Public Policy

  • January 29, 2026

    FCC's Carr Says More Plans To 'Delete' Regs On Way Soon

    The chief of the Federal Communications Commission says more rounds of his "Delete, Delete, Delete" initiative to scale back what he views as obsolete telecom rules will be coming up soon.

  • January 29, 2026

    Valve Scores Partial Win As Its Patent Troll Claims Near Trial

    A Seattle federal judge found Wednesday that inventor Leigh Rothschild breached an intellectual property licensing deal by leveling bogus infringement claims against Valve Corp. in 2022 but left other key questions for jurors to consider when the video game company's patent trolling case heads to trial next month.

  • January 29, 2026

    NYC Sets New Wage Standards For Security Guards

    Security guards at private buildings in New York City will be entitled to the same minimum wage, paid time off and benefits received by security guards at public buildings under a new union-supported city law enacted Thursday.

  • January 29, 2026

    Ex-Boston Activist Given Probation For Fraud Schemes

    A former prominent Boston activist was spared from a prison term by a Massachusetts federal judge Thursday at her sentencing for misusing thousands of dollars in donor funds for personal expenses and fraudulently claiming housing and unemployment benefits.

  • January 29, 2026

    FCC To Collect More Info On Cos.' Ties With US Adversaries

    The Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to require companies seeking telecommunications approvals to attest in writing if they are owned or controlled by foreign adversaries in a bid to increase national security in the media and telecom industries.

  • January 29, 2026

    Congress' Limited Tariff Role May Persist After Justices Rule

    The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on President Donald Trump's emergency tariffs could leave the door open for Congress to play a larger role in trade policy heading into November's midterms, but that opportunity may pose few political incentives for lawmakers.

  • January 29, 2026

    Vape Cos. Tell 4th Circ. Not To Stay Block On Va. Regs

    A pair of vape companies is urging the Fourth Circuit not to issue a stay on an order blocking enforcement of a Virginia law prohibiting the sale of unapproved e-cigarettes, saying the district court correctly found that portions of the law were preempted by federal law.

  • January 29, 2026

    Md. Tech Groups Praise Cybersecurity Tax Credit Plan

    Expanding eligibility for Maryland's cybersecurity tax credit would help more customers use tools from companies in the state to protect their data and information systems, industry representatives and the state's Commerce Department director told legislators Thursday.

  • January 29, 2026

    DC Circ. Urged To Revive PJM Watchdog's Access Fight

    The electricity market watchdog for PJM Interconnection on Thursday urged the D.C. Circuit to reconsider its dismissal of its lawsuit over the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission denying it access to certain committee meetings held by the regional grid operator.

  • January 29, 2026

    2nd Circ. Backs Rental Assistance, Medicaid Fraud Conviction

    The Second Circuit has upheld the conviction of a New York City man who was sentenced to 70 months in prison for running a more than $1.8 million rental assistance and Medicaid fraud scheme.

  • January 29, 2026

    USPTO Asked For Clarity On Proposed Foreign Applicant Rule

    A trade group representing intellectual property owners wants clarity on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's proposed requirement for all foreign patent owners to be represented by a domestic-registered patent practitioner and suggested steps to "promote fairness."

  • January 29, 2026

    9th Circ. Says Noem Can't 'Smuggle In' TPS Vacaturs

    The Ninth Circuit has ruled that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem lacked the authority to vacate temporary protected status for Venezuela and Haiti, saying her attempt to do so flouts both Congress' design of the TPS statute and the law's language.

  • January 29, 2026

    Minn. County Appeals 3,000-Acre Land Trust Order At 8th Circ.

    A Minnesota county and two of its townships are appealing to the Eighth Circuit a lower court's order that dismissed a challenge to a U.S. Department of the Interior decision to take more than 3,000 acres into trust for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.

  • January 29, 2026

    Bondi Elevates Pa. US Atty Amid Appointments Scrutiny

    The first assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania is being retained and elevated to full U.S. attorney by Attorney General Pamela Bondi, his office announced Thursday, though the appointment will have to remain temporary or he could face the same questions about his appointment as other top prosecutors in President Donald Trump's administration.

