Public Policy

  • October 29, 2026

    Judge Rejects Extra Hurdle For Medicaid Frailty Exemption

    A Trump administration bid to create additional barriers to Medicaid eligibility was rejected Thursday by a Massachusetts federal judge, who ruled that Congress did not delegate to the executive branch the task of deciding who is too medically frail to meet work requirements.

  • October 29, 2026

    Split 4th Circ. Stays Man's Removal Over Competency Issue

    The Fourth Circuit has extended a stay preventing the removal of a self-represented noncitizen detainee who said his "mental condition" prevented him from fully arguing his case to an immigration judge, finding that the full administrative record is needed.

  • October 29, 2026

    Pa. Court OKs Unemployment Comp Despite Off-Duty Lie

    A Pennsylvania nurse didn't commit "willful misconduct" by refusing to answer questions about a coworker visiting her while he was on duty and she was off duty, so the nurse remained eligible to collect unemployment benefits after she was fired, a state appellate court ruled Wednesday.

  • October 29, 2026

    CFPB Faces 2nd Suit Over Bid To 'Erase' Fair Lending Rules

    One of the nation's oldest civil rights groups has sued to overturn the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's recent rollback of longstanding federal protections against lending discrimination, widening the ongoing legal battle against the controversial rule change.

  • October 29, 2026

    EU Pushes China For More Fair Trade Commitments

    The European Parliament's Committee on International Trade spent a three-day trip to China pushing for an expansion of a trade framework beyond a recently reached mutual understanding on hybrid vehicles, among other concerns, the committee said Thursday.

  • October 29, 2026

    9th Circ. Ruling Dooms Sports Betting Suit, Washington Says

    Prediction market operator Underdog's contention that its sports-based event contracts are not subject to Washington state gambling laws is doomed under a recent Ninth Circuit ruling holding otherwise, the Evergreen State told a Washington federal judge.

  • October 29, 2026

    China Slams US Ban On 3 Biotech Cos. Over Forced Labor

    The Chinese government Thursday condemned the U.S.' recent addition of three new entities in the biotechnology sector to its blacklist of companies from which goods are banned from entering the U.S. due to their presumed use of forced labor.

  • October 29, 2026

    EU Head Affirms Ties With Canada As Member Talks Open

    European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday reaffirmed the European Union's commitment to strengthening its ties with Canada at the opening of a summit to consider whether to adopt Canada as the EU's first-ever associate member.

  • October 29, 2026

    Trump Admin Appeals Block Of DC Golf Course Work

    The Trump administration is appealing a D.C. federal judge's order that stopped further tree removals at East Potomac Golf Course and required advance notice before irreparable changes are made to the facility.

  • October 29, 2026

    5th Circ. Will Review Texas Content-Filtering Law Ruling

    The Fifth Circuit has granted Texas' request for an en banc rehearing of a July panel opinion that partly upheld a block on the state's new law requiring companies to filter content for underage users.

  • October 29, 2026

    Groups Drop Suit Over Trump's DEI Mandate For Contractors

    A coalition of organizations ended their challenge of an executive order from President Donald Trump that requires government contractors to disavow "racially discriminatory DEI activities," stating that while they lost their bid to freeze the order, they gained crucial clarity from the court about the directive's scope.

  • October 29, 2026

    DOL Finalizes Pharmacy Benefit Manager Fee Disclosure Rule

    The U.S. Department of Labor's employee benefits arm unveiled a final rule Thursday that requires pharmacy benefit managers — which act as intermediaries between drugmakers, pharmacies and insurers — to make new disclosures on their fees and compensation to employer-sponsored group health plans.

  • October 28, 2026

    Democracy 'At Stake': Feds Can't Set Aside 20K Calif. Ballots

    A California federal judge on Wednesday rejected the Trump administration's request to require the state to set aside mail-in ballots for some 20,000 voters the federal government contends are "likely" noncitizens, saying it would "wreak havoc" on the midterm elections that are already underway.

  • October 28, 2026

    RNC Files New Suit Over FCC's Campaign Ad Rates

    The Republican National Committee, Republican Party of Texas and several Republican candidates Wednesday filed a fresh suit over the Federal Communications Commission's longtime requirement that broadcasters charge the lowest political ad rates for committees tied to candidates, calling it "a drag on First Amendment freedoms."

  • October 28, 2026

    CFTC's Selig Vows 'Grounded' Oversight Of Agentic Finance

    U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Michael Selig said Wednesday that his agency plans to take a "grounded" approach to agentic finance that's also mindful of the risks it poses and courted industry feedback on how to address the rise of artificial intelligence in derivative markets.

  • October 28, 2026

    Landlord's Suit Over Seattle Tenant Laws Revived On Appeal

    A Washington Court of Appeals panel has reinstated a real estate company's challenge to a string of Seattle landlord-tenant laws, finding the firm has adequately detailed how the contested ordinances stunted its property rights as the owner of a downtown affordable housing development.

  • October 28, 2026

    Product Liability's Regulatory & Legislative Recap So Far

    Over the summer and early fall, lawmakers proposed measures aimed at putting safeguards around the rapidly growing industry of artificial intelligence, as public concerns over its safety climb in tandem. The new nominee to head the U.S. Food and Drug Administration also faced sharp queries over her views on vaccines and birth control.

  • October 28, 2026

    Eagle Hunt Blocked Over NM Tribes' Religious Harm Fears

    A New Mexico federal judge has for now blocked the U.S. government from issuing special permits that would allow the Pueblo of Jemez tribe to kill one bald or golden eagle within the Valles Caldera National Preserve, ruling Wednesday that such a "taking" would burden other pueblos.

  • October 28, 2026

    TB Outbreak In Wash. Prisons Yields $52M Damages Verdict

    Washington jurors returned a $52 million verdict in favor of 23 plaintiffs who accused the state's Department of Corrections of allowing an active tuberculosis outbreak to fester and spread to hundreds of people at its prison facilities over nearly two years.

  • October 28, 2026

    PayPal's Financial Offerings Are Under Fresh FTC Scrutiny

    PayPal has disclosed that it is facing a Federal Trade Commission investigation into its financial products and services, including marketing, fees and purchase protections.

  • October 28, 2026

    CFPB Audit Flags Cybersecurity Gaps Amid Staff Departures

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has failed to promptly fix serious cyber weaknesses and consistently track data in its possession as staffing losses have hampered the agency's ability to safeguard its systems, according to a federal watchdog audit released Wednesday.

  • October 28, 2026

    State Dept. Owes $461M For Work During COVID, Builder Says

    Trump administration officials reneged on the U.S. Department of State's agreement to pay an Alabama-based construction giant for cost overruns while it continued working on a dozen embassy projects during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the company's Wednesday lawsuit that seeks at least $461 million in damages.

  • October 28, 2026

    Missouri, Louisiana Sued By Prediction Market Giants

    Missouri and Louisiana are the latest states to become embroiled in litigation with event contract platforms, after Kalshi and Polymarket sued them, respectively, to prevent pending enforcement action.

  • October 28, 2026

    MSU Trustee Says Ethics Code Violates First Amendment

    A Michigan State University trustee filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the board chair and secretary Wednesday, alleging that recent revisions to the board of trustees code of ethics are unconstitutional and intended to silence trustees who criticize the university or dissent from majority decisions.

  • October 28, 2026

    SC Gov.'s Counsel Still In The Running For Federal Judgeship

    The chief legal counsel for South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster is "being actively considered" for a federal judgeship, according to the White House, but it's not a done deal yet.

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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