Public Policy

  • October 29, 2026

    Utah Hits Kalshi With Criminal Charges Over Sports Offerings

    Utah has brought criminal charges in state court against Kalshi and its co-founders under its anti-gambling laws, amid an ongoing jurisdictional battle over whether federal law preempts state and tribal regulation of the prediction market platform's sports event contracts.

  • October 29, 2026

    Warren Calls For BofA Criminal Probe After $1.2B AML Fine

    Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, called for a federal criminal probe Thursday into Bank of America after the U.S. Treasury Department fined the institution $1.2 billion this month over alleged anti-money laundering failures.

  • October 29, 2026

    Admin Ordered To Identify States Hit With Voter Roll Demands

    A D.C. federal judge ordered the Trump administration to quickly turn over a list of states from which it has demanded immigration-related voter roll changes to Democratic campaign officials and congressional leaders Thursday, saying the list could make or break the Democrats' bid for an injunction to halt the demands.

  • October 29, 2026

    Treasury Asked To Narrow Crackdown On Fund Strategies

    The U.S. Treasury Department should develop targeted rules distinguishing abusive transactions from long-standing investment management practices in new enforcement that scrutinizes novel strategies exploiting the tax benefits of certain investment vehicles and financial products, firms and organizations told the department.

  • October 29, 2026

    FCC Agrees To Rules Targeting Some Foreign Test Labs

    The Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to block recognition of equipment testing labs in countries that do not similarly recognize U.S.-based labs.

  • October 29, 2026

    Mich. Judge Mulls Detroit Sign Rules Ahead Of Election

    A Michigan federal judge questioned Detroit's permitting requirements for political signs Thursday as she considered whether to let a congressional write-in candidate display dozens of campaign signs outside businesses ahead of Tuesday's election.

  • October 29, 2026

    House Bill Would Increase Oversight Of Antitrust Settlements

    Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., introduced proposed legislation Thursday that would increase court scrutiny of antitrust settlements reached by federal enforcers, with the lawmaker saying more oversight is needed after the White House's involvement in recent cases.

  • October 29, 2026

    Squires Grants 4 Patent Review Bids In Latest Bulk Order

    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires has greenlighted four new petitions seeking review of patents in his latest round of decisions, while turning down one on discretionary grounds.

  • October 29, 2026

    Judge Seems Unswayed By Fears SEC Seeks 'Enemies List'

    A Pennsylvania federal judge on Thursday appeared reluctant to block the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's subpoena seeking information about voting advice that proxy adviser Institutional Shareholder Services gives to institutional investors despite ISS' concerns about political retaliation.

  • October 29, 2026

    9th Circ. Drops Speech Holding In Seattle Gig Worker Ruling

    The Ninth Circuit on Thursday withdrew its earlier finding that Seattle's protections for app-based delivery workers don't regulate speech, replacing it with a narrower ruling that assumes the law involves speech but still passes First Amendment scrutiny.

  • October 29, 2026

    Pa. Can Enforce E-Cigarette Law Amid Vape Cos. Appeal

    There will be no pause on a Pennsylvania law that makes it illegal to sell most vape products, a federal judge said, rejecting a vape industry bid seeking a brief reprieve while an appeal seeking to upend the statute heads to the Third Circuit.

  • October 29, 2026

    'We're Going To Get Sued': LA Revives Ban On Oil, Gas Wells

    The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday passed an ordinance banning all new oil and gas drilling within city limits and phasing out existing wells within 20 years, with one councilmember commenting that the city expects to get sued by members of the industry over the vote. 

  • October 29, 2026

    NJ Panel Says State Shields Military Leave Past Federal Cap

    A New Jersey state appeals court on Thursday upheld a decision giving an Atlantic City police officer his job back after the city fired him for staying on military leave for more than five years, saying a federal five-year limit is a minimum, not a maximum.

  • October 29, 2026

    Uber, Amazon, Instacart Fight NYC Courier Deactivation Law

    Uber, Amazon and Instacart have accused New York City of overstepping by enacting a law prohibiting them from "deactivating" delivery couriers without formal notice and investigation, claiming in a new federal lawsuit that the regulation unconstitutionally interferes with their contractual rights.

