Environmental

  • August 27, 2024

    Mich. Says Discovery Won't Save Dam Collapse Suits

    The state of Michigan has urged a judge to cut off discovery and end litigation over flooding caused by the collapse of the Edenville Dam, arguing that continuing to exchange information would be fruitless because it's already clear that the state didn't cause the disaster.

  • August 27, 2024

    Polluted Conn. Property Owner's Fraud Suit Deemed Too Late

    The former owner of a contaminated Connecticut industrial property waited too long to sue the company that bought the site in 1999 on claims that the buyer fraudulently transferred funds to avoid paying for environmental cleanup, a state court judge has ruled.

  • August 27, 2024

    Asbestos Claimants Tell 4th Circ. Bestwall Isn't Distressed

    The official committee of asbestos claimants in the Chapter 11 case of Georgia-Pacific unit Bestwall told the Fourth Circuit that the company's bankruptcy should be tossed because commitments to fund asbestos liabilities by the parent mean the debtor isn't facing financial distress.

  • August 27, 2024

    Split 5th Circ. Revives Tesla's Case Over La. Sales Ban

    A split Fifth Circuit panel revived Tesla's case accusing Louisiana car dealers and regulators of illegally excluding the direct-sale automaker from the state, finding Tesla had done enough to survive dismissal by alleging a regulatory board that included competitors is biased against it.

  • August 27, 2024

    6th Circ. Upholds Diver's Sex Harassment Verdict

    The Sixth Circuit backed a jury's verdict in favor of a commercial diver who accused an environmental cleanup company of subjecting her to weeks of belittlement and harassment, finding she'd presented sufficient evidence demonstrating that supervisors and colleagues ostracized her because of her gender.

  • August 27, 2024

    Kirkland Adds Energy Regulatory Pro From Vinson & Elkins

    Kirkland & Ellis LLP has hired a corporate attorney who worked at Vinson & Elkins LLP for 16 years as a partner in its energy regulatory practice group.

  • August 26, 2024

    Army Corps Looks To Trim Claims In Alaskan Gold Mine Row

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has told an Alaska federal judge that most of the claims asserted by a small village that's trying to thwart an open pit gold mine can't be supported and should be dismissed.

  • August 26, 2024

    Banks' $20M Platinum Traders Antitrust Deal Gets Initial OK

    A New York federal judge preliminarily approved Saturday a $20 million deal to resolve a nearly decade-old putative class action alleging Goldman Sachs, German industrial company BASF and two other banks fixed platinum and palladium prices.

  • August 26, 2024

    Tetra Tech Accuses Atty Of Mistreating Witness In FCA Row

    Tetra Tech EC Inc. claimed that an attorney representing a developer accusing it of fraud had mistreated a witness during a deposition hearing, pressing a California federal court to order the release of recordings capturing the alleged misconduct.

  • August 26, 2024

    Funds Say Norfolk Southern Can't Ditch Derailment Fraud Suit

    Pension funds have told a Georgia federal judge that they've laid out in exacting detail their allegations that Norfolk Southern eroded safety standards by embarking on risky cost-cutting moves and slashing its workforce, culminating in last year's fiery derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and ultimately backfiring on investors.

  • August 26, 2024

    Ex-Braves Tell 11th Circ. Easement Appeal Not Premature

    A partnership created by former Atlanta Braves players urged the Eleventh Circuit to review its $47 million conservation easement lawsuit, saying the IRS' motion to dismiss the appeal for premature filing was a mere attempt to sow confusion in the proceedings.

  • August 26, 2024

    Tribal And Salmon Groups To Intervene In Alaska Mining Suit

    An Alaska federal court judge will let 23 tribal groups and wilderness organizations intervene in a lawsuit over a mining proposal for a stretch of pristine salmon habitat in the Bristol Bay area, but has laid out conditions to keep the case quickly moving forward.

  • August 26, 2024

    Gov't Looks To Limit Arguments In Rail Merger Appeal

    The federal government urged the D.C. Circuit not to let a coalition of Illinois towns challenging the approval of Canadian Pacific's $31 billion merger with Kansas City Southern incorporate arguments made by Chicago's commuter rail system before the system dropped out of the case.

  • August 26, 2024

    GOP Sens. Applaud Removal Of Undersea Cable Hurdles

    Two Republican senators are celebrating the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's decision to press pause on requiring special permits for undersea cables to run through marine sanctuaries as a "major victory" after railing against red tape earlier this year.

