Public Policy

  • February 09, 2026

    Texas AG Slams Animal Processing Plant's 'Death' Smell

    An animal byproducts processing plant in Bastrop, Texas, illegally spewed chemicals and foul odors that smelled like "death" into surrounding communities, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton alleged Monday in an enforcement action. 

  • February 09, 2026

    Tribal Nation Aims To Appeal Cannabis Raid Claim Dismissals

    The Round Valley Indian Tribes and three individual members are asking a California federal court to render final judgment on two dismissed claims in its suit alleging authorities illegally raided members' properties over cannabis, so the dismissals can be appealed to the Ninth Circuit.

  • February 09, 2026

    Judge OKs Sanctions In Valve Fight, Warns More May Come

    A Seattle federal judge on Monday granted video game maker Valve Corp.'s request to sanction a rival litigant over discovery violations just ahead of a trial on the company's allegations of bad faith patent infringement claims, and threatened to issue more over a legal brief that contained fake quotes and fabricated citations generated by artificial intelligence.

  • February 09, 2026

    Fifth Third Aided Ex-Mayor's $1.8M Theft, Ill. Village Claims

    Fifth Third Bank knew a former mayor of a Chicago suburb was misappropriating municipal funds but "deliberately refrained" from investigating the misconduct and ultimately helped her misappropriate $1.89 million, according to a lawsuit filed Friday in state court.

  • February 09, 2026

    Judge Presses Gov't On Objections To Alien Enemies Act Relief

    A D.C. federal judge grappled Monday with what relief he can grant to Venezuelans the Trump administration deported under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, including whether the government must return the men, provide remote hearings or let them contest their alleged gang membership.

  • February 09, 2026

    NTIA Approves Nearly All State Broadband Funding Plans

    The U.S. Department of Commerce has signed off on almost all the recent state-level plans under the government's signature high-speed infrastructure spending initiative, moving projects across the country closer to fruition, a top official said Monday.

  • February 09, 2026

    Split 8th Circ. Says Drug User Gun Conviction Lacks Detail

    A partially split Eighth Circuit panel has vacated a portion of a man's firearm possession conviction, finding that a trial court must make a determination about whether the man poses a threat to the general public because of his drug use.

  • February 09, 2026

    Demobilization Moots Ill.'s National Guard Suit, Trump Says

    The Trump administration has urged a federal judge to permanently toss Illinois' lawsuit looking to halt any National Guard deployment to the state, arguing the case is moot now that all the troops have been demobilized or withdrawn and the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled the president can't federalize the guard to aid in immigration enforcement.

  • February 09, 2026

    8th Circ. Lets Stand Minn. Law Banning Election Deepfakes

    The Eighth Circuit on Monday declined to block Minnesota's law criminalizing deepfakes that are designed to influence elections, holding in a published opinion that a state legislator waited too long to seek emergency relief and that a political commentator who also challenged the statute did not have standing.

  • February 09, 2026

    5th Circ. Tosses Challenge To La. 340B Discount Drug Rule

    A Fifth Circuit panel upheld on Monday a Louisiana law that allows the state to stop prescription drug manufacturers from blocking safety-net healthcare providers from contracting with outside pharmacies to dispense discounted medicines under the federal 340B Discount Drug program. 

  • February 09, 2026

    FCC Said To Formally Launch Equal Time Probe At 'The View'

    The Federal Communications Commission has reportedly started a formal investigation into whether ABC's "The View" fails to qualify for a "bona fide" news carveout that would exempt the show from political equal time rules.

  • February 09, 2026

    US Sets 19% Tariff On Bangladeshi Imports In Framework Deal

    Certain imported goods from Bangladesh will enter the U.S. exempt from the 19% U.S. tariff applied to most merchandise from the country, according to a fact sheet published Monday along with the signing of the framework trade agreement between the two countries.

  • February 09, 2026

    Prison Phone Co. Opposes Rate Case Move To 1st Circ.

    A prison phone service provider has urged the D.C. Circuit to deny a recent bid from public interest groups to move multidistrict litigation over federally set phone call rates in jails and prisons to the First Circuit.

  • February 09, 2026

    Anti-Abortion Groups Say Mich. Law Impedes 1st Amendment

    Two Michigan-based anti-abortion organizations are suing several officials, alleging recent amendments to Michigan's civil rights law will force them to hire employees and volunteers who do not share or may openly oppose their religious beliefs and stance on abortion.

