Public Policy

  • April 03, 2026

    Case-By-Case Guide As Justices Eye Landmark Pharma Law

    Drugmakers and prominent allies are inundating the U.S. Supreme Court with calls to scrutinize Medicare's new power to slash payments by tens of billions of dollars, and the justices look poised to take up or turn down a fistful of legal challenges in one fell swoop.

  • April 03, 2026

    Squires Facing Congressional Rebuke? That Sounds Familiar.

    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires ​may look like he's running the agency quite differently from predecessor Kathi Vidal​, with near opposite policies on patent reviews, but a bipartisan group of lawmakers last month gave Squires the same chastising about exceeding the director's authority that it had given Vidal years before.

  • April 03, 2026

    ABA, Ex-Judges And Many More Back BigLaw In EO Appeal

    Numerous bar associations, 239 former judges, 21 states, lawmakers and dozens of other amici curiae have thrown their weight behind BigLaw firms in the Trump administration's consolidated D.C. Circuit appeal seeking to revive executive orders targeting the firms, broadly arguing that the orders are an affront to foundational constitutional rights.

  • April 03, 2026

    Wash. DOC Inks Deal Over Trans Treatment In Facilities

    The Washington State Department of Corrections will start improving conditions for transgender, intersex and nonbinary people in its facilities and submit to yearly monitoring, according to a settlement agreement between the agency and a nonprofit in the state.

  • April 03, 2026

    Animal Rights Groups Jump Into 'Cage Free Egg' Fight

    Advocacy groups focused on animal welfare can intervene in the federal government's suit against Michigan over its laws defining "cage-free" eggs, a Michigan federal judge determined.

  • April 03, 2026

    Judge Sets Interest Rules In $540M BofA Payment Fight

    A D.C. federal judge said Bank of America NA must pay interest on a $540 million debt it owes the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. based on a government-set rate for the time before the ruling and a standard federal rate for the time after, marking a step toward settling the parties' dispute on the proper formulas for calculating the payments.

  • April 03, 2026

    Internet Voice Providers Seek More Clarity On Robocall Rules

    Internet-based voice call providers think it's time that the Federal Communications Commission provides some clarity about the "know your customer" rules it has in place aimed at curbing robocall traffic by ensuring that providers know who they're dealing with.

  • April 03, 2026

    ​​​​​​​Top Groups Lobbying The FCC

    The Federal Communications Commission heard from lobbying groups nearly 150 times in March on issues ranging from competition in the broadcast media market to cutting-edge call networks, jail and prison phone call rates, robocall fraud, and more.

  • April 03, 2026

    Crypto Coder Seeks To Revive DOJ Challenge At 5th Circ.

    The cryptocurrency software developer who sued the government to protect his forthcoming project from any potential accusations of unlicensed money transmission is asking the Fifth Circuit to keep his lawsuit in play after a Texas federal judge tossed the challenge for failing to show a substantial threat of prosecution.

  • April 03, 2026

    Prosecution Laches Case At High Court Gets Groups' Backing

    Inventor groups and practitioner associations got behind a man's U.S. Supreme Court case challenging a doctrine that can nullify a patent if an owner delayed prosecution, with one brief saying Friday the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office "created its own misery" when reviewing the man's claims.

  • April 03, 2026

    DOJ Says Block On Maryland Detention Center Isn't Warranted

    The Trump administration told a Maryland federal judge there's no basis to block a project to convert an existing "mega warehouse" into an immigrant detention facility when it fulfilled environmental review duties and plans are still being finalized.

  • April 03, 2026

    Closing The Chapter On DOJ-Boeing 737 Max Criminal Case

    Boeing appears to have closed a chapter in the legal saga over the two 737 Max 8 crashes after a Fifth Circuit ruling underscored that courts cannot interfere with prosecutors' choices to bring criminal charges, dashing the hopes of victims' families for justice and accountability.

  • April 03, 2026

    States Warn Of Executive Overreach In $100K H-1B Fee Fight

    A group of 20 states challenging the Trump administration's $100,000 fee on H-1B visa petitions slammed its position that the policy isn't reviewable, telling a Massachusetts federal court the government would essentially have a blank check to usurp congressional authority under its rationale.