  • January 29, 2026

    ADA Settlement Brings Changes To Detroit Courthouses

    A settlement in an Americans with Disabilities Act class action brought by two attorneys and a community activist will lead to ADA-compliant upgrades like private bathrooms, accessible voting machines and new signage at municipal buildings serving Detroit and Wayne County.

  • January 29, 2026

    GOP-Led Crypto Bill Clears Senate Panel In Party-Line Vote

    The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced a Republican-led proposal to regulate crypto markets on Thursday with a vote that fell starkly along party lines after Democrats made clear they would not support the bill without provisions to prevent public officials from profiting from crypto ventures.

  • January 29, 2026

    Interior Dept. Says NY Can't Overcome Offshore Wind Halt

    The Trump administration has urged a D.C. federal court to reject New York's attempt to undo the suspension of an Ørsted subsidiary's offshore wind project, saying the state has only claimed distant and derivative economic harm.

  • January 29, 2026

    Immigrants' Attys Say Detention Center Must Ease Access

    Counsel for a proposed class of individuals detained at an immigration detention facility in the Everglades urged a Florida federal court Thursday to lift restrictions on attorney access, arguing that they violate detainees' freedom of association under the First Amendment. 

  • January 29, 2026

    Ga. Gov. Hopeful Wants 11th Circ.'s Take On Cash Limits

    Georgia Secretary of State and gubernatorial hopeful Brad Raffensperger said Wednesday he would ask the Eleventh Circuit to review a federal judge's decision from the day before shooting down yet another challenge to a state law allowing a rival in the race to rake in unlimited campaign cash.

  • January 29, 2026

    Dispensaries Sue Hawaii Over Criminalizing Hemp Products

    Two dispensary owners are suing Hawaii's attorney general and the Hawaii State Department of Health, alleging that the state's new law regulating hemp products is preempted by the 2018 Farm Bill and violates the supremacy clause by criminalizing conduct Congress legalized.

  • January 29, 2026

    U. Of Edinburgh Repatriates Historic Muscogee Remains

    Scotland's University of Edinburgh is returning the remains of six Muscogee (Creek) Nation individuals in what it says it believes is the first international repatriation of Native American ancestral remains to the United States' mainland.

  • January 29, 2026

    4th Circ. Wary Of Kicking Up 'Sandstorm' On Deferred Comp.

    The Fourth Circuit appeared reluctant Thursday to revive a proposed class action brought against Bank of America and Merrill by an ex-financial adviser who said he was shorted deferred compensation, as judges questioned whether federal benefits law applied to payments that looked like bonuses.

  • January 29, 2026

    Pasadena Settles Tenants' Wildfire Contamination Claims

    The California city of Pasadena has agreed to settle claims filed by local residents who alleged in California state court that the city failed to conduct "adequate inspections" for homes that were contaminated with "toxic smoke, ash and soot" caused by the Eaton wildfires that occurred in January 2025.

  • January 29, 2026

    Mass. AG Sues 9 Towns To Enforce Housing Law

    The Massachusetts attorney general on Jan. 29 sued nine towns that have not complied with a controversial state housing initiative requiring them to allow multifamily housing in at least a portion of their communities.

  • January 29, 2026

    Clemency Favors White Collar Offenders, New Study Shows

    White collar criminal defendants are more likely than other types of offenders to receive presidential pardons, especially under the Trump administration, a new analysis of clemency actions shows, raising concerns about a system one expert called "broken."

Expert Analysis

  • How OECD Tax Update Tackles Mobile Workforce Complexity

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    The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s recently updated model tax convention — a recalibration of international tax principles in response to an increasingly mobile workforce — should prompt companies to reevaluate cross-border operations, transfer pricing policies and tax controversy strategies, say attorneys at Eversheds.