  • October 29, 2026

    FCC Floats $4.4M Fine For Boomerang's Alleged Lifeline Fraud

    The Federal Communications Commission proposed a $4.4 million fine against Boomerang Wireless for allegedly defrauding the Lifeline program, which gives discounts on phone and internet services to qualifying low-income Americans.

  • October 29, 2026

    FCC Seeks To Rev Up Satellite Device Coverage

    The Federal Communications Commission advanced new rules Thursday that could open 25 megahertz of midband spectrum for new uses, including not only terrestrial wireless but potentially also direct-to-device coverage from satellites.

  • October 29, 2026

    Tax Consultancy Asks 5th Circ. To Kill Microcaptive Rule

    The IRS never published data showing that microcaptive transactions pose a potential for tax avoidance to justify a rule making companies and advisers report them as "transactions of interest," a tax consultancy seeking the rule's demise told the Fifth Circuit.

  • October 29, 2026

    DOJ Says Immigration Judge Isn't Shielded From Removal

    The U.S. Department of Justice told a Massachusetts federal judge that an ex-immigration judge who claims he was fired for his political ideology and advocacy work was an at-will employee who cannot show his firing was discriminatory.

  • October 29, 2026

    NJ Justices Uphold Atty's Privacy Expectation In Email Advice

    The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Thursday in a split decision that the name of the attorney who emailed legal advice to a municipal prosecutor in a traffic dispute should not be disclosed under the state's public records law, finding the sender's reasonable expectation of privacy outweighs any interest in disclosure.

  • October 29, 2026

    Canada, UAE Sign Economic Partnership Agreement

    Canada and the United Arab Emirates have reached an agreement on a trade deal that is expected to double bilateral trade between the countries, up to CA$7 billion ($5 billion) annually, the Canadian government said, lauding the agreement as being reached in "record time."

  • October 29, 2026

    EEOC Eliminates Long-Standing Criminal History Guidance

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has revoked Obama-era guidance that outlined employers' legal obligations in their use of workers' arrest and conviction records to make employment decisions, the agency announced Thursday.

  • October 29, 2026

    US Signs Key Sector Memorandums With Hungary, Finland

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed memorandums with Finnish and Hungarian officials Thursday indicating that the U.S. will work together with those trading partners on key minerals, technology and energy policy matters.

  • October 29, 2026

    1st Circ. Seeks Mass. Justices' Input On USAA Rate Row

    The First Circuit asked Massachusetts' highest court to weigh in on a suit by service members alleging USAA improperly considered their military pay grade when issuing auto insurance policies, finding the dispute implicates questions of state law.

  • October 29, 2026

    Gov't Urges 11th Circ. To Lift Sanctions Over Trump-IRS Deal

    A federal judge's order barring President Donald Trump, the IRS and the U.S. Treasury Department from citing the agreement made to settle his $10 billion suit against the tax agency is unsupportable and should be reversed, the government told the Eleventh Circuit.

  • October 29, 2026

    Ex-ComEd CEO, Lobbyist Signal Plea Deal Over Retrial

    Attorneys for Commonwealth Edison's former CEO and a longtime lobbyist told an Illinois federal judge on Thursday that they are in talks with the government about plea deals rather than an anticipated retrial next year on charges that they conspired to win former Illinois Speaker Michael Madigan's legislative favor in exchange for do-nothing jobs for his allies.

Expert Analysis

  • IRS Notice Helps Bridge Carbon Capture Reporting Gap

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    Recent guidance that extends a safe harbor for taxpayers claiming Section 45Q carbon capture credits provides a temporary reporting method that may keep viable projects moving while the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Environmental Protection Agency address future reporting standards, says Peter Lowy at Nelson Mullins.

