Public Policy

  • June 02, 2026

    Feds Scrub 'Reputation Risk' From Raft Of Banking Guidance

    Federal banking regulators said Tuesday that they are reissuing a slew of longstanding guidance documents to take out mentions of so-called reputation risk, the latest move in the Trump administration's push to eliminate bank examiners' use of the concept.

  • June 02, 2026

    Trump Rescinds 50-Year Off-Road Rules For Public Lands

    Environmental groups are decrying the Trump administration's decision to rescind orders that limited off-road vehicle use on national public lands, arguing the safeguards provided a common-sense framework for reducing conflicts among land users while protecting clean water, wildlife habitat and fragile landscapes.

  • June 02, 2026

    Colorado Extends Conservation Easement Income Tax Credit

    Colorado is extending its conservation easement tax credit for five years under legislation signed by Gov. Jared Polis.

  • June 02, 2026

    30-Year Foreign Service Leader Joins Squire Patton In DC

    Squire Patton Boggs LLP has hired the State Department's former acting assistant secretary for Near East Affairs, who was also the first U.S. special envoy for Yemen and throughout his more-than-30-year career with the agency held posts in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iraq and other countries.

  • June 01, 2026

    3rd Circ. Preview: AI Copyright Spat, NJ Gun Law Battle

    A copyright fight over the future of AI‑powered legal research heads to the Third Circuit, where a legal publisher will argue this month that a legal technology company's use of its headnotes does not constitute fair use of copyrighted material. The court will also take up a challenge to New Jersey's firearm nuisance law in a case that asks when a trade group can bring a federal suit over a state statute.

  • June 01, 2026

    5th Circ. Probes Standing In Challenge To EPA Asbestos Rule

    Fifth Circuit judges Monday questioned whether challengers to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule that addresses chrysotile asbestos, the only known form of the carcinogen still used and imported in the country, have a legal right to sue over their alleged injuries.

  • June 01, 2026

    Students Win Class Status In Elite College Aid-Fixing Suit

    Cornell University and several other elite schools are now facing a certified class action accusing them of conspiring to fix the amount of financial aid they gave out after the Illinois federal judge overseeing the case certified a 74,000-strong class Monday.

  • June 01, 2026

    Ala. Redistricting Fight Tests Justices' Voting Rights Ruling

    Alabama officials and Black voters have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to decide if an order requiring the state to hold this year's elections under a court-drawn map that gives Black voters a chance to elect two preferred congressional candidates constitutes a "roadmap for evading" or a faithful application of the high court's recent Voting Rights Act ruling.

  • June 01, 2026

    Albertsons Had Duty To Curb Opioid Diversion, Judge Rules

    As providers of controlled substances, pharmacy giants Albertsons and Safeway had legal duties to prevent the diversion of opioid drugs, a Washington state judge ruled on Monday, though whether the companies failed to fulfill those duties will be determined at trial.

  • June 01, 2026

    Trump Unveils 3 Picks For International Trade Commission

    President Donald Trump on Monday announced three more nominees to be members of the U.S. International Trade Commission, including the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary's intellectual property policy director, a deputy assistant U.S. trade representative and a lobbying group's government affairs director.

  • June 01, 2026

    DOJ Says Immigrants Need 5 Years Here For Lifeline Eligibility

    Immigrants aren't eligible for the Federal Communications Commission's Lifeline program, which subsidizes the cost of phone and internet service for low-income households, unless they've been in the country for five years, the U.S. Department of Justice has declared.

  • June 01, 2026

    DC Circ. Says Military Trans Ban Flouts Constitutional Rights

    A divided D.C. Circuit panel Monday said the Trump administration illegally banned transgender individuals from military service, then narrowed a preliminary injunction to prevent the government's exclusion of transgender people presently serving in the military but not those desiring to enlist.

  • June 01, 2026

    Jan. 6 Participants Sue Feds For 'Vindictive' Prosecutions

    Nine Jan. 6 participants sued the federal government, former Attorney General Merrick Garland, and several prosecutors and FBI agents Friday, claiming they were subject to malicious prosecutions and unconstitutional retaliation for their roles in the attack on the U.S. Capitol in 2021.

  • June 01, 2026

    GAO Flags Risks After Corporate Transparency Act Rollback

    The Treasury Department's retreat from the Corporate Transparency Act and its requirements for shell companies to disclose their beneficial owners may perpetuate illicit finance risks, according to a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which recommended the Treasury take steps to address such risks.

  • June 01, 2026

    EPA Beats States' $7B Solar Grant Cancellation Suit In Wash.

    A Washington federal judge sided with the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday in a multistate challenge of the U.S. government's cancellation of a Biden-era solar energy grant program, concluding she cannot resolve the dispute because it involves contractual questions that the Tucker Act delegates to the Court of Federal Claims.  

  • June 01, 2026

    Md. Judge Pauses Shipowner's Baltimore Bridge Civil Trial

    A Maryland federal judge has pressed pause on a civil trial that was expected to start Monday to address sweeping liability and damages claims against the owner and the manager of the cargo carrier that slammed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge and triggered its collapse.

