Public Policy

  • March 26, 2026

    FTC Warns Mastercard, PayPal, Stripe, Visa About Debanking

    The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday warned major payment companies that denying services to consumers based on their politics or religion could lead to an enforcement action, the latest move in the Trump administration's broader crackdown on so-called debanking.

  • March 26, 2026

    Ore. Industrial Property Value Cut By Tax Court

    An industrial parcel in Oregon was overvalued, the state tax court ruled, agreeing with the owner's assertion of the property's highest and best use and the need for a sewer pump station.

  • March 26, 2026

    France To Crack Down On Bypassing Of Small Parcel Tax

    France will expand the power of its customs officials to allow them to better identify and penalize traders that are circumventing a new small parcel tax, the government announced.

  • March 25, 2026

    Oak View Exec Tells Jury Of Deal To Hype Ticketmaster

    The CEO of Oak View Group told a Manhattan federal jury Wednesday that his company didn't inform other venue owners that it was being paid to "advocate" for them to use Ticketmaster as a vendor for ticketing services, but said he still would recommend the Live Nation subsidiary anyway since it's the best in the business.

  • March 25, 2026

    PTAB Was Never '100% Discretionary,' Rep. Issa Tells Squires

    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires is exceeding the authority Congress intended to grant him in the America Invents Act for discretionarily denying patent challenges, the U.S. House of Representatives' intellectual property leader said Wednesday.

  • March 25, 2026

    MyPillow CEO's Attys Face New Sanctions Over Latest Errors

    Two attorneys for MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and his media company are in hot water once again as a Colorado federal judge on Wednesday ordered them to explain why they shouldn't be sanctioned for citation errors, after she previously sanctioned them for errors produced by generative artificial intelligence.

  • March 25, 2026

    9th Circ. Affirms Pelosi Attacker's Conviction, 30-Year Bid

    The Ninth Circuit Wednesday affirmed the conviction and 30-year prison sentence for a man who attempted to kidnap former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and assaulted her husband, holding in a published opinion that a California federal court properly resentenced him after failing to let him directly address the judge before sentencing.

  • March 25, 2026

    Lawmakers Probe SEC Rulemaking Role In Tokenization

    House lawmakers on Wednesday voiced support for bringing blockchain technology to Wall Street securities trading if it improves settlement times and market transparency, but Democrats worried whether certain regulatory experiments could lead to less oversight for crypto securities than their traditional counterparts. 

  • March 25, 2026

    Official Says DOJ Watching Essential Patent Antitrust Cases

    A U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division official said Wednesday the agency is closely monitoring antitrust disputes over standard essential patents, aiming to ensure that proper analyses of market power are undertaken and that most patent suits are exempted from causing antitrust liability.

  • March 25, 2026

    ICE Builds Out Detention Centers, And The Suits Pile Up

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's surging need for detention space — fueled by increased funding and a rapid escalation in enforcement activity — has sparked litigation from local lawmakers and advocacy groups concerned by the agency's full-throttle approach and perceived disregard for surrounding communities.

  • March 25, 2026

    Nexstar Says No Harm On The Horizon From $6.2B Tegna Deal

    Nexstar and Tegna have come out swinging against a "last-minute, unfounded" attempt by eight states to block the companies from continuing to co-mingle their businesses following their $6.2 billion television station merger after receiving the go-ahead from the Federal Communications Commission.

  • March 25, 2026

    DOJ Agrees To Settle Flynn's Fla. Suit Over False Prosecution

    Retired Army general Michael Flynn reached a financial settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday in his Florida federal lawsuit claiming he was wrongly prosecuted for allegedly lying to the FBI during its investigation into whether Donald Trump coordinated with Russia during the 2016 election.

  • March 25, 2026

    AbbVie, Novartis Sue Wash. Over New 340B Drug-Pricing Law

    Pharmaceutical giants Novartis and AbbVie say a new Washington state law illegally expands drugmakers' obligations to provide deeply discounted medications under the federal government's 340B Drug Pricing Program, according to a pair of legal challenges launched in federal court on Wednesday.

  • March 25, 2026

    Justices' Music Piracy Ruling Could Reverberate Beyond ISPs

    The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that Cox Communications is not liable for its customers' music piracy circumscribes the theories copyright owners may pursue for secondary infringement — limits that attorneys say will extend beyond internet service providers and influence litigation involving e-commerce platforms and artificial intelligence.