  • February 09, 2026

    Texas, Mo. Ask Court To Keep 'Remain In Mexico' Suit Intact

    Texas and Missouri claimed they have standing to challenge a Biden-era decision to do away with the "Remain in Mexico" policy, telling a Texas federal judge Friday that vacatur of the last administration's decision is appropriate even though the Trump administration reinstated the policy.

  • February 09, 2026

    USTelecom Asks FCC To Protect 911 Amid Copper Rollback

    Broadband trade group USTelecom is throwing its weight behind a petition that says the Federal Communications Commission must put protections in place to ensure that 911 services aren't disrupted as telecoms rush to retire copper phone lines.

  • February 09, 2026

    Unions Seek To Revive Challenge To Feds' Resignation Offer

    A labor coalition urged the First Circuit to revive a challenge to the Trump administration's resignation offer to federal employees last year, defending its right to sue and disputing that two niche agencies should get the first crack at its claims.

  • February 09, 2026

    USPTO Targets Double-Dipping In Anon. Ex Parte Challenges

    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is now requiring those who anonymously petition it to reexamine a patent's validity to certify that they haven't already challenged it at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

  • February 09, 2026

    Renewable Fuel Co. Owner Cops To $6M Tax Credit Scheme

    The owner of a renewable fuel company copped to a scheme that sought more than $6 million in fraudulent tax credits related to how much biodiesel the company claimed to produce, according to Florida federal court documents.

  • February 09, 2026

    Videographer Fights 4th Circ.'s Choice To Shipwreck IP Suit

    A videographer and his production company urged the full Fourth Circuit to let him revive his copyright infringement lawsuit over footage of Blackbeard's shipwreck, arguing Monday that a panel's recent opinion to end the case laid new and overly broad pathways for pendent jurisdiction. 

  • February 09, 2026

    North Dakota, DOJ Near Settlement In Dakota Access Appeal

    The United States and North Dakota have reached a settlement in a $28 million dispute over protesters' efforts to stop the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline in which the state alleged that the Army Corps and federal officials failed to manage the massive crowds.

  • February 09, 2026

    Pullman & Comley Says Lender Can't Sue Over $16.2M Deal

    Pullman & Comley LLC on Monday said a Connecticut judge lacks jurisdiction to hear legal malpractice and related claims from a lender that loaned $16.2 million to the corporate arm of a municipal housing authority, arguing the housing entity, not the lender, was its only client.

  • February 09, 2026

    Ill. Legislation Targets Outside Investments In Legal Sector

    Two bills introduced in the Illinois state Legislature seek to place restrictions on the use of private equity-backed managed service organizations in the legal industry and on any fee-sharing between Illinois lawyers and firms owned by nonlawyers in states like Arizona.

  • February 09, 2026

    States Seek Quick Win On $100K H-1B Fee 'Power-Grab'

    A group of 20 states asked a Massachusetts federal judge for a win in their challenge to the Trump administration's policy imposing a $100,000 fee on certain H-1B visa petitions, arguing the measure unlawfully rewrites Congress' carefully calibrated immigration scheme and exceeds executive authority.

  • February 09, 2026

    Luxury Terminal Developer Protests Dulles Contract Decisions

    A California company aiming to develop a private luxury terminal for Washington Dulles International Airport asked a D.C. federal judge to block the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority from moving ahead with a "thinly veiled" attempt to steer the deal to another company.

Expert Analysis

  • Assessing Factors Behind Biosimilar Uptake And Competition

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    As biosimilar uptake remains uneven and questions linger over whether the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act can deliver robust competition between biologics and biosimilars, a case study of Humira and its biosimilars illustrates how many factors, including payor reimbursement and formulary strategy, collectively shape competitive dynamics, say analysts at Analysis Group.

  • State Of Insurance: Q4 Notes From Illinois

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    In 2025's last quarter, Illinois’ appellate courts weighed in on overlapping homeowners coverages for water-related damages, contractual suit limitation provisions in uninsured motorist policies, and protections for genetic health information in life insurance underwriting, while the Department of Insurance sought nationwide homeowners' insurance data from State Farm, says Matthew Fortin at BatesCarey.