  • How GCs Can Assess The Risks Of Emerging AI Laws

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    Amid a swirl of momentous legislative activity aimed at regulating artificial intelligence, general counsel must return to first principles when determining whether new laws will apply and whether the company’s use could cause regulators to subject it to additional regulation, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • Illinois Domestic Violence Law Expands Employer Obligations

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    With a new Illinois law expanding domestic violence protections by redefining harassment for the digital age and making protective orders more accessible, employers should review their policies and training programs as they will likely encounter more orders and a wider range of workplace restrictions, say attorneys at Nixon Peabody.

  • What State AI Election Laws Mean For The 2026 Midterms

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    In the absence of federal rules governing artificial intelligence in elections and no consensus emerging across state laws, campaigns, their vendors and AI developers must address the risks associated with outdated rules written for other problems, says Matthew Shapanka at Covington.

  • Why Pa. Push For Brownfield Renewables May Not Be Enough

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    A recent executive order from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro directed state regulators to expedite siting of clean energy development on former industrial sites — but additional reforms may be needed to effectively eliminate barriers to these types of projects, says Louis Dodge at Langsam Stevens.

  • Draft Biosolids Guidance Illuminates EPA's Approach To PFAS

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    Recent draft guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on mitigating risks from two "forever chemicals" in sewage sludge is not legally binding, but its recommendations may help wastewater treatment plants operators, landowners, farmers, water agencies and the public understand the agency's current thinking, says Ayodeji Ayolola at Gordon Rees.

  • 4 Words In A 1980 Law Could Redraw Bank Lending

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    The Tenth Circuit's interpretation of a single phrase in the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act could reshape interstate bank lending, requiring banks and fintechs to document loan-making functions, monitor repayment triggers, and reassess true lender and contractual risks, say attorneys at Sheppard.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Cultivating Good Judgment

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    Law schools generally overlook the role that solid judgment skills play in real-world practice, but attorneys can bridge the gap by strengthening their abilities to assess a case’s strengths and weaknesses, develop and execute effective strategies, and provide clear recommendations to clients, says Manny Caixeiro at Venable.

  • Responding To State Packaging Law Uncertainty

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    As states roll out new packaging and recycling mandates, companies face expanding compliance duties and a growing wave of constitutional challenges that offer key lessons for managing regulatory risk, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • CMS Rule, DOJ Probes Deepen Gender Care Compliance Risk

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    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' final rule restricting Medicaid funding for hospitals that provide gender-affirming care is likely to face immediate litigation, but the CMS rulemaking is already working alongside U.S. Department of Justice's enforcement campaign to create operational risk for providers, say attorneys at Arnall Golden.

  • New Del. Corp. Law's Technical Tweaks Bring Broad Changes

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    While the new amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law, which took effect on Aug. 1, appear technical, they have broad implications for wound-down corporations and carry personal exposure for whoever signed the certificate of dissolution, hinting at where entity law is heading next, says Ashwin Ram at Buchalter.

  • How Trucking Cos. Can Tackle Risk From New DOJ Task Force

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    Trucking companies should audit their drivers’ credentials and address risk areas lest they attract the attention of the new Justice Department-led task force against the fraudulent licensing of immigrants as commercial truckers, which is turning former questions of administrative or regulatory noncompliance into matters for federal prosecution, say attorneys at RJO.

  • What To Expect From Colorado's New Artist Co. Structure

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    Colorado's newly established class of artist companies, or A-Corps, provides a useful structure for small-scale ventures, but challenges could arise for more complex business plans, and limitations on investor participation may limit widespread adoption, say attorneys at Armstrong Teasdale.

  • 2 Cases Shed Light On Invoking The 5th Before Congress

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    Given the anticipated increase in congressional investigations following the midterm elections, those who anticipate being in Congress' spotlight can draw valuable Fifth Amendment lessons from the ongoing case involving Dr. Anthony Fauci's testimony and the D.C. Circuit’s recent ruling in de la Torre v. Cassidy, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

  • AG Watch: Oregon Targets Consumer Costs

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    Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield's challenges to bank interest rate and escrow preemption signal heightened scrutiny of consumer costs for lending services, requiring financial institutions serving Oregon and other states with opt-out laws to reassess compliance risk, says Keturah Taylor at Cozen O'Connor.

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