  • March 25, 2026

    10th Circ. Panel Skeptical Of Oklahoma Immigration Law

    A Tenth Circuit panel appeared skeptical during oral arguments Wednesday of Oklahoma's arguments that federal law doesn't preempt a state law that attempts to make it a crime for unauthorized immigrants to live in the state.

  • March 25, 2026

    Talkie Urges FCC To Preempt Md. Agencies In Permit Dispute

    A Maryland-based internet service provider says it's time for the Federal Communications Commission to step in and preempt local regulations so that it can escape a permitting fight with state and local agencies over new utility pole attachments.

  • March 25, 2026

    Calif. Tribe Says IHS Compact Delay Risks More Opioid Deaths

    The Pechanga Band of Indians has asked a California federal judge for a preliminary injunction that will compel the Indian Health Service to approve a proposed compact and funding agreement that will allow the tribe to operate an opioid treatment facility.

  • March 25, 2026

    3rd Circ. Probes Free Speech Impact Of NJ Telemedicine Law

    A Third Circuit panel on Wednesday examined whether New Jersey can bar out-of-state doctors from consulting with Garden State patients via phone or video without a state license, pressing both sides on where to draw the line between protected speech and the regulated practice of medicine.

  • March 25, 2026

    Tax-Credit Cliff Sparks M&A Rush For Clean Energy

    The looming July cutoff to maintain eligibility for clean electricity investment and production tax credits is sparking a dealmaking spree as smaller developers who are unable to meet the deadline begin looking to sell projects to deeper-pocketed players who can.

  • March 25, 2026

    USPTO To Launch AI Image Search, Description Tools For TMs

    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is launching artificial intelligence tools to help trademark attorneys look up images and write descriptions for their registrations, officials said at a webinar Wednesday, where they also discussed efforts to tackle certain pendency issues.

  • March 25, 2026

    Insurers, Brokers Can't Exit Medicare Advantage Steering Suit

    A Massachusetts federal judge on Wednesday largely rejected a bid by insurers and brokers to toss claims that they colluded in a kickback scheme to steer Medicare Advantage customers to certain companies and to push away disabled individuals.

  • March 25, 2026

    Judge Upholds Texas Gun Ban In Bars As Historically Sound

    A Texas federal judge has tossed a challenge to the constitutionality of state laws barring people from carrying guns in places like bars and at sporting events, saying the Texas public's right to limit firearm access in sensitive locations does not violate the Second Amendment.

  • March 25, 2026

    Ulta Seeks Quick Appeal To Challenge Wash. Antispam Statute

    Beauty retailer Ulta asked a Washington federal judge this week for permission to immediately appeal a February ruling that upheld the validity of a state law barring commercial emails with false or misleading subject lines, a move that could have sweeping implications for dozens of pending lawsuits brought under the statute.

  • March 25, 2026

    Starbucks Roasts Consumers' Suit Doubting Ethical Sourcing

    Starbucks is urging a Seattle federal judge to throw out a proposed class action accusing the java giant of playing up its "ethical sourcing" commitment despite supply chain labor violations, saying customers cannot sue based on mere disappointment with the company's coffee farm certification standards.

  • March 25, 2026

    Truck Makers Say Calif. Can't Ditch 'Clean Trucks' Pact Suit

    Heavy-duty truck manufacturers have told a California federal judge that state officials cannot be allowed to circumvent federal law and saddle manufacturers with stringent emissions standards and stiff penalties for noncompliance, saying the Golden State's regulations are unequivocally preempted.

Expert Analysis

  • 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.

  • Opinion

    It's Time To Clarify California's Elder Abuse Act

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    As California's elderly population soars, the Golden State's high court and Legislature must provide needed clarification about the scope of the Elder Abuse Act, to resolve the inconsistencies and ambiguities that have impeded the law's ability to remedy elder abuse, neglect and abandonment, say attorneys at Horvitz & Levy.

  • What The CFTC's Event Contracts Amicus Brief Is Missing

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    The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's recent amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit's North American Derivatives Exchange v. Nevada case declines to define the boundary between swaps and wagers, leaving market participants, exchanges and intermediaries operating within a regulatory framework whose boundaries remain undrawn, says Tamara de Silva at De Silva Law Offices.

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