Public Policy

October 21, 2025
Gov't Says Texas Migrant Law 'Complements' Federal Law

The Trump administration threw its weight behind a Texas law that allows local law enforcement to arrest people suspected of crossing the border illegally, telling the Fifth Circuit the law "complements existing federal immigration law."
October 21, 2025
Wash. Tribe Fights State Over Cannabis Shop On School Land

A tribal group that calls itself a "self-governing dependent Indian community" has sued a Washington state court clerk in federal court, seeking to stop her from asserting jurisdiction over a dispute involving a cannabis operation on school lands in Indian country.
October 21, 2025
Colo. Justices Weigh Self-Defense Exception In At-Will Firings

Counsel for a former Circle K store clerk fired after a confrontation with a robber argued to the Colorado Supreme Court Tuesday that the justices should recognize a public policy exception to the state's at-will employment doctrine, contending employers should generally not impose as workplace policy a duty to retreat.
October 21, 2025
Senate GOP Bill Would Hike AML Reporting Thresholds

U.S. Senate Republicans have unveiled a bill that would raise decades-old transaction reporting thresholds under the Bank Secrecy Act, seeking to overhaul key anti-money laundering requirements that they say have buried banks and credit unions in "red tape."
October 21, 2025
Senate Panel Clears Aviation Safety Bill After DCA Collision

A Senate committee advanced legislation Tuesday that would mandate aircraft-tracking technology in all aircraft, alongside fresh audits of Federal Aviation Administration and military procedures, a response to January's deadly midair collision between a U.S. Army helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet near Washington, D.C.
October 21, 2025
Foreign Robocall Task Force Bill Gets Through Sen. Committee

The Federal Communications Commission is one step closer to being directed to funnel funds toward reducing spam robocalls that originate overseas after the Senate commerce committee said yes to a bill with a handful of amendments Tuesday.
October 21, 2025
UK Enforcer Backs Private Immunity For Reporting Cartels

Britain's competition enforcer told the government Tuesday that leniency applicants who are the first to report cartel activity should be afforded full immunity from damages under the collective actions regime to help boost enforcement efforts.
October 21, 2025
Afghan Allies Sue After Families Barred From Entry Into US

Multiple Afghans who fought for the United States claim a Trump administration proclamation has kept their families in Afghanistan, saying in a Tuesday complaint that the administration's blanket denial of asylum for their families puts them at risk of persecution.
October 21, 2025
NTSB Member Urges DC Court To Nix Trump's 'Illegal' Firing

A National Safety Transportation Board member challenging his firing in May by President Donald Trump is urging a D.C. federal court to reinstate him, saying the board's removal protections are constitutional.
October 21, 2025
Shutdown Won't Pause Suit Over Migrant Parole Terminations

A Massachusetts federal judge on Tuesday denied the government's request to stay proceedings in a proposed class action brought on behalf of nearly a million migrants that alleges their legal status was illegally ended by the Trump administration via an app.
October 21, 2025
ISPs Put Almost $90B Into Networks Last Year, Report Says

Internet service providers are putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to investing in infrastructure, according to an industry lobbying group, which recently released a report finding that ISPs poured nearly $90 billion into broadband infrastructure last year.
October 21, 2025
Groups Want Full DC Circ. To Review Emergency Air Rule

Environmental groups are asking the full D.C. Circuit to review a panel decision to restore air pollution-emitting facilities' right to defend themselves against alleged violations of the Clean Air Act by blaming emergency circumstances.
October 21, 2025
Mich. Court Denies Gov't's Foreclosure Suit Atty Fee Bid

A Michigan appellate panel on Monday determined governments that foreclose on tax-delinquent properties aren't entitled to attorney fees and expenses racked up during litigation over how the surplus proceeds of the property sale are paid out.
October 21, 2025
NTIA Looks To Surpass Budget Law's FCC Auction Target

