Public Policy

  • October 20, 2025

    5th Circ. Affirms Fraud Conviction Of Failed Bank's Ex-CEO

    A Fifth Circuit panel upheld the conviction of former First NBC Bank CEO Ashton J. Ryan Jr., who was sentenced to 14 years in prison and ordered to pay $215 million in restitution after a jury found him guilty of bank fraud and conspiracy related to the collapse of the Louisiana bank.

  • October 20, 2025

    Lack Of Police Funding 'Catastrophic' For SD Tribe, Suit Says

    A South Dakota tribe is asking for an order that would require the federal government to sufficiently fund its public safety resources, arguing that the United States' failure to treat law enforcement as a trust and treaty obligation continues to be catastrophic for it and its members.

  • October 20, 2025

    Ill. Judge Grills Immigration Officials Over Use Of Force

    Two immigration officials defended their agencies' recent use of force during the Trump administration's ongoing enforcement crackdown in Chicago on Monday, taking the stand after an Illinois federal judge expressed concern that they were violating her earlier order temporarily barring them from using allegedly violent silencing tactics against the media and peaceful protesters.

  • October 20, 2025

    DOT's Immigrant Truck Driver Rule Gets DC Circ. Challenge

    Workers and unions on Monday petitioned the D.C. Circuit to review a new U.S. Department of Transportation rule that blocks certain immigrants from holding commercial driver's licenses despite having authorization to work in the U.S.

  • October 20, 2025

    Mich. Judge Orders Release Or Bond Hearings For Immigrants

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement violated the rights of eight noncitizens by detaining them without providing bond hearings, a Michigan federal judge ruled, echoing her prior characterization of the Trump administration's push to impose mandatory detention as "not only wrong, but fundamentally unfair."

  • October 20, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Revived Chevron In PTAB Appeal, Justices Told

    The Federal Circuit has revived Chevron deference in "all but name," by relying on U.S. Patent and Trademark Office policy to answer a key question about what qualifies as prior art, a law professor has told the U.S. Supreme Court.

  • October 20, 2025

    Connecticut Official Had 'Dirtiest Hands Of All,' Jury Told

    Former Connecticut school construction director Kosta Diamantis was a "corrupt public official" who pushed local authorities to hire a masonry contractor and a construction management firm that paid him a cut of their negotiated government contracts, prosecutors told a jury during closing arguments Monday.

  • October 20, 2025

    Proposed PTAB Rules Bolster SAP's Fight, Fed. Circ. Told

    SAP America Inc. told the Federal Circuit on Friday that its challenge to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's stance on Fintiv-based discretionary denials is bolstered by newly proposed USPTO rules, which the company says prove that "mandamus relief is urgently needed to protect important public interests."

  • October 20, 2025

    Tylenol Maker Tells FDA Not To Add Autism Warning

    Tylenol maker Kenvue on Friday told the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reject a call to add warnings about the risk of using acetaminophen during pregnancy, saying that "expansive" scientific evidence shows there is no proven link between the over-the-counter drug and autism.

  • October 20, 2025

    Exxon Fights 2nd Circ.'s Atty Fees Ruling In NYC Climate Case

    Exxon, BP, Shell and the American Petroleum Institute are asking the Second Circuit for en banc review of a panel's decision to award attorney fees to New York City, which is suing them for deceptive practices around climate change.

  • October 20, 2025

    TikTok Urges Nix Of Wash. Applicant's Pay Transparency Suit

    TikTok urged a Washington state court to toss an applicant's proposed class action claiming the video platform failed to include salary information in job listings, arguing the worker leading the case and dozens of others couldn't show he was harmed by the omission.

  • October 20, 2025

    Emergency Tariffs Unlawfully Unprecedented, Justices Told

    The International Emergency Economic Powers Act has never been used until President Donald Trump to impose tariffs, and nowhere does the law provide that explicit authority, a dozen states, several small businesses and a pair of Illinois toymakers told the U.S. Supreme Court Monday.