  • August 26, 2024

    5th Circ. Holds Off On Gulf Fishery Council Rule Challenge

    The Fifth Circuit on Friday ordered a Mississippi federal judge to decide key issues that went unaddressed in his ruling upholding a fishing limit in the Gulf of Mexico, saying that new case law must be applied before it handles the appeal.

  • August 26, 2024

    Wild Ga. Horses Need Aid During Suit's Limbo, Advocates Say

    As a Georgia federal judge considers whether to scuttle a lawsuit alleging that a herd of feral horses on one of the state's coastal islands has been neglected and mistreated by federal authorities, the equine plaintiffs have asked the court to order the government to furnish them with emergency stores of food and drinking water.

  • August 26, 2024

    Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

    Last week in Delaware's Court of Chancery, Boeing accused shareholders of using a new pressure tactic, Cantor Fitzgerald struck a $12 million deal, and a vice chancellor dealt with zombie companies. New cases involved displaced Pacific Islanders and an insurance customer acquisition platform. In case you missed it, here's a roundup of news from the Chancery Court.

  • August 26, 2024

    Canada Planning 100% Surtax On Chinese EVs, 25% On Steel

    Canada plans to implement a 100% surtax on imported Chinese electric vehicles and a 25% surtax on Chinese steel and aluminum as part of a package intended to protect Canadian industry from unfair competition, the country's Department of Finance said Monday.

  • August 26, 2024

    Energy Cases To Watch In The 2nd Half Of 2024

    Even after an action-packed first half of 2024, plenty of high-stakes energy litigation remains, including a new twist in the prolonged battle over climate change lawsuits against fossil fuel companies, as well as cases that could influence federal climate change policy. Here are several cases energy attorneys will be watching in the second half of the year.

  • August 26, 2024

    Gov't Contracting Policies To Watch In The 2nd Half Of 2024

    An overhaul to the U.S. Department of Defense's cybersecurity requirements and a pending rule requiring many contractors to report their greenhouse gas emissions headline a slate of significant policy initiatives for government contractors to watch for during the second half of this year. Here, Law360 previews four upcoming policy changes with significant potential impacts on government contractors.

  • August 23, 2024

    Former Snyder Aide Says No Immunity For Flint Prosecutors

    A top aide to former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder who had faced criminal charges for the Flint water crisis is fighting Michigan prosecutors' attempts to dodge a lawsuit claiming that they violated his due process rights.

  • August 23, 2024

    The Biggest Product Liability Cases Of 2024: A Midyear Report

    A U.S. Supreme Court ruling that formally ended judges' decades-long deference to federal agencies' understanding of the law, as well as multibillion-dollar settlements over so-called forever chemicals, made Law360's list of top product liability developments so far this year.

  • August 23, 2024

    The Biggest Energy Decisions In The First Half Of 2024

    From a D.C. Circuit decision upholding California's ability to set its own greenhouse gas standards for vehicles to the U.S. Supreme Court's freeze of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's plan to reduce cross-state pollution, consequential decisions in the energy space ripped through the courts in the first half of 2024.

  • August 23, 2024

    La. Judge Smashes EPA Civil Rights Regulations In State

    A Louisiana federal judge has granted the state's request for a permanent injunction blocking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from enforcing civil rights regulations in the state that involve disparate impact components.

  • August 23, 2024

    EPA Issues Guidance On Civil Rights Safeguards

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued guidance to help its financial assistance recipients comply with civil rights laws and nondiscrimination regulations.

Expert Analysis

  • Tips For Companies Tapping Into Commercial Cleantech

    Author Photo

    A recent report from the European Patent Office and European Investment Bank examining the global financing and commercialization of cleantech innovation necessary for the green energy transition can help companies understand and solve the issues in developing and implementing the full potential of cleantech, says Eleanor Maciver at Mewburn Ellis.

  • Series

    Being An EMT Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    While some of my experiences as an emergency medical technician have been unusually painful and searing, the skills I’ve learned — such as triage, empathy and preparedness — are just as useful in my work as a restructuring lawyer, says Marshall Huebner at Davis Polk.