A top U.S. Department of Commerce official said the nation's spectrum management agency is aiming to go even further than Congress' mandate to identify 500 megahertz of spectrum for private auction under this year's budget reconciliation bill.
October 21, 2025
Third Tribe Signs Deal To Open Cannabis Shops In Minnesota

Minnesota has signed a compact with the Prairie Island Indian Community to allow the federally recognized tribe to issue licenses for eight cannabis retailers outside its reservation along with licenses to grow and manufacture the plant, the third such deal the state has made with a tribe.
October 21, 2025
NY Appeals Ruling That Nuke Discharge Law Is Preempted

The state of New York has asked the Second Circuit to overturn a federal judge's ruling that found a state law barring the release of radioactive materials into the Hudson River was federally preempted.
October 21, 2025
Partnership Deadline To Dispute IRS Is Fixed, Tax Court Says

A deadline to petition the U.S. Tax Court to challenge IRS adjustments to partnership returns is effectively fixed and cannot be extended, the court said Tuesday in a reviewed decision that denied an Alabama LLC's late bid to restore a $46 million deduction for donating to charity.
October 21, 2025
Texas AG Wants Out Of Suit Over Ban On Sanctuary Cities

The Texas attorney general said Monday he would appeal to the Fifth Circuit a district court decision that left him alone defending a suit challenging a state law prohibiting local officials from limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
October 21, 2025
Cities Sue Trump Admin Over DEI Conditions For Grant Funds

The city of Chicago and eight other local governments sued the Trump administration in Illinois federal court Monday, claiming the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has imposed unlawful conditions on federal grants that help them respond to disasters, including a requirement that they agree not to operate diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
October 21, 2025
New York's Highest Court Demands Bail Denial Explanation

New York's highest court said a Queens trial court wrongly failed to explain why a man charged with promoting and possessing child pornography was denied bail, reversing an appeals court's dismissal of his habeas petition Tuesday.
October 21, 2025
CFTC's Pham Expects Spot Crypto Trading By End Of Year

Acting U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Caroline Pham said Tuesday the agency is moving quickly to implement the White House's recommendations for enabling digital asset trading and innovation, with listed spot crypto trading expected to go live this year.
October 21, 2025
NY Courts Can't Shield Memos To State Judges

The New York State Office of Court Administration may have to finally turn over a batch of "secret memos" that instruct state judges on how to interpret the law, the state's highest court ruled Tuesday.
October 21, 2025
Feds, Enviros Clash Over Bid To Pause Climate Panel Suit

The Trump administration has urged a federal judge to pause a lawsuit challenging its formation of a climate change science advisory panel while the federal government is shut down, a move opposed by the environmental groups behind the suit.
October 21, 2025
FCC Urged To Rescind Pulling Of Equipment Testing Labs

Several entities linked to China urged the Federal Communications Commission to reconsider pulling their authorizations to run equipment testing labs in the U.S.
October 21, 2025
Mich. AG Can Step Into Fire Insurance Policy Challenge

The Michigan attorney general can intervene in a dispute over the constitutionality of the state's Fire Insurance Withholding Program, which allows participating municipalities to withhold part of a property owner's insurance payout until fire-damaged property is repaired, a federal court ruled.

Editor's Picks

Trump's Legal Battles

States, federal employee unions, various advocacy groups and several individuals have filed over 220 lawsuits challenging the Trump administration's implementation of executive orders and other initiatives. Law360 has created a database of those lawsuits, separated into categories based on their subject matter.

Expert Analysis

Cybersecurity Rule For DOD Contractors Creates New Risks

A rule locking in the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification system for defense contractors increases False Claims Act and criminal enforcement risks by narrowing a key exemption and mandating affirmations of past compliance, which may discourage new companies from entering the defense contracting market, say attorneys at Haynes Boone.
Compliance Steps To Take As FCRA Enforcement Widens