  • October 20, 2025

    Youths Appeal Dismissal Of Challenge To Trump Energy Orders

    A group of youths filed a notice of appeal with the Ninth Circuit on Monday, seeking to overturn a Montana federal judge's dismissal of their lawsuit aimed at undoing President Donald Trump's energy-related emergency orders.

  • October 20, 2025

    DC Says It's Ready To Pick Subgrantees For BEAD Money

    The District of Columbia has received the green light from the federal government on how it plans to use its $100 million slice of the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program pie after a Trump administration revamp of the program made all the states and territories rework their proposals.

  • October 20, 2025

    Ski Equipment Makers Targeted In EU Antitrust Probe

    The European Union's executive branch on Monday said it, along with local competition authorities, is conducting unannounced inspections at ski equipment companies it believes have formed an illegal cartel in violation of antitrust laws.

  • October 20, 2025

    Connecticut Watchdog Atty Tapped To Lead Utility Regulator

    Connecticut's governor announced Monday that he had chosen the legal and regulatory director for the state consumer watchdog agency, Thomas Wiehl, to serve as the chairman of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, and he tapped three others to serve as commissioners of the five-member body.

  • October 20, 2025

    Trump Gets Ohio Opening With Judge Taking Senior Status

    U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson, who presided over cases involving Ohio State University sex abuse claims, has said he will soon be taking senior status — opening up a judicial seat for President Donald Trump to fill in the Buckeye State.

  • October 20, 2025

    Feds Warned Again Not To Search Immigration Atty's Phone

    A Massachusetts federal judge on Monday again told the government it cannot look at data pulled off an immigration lawyer's phone that it seized at Logan International Airport last month, as the court weighs his request for an order to destroy the information.

  • October 20, 2025

    Mobile Cos. Ask FCC To Revisit Local Interconnection Rule

    Wireless carriers asked the Federal Communications Commission to ditch a rule that allows local exchange carriers to request interconnection agreements with mobile providers, triggering procedures the carriers say can be overly burdensome.

  • October 20, 2025

    Court Tosses Constitutional Challenge To Md. Pot Licensure

    A Maryland federal judge on Monday dismissed a cannabis entrepreneur's constitutional challenge to the state's social equity marijuana licensure program, saying the U.S. Constitution's dormant commerce clause does not apply to cannabis.

  • October 20, 2025

    Give Small Jails More Time On FCC Rate Caps, Rep. Says

    A U.S. lawmaker representing a swath of rural Virginia said the Federal Communications Commission needs to give small jails more time to comply with rate caps on inmate phone calls.

  • October 20, 2025

    3rd Circ. Suspects Process 'Circumvention' In US Atty Role

    The Third Circuit on Monday seemed inclined to back a district court's finding that the U.S. Department of Justice's designation of President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer as New Jersey's top federal prosecutor violated federal law, with one jurist suggesting the appointment raised "serious constitutional implications."

  • October 20, 2025

    Pa. AG To Continue Grid Fight After PUC Bows Out

    Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday sought to continue the appeal of a Third Circuit decision invalidating the state Public Utilities Commission's denial of a permit for a transmission project after the agency's chairman said he feared the appeal's outcome could weaken state authority.

  • October 20, 2025

    Trade Court OKs Gov't Nixing Duties On Chinese Tile

    The U.S. Department of Commerce correctly found composite tile from China outside the scope of duties ordered on imported ceramic tile after twice failing to support its determination with sufficient evidence, according to an opinion issued by the U.S. Court of International Trade on Monday.

  • October 20, 2025

    Seminary Settles Sex Bias Suit With Ex-Ministry Director

    A Pittsburgh Presbyterian seminary has agreed to settle a former interim director's suit claiming she was fired out of gender bias and for raising complaints that the seminary pushed a racially discriminatory background check policy, according to federal court filings.

Expert Analysis

  • Trump Tax Law's Most Impactful Corp. And Individual Changes

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    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act built on and reshaped elements of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, including business interest deductions, bonus depreciation and personal income relief, delivering substantial changes to both corporate and individual tax policy, say attorneys at Weil.