  • April 03, 2026

    Social Justice Group Settles Domain Fight With Co-Founder

    A New York federal judge has agreed to dismiss a lawsuit from a social justice organization targeting police violence claiming that its co-founder seized internet domain names and used them to steal donations, after the parties again said they've settled their dispute.

  • April 03, 2026

    Tax Slashes, DA Oversight Bills Mark End Of Ga. Session

    A Republican-driven rollback to Georgia income taxes that could extend through the better part of the next decade capped off the state's 2026 legislative session Thursday, as lawmakers avoided the bitter fights over civil justice reform that dominated the convening of the General Assembly in 2025.

  • April 03, 2026

    9th Circ. Upholds Biden Ariz. National Monument Proclamation

    A Ninth Circuit panel has upheld a lower court's dismissal of a challenge to former President Joe Biden's proclamation that established an Indigenous site in the Grand Canyon region as a national monument, saying that any claims of economic harm stemming from future higher energy costs are too speculative.

  • April 03, 2026

    Legislative Update: Cannabis And Psychedelics Bill Roundup

    State lawmakers in Delaware and West Virginia advanced legislation to more tightly regulate kratom products, Missouri and Kentucky legislators considered bills to fund research into the therapeutic uses of the psychedelic ibogaine, and Idaho's Legislature came together to urge voters to reject a medical marijuana legalization proposal that could be on the ballot this November. Here are the major moves in cannabis and psychedelics legislation from the past week.

  • April 03, 2026

    'Political' Deals Pit DOJ Against State AGs, And Not Just Dems

    Controversial U.S. Department of Justice settlements with Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Live Nation, along with the approval of Nexstar's purchase of Tegna, are increasingly inspiring state attorneys general to strike out on their own as antitrust enforcers, often in direct challenge to a federal government that Democrats have cast as "corrupt."

  • April 03, 2026

    Iran War's Trade Fallout Likely To Spread Beyond Oil, Fertilizer

    The war in Iran has already shocked oil and gas prices worldwide and stakeholders expect further U.S. trade consequences related to the conflict including supply chain constraints, cost increases across a variety of goods, and industries and new geopolitical responses as the conflict continues.

  • April 03, 2026

    EPA Eyes Microplastics, Drugs For Drinking Water Watch List

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is looking to include microplastics and pharmaceuticals in its drinking water contaminants list for the first time, the agency has announced in a move it says could make the proposed contaminants a consideration in regulatory action.

  • April 03, 2026

    GSA Restores Anthropic Technology Post-Injunction

    The U.S. General Services Administration said on Friday that it is restoring Anthropic's technology to the agency's multiple award schedule after a California federal judge blocked the Trump administration from requiring all federal agencies to stop using Claude.

  • April 03, 2026

    State AGs Latest To Oppose Trump's Mail Ballot Order

    Attorneys general in 23 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit Friday challenging President Donald Trump's executive order placing limits on mail-in voting, joining voting-rights advocates and Democratic leaders in claiming the order exceeds the president's authority.

  • April 03, 2026

    Trump Seeks 13% Boost In DOJ Funding

    The White House budget request for fiscal 2027, released on Friday, seeks $40.8 billion in discretionary funds for the U.S. Department of Justice, a 13% increase from the current year level.

  • April 03, 2026

    Judge Stands By Block Of DOJ Subpoenas In Powell Probe

    A Washington, D.C., federal judge on Friday rejected a U.S. Department of Justice attempt to revive subpoenas from its investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, saying the government hadn't "come close" to giving him a reason to rethink blocking them.

  • April 03, 2026

    FCC Looks To Trim Next Year's Budget By 4.3%

    The Federal Communications Commission asked Congress for an operating budget of just over $398 million next year, a 4.3% cutback from the current fiscal year.

Expert Analysis

  • 7 Steps For Gov't Contractors In Post-IEEPA Tariff Landscape

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    In response to U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to strike down tariffs issued by the Trump administration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, there are several actions federal contractors should take to preserve their place in any refund waterfall, and to manage audit, overpayment and False Claims Act risk, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • How DExit, Mandatory Arbitration Could Alter IPO Outlook

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    As companies continue to leave Delaware and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission begins allowing companies to implement mandatory arbitration provisions, these developments could have a major impact on the initial public offering, securities class action, and directors and officers insurance landscapes, says Walker Newell at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

  • How High Court Recast State Sovereign Immunity In Galette

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's unanimous ruling in Galette v. New Jersey Transit, asserting that the state-chartered transit agency has independent corporate personhood and sole obligation to pay judgments against it, turned on substance rather than form — and its analysis should be carefully reviewed in courthouses and statehouses, say attorneys at McCarter & English.

