Public Policy

  • January 02, 2026

    Drug Pricing Battles To Watch In 2026

    With drugmakers already pushing back on drug affordability programs and policies, Law360 looks at the year ahead for litigation focused on state and federal drug pricing programs.

  • January 02, 2026

    5 Cases In Georgia To Keep An Eye On In 2026

    Attorneys in Georgia will be watching several legal battles involving hot-button issues in the new year, including a suit over gender-affirming healthcare in state prisons, multidistrict litigation seeking to hold Meta and others liable for alleged social media addiction, and a bid by the U.S. Justice Department to obtain 2020 election records. Here is a look at five cases to follow in 2026.

  • January 02, 2026

    5 Policy Areas Benefits Attys Should Keep Tabs On In 2026

    The new year promises policy shifts that could change the legal landscape for health and retirement benefits, including action to follow through on an executive order encouraging alternative assets in 401(k) plans, and a potential replacement for a Biden-era rule covering how retirement plan managers can factor environmental and social issues into their investment strategy. Here are five policy areas benefits attorneys will be watching in 2026.

  • January 02, 2026

    Copyright & Trademark Policy And Trends To Watch In 2026

    Intellectual property attorneys are waiting to see if the U.S. Copyright Office releases an additional report on artificial intelligence and are curious if the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office continues to speed up its handling of trademark applications. Here are Law360's picks for the copyright and trademark policies and trends to watch this year.

  • January 02, 2026

    Patent Litigation Trends To Watch In 2026

    Attorneys are expecting a significant increase in district court litigation after a series of dramatic changes at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office have made the Patent Trial and Appeal Board less attractive, which is one of the most significant trends for 2026.

  • January 02, 2026

    DC Circ. Cases To Watch In January

    The D.C. Circuit will start the New Year hearing several noteworthy cases, including a challenge to the Trump administration's transgender troop ban and a fight over whether two common "forever" chemicals qualify as hazardous materials under the Superfund law.

  • January 02, 2026

    Trademark Cases To Watch In 2026

    An appeal over the use of foreign words in branding is up for consideration at the U.S. Supreme Court, and a Delaware federal judge is set to deliver his verdict following a bench trial over the "Ugliest House in America." Here are Law360's picks for the trademark cases to watch in 2026.

  • January 02, 2026

    Antitrust Cases Ahead: Live Nation, Middleman On Trial

    The U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission enter 2026 with decisions to make about how to regroup after coming up short in major cases against Google and Meta Platforms.

  • January 02, 2026

    Trade Secret Trends To Watch In 2026

    The landscape of trade secret law could see significant developments in 2026 as courts address the aftermath of astronomical jury awards and navigate jurisdictional tensions surrounding the timing and specifics of trade secret disclosures in litigation.

  • January 02, 2026

    Illinois Cases To Watch In 2026

    The Seventh Circuit will have its first opportunities in 2026 to analyze recent U.S. Supreme Court precedent narrowing federal bribery convictions as it resolves two high-profile public corruption appeals, while the Illinois Supreme Court could significantly impact state jury management when it decides whether a juror's "surrender" note signaled enough deliberation discord to warrant a retrial. 

  • January 02, 2026

    Merger Settlements Keep Rolling, With A Hitch

    The U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission took a more business friendly approach to merger reviews in 2025 than the previous administration, with a string of settlements allowing deals to move ahead without a challenge.

  • January 02, 2026

    NC Legislation To Watch In 2026: Healthcare Funding In Focus

    A spate of healthcare legislation is on the line as North Carolina lawmakers get ready to return to the General Assembly in January, from tenuous funding for Medicaid and Planned Parenthood to efforts to control the Tar Heel state's skyrocketing healthcare costs.

  • January 02, 2026

    Guns, Taxes & Labor: Cannabis Litigation Trends To Watch

    In 2026, courts throughout the U.S. will consider cases weighing Second Amendment rights of cannabis users, a punitive federal tax policy that affects state-legal marijuana businesses, labor peace requirements in the cannabis space, and whether a constitutional doctrine bars states from preferencing their residents in doling out marijuana licenses.

  • January 02, 2026

    Marijuana And Hemp Policy Enters Uncharted Waters In 2026

    The final weeks of 2025 produced two monumental shifts poised to reshape the cannabis policy landscape in the coming year: Congress' approval of language to redefine lawful hemp nationwide and a presidential executive order directing the administration to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana for the first time in over five decades.