  • How 3 CFTC Letters Overhauled Digital Asset Guidance

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    The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission recently issued three letters providing guidance for the use of digital assets in derivatives markets, clarifying the applicability of CFTC regulations across numerous areas of digital asset activities and leading to the development of standards to allow market participants to post digital assets as collateral, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • NYC Bar Opinion Warns Attys On Use Of AI Recording Tools

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    Attorneys who use artificial intelligence tools to record, transcribe and summarize conversations with clients should heed the New York City Bar Association’s recent opinion addressing the legal and ethical risks posed by such tools, and follow several best practices to avoid violating the Rules of Professional Conduct, say attorneys at Smith Gambrell.

  • Ruling Helps Clarify FERC's Post-Jarkesy Enforcement Power

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    A North Carolina federal court's recent ruling in American Efficient v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission may be a step in providing clarity on FERC's enforcement authority under the Federal Power Act in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2024 decision in U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Series

    The Biz Court Digest: Dispatches From Utah's Newest Court

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    While a robust body of law hasn't yet developed since the Utah Business and Chancery Court's founding in October 2024, the number of cases filed there has recently picked up, and its existence illustrates Utah's desire to be top of mind for businesses across the country, says Evan Strassberg at Michael Best.

  • Aerospace And Defense Law: Trends To Follow In 2026

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    Some of the key 2026 developments to watch in aerospace and defense contracting law stem from provisions of this year's National Defense Authorization Act, a push to reform procurement, executive orders that announced Trump administration priorities, the upcoming Artemis space mission and continuing efforts to deploy artificial intelligence, say attorneys at Thompson Hine.

  • Aviation Watch: Busy Skies, Tough Market For Airlines In 2026

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    After a turbulent year in the U.S. commercial aviation sector, demand for air travel and premium service shows no signs of slackening in 2026, with airlines facing the need to compete in a saturated market, while seeking opportunities for consolidation and pursuing other avenues to profitability, says Alan Hoffman, a retired attorney and aviation expert.

  • Viewing The Merger Landscape Through An HPE-Juniper Lens

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    If considerations beyond antitrust law were taken into account to determine whether Section 7 of the Clayton Act was violated in the Hewlett Packard Enterprise-Juniper Networks deal, then legal practitioners advocating deal clearance may now have to argue that deals should be justified by considerations not set forth in the merger guidelines, says Matthew Cantor of Shinder Cantor.

  • 4 Quick Emotional Resets For Lawyers With Conflict Fatigue

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    Though the emotional wear and tear of legal work can trap attorneys in conflict fatigue — leaving them unable to shake off tense interactions or return to a calm baseline — simple therapeutic techniques for resetting the nervous system can help break the cycle, says Chantel Cohen at CWC Coaching & Therapy.

  • 3 Key Ohio Financial Services Developments From 2025

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    Ohio's banking and financial services sector saw particularly notable developments in 2025, including a significant Ohio Supreme Court decision on creditor disclosure duties to guarantors in Huntington National Bank v. Schneider, and some major proposed changes to the state's Homebuyer Plus program, says Alex Durst at Durst Kerridge.

  • Patent Eligibility Faces Widening Gap Between USPTO, Courts

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    The year 2026 opened with a profoundly altered Patent Act Section 101 ecosystem — the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has pushed eligibility as far open as it can for artificial intelligence technologies, but the courts are not on the same page, say attorneys at Skadden.

  • Keys To Effective Mental Health Mitigation In Sentencing

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    Instead of framing a defendant's mental health diagnoses as generalized grounds for leniency during sentencing, defense counsel should present them as objective clinical data that directly informs the risk assessment and rehabilitative questions judges are statutorily required to consider, say Joseph De Gregorio at JN Advisor and Richard Levitt at Levitt & Kaizer.

  • Key Policy Moves Are Powering Nuclear Growth

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    The past year has seen a shift toward strong federal support for new nuclear power generation, and both recent and anticipated policy developments are likely to encourage progress toward that goal — but making sure that this momentum continues may be the hard part, say attorneys at Balch & Bingham.

  • Rescheduling Cannabis Marks New Tax Era For Operators

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    As the attorney general takes steps to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, operators and advisers should prepare by considering the significant changes this will bring from tax, state, industry and market perspectives, says Michael Harlow at CohnReznick.

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