  • Get Smart: Navigating The Genius Act's Regulatory Gaps

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    While some recent Genius Act rulemaking has covered consumer protection issues within the stablecoin market, the context is generally narrow and the final outcome remains uncertain for financial institutions or companies in the evolving landscape, say attorneys at Paul Hastings.

  • Opinion

    Ga. HOA Reform Bills Risk Undermining Local Governance

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    Lawmakers considering several bills in Georgia that would centralize regulation of homeowners associations should acknowledge that effective reform needs to protect homeowners’ rights while preserving the financial and governance structures that allow communities to function, says Julie Howard at NowackHoward.

  • Why Prediction Market Regulation Is At Major Inflection Point

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    As prediction markets experience tremendous growth and rapid mainstream adoption, regulators have begun to exercise enforcement authority to ensure market integrity and protect participants, though forthcoming guidance will shed light on how aggressively the agencies will police the fast-changing landscape, say attorneys at Latham.

  • How Cos. Should Prepare For NY RAISE Act Compliance

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    With the New York Responsible AI Safety and Education Act taking effect March 19, state regulators will expect subject artificial intelligence governance policies to understand whether appropriate safeguards and protocols are in place to prevent or mitigate discriminatory or adverse outcomes by frontier models, says Michael Paulino at Gordon Rees.

  • Compliance Takeaways Amid Increased Auto Finance Scrutiny

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    Recent supervisory focus on consumer protection in auto finance by agencies such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. provides meaningful signals regarding areas of heightened regulatory scrutiny for lenders, including data accuracy, AI risk management and vendor oversight, say attorneys at Snell & Wilmer.

  • The Benefits Of Choosing A Niche Practice In The AI Age

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    As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly accessible, lawyers with a niche practice may stand out as clients seek specialized judgment that automation cannot replicate, but it is important to choose a niche that is durable, engaging and a good personal fit, says Daniel Borneman at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • How PBMs Can Adapt To Plan Sponsors' Disclosure Demands

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    As federal reforms, growing state regulation and litigation threats push plan sponsors to expect visibility into revenue streams, pharmacy benefit managers should leverage transparency strategically, including by simplifying how they get paid, offering clients audit-ready data and co-designing contracts that are easy for fiduciaries to explain and defend, says Kristie Blase at Frazer + Blase.

  • Section 122 Tariffs Show Shift In Strategy, Not Trade Policy

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    By imposing temporary tariffs under Section 122 of the Trade Act as a stopgap measure while it pivots to less transitory statutory authorities, the Trump administration sent a clear message that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Learning Resources v. Trump, invalidating duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, will not precipitate a change in policy direction, say attorneys at Snell & Wilmer.

  • What New Animal Welfare Enforcement Push Means For Cos.

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    The Trump administration's recently announced multiagency focus on violations of the Animal Welfare Act and related laws will likely lead to broader enforcement actions across industries, heightened scrutiny of compliance standards and a need for businesses to adopt effective risk management practices, says Shennie Patel at Crowell & Moring.

  • The Practical Implications Of New FDIC Stablecoin Measures

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    The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s recent proposal to create a formal process for issuing payment stablecoins arrives with several practical implications for FDIC‑supervised banks pursuing digital asset strategies, including a safe harbor for early applicants and a focus on ownership and governance, say attorneys at Troutman.

  • Antitrust Crime Enforcement May Escalate Under New Chief

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    While the recent departure of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division chief created uncertainty about enforcement priorities, the debut speech from the new acting division head revealed that companies can only expect the division’s focus on vigorous criminal prosecution and offender deterrence to grow, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • 5 Takeaways From OCC's 'Appealing' Exam Challenge Revamp

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    The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's recent proposed overhaul of its bank appeals framework introduces several attractive, high-level changes that OCC-supervised banks and their counsel should note, and may lead to an increase in successful exam challenges, says James Williams at Venable.

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