  • From Clerkship To Law Firm: 5 Transition Tips For Associates

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Transitioning from a judicial clerkship to an associate position at a law firm may seem daunting, but by using knowledge gained while clerking, being mindful of key differences and taking advantage of professional development opportunities, these attorneys can flourish in private practice, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Opinion

    Fla. Misses Opportunity To Rectify Wrongful Death Damages

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    Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' recent veto of a bill that would have removed certain arbitrary and unfair prohibitions on noneconomic wrongful death damages in medical negligence cases highlights the urgent need for reforms to current state law, say attorneys at Farah & Farah.

  • Cybersecurity Risks Can Lurk In Gov't Contractor Acquisitions

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    The Justice Department’s recent False Claims Act enforcement activity against Raytheon and Nightwing-related defense contractors demonstrates the importance of identifying and mitigating potential cybersecurity compliance risks when acquiring a company that contracts with the federal government, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

  • Budget Act Should Boost Focus On Trade Compliance

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    Passage of the One Big Beautiful Budget Act, coupled with recent U.S. Department of Justice statements that it will use the False Claims Act aggressively to pursue trade, tariff and customs fraud, marks a sharp increase in trade-related enforcement risk, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • NY Bill Would Complicate Labor Law Amid NLRB Uncertainty

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    The New York Legislature passed a bill that, if enacted, would grant state agencies the power to enforce federal labor law, potentially causing significant challenges for employers as they could be subject to both state and federal regulators depending on the National Labor Relations Board's operational status, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Trump Tax Law's Most Consequential International Changes

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    The international tax provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act may result in higher effective tax rates for some multinational corporations, but others, particularly those operating in low-tax jurisdictions, may benefit from alignment with global anti-profit shifting efforts, say attorneys at Weil.

  • Associates Can Earn Credibility By Investing In Relationships

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    As the class of 2025 prepares to join law firms this fall, new associates must adapt to office dynamics and establish credible reputations — which require quiet, consistent relationship-building skills as much as legal acumen, says Kyle Forges at Bast Amron.

  • How 6th Circ. Ruling Deepens Split On Broker Liability

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    A growing divide in Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act jurisprudence is ripe for U.S. Supreme Court review, after the Sixth Circuit last month found in Cox v. Total Quality Logistics that brokers can be held liable for negligent hiring, says Gregory Reed at Hanson Bridgett.

  • How The Genius Act May Aid In Fight Against 'Pig Butchering'

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    ​​​​​​​The recently enacted Genius Act represents a watershed moment in the fight against crypto fraud, providing new tools to freeze and recover funds that are lost to scams such as "pig butchering" schemes executed from scam factories abroad, but there are implementation challenges to watch, say attorneys at Treanor Devlin.

  • Assessing Strategies For Mixed-Use Pro Sports Projects

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    Counsel managing mixed-use sports and entertainment districts must combine expertise ranging from stadium-arena finance to municipal law to public relations into a unified strategy, and a series of practice tips can aid project management from inception to completion, say attorneys at Katten.

  • Opinion

    Congressional Bid Protest Concerns Lack Evidence

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    The U.S. Government Accountability Office's most recent congressionally mandated report on the bid protest process showed little reason for concern, and underlined that further scrutiny should cease until data is collected that would enable the identification of purported problems, say attorneys at Fox Rothschild.

  • Trending At The PTAB: IPR Memo And Its Fed. Circ. Backdrop

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    There are new rules for when and how evidence other than patents or printed publications can be considered in inter partes reviews, and while this change is intended to reflect current Federal Circuit precedent, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's memo seems to acknowledge tension with last month's Shockwave decision, say attorneys at Finnegan.

  • Biosolid Contaminants Spawn Litigation, Regulation Risks

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    While nutrient-rich biosolids — aka sewage sludge — can be an attractive fertilizer, pending legislation and litigation spurred by the risk of contamination with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and other pollutants should put stakeholders in this industry on guard, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • When Misconduct Can Trigger Bank Industry Employment Ban

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    The Federal Reserve Board recently settled an enforcement action in which a former employee of a Wyoming bank was banned from banking for conduct she allegedly committed at an entity unrelated to the bank, raising questions about the scope of regulatory enforcement authority, says Travis Nelson at Polsinelli.

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