  • 15 Quick Tips For Uncovering And Mitigating Juror Biases

    Author Photo

    As highlighted by the recent jury selection process in the criminal hush money trial against former President Donald Trump, juror bias presents formidable challenges for defendants, and attorneys must employ proactive strategies — both new and old — to blunt its impact, say Monica Delgado and Jonathan Harris at Harris St. Laurent.

  • In Debate Over High Court Wording, 'Wetland' Remains Murky

    Author Photo

    Though the U.S. Supreme Court's decision limiting the Clean Water Act’s wetlands jurisdiction is now a year old, Sackett v. EPA's practical consequences for property owners are still evolving as federal agencies and private parties advance competing interpretations of the court's language and methods for distinguishing wetlands in lower courts, says Neal McAliley at Carlton Fields.

  • Contract Disputes Recap: Saying What Needs To Be Said

    Author Photo

    Edward Arnold and Bret Marfut at Seyfarth Shaw examine three recent decisions that delve into the meaning and effect of contractual releases, and demonstrate the importance of ensuring that releases, as written, do what the parties intend.

  • Geothermal Energy Has Growing Potential In The US

    Author Photo

    Bipartisan support for the geothermal industry shows that geothermal energy can be an elegant solution toward global decarbonization efforts because of its small footprint, low supply chain risk, and potential to draw on the skills of existing highly specialized oil and gas workers and renewable specialists, say attorneys at Weil.

  • Insurer Quota-Sharing Lessons From $112M Bad Faith Verdict

    Author Photo

    In Indiana GRQ v. American Guarantee and Liability Insurance, an Indiana federal jury recently issued a landmark $112 million bad faith verdict, illustrating why insurers must understand the interplay between bad faith law and quota-sharing before entering into these relatively new arrangements, say Jason Reichlyn and Christopher Sakauye at Dykema. 

  • Insurance Types That May Help Cos. After Key Bridge Collapse

    Author Photo

    Following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, businesses that depend on the bridge, the Port of Baltimore and related infrastructure for shipment and distribution of cargo should understand which common types of first-party insurance coverage may provide recoveries for financial losses, say Bert Wells and Richard Lewis at Reed Smith.

  • Exploring An Alternative Model Of Litigation Finance

    Author Photo

    A new model of litigation finance, most aptly described as insurance-backed litigation funding, differs from traditional funding in two key ways, and the process of securing it involves three primary steps, say Bob Koneck, Christopher Le Neve Foster and Richard Butters at Atlantic Global Risk LLC.

  • Salvaging The Investor-State Arbitration System's Legitimacy

    Author Photo

    Recent developments in Europe and Ecuador highlight the vulnerability of the investor-state arbitration framework, but arbitrators can avert a crisis by relying on a poorly understood doctrine of fairness and equity, rather than law, to resolve the disputes before them, says Phillip Euell at Diaz Reus.

  • NY's Vision For Grid Of The Future: Flexible, Open, Affordable

    Author Photo

    Acknowledging that New York state's progress toward its climate goals is stalling, the New York Public Service Commission's recent "Grid of the Future" order signals a move toward more flexible, cost-effective solutions — and suggests potential opportunities for nonutility participation, say Daniel Spitzer and William McLaughlin at Hodgson Russ.

  • Trump Hush Money Case Offers Master Class In Trial Strategy

    Author Photo

    The New York criminal hush money trial of former President Donald Trump typifies some of the greatest challenges that lawyers face in crafting persuasive presentations, providing lessons on how to handle bad facts, craft a simple story that withstands attack, and cross-examine with that story in mind, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Leveraging Insurance Amid Microplastics Concerns

    Author Photo

    A pending microplastics lawsuit — New York v. PepsiCo Inc. — may be a harbinger of what is to come for companies whose products are exposed to the environment, so any company considering how to address microplastics liability should include a careful assessment of the potential for insurance coverage in its due diligence, say attorneys at Haynes Boone.

  • Series

    Teaching Yoga Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Being a yoga instructor has helped me develop my confidence and authenticity, as well as stress management and people skills — all of which have crossed over into my career as an attorney, says Laura Gongaware at Clyde & Co.

  • A Vision For Economic Clerkships In The Legal System

    Author Photo

    As courts handle increasingly complex damages analyses involving vast amounts of data, an economic clerkship program — integrating early-career economists into the judicial system — could improve legal outcomes and provide essential training to clerks, say Mona Birjandi at Data for Decisions and Matt Farber at Secretariat.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Environmental archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!