Public Policy

  • March 19, 2026

    HHS Can't Block Trans Care Under Kennedy Edict, Court Says

    A coalition of 21 states and the District of Columbia prevailed on Thursday in their challenge to a Trump administration move to cut access to gender-affirming care for minors when an Oregon federal judge agreed to void a policy statement from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

  • March 19, 2026

    Wash. Outlaws Face Coverings On ICE Agents, Other Officers

    Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a pair of bills on Thursday, one banning U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and other law enforcement officers from hiding their faces with masks, and another prohibiting impersonators from misusing badges and insignia.

  • March 19, 2026

    Courts Must Hold Anti-SLAPP Dismissal Hearings, Panel Rules

    A district court must hold a hearing when considering a special motion to dismiss under Colorado's anti-SLAPP law, the Colorado Court of Appeals held Thursday for the first time in sending a defamation lawsuit between parents back to the lower court.

  • March 19, 2026

    Ex-Judges Say Anthropic Case Doesn't Merit Court Deference

    Nearly 150 former judges are backing Anthropic's fight against its designation as a "supply chain risk" by the U.S. Department of Defense, telling the D.C. Circuit in an amicus brief that the judiciary shouldn't simply defer to the executive just because it invokes national security.

  • March 19, 2026

    FTC Head Touts Consumer Protection's 'Relative Simplicity'

    Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson on Thursday promised to keep increasing the agency's focus on consumer protection, asserting in Washington, D.C., remarks that while antitrust enforcement remains a priority, consumer protection cases can come with faster and more meaningful relief for Americans.

  • March 19, 2026

    DOJ Antitrust Head Tells Staff: Don't Worry About Criticism

    The acting head of the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division said Thursday that he pays no heed to criticism of the agency and tells staff to do the same, while asserting in Washington, D.C., remarks that there's no better time to come work for the DOJ.

  • March 19, 2026

    SEC Sued Over Proxy Exclusion Policy Change

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission violated the Administrative Procedure Act by implementing "a new, de facto rubber-stamp process" for companies to exclude shareholder proposals from their annual proxy ballots, according to a Thursday suit filed by major shareholder groups.

  • March 19, 2026

    States Join Push To Revive EPA Climate Danger Finding

    A coalition of state and local governments on Thursday became the latest group to ask that the D.C. Circuit overrule the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rescission last month of its long-held position on the danger greenhouse gases pose to public health.

  • March 19, 2026

    MLB Deals With Polymarket, CFTC For Sports Market 'Integrity'

    Major League Baseball said Thursday that it has struck an exclusive licensing deal with Polymarket to bolster the brand and promote the "integrity" of the baseball-focused prediction markets on the platform, and separately reached a first-of-its-kind information-sharing agreement with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

  • March 19, 2026

    Fed. Circ. Rejects Last Challenge To Squires' Discretion

    The Federal Circuit on Thursday shot down Volkswagen's mandamus petition claiming that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office director shouldn't have "unfettered discretion" to deny Patent Trial and Appeal Board challenges, closing the last of 14 related appeals.

  • March 19, 2026

    NYC, State Take On Latest Challenge To Rent Regulations

    New York and New York City separately urged a federal court this week to dismiss landlords' latest attempt to challenge 2019 changes to the state's rent stabilization laws, alleging the landlords' takings claims aren't ripe because they haven't made use of a hardship exemption yet.

  • March 19, 2026

    Colo. Appeals Court Clarifies, Limits Insurer Defense Rule

    An insurer is not required to provide a defense for an insured on claims "arguably" covered by the policy in the context of title insurance, the Colorado Court of Appeals held Thursday for the first time in ruling for an insurer in an insurance coverage dispute.

  • March 19, 2026

    USPTO Requires US-Registered Attys For Foreign Patent Apps

    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday finalized a rule requiring that foreign patent applicants and owners be represented by attorneys registered with the agency, saying other intellectual property offices have such a policy and arguing that the measure will help combat fraud.

  • March 19, 2026

    Senate Panel To Vote On Satellite Security Bills Next Week

    U.S. senators next week will consider sending to the floor two bills designed to beef up satellite security, one of which had already gained bipartisan backing in the U.S. House of Representatives during the last Congress.

