Public Policy

  • 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.

  • March 25, 2026

    Lawmakers Aim To Advance Bills Bolstering Patent Rights

    A bipartisan pair of lawmakers said at a conference Wednesday that they plan to make a push to pass legislation aimed at establishing stronger patent rights in the coming year, including bills limiting patent challenges and setting rules on which inventions are eligible for patents.

  • March 25, 2026

    Mich. County Beats Class Claims Over Jail Release Delays

    People alleging they were detained too long at a county jail in Detroit saw their suit against Wayne County and its employees dismissed Wednesday by a Michigan federal judge who found their constitutional rights weren't violated, since there wasn't a right to be released in any particular time frame.

Expert Analysis

  • Monetizing EV Charging Stations For Long-Term Success

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    An electric vehicle charging station's longevity hinges on monetizing operations through diverse revenue streams, contractual documentation of charge point operators' and site hosts' rights and responsibilities, and ensuring reliability and security of facilities, says Levi McAllister at Morgan Lewis.

  • Calif.'s Civility Push Shows Why Professionalism Is Vital

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    The California Bar’s campaign against discourteous behavior by attorneys, including a newly required annual civility oath, reflects a growing concern among states that professionalism in law needs shoring up — and recognizes that maintaining composure even when stressed is key to both succeeding professionally and maintaining faith in the legal system, says Lucy Wang at Hinshaw.

  • A Potential Shift In FDA's Approach To Drug Trial Design

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    Recent guidance released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration clarifying how Bayesian approaches — which combine prior knowledge with new data — may be used in clinical trials reflects the agency's continued interest in innovative trial designs that may accelerate drug approvals, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • US-Ukraine Reconstruction Fund Tax Exemptions Uncertain

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    Tax provisions in the bilateral agreement to establish the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, which recently announced it is accepting applications, are so broad and imprecise as to leave uncertainty regarding whether and when tax exemptions will apply to investors' income, say attorneys at Avellum and Debevoise.

  • Opinion

    SNAP Rule Confusion Risks A Compliance Crisis

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    Recent Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food restriction waivers pose a compliance crisis for legal practitioners advising food retailers, amid higher costs and lack of a coherent national standard, says Tyson-Lord Gray at Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

  • Locations, Permits And Power Are Key In EV Charger Projects

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    To ensure the success of public electric vehicle charging infrastructure projects, developers, funders, site hosts and charge point operators must consider a range of factors, including location selection, distribution grid requirements and costs, and permitting and timeline impacts, says Levi McAllister at Morgan Lewis.

  • Should Prediction Markets Allow Trading On Nonpublic Info?

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    Recent trading activity, such as the Polymarket wager on the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, has raised questions about whether some participants may be engaging in trading that is based on material nonpublic information, and highlights ongoing uncertainty about how existing derivatives and anti-fraud rules apply to event-based contracts, say economic consultants at the Brattle Group.

  • NLRB May Not See Employer-Friendly Changes Anytime Soon

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    Despite the long-awaited confirmation of a new National Labor Relations Board general counsel and two new board members, slower case processing, the NLRB's changing priorities and an unofficial rule about a three-member majority may prevent NLRB precedent from swinging in businesses' favor this year, says Jesse Dill at Ogletree.

  • FCC Satellite Co. Action Starts New Chapter For Team Telecom

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    The Federal Communications Commission's recent settlement with satellite company Marlink marks a modest but meaningful step forward in how the U.S. regulates foreign involvement in its telecommunications sector, proving "Team Telecom" conditions are not limited to companies with substantial foreign ownership, says attorney Sohan Dasgupta.

  • Series

    Trivia Competition Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Playing trivia taught me to quickly absorb information and recognize when I've learned what I'm expected to know, training me in the crucial skills needed to be a good attorney, and reminding me to be gracious in defeat, says Jonah Knobler at Patterson Belknap.

  • What FDA Guidance Means For Future Of Health Software

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    Two significant final guidance documents released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last month reflect a targeted effort to ease innovation friction around specific areas, including singular clinical decision support recommendations and sensor-based wearables, while maintaining established regulatory boundaries, say attorneys at Covington.

  • An Instructive Reminder On Appealing ITC Determinations

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    A recent Federal Circuit decision, partially dismissing Crocs' appeal of a U.S. International Trade Commission verdict as untimely, offers a powerful reminder that the ITC is a creature of statute and that practitioners would do well to interpret those statutes conservatively, says Derrick Carman at Robins Kaplan.

  • Ruling Puts Guardrails On FTC Merger Filing Rule Expansion

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    A Texas federal court recently vacated the Federal Trade Commission's overhaul of the Hart-Scott-Rodino premerger notification form, in a significant setback for the antitrust agencies, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

  • Opinion

    Bridging The Bench And Bars To Uphold The Rule Of Law

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    In a moment when the judiciary faces unprecedented partisan attacks and public trust in our courts is fragile, and with the stakes being especially high for mass tort cases, attorneys on both sides of the bench have a responsibility to restore confidence in our justice system, say Bryan Aylstock at Aylstock Witkin and Kiley Grombacher at Bradley/Grombacher.

  • State And Int'l Standards May Supplant EPA's GHG Rule

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    The U.S. Environmental Protection agency's recent repeal of its 2009 finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health will likely increase regulatory uncertainty, as states attempt to fill the breach with their own regulatory regimes and some companies shift focus to international climate benchmarks instead, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff.

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