push Signals New Era For Bank Compliance

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    An executive order pushing for broad bank collection of beneficiary data and a Financial Crimes Enforcement Network geographic targeting order in Minnesota should prompt financial institutions to run checks on customer diligence and privacy controls, as these directives may be part of a wider compliance shift, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.

  • Federal Officer Removal After Justices' La. Pollution Ruling

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    In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Chevron USA v. Plaquemines Parish, companies seeking to use federal officer removal to move litigation out of state court should ask three questions, focusing on government contract language, federally directed activity and related conduct, say attorneys at Hollingsworth.

  • Series

    Competing At Poker Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Playing poker in male-dominated rooms taught me to treat skepticism as background noise when my opponents seem to underestimate me, to apply pressure when it matters and to adapt without losing strategic discipline — skills that are all indispensable in restructuring and insolvency matters, says Alexis Gambale at Pashman Stein.

  • FTC Sweep Signals Increased 'Made In USA' Claim Scrutiny

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    After the Federal Trade Commission's recent enforcement sweep targeting allegedly deceptive "Made in USA" claims, companies should expect continued scrutiny of both traditional and digital marketing channels, coupled with sustained focus on supply chain transparency and claim substantiation, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • 5 Things Associates Must Ask About Their Firm's Merger Plan

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    The associates who navigate law firm mergers best ask the right questions early, such as inquiring about partners' plans, to assess how the merger could affect their workflow and career path, says Jackie Bokser-LeFebvre at Major Lindsey.

  • CFTC Trading Rule Can't Police Prediction Markets Yet

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    The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s recent efforts to police insider trading in prediction markets through a post-Dodd-Frank anti-fraud rule exposes doctrinal gaps around misappropriation theory, leaving platforms to fill the void with win-rate-based surveillance, says attorney Tamara de Silva.

  • FinCEN World Cup Warning Raises Trafficking Risks For Cos.

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    The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's recent warning of human trafficking risks during the World Cup games signals heightened scrutiny ahead of the upcoming tournament, and suggests regulators increasingly expect businesses beyond financial institutions to maintain effective trafficking-risk controls, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Opinion

    Immigration Appeals Rule Would Prevent Meaningful Review

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    Justice Stephen Breyer’s book “Making Our Democracy Work” offers a useful lens through which to consider what is at stake for the Executive Office for Immigration Review's legitimacy as the government asks the D.C. Circuit to revive an interim final rule that would have fast-tracked decisions by Board of Immigration Appeals, says Tara Kennedy at Kennedy Law.

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