Energy

  • February 21, 2025

    Judge Trims $40M Green Energy Co. Investor Suit

    A Tennessee federal judge won't toss a proposed class action claiming that a Chicago green energy outfit and its executives used false promises of extravagant returns to lure investors, but ruled two defendants can escape some of the suit's claims.

  • February 21, 2025

    Judge Questions Trump Administration Fund Freeze Authority

    A Rhode Island federal judge on Friday left in place a temporary restraining order blocking a funding freeze by President Donald Trump's administration until the judge can rule on a request by a coalition of states for a preliminary injunction.

  • February 21, 2025

    Green, Tribal Orgs Ask To Defend Biden DOI's Coal Decision

    Tribal and conservation groups have asked a federal court to let them join Wyoming and Montana's suit against the U.S. Department of the Interior over the Biden administration's 2024 decision ending new coal leasing on public lands in the Powder River Basin.

  • February 21, 2025

    Energy Co. Says Osage Shouldn't Rush To Destroy Wind Farm

    Enel Green Power North America is urging a federal district court to stay a $4.2 million judgment and order requiring it to remove 84 wind turbines from the Osage Nation's reservation while it appeals to the Tenth Circuit, arguing that the appellate court could find their destruction was unnecessary.

  • February 21, 2025

    Exxon Can't Dodge RICO Claims In Puerto Rico Federal Court

    A U.S. magistrate judge said Puerto Rican municipalities should be allowed to pursue racketeering and antitrust claims against energy companies including Exxon Mobil Corp. that they allege misrepresented the climate dangers of fossil fuel products.

  • February 21, 2025

    Solar Farm Says FERC Can't Justify Grid Upgrade Cost Order

    Developers of a Texas solar farm told the D.C. Circuit that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission acted unlawfully by allowing a transmission operator to assign them $311 million in grid upgrade costs to connect their solar project to the grid.

  • February 21, 2025

    Nuke Plant Renewal Rules Ignore Climate Risks, DC Circ. Told

    Anti-nuclear power groups told the D.C. Circuit that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission unlawfully ignored accident risks due to aging equipment and climate change when it crafted new nuclear power plant license renewal rules.

  • February 21, 2025

    Md. Senate OKs Tax Break For Service Station Conversions

    Certain retail service stations in Maryland converted to other uses would be eligible for local property tax breaks under legislation approved by the state Senate and sent to the House.

  • February 21, 2025

    Morgan Lewis Adds Partner To Insurance Recovery Practice

    Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP announced that it has added a new partner and insurance expert in its Chicago office, in a move to bolster the firm's insurance recovery and dispute resolution capabilities for corporate policyholder clients.

  • February 21, 2025

    Taxation With Representation: Kirkland, V&E, Cravath, Dechert

    In this week's Taxation With Representation, Diamondback Energy buys Midland Basin assets from another oil and natural gas company, GTCR closes its second strategic growth fund, Light & Wonder Inc. buys Grover Gaming's assets, and Barings acquires Artemis Real Estate Partners.

  • February 21, 2025

    Ex-Cognizant Execs Balk At Wording Of Trial Date Draft Order

    Attorneys for two former executives of Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. told a New Jersey federal judge on Friday that they object to the government's wording of a proposed order for proceeding with their Foreign Corrupt Practices Act trial on March 3.

  • February 20, 2025

    DOJ Says Job Protections For ALJs Are Unconstitutional

    The U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday that it no longer backs long-standing job protections for administrative law judges, saying it has determined that the "multiple layers of removal restrictions" shielding ALJs are unconstitutional because they violate the separation of powers doctrine.

  • February 20, 2025

    Trump Admin Must Obey Order To Restore Aid, Judge Says

    A Washington, D.C., federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to restore foreign assistance funding in accordance with his temporary restraining order, but stopped short of sanctioning the government officials.

  • February 20, 2025

    Dems Blast 'Reckless' Nuclear Security Worker Firings

    Seven Democratic legislators sent a letter to newly confirmed Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Thursday pressing for answers as to why the Department of Government Efficiency fired hundreds of National Nuclear Security Administration staff members, calling it a "reckless decision."