  • Reviewing 2025's Most Pertinent Wiretap Developments

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    2025 was a remarkable year in the world of web tracking wiretapping litigation, not only for the increased caseload but also because of numerous developing theories of liability, with disputes expected to continue unabated in 2026, say attorneys at Squire Patton.

  • 2025 Legal Milestones That Will Shape Psychedelics Sector

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    As 2025 draws to a close, psychedelic drug development stands at an inflection point, experiencing unprecedented momentum through recent sweeping regulatory changes and landmark clinical milestones, amid rapidly evolving regulatory expectations, say Odette Hauke at Odette Alina LLC and Kimberly Chew at Husch Blackwell.

  • M&A Midmarket Shows Resilience Amid 2025 Challenges

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    Midmarket mergers and acquisitions showed a slight decline in volume but climbed in value for much of 2025, particularly in the private equity space, indicating that the middle market M&A environment is cautious but steady heading into 2026, say attorneys at Stoel Rives.

  • Del. Dispatch: Key 2025 Corporate Cases And Trends To Know

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    The Delaware corporate legal landscape saw notable changes in 2025, spurred by amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law, ubiquitous artificial intelligence fervor, boardroom discussion around DExit, record shareholder activism activity and an arguably more expansive view of potential Caremark liability, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

  • Series

    Nature Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Nature photography reminds me to focus on what is in front of me and to slow down to achieve success, and, in embracing the value of viewing situations through different lenses, offers skills transferable to the practice of law, says Brian Willett at Saul Ewing.

  • 2025 Brought A New Paradigm For Federal Banking Regulation

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    A series of thematic shifts defined banking regulation in 2025, including a fundamental reform of prudential supervision, a strategic easing of capital constraints, steps to streamline merger reviews, and a new framework for fair access and entrants seeking to offer banking services, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • What 2025 Transpo And Logistics Legal Trends Mean For 2026

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    2025 was challenging for the transportation and logistics sector, with emergent trends including dramatic federal policy shifts, developments in tort risk, and a host of mergers and acquisitions — but a review of these themes offers a useful playbook for where the industry is headed in 2026, says Jonathan Todd at Benesch.

  • How Cos. Can Roll With NY's New Algorithmic Pricing Rules

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    Despite uncertainty from New York’s new ban on artificial intelligence and computer algorithms for setting rents, and efforts to further restrict individualizing prices based on consumers' personal data, property managers, software providers and merchants can take several steps to stay compliant, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

  • 2025 State AI Laws Expand Liability, Raise Insurance Risks

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    As 2025 nears its end, claims professionals should be aware of trends in state legislation addressing artificial intelligence use, as insurance claims based on some of these liability-expanding statutes are a certainty, say attorneys at Wiley.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Practical Problem Solving

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    Issue-spotting skills are well honed in law school, but practicing attorneys must also identify clients’ problems and true goals, and then be able to provide solutions, says Mary Kate Hogan at Quarles & Brady.

  • Crypto In 2025: From Federal Deregulation To State Action

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    The cryptocurrency enforcement landscape evolved in 2025, marked by federal deregulatory trends and active state attorney general enforcement, creating both opportunity and risk for businesses navigating the digital asset market, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.

  • How CFTC Enforcement Shifted In 2025 And What's Next

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    The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission pivoted sharply under acting Chairman Caroline Pham in 2025, resulting in a pared-back enforcement docket, sweeping policy changes intended to provide greater transparency, and a renewed focus on fraud prevention and maintaining market integrity for the CFTC's core markets, say attorneys at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Learning From 2025 FCA Trends Targeting PE In Healthcare

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    False Claims Act enforcement trends and legislative developments from this year signal intensifying state and federal scrutiny of private equity's growing footprint in healthcare, and the urgency of compliance, says Lisa Re at Arnold & Porter.

  • Reviewing 2025's State And Federal AI Regulations

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    In light of increasing state and federal action to oversee the use of artificial intelligence, companies that develop or deploy the technology should keep abreast of current and forthcoming AI laws and consider their applicability to their business activities, says Jessica Brigman at Spencer Fane.

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