  • March 19, 2026

    9th Circ. Upholds Gun Ban For Domestic Violence Offenders

    Three men who were found to have used violence against their female partners in separate incidents were correctly convicted under a federal law prohibiting domestic abusers from possessing guns, the Ninth Circuit said, agreeing with other circuits that such restrictions were legal.

  • March 19, 2026

    NHTSA Heightens Tesla Full Self-Driving Probe

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Thursday said that it was focusing its investigation into Tesla's advanced driver-assistance system on its ability to spot degrading road conditions after receiving more reports of crashes potentially linked to the technology.

  • March 19, 2026

    Judge Says ICE Must Face Suit Over Detainee Records

    A D.C. federal judge denied U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's push to escape a suit alleging it's unlawfully using a regulation to shield records about detained immigrants held in Michigan jails, rejecting its arguments that the Freedom of Information Act could provide relief.

  • March 19, 2026

    7th Circ. Dissenters: Due Process Row Deserved Rehearing

    A trio of judges on the Seventh Circuit accused the full appeals court of cementing a circuit split with its sister courts by refusing to rehear a case about whether incarcerated people moved into disciplinary housing are entitled to formal due process hearings.

  • March 19, 2026

    Squires Concludes That Foreign Gov'ts Can't File AIA Petitions

    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires said foreign governments cannot file patent challenges under the America Invents Act, providing the reasoning for his February rejection of a Chinese company's proceeding against an LG touch screen patent.

  • March 19, 2026

    DC Gov't Urged To Reshape SALT Cap Workaround Plan

    A Washington, D.C., bill that would give pass-through entities a workaround to the federal cap on deductions for state and local taxes needs changes to integrate properly with existing district taxes, witnesses said at a D.C. Council hearing Thursday.

  • March 19, 2026

    Legislative Update: Cannabis And Psychedelics Bill Roundup

    Virginia lawmakers last week gave final approval to legislation that would tax and regulate the sale of adult-use cannabis, Georgia legislators passed a dramatic expansion of the state's medical cannabis program, and Iowa lawmakers approved a bill to designate kratom as a Schedule I substance. Here are the major moves in cannabis and psychedelics legislation from the past week.

  • March 19, 2026

    FERC Chair Aims To Ease Energy Squeeze From War On Iran

    The U.S.-Israel war on Iran that is roiling global energy markets underscores the need for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve gas infrastructure projects more quickly so that energy prices can be kept in check, FERC Chair Laura Swett said Thursday.

  • March 19, 2026

    Justice Kagan Denies Apache Bid To Block Ariz. Land Transfer

    U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan on Thursday declined to block a federal government land transfer in Arizona after four Apache women looked to stop the exchange on behalf of their daughters, arguing that the area contains a site used for a coming of age ceremony that will be destroyed.

  • March 19, 2026

    Protect 911 In Tech Transition, Public Interest Group Says

    A public interest group has urged the Federal Communications Commission to add more protections for 911 service to an upcoming rule paving the way for all-internet-based phone networks, though it still says the underlying rule is unwarranted.

  • March 19, 2026

    Still No Shenanigans: Fed. Circ. Keeps Review Bar High

    The Federal Circuit's rejection of all mandamus petitions asking it to rein in the way U.S. Patent and Trademark Office leadership is ​evaluating patent challenges cements the appeals court's near-impossible standard for reviewing institution decisions, attorneys say.

Expert Analysis

  • Remote Patient Monitoring Is At Regulatory Inflection Point

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    With remote patient monitoring at the center of new federal pilot programs and a recent report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General examining Medicare billing for those services, it is clear that balancing innovation and risk will be a central challenge ahead for digital health stakeholders, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • How Latest Nasdaq Proposals Stand To Raise Listings Quality

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    Nasdaq's recent proposals stand to heighten both quantitative and qualitative standards for issuers, which, if approved, may bring investors stronger market integrity and access but also raise the listings bar, say attorneys at Norton Rose.