  • January 02, 2026

    Cases To Watch In Native American Law In 2026

    The new year in Native American law is expected to usher in rulings on the rights of Indigenous nations and their citizens, including disputes over voting, hunting and fishing, and a possible expansion of the Supreme Court's 2020 landmark decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma.

  • January 02, 2026

    The Top Telecom Developments To Watch In 2026

    As a new Republican administration hits its stride, agencies are looking to pare back regulations, and major tech and telecom mergers could be on the horizon. After a year of change at the Federal Communications Commission, experts are also watching to see how quickly the Commerce Department can roll out changes to a massive broadband program, and legal challenges to federal rules continue to ripple across the telecom sector.

  • January 02, 2026

    Copyright Cases To Watch In 2026

    U.S. federal courts this year will continue to review consequential copyright infringement suits involving artificial intelligence, while appeals court decisions remain pending in a pair of notable fair use cases involving ROSS Intelligence and Microsoft. Here are Law360's picks for copyright cases to watch in 2026.

  • January 02, 2026

    4 Compliance Trends To Watch In 2026

    Compliance professionals will be monitoring the risks brought on by the trade-related turmoil and deregulatory moves that have marked President Donald Trump's first year back in the White House, while new state regulations and artificial intelligence-related risks will also be top of mind.

  • January 02, 2026

    SEC Expected To Tackle Exec Comp, Private Investing In 2026

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to hit the ground running this year on fulfilling Chairman Paul Atkins' agenda to lessen the regulatory burden on public and private companies alike, with the agency potentially gearing up to propose changes to everything from the reporting of C-suite pay packages to the accredited investor definition. 

  • January 02, 2026

    Patent Policy To Watch In 2026

    After a year of significant shifts in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office policy on patent reviews and patent eligibility, attorneys will be closely following how the changes play out in 2026, along with proposals for further moves, and whether Congress decides to weigh in on patents.

  • January 02, 2026

    California Cases To Watch In 2026

    Legal experts following California courts in 2026 are tracking high-stakes personal injury, antitrust and copyright battles against giants in the social media, artificial intelligence and entertainment industries, as well as wide-ranging legal disputes arising from Los Angeles wildfires and high-profile appeals pending before the California Supreme Court.

  • January 02, 2026

    Food & Beverage Cases To Watch In 2026

    There are several issues food and beverage attorneys will want to keep an eye on in 2026, from litigation challenging the marketing of ultra-processed foods, to false advertising claims over the presence of "forever chemicals" and microplastics, to the federal government's efforts to regulate additives. Here, Law360 has rounded up a number of matters that attorneys should be watching.

  • January 02, 2026

    Washington Cases To Watch In 2026

    Evergreen State lawyers will be keeping a close eye on the Washington Supreme Court in 2026 as it wades into lawsuits against Amazon over online sales of a chemical used in suicides, along with battles over Trump administration policies that are making their way from federal district courts to the Ninth Circuit. Here are some of the top cases to watch in Washington in 2026.

  • January 02, 2026

    4 Colorado Cases To Watch In 2026

    In 2026, Colorado will be center stage for legal fights surrounding the guardrails of generative AI platforms, a second trial will take place to determine if the ethylene oxide output of a medical sterilization company caused some Lakewood residents to develop cancer, and the state will continue its fight to stop the move of Space Command's headquarters. Here, Law360 looks at four cases to watch in the state.

  • January 02, 2026

    North Carolina Cases To Watch In 2026

    In the new year, North Carolina state and federal courts are set to consider the intricacies of class action certification at the behest of thousands of fast-food workers and whether Chinese company TikTok Inc. is deliberately designing the app to addict children.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    A Uniform Federal Rule Would Curb Gen AI Missteps In Court

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    To address the patchwork of courts’ standing orders on generative artificial intelligence, curbing abuses and relieving the burden on judges, the federal judiciary should consider amending its civil procedure rules to require litigants to certify they’ve reviewed legal filings for accuracy, say attorneys at Shook Hardy.