As the Fair Credit Reporting Act receives renewed focus from both federal and state enforcers, regulatory and litigation risk is most acute in several core areas, which companies can address by implementing purpose processes and quick remediation of consumer complaints, among other steps, say attorneys at Wiley.
What EPA's Continued Defense Of PFAS Rule Means For Cos.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recent decision to continue defending a Biden-era rule designating two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances as Superfund hazards may provide the EPA with significant authority over national PFAS cleanup policy — and spur further litigation by both government and private parties, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
6 Shifts In Trump Tax Law May Lend A Hand To M&A Strategy

Changes in the Trump administration's recent One Big Beautiful Bill Act stand to create a more favorable environment for mergers and acquisitions, including full bonus depreciation and an expanded code section, say attorneys at K&L Gates.
Trends In Post-Grant Practice Since USPTO Denial Guidance

Six months after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office updated its guidance on discretionary denial of inter partes review and post-grant review, noteworthy trends in denial statistics have emerged, warranting a reassessment of strategies for parallel proceedings, says Andrew Ramos at Bayes.
Examining The Quietest EEOC Enforcement Year In A Decade

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed the fewest merit lawsuits in a decade in fiscal year 2025, but recent litigation demonstrates its enforcement priorities, particularly surrounding the healthcare industry, the most active districts, and pregnancy- and religion-based claims, say attorneys at Seyfarth.
Transource Ruling Affirms FERC's Grid Planning Authority

The Third Circuit's recent decision in Transource Pennsylvania v. DeFrank, reversing a state agency's denial of an electric transmission facility permit, provides a check on states' ability to veto needed power projects, and is a resounding endorsement of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's regional transmission planning authority, say attorneys at Wilson Sonsini.
Assessing The Future Of The HIPAA Reproductive Health Rule

In light of a Texas federal court's recent decision to strike down a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services rule aimed to protect the privacy of patients seeking abortions and gender-affirming care, entities are at least temporarily relieved from compliance obligations, but tensions are likely to continue for the foreseeable future, says Liz Heddleston at Wood Rogers.
State Paid Leave Laws Are Changing Employer Obligations

A wave of new and expanded state laws covering paid family, medical and sick leave will test multistate compliance systems, marking a fundamental operational shift for employers that requires proactive planning, system modernization and policy alignment to manage simultaneous state and federal obligations, says Madjeen Garcon-Bonneau at PrestigePEO.
How Crypto Embrace Will Affect Banks And Credit Unions

The second Trump administration has moved aggressively to promote crypto-friendly reforms and initiatives, and as the embrace of stablecoins and distributed ledger technology grows, community banks and credit unions should think strategically as to how they might use these innovations to best serve their customers, says Jay Spruill at Woods Rogers.
In NY, Long COVID (Tolling) Still Applies

A series of pandemic-era executive orders in New York tolling state statutes of limitations for 228 days mean that many causes of action that appear time-barred on their face may continue to apply, including in federal practice, for the foreseeable future, say attorneys at Sher Tremonte.
Navigating The SEC's Evolving Foreign Private Issuer Regime

As the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reevaluates foreign private issuer eligibility, FPIs face not only incremental compliance costs but also a potential reshaping of listing strategies, capital access, enforcement exposure and global regulatory coordination, potential unintended effects that deserve further exploration, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.
New Conn. Real Estate Laws Will Reshape Housing Landscape

With new legislation tackling Connecticut's real estate landscape, introducing critical new requirements and legal ambiguities that demand careful interpretation, legal counsel will have to navigate a significantly altered and more complex regulatory environment, say attorneys at Harris Beach.
USPTO Under Squires: A Look At The First Month

New U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires' opening acts — substantive and symbolic — signal a posture that is more welcoming to technological improvements and focused on rebalancing the office's gatekeeping role, say attorneys at Seyfarth.
Iran Sanctions Snapback Raises Global Compliance Risks

The reimplementation of U.N. sanctions targeting Iran’s nuclear program, under a Security Council resolution's snapback mechanism, and related actions in Europe and the U.K., may change U.S. due diligence expectations and enforcement policies, particularly as they apply to non-U.S. businesses that do business with Iran, says John Sandage at Berliner Corcoran.