  • June 01, 2026

    Mich. Biz Can't Appeal AG Intervention In Fire Coverage Suit

    A Detroit property owner can't seek Sixth Circuit review of the Michigan attorney general's intervention in the property owner's constitutional challenge to the state's Fire Insurance Withholding Program, as a federal judge said Monday the intervention won't "materially alter" the suit.

  • June 01, 2026

    Foreign Drivers Ask Fla. Judge To Hit Brakes On CDL Denials

    Foreign national truck and bus drivers in Florida asked a federal judge to quickly block a state agency's decision to stop issuing commercial driver's licenses to certain noncitizens based on a challenged federal rule the drivers said is likely unlawful.

  • June 01, 2026

    Wash. Mandates Menopause Protections For Cabinet Workers

    Washington state Cabinet agencies will soon be required to accommodate employees experiencing menopause and perimenopause after Gov. Bob Ferguson on Monday instructed the state Women's Commission to help develop guidance, policies and resources applicable to menopause-related conditions.

  • June 01, 2026

    Federal Agencies Say Cactus FOIA Search Was Reasonable

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of the Interior told a Colorado federal court that sending more than 7,000 pages of records in response to a Freedom of Information Act request from a conservation nonprofit regarding the proposed delisting of hookless cacti from the endangered species list was reasonable. 

  • June 01, 2026

    Judge Denies Pause In ICE Warrantless Entry Suit

    A D.C. federal judge has declined the Trump administration's request to pause a lawsuit over ICE's warrantless home entry policy, saying the White House's claim that it suspended the policy is insufficient.

  • June 01, 2026

    DOJ Says Ohio Health System Can't Duck Antitrust Case

    The U.S. Department of Justice defended its antitrust case accusing OhioHealth Corp. of blocking competition through its contracts with insurers, telling an Ohio federal court the health system is depriving consumers of lower-cost health plans.

  • June 01, 2026

    Portland Pushes Back On FCC's Lifeline Rule Changes

    The city of Portland, Oregon, bristled against the Federal Communications Commission's plan to tighten rules to check eligibility for the Lifeline phone subsidy given that it's likely to curtail enrollment in a program that helps with broadband affordability.

  • June 01, 2026

    Ill. Swipe-Fee Law Blocked For Most Banks, Slated For Delay

    A Chicago federal judge ruled Monday that Illinois cannot enforce its landmark ban on tax-and-tip swipe fees against most banks, handing the banking industry a major legal win the same day that state lawmakers voted separately to delay the ban altogether until next year.

  • June 01, 2026

    'Sauce For The Goose': X Can't Limit Apple, OpenAI Depos

    A Texas federal judge on Friday ordered Elon Musk's X Corp. to offer up 20 of its employees for extra depositions in its antitrust suit against Apple and OpenAI, saying that since the court granted X more depositions, "sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander."

Expert Analysis

  • Parsing Rule 12(c) Motion Overuse In Securities Class Actions

    Author Photo

    Defendants in securities class actions have more frequently been filing motions for judgment on the pleadings following the denial of motions to dismiss, but courts have recently demonstrated an increasing willingness to reject these previously rare motions, finding them transparent attempts to relitigate already-decided issues, say attorneys at Labaton Keller.

  • Preparing For New Calif. Pay Data Reporting Requirements

    Author Photo

    California's S.B. 464 overhauls the state's pay data reporting framework by requiring employers to use job categories that are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, increasing both the potential visibility of pay disparities and the complexity of compliance, say attorneys at Kaufman Dolowich.

  • Series

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

    Author Photo

    Michigan's financial services sector saw several significant developments in 2026's first quarter, including the state Department of Insurance and Financial Services' issuance of a bulletin on the use of artificial intelligence and the Michigan House's introduction of a bill based on the Model Money Transmission Modernization Act, say attorneys at Dykema.

  • Justices' Ruling Stresses Quick Action Against Absconders

    Author Photo

    Following the U.S. Supreme Court's recent holding in Rico v. U.S. that a supervised release term is not automatically extended when a defendant absconds, probation officers and prosecutors risk being unable to address later violations if they don't act promptly to secure warrants, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

  • New DOD Framework Offers Key Guidance On PFAS Disposal

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Department of Defense's recently updated guidance on disposal of materials containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ends its moratorium on incineration of PFAS-containing waste, but contractors must be ready to demonstrate stringent compliance with the department's new permitting system, operational controls and data practices, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • How Cos. Can Navigate The Patchwork Of AI Safety Bills

    Author Photo

    In the first few months of 2026, state and federal lawmakers introduced hundreds of bills to address the perceived safety risks of artificial intelligence, so companies should assess whether existing or planned services could be scoped into AI safety legislation across jurisdictions, say attorneys at Hogan Lovells.

  • Unpacking FCC's Proposed Rules For Offshore Call Centers

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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.

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.