  • Opinion

    CFIUS Must Adapt To Current Foreign Investment Realities

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    To continue protecting the U.S.’ long-term strategic and economic interests, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States should implement practical enhancements that leverage technology, expertise and clear communication, and enable it to keep pace with evolving demands, says attorney Sohan Dasgupta.

  • Texas AG Wields Consumer Protection Law Against Tech Cos.

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    Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has targeted technology companies using the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, a broadly worded statute that gives the attorney general wide latitude to pursue claims beyond traditional consumer protection, creating unique litigation risks, say attorneys at Yetter Coleman.

  • When Bankruptcy Collides With Product Recalls

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    The recent bankruptcy filing by Rad Power Bikes on the heels of a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warning about dangerously defective batteries sold by the company highlights how CPSC enforcement clashes with bankruptcy protections, leaving both regulators and consumer litigants with limited options, says Michael Avanesian at Avian Law Group.

  • Protecting Sensitive Data During Congressional Inquiries

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    With the 2026 midterm elections potentially set to shift control of one or both houses of Congress, entities must proactively plan for the prospect of new congressional investigations, and adopt strategic, effective and practical measures to mitigate risks related to disclosure of sensitive information, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • Where PCAOB Goes Next After A Year Of Uncertainty

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    The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board will likely bring fewer enforcement matters in 2026, reflecting a notable change in board priorities following the change in administrations, say Robert Cox and Nicole Byrd at Whiteford Taylor and Matthew Rogers at Bridgehaven Consulting.

  • As Federal Water Regs Recede, Calif.'s Permitting Tide Rises

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 decision in Sackett v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reduced federal protections for many wetlands and surface water features, but as California's main water regulator has made clear, many projects are now covered by state rules instead, which have their own complex compliance requirements, says Thierry Montoya at FBT Gibbons.

  • How To Trademark A Guy In 8 Ways: An IP Strategy Against AI

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    Attempting a novel method of protection against artificial intelligence misuse of his voice and likeness, Matthew McConaughey's recent efforts to register eight trademarks for a series of audio and video clips of himself underscore the importance of extending existing legal frameworks beyond traditional applications, says Summer Todd at Patterson Intellectual Property.

  • Ambiguity Remains On Anti-DEI Grant Conditions

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    Although a recent decision in City of Chicago and City of Saint Paul v. U.S. Department of Justice temporarily halts enforcement of anti-DEI conditions in federal grant applications, and echoes recent decisions in similar cases, companies remain at risk until the term “illegal DEI” is clarified, say attorneys at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Utah's AI Prescription Renewal Pilot Could Inform Policy

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    Utah recently became the first state to approve an artificial intelligence system for autonomously renewing certain prescription medicines, providing a test case for how regulators may be able to draw boundaries between administrative automation and medical judgment, say Jashaswi Ghosh at Holon Law Partners and Bryant Godfrey at Foley Hoag.

  • Radiation Standard Shift Might Add Complications For Cos.

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    In keeping with the Trump administration's focus on nuclear energy, the U.S. Department of Energy recently announced that it will eliminate the "as low as reasonably achievable" radiation protection standard for agency practices and regulations — but it is far from clear that this change will benefit the nuclear power industry, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • Bipartisan Enforcement Is Rising In Consumer Finance

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    Activity over the past year suggests a bipartisan state enforcement wave is rippling across the consumer finance industry, which follows a blueprint set out by former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra, who notably now leads a Democratic Attorneys General Association working group, say attorneys at Hudson Cook.

  • How Attorneys Can Navigate Shifts In Financing Landscape

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    Direct government investment in companies in strategic sectors is expected to continue this year, with legal practitioners facing increased demands to navigate hybrid capital structures, evolving regulatory considerations and the alignment of financing terms with long-term business and strategic objectives, say attorneys at Skadden.

  • A Primer On Law Enforcement Self-Defense Doctrine

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    In the wake of several shootings by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, misconceptions persist about what the laws governing police use of force actually permit, and it’s essential for legal practitioners to understand the contours of the underlying constitutional doctrine, says Markus Funk at White & Case.

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