  • February 20, 2025

    Ex-Rio Tinto CFO Must Keep Fighting SEC Fraud Case

    A New York federal judge on Thursday refused to throw out the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's suit accusing Rio Tinto PLC's former chief financial officer of violating accounting and auditing rules, ruling that certain claims should be decided by a jury.

  • February 20, 2025

    Better Process Not Certain As White House Loses NEPA Regs

    The White House says it rescinded National Environmental Policy Act regulations in an effort to "expedite and simplify" the federal permitting process, but attorneys say the immediate effect of the move will likely be to confuse agencies and slow down project approvals.

  • February 20, 2025

    FERC Chair Seeking More Clarity On Scope Of Trump Order

    Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Mark Christie downplayed concerns Thursday that a recent executive order from President Donald Trump will erode the agency's authority, but acknowledged that it's unclear how much the order seeks to involve the White House in FERC's operations.

  • February 20, 2025

    Select SPAC Targets Are Soaring Ahead Of The Pack

    A select breed of companies that went public through mergers with special purpose acquisition companies are performing well lately — hailing mostly from a few specific industries — in stark contrast to the vast majority of SPAC merger targets that have flopped over the past few years, according to data released on Thursday.

  • February 20, 2025

    Del. Chief Justice Targets Social Media's Pressure On Courts

    Acknowledging that "some of those who lose don't take it well" and have tools to "cause judges great pain," Delaware's chief justice told a state budget panel Thursday that social media had amplified dissatisfaction with some court rulings despite global respect for the state's system.

  • February 20, 2025

    Feds Say DC Judge Can't Bar 'Hypothetical' Spending Freezes

    A Justice Department attorney argued before a D.C. federal judge Thursday that there is no basis to continue blocking the Trump administration from implementing a blanket suspension on federal spending, saying the court cannot bar "hypothetical" future freezes.

  • February 20, 2025

    Enbridge's Pipeline Tunnel Approval OK'd By Mich. Panel

    A Michigan appellate court panel on Wednesday struck down environmental groups and tribal nations' challenge to a Michigan Public Service Commission's decision to allow Enbridge Energy to dig an underground tunnel to house part of an oil and natural gas pipeline, finding state regulators' decision was supported by evidence.

  • February 20, 2025

    Ex-Eletson Owners Given Reprieve On Ch. 11 Sanction Bid

    The former owners and managers of Greek shipping group Eletson Holdings Inc. have until Monday to comply with the orders of a New York bankruptcy judge concerning the change in ownership of the business under a court-approved Chapter 11 plan, or they will face daily monetary sanctions.

  • February 20, 2025

    EPA Sued Over Approval Of Radioactive Waste Road Project

    The Center for Biological Diversity filed suit Wednesday challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's approval of the use of radioactive phosphogypsum in road construction at fertilizer producer Mosaic's facility in Florida.

  • February 20, 2025

    Mich. Judge Won't Defer Atomic Bomb Waste Suit To Agency

    A Michigan state judge on Thursday denied a Wayne County landfill's bid to dismiss claims from communities attempting to prevent the disposal site from accepting radioactive waste from the development of the first atomic bomb, finding that the court can hear the case rather than deferring to the state's environmental agency.

  • February 20, 2025

    FCPA Shake-Up May Open Bribery Loophole

    New guidelines in the works for Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement under President Donald Trump's administration could dramatically alter how American companies do business overseas while potentially opening the door for foreign bribery when it arguably advances U.S. interests, and the looming changes are creating an unsettled environment for attorneys who practice in the space, experts say.

Expert Analysis

  • When US Privilege Law Applies To Docs Made Outside The US

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    As globalization manifests itself in disputes over foreign-created documents, a California federal court’s recent trademark decision illustrates nuances of both U.S. privilege frameworks and foreign evidentiary protections that attorneys must increasingly bear in mind, say attorneys at Hunton.