  • Investment Advisers Should Stay Apprised Of New AI Risks

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recently issued annual examination priorities reiterate a host of regulatory implications for investment advisers using artificial intelligence tools, highlighting that meaningful ongoing due diligence can help mitigate both operational and regulatory surprises amid AI's rapid evolution, says Christopher Mills at Sidley.

  • New Rule Shows NRC Willing To Move Fast To Reform Regs

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    The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s decision to forgo public comment and immediately rescind certain rules governing adjudicatory procedures, federal tort claims and disclosure of licensee information signals the agency's intent to accelerate the regulatory streamlining efforts ordered by the president this spring, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • AG Watch: Texas Junk Fee Deal Shows Enforcement Priorities

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    Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's recent $9.5 million settlement with online travel agency website Booking Holdings for so-called junk fee practices follows a larger trend of state attorneys general who have taken similar action and demonstrates the significant penalties that can follow such allegations, say attorneys at Kelley Drye.

  • 10th Circ. Dissent May Light Path For Master Account Access

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    While the Tenth Circuit's majority in Custodia Bank v. Federal Reserve Board recently affirmed Federal Reserve banks' control over master account access, the dissent raised constitutional questions that could support banks seeking master accounts in future litigation, say attorneys at Paul Hastings.

  • Calif. AG's No-Poach Case Reflects Tougher Antitrust Stance

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    This month, California’s attorney general resolved the latest enforcement action barring the use of no-poach agreements, underscoring an aggressive antitrust enforcement trend with significant increases in criminal and civil penalties, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • A Look At The Wave Of 2025 Email Marketing Suits In Wash.

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    Since the Washington Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Old Navy in April, more than 30 lawsuits have alleged that a broad range of retailers across industries sent emails that violate the Washington Commercial Electronic Mail Act, but retailers are unlikely to find clear answers yet, says Gonzalo Mon at Kelley Drye.

  • 3 Defense Strategies For Sporadically Prosecuted Conduct

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    Not to be confused with selective prosecutions, sporadic prosecutions — charging someone for conduct many others do without consequences — can be challenging to defend, but focusing on materiality, prosecutorial motivations and public opinion can be a winning strategy, says Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.

  • 2025 Noncompete Developments That Led To Inflection Point

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    Employers must reshape their approaches to noncompete agreements following key 2025 developments, including Delaware's rejection of blue-penciling and the proliferation of state wage thresholds, say attorneys at Gunderson Dettmer.

  • Riding The Changing Winds For AI Innovations At The USPTO

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    As recent U.S. Patent and Trademark Office moves reshape how artificial intelligence inventions will be examined and put them on firmer eligibility footing, practitioners need to consider how this shift is both an opportunity and a challenge, say Ryan Phelan at Marshall Gerstein and attorney Mark Campagna.

  • Series

    The Law Firm Merger Diaries: Integrating Practice Groups

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    Enacting unified leadership and consistent client service standards ensures law firm practice groups connect and collaborate around shared goals, turning a law firm merger into a platform for growth rather than a period of disruption, says Brian Catlett at Fennemore Craig.

  • The Tricky Issues Underscoring Prediction Market Regulation

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    Prediction markets are not merely testing the boundaries of commodities law — they are challenging the conventional divisions between gambling regulation and financial market oversight, and in doing so, may reshape both, says Braeden Anderson at Gesmer Updegrove.

  • Nonprofits Face Uncertainty Over Political Activity Rules

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    Two federal court decisions suggesting that the Internal Revenue Service's rules for 501(c)(4) organizations' political activity may be too vague to survive constitutional scrutiny leave nonprofit organizations caught between constitutional limits on government regulation of speech and tax limits on their exempt status, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.

  • Opinion

    Supreme Court Term Limits Would Carry Hidden Risk

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    While proposals for limiting the terms of U.S. Supreme Court justices are popular, a steady stream of relatively young, highly marketable ex-justices with unique knowledge and influence entering the marketplace of law and politics could create new problems, say Michael Broyde at Emory University and Hayden Hall at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

  • Navigating A Sea Change In Rent Algorithm Regulation

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    The U.S. Department of Justice's proposed settlement of the RealPage lawsuit represents a pivotal moment in the regulation of algorithmic rent-setting, restraining use of these tools amid a growing trend of regulatory limits on use of algorithmic data and methodologies in establishing housing rental prices. say attorneys at Wilson Elser.

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