  • Green Projects Face States' Foreign Land Ownership Limits

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    As states impose restrictions and disclosure requirements around foreign investment in agricultural land — in some cases piggybacking on existing federal rules — renewable energy developers and investors must pay close attention to how the rules vary, says Daniel Fanning at Husch Blackwell.

  • What 2024 Trends In Marketing, Comms Hiring Mean For 2025

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    The state of hiring in legal industry marketing, business development and communications over the past 12 months was marked by a number of trends — from changes in the C-suite to lateral move challenges — providing clues for what’s to come in the year ahead, says Ben Curle at Ambition.

  • How Trump's Tariff Promises May Play Out In 2nd Term

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    While it is unclear which of President-elect Donald Trump's promised tariffs he intends to actually implement in January, lessons from his first administration, laws governing executive action and U.S. trade agreements together paint a picture of what may be possible, say attorneys at Butzel.

  • Series

    Group Running Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    The combination of physical fitness and community connection derived from running with a group of business leaders has, among other things, helped me to stay grounded, improve my communication skills, and develop a deeper empathy for clients and colleagues, says Jessica Shpall Rosen at Greenwald Doherty.

  • Hawaii Climate Insurance Case Is Good News For Energy Cos.

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    The Hawaii Supreme Court's recent ruling in a dispute between an oil company and its insurers, holding that reckless conduct in the context of activities that can cause climate harms is covered by liability policies, will likely be viewed by energy companies as a positive development, say attorneys at Fenchurch Law.

  • Opinion

    6 Changes I Would Make If I Ran A Law School

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    Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner identifies several key issues plaguing law schools and discusses potential solutions, such as opting out of the rankings game and mandating courses in basic writing skills.

  • Implications Of NY Climate Case For Generating Facilities

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    Regardless of how Greenidge Generation LLC v. New York Department of Environmental Conservation develops on remand, this decision has immediate repercussions for generating facilities seeking permit applications and renewals in New York, likely involving Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act considerations, say attorneys at Hodgson Russ.

  • Firms Still Have The Edge In Lateral Hiring, But Buyer Beware

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    Partner mobility data suggests that the third quarter of this year continued to be a buyer’s market, with the average candidate demanding less compensation for a larger book of business — but moving into the fourth quarter, firms should slow down their hiring process to minimize risks, say officers at Decipher Investigative Intelligence.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: 1 Type Of Case Complexity Stands Out

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    In contrast to some cases that appear complex due to voluminous evidence or esoteric subject matter, a different kind of complexity involves tangled legal and factual questions, each with a range of possible outcomes, which require a “sliding scale” approach instead of syllogistic reasoning, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • How Litigation, Supply Chains Buffeted Offshore Wind In 2024

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    U.S. offshore wind developers continue to face a range of challenges — including litigation brought by local communities and interest groups, ongoing supply chain issues, and a lack of interconnection and transmission infrastructure — in addition to uncertainty surrounding federal energy policy under the second Trump administration, say attorneys at Liskow & Lewis.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Note 3 Simple Types Of Legal Complexity

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    Cases can appear complex for several reasons — due to the number of issues, the volume of factual and evidentiary sources, and the sophistication of those sources — but the same basic technique can help lawyers tame their arguments into a simple and persuasive message, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Permitting, Offtake Among Offshore Wind Challenges In 2024

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    Although federal offshore wind development started to pick up this year, many challenges to the industry became apparent as well — including slow federal permitting, the pitfalls of restarting permits after changes in project status, and the difficulties of negotiating economically viable offtake agreements, say attorneys at Liskow & Lewis.

  • Series

    Gardening Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Beyond its practical and therapeutic benefits, gardening has bolstered important attributes that also apply to my litigation practice, including persistence, patience, grit and authenticity, says Christopher Viceconte at Gibbons.

  • Litigation Inspiration: Reframing Document Review

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    For attorneys — new ones especially — there is much fulfillment to find in document review by reflecting on how important, interesting and pleasant it can be, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.

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