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Environmental
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July 18, 2024
Judge With Lake Property Exits $217M Dam Repair Tax Suit
A Michigan federal judge said he would step aside in a fight over a $217 million tax assessment to fund dam reconstruction because he's part of the assessment district, though he warned that hundreds of plaintiffs could have their own conflicts.
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July 18, 2024
King & Spalding Guides Quanta's $1.5B Cupertino Buy
Houston-based Quanta Services Inc. said Thursday it has acquired fellow energy infrastructure provider Cupertino Electric Inc. for up to $1.54 billion, with King & Spalding LLP and Fenwick & West LLP providing legal counsel on the deal, respectively.
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July 18, 2024
Rising Star: V&E's Corinne Snow
Corinne Snow of Vinson & Elkins LLP has been at the forefront of the field of environmental regulation throughout her young career, serving in the U.S. Department of Justice and working with water associations in challenging recent regulatory mandates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and earning her a spot among the environmental practitioners under age 40 honored by Law360 as Rising Stars.
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July 17, 2024
EPA Disputes High Court Link To Texas Clean Air Act Case
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency argued that the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling blocking a federal plan to reduce cross-state pollution does not impact the EPA's decision to reject state plans submitted by Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
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July 17, 2024
MTA Sued For Bus Service Cuts After Congestion Plan Nixed
New York City's Public Advocate hit the Metropolitan Transportation Authority with a proposed state court class action Wednesday aimed at reversing bus service cuts implemented after Gov. Kathy Hochul abruptly canceled plans for congestion pricing, slashing billions in anticipated revenue for the MTA.
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July 17, 2024
Lawmakers Say Bid To Toss Monument Suit Is A 'Red Herring'
The Arizona Legislature is fighting a bid by the Biden administration to dismiss a challenge to a presidential proclamation that established an Indigenous site as a national monument in the Grand Canyon region, arguing that the state's constitution gives the lawmakers power over state trust lands.
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July 17, 2024
DOE Says Challenge Of $1.1B Diablo Canyon Award Must Fail
The U.S. Department of Energy is urging a California federal judge to throw out a suit challenging its award of $1.1 billion of credits to help Pacific Gas & Electric Co. keep two generation units running for now at the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant.
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July 17, 2024
NC Must Use Smithfield Foods Funds For Schools, Judge Says
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein can no longer get his hands on $2 million a year from Smithfield Foods to give out environmental grants to private entities after a judge ruled the state constitution requires the money to be used in public schools.
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July 17, 2024
Rising Star: Kirkland's Jim Dolphin
James Dolphin of Kirkland & Ellis LLP's success in helping clients navigate the nuances of environmental law and the energy industry in complex agreements, projects and transactions — including a first-of-its-kind agreement between Chestnut Carbon and Microsoft — has earned him a spot among the environmental law practitioners under age 40 honored by Law360 as Rising Stars.
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July 17, 2024
Monsanto Philly Roundup Victory Preserved After Trial
A Philadelphia state judge declined to overturn a jury verdict in favor of Monsanto in a Pennsylvania cancer patient's lawsuit alleging he developed his illness after using the weed killer Roundup.
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July 17, 2024
New Mexico Adds Superfund Claims To PFAS Suit Against US
New Mexico is expanding its lawsuit against the federal government over costs related to cleaning up forever chemicals near military sites by utilizing a new rule listing the substances as hazardous under the Superfund law.
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July 16, 2024
Colombia Ducks Damages In Eco Oro's $700M Mining Claim
An international tribunal has declined to order Colombia to pay damages to a Canadian precious metals company despite its finding three years ago that the country had breached an underlying treaty, issuing an award Monday that appended a scathing criticism of third-party funding in investor-state cases by arbitrator Philippe Sands.
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July 16, 2024
Calif. Tribe Awarded $8.2M Over Destruction Of Cultural Site
A California district court judge has granted the Quechan Indian Tribe's request for approximately $8.2 million in damages after finding that a federal government construction project damaged cultural and archaeological sites on the tribe's reservation.
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July 16, 2024
DC Circ. Knocks La. Site FERC Order, Tosses LNG Export Row
Two D.C. Circuit panels on Tuesday ruled the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission inadequately explained a failure to assess the significance of greenhouse gas emissions for proposed liquefied natural gas facilities in Louisiana, dismissing a challenge of approvals allowing a Texas project to send more of its LNG exports to nonfree trade agreement countries.
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July 16, 2024
Enbridge Seeks 6th Circ. Rehearing In Venue Dispute
Enbridge Energy LP has asked the full Sixth Circuit to rehear an appellate panel's decision to send the company's pipeline dispute with Michigan's attorney general back to state court, arguing that the opinion creates a conflict within the circuit over when the removal clock starts running.
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July 16, 2024
Solar Co. Cites Macquarie In Fight Against Investor Suit
SolarEdge Technologies Inc. has moved to dismiss a proposed class action accusing it of misrepresenting the demand for its solar energy products in Europe, arguing that investors' claims that it had to make a detailed accounting of its inventory levels and sales practices do not meet the standard set out by the U.S. Supreme Court's recent Macquarie ruling.
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July 16, 2024
Influencer's Forest Pics Not 'Work Activity,' 10th Circ. Rules
A Tenth Circuit panel on Tuesday reversed a social media influencer's conviction for unauthorized work on National Forest Service property after he posted Instagram photos of himself snowmobiling on closed NFS land, finding that the influencer didn't have fair warning that what he was doing might be considered a federal crime.
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July 16, 2024
Texas Says Maritime Expert Shouldn't Testify In Barrier Fight
Texas moved to exclude a maritime expert witness for the U.S. government in its case challenging the state's barrier installed on the Rio Grande aimed at countering increasing migration, arguing on Tuesday the proposed witness, who plans to testify the barrier obstructs navigability, isn't an expert on buoys, booms or floats.
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July 16, 2024
Pollution Settlement Will Work To Restore Wash. River Habitat
An agreement between the federal government, Washington state and two tribes, on one side, and a pair of recycling companies and a metal fabricator on the other will put in place a three-acre habitat restoration project along the Lower Duwamish River in Seattle, resolving claims that oil and hazardous were released into the waters for a decade.
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July 16, 2024
Pentagon, GSA Seek 'Record-Setting' Clean Energy Projects
The U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. General Services Administration say they are going for "record-setting federal purchases of clean energy" in a joint statement seeking contractors who will be able to get multiple federal facilities running entirely on carbon-pollution-free power by 2030.
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July 16, 2024
Puerto Rico Launches Climate Suit Against Fossil Fuel Cos.
The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico has accused Exxon Mobil Corp., BP PLC, Chevron Corp. and other petrochemical companies of deceiving the public about the effects associated with the use and burning of fossil fuels on the island, resulting in severe damage to Puerto Rico's natural resources.
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July 16, 2024
The 2024 Diversity Snapshot: What You Need To Know
Law firms' ongoing initiatives to address diversity challenges have driven another year of progress, with the representation of minority attorneys continuing to improve across the board, albeit at a slower pace than in previous years. Here's our data dive into minority representation at law firms in 2023.
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July 16, 2024
Rising Star: Napoli Shkolnik's Coral Odiot
Coral Odiot-Rivera of Napoli Shkolnik PLLC has worked on major leading environmental justice lawsuits, including her efforts to help successfully secure a $13.6 billion settlement with manufacturers 3M and DuPont over alleged PFAS contamination in public water systems, earning her a spot among the environmental law practitioners under age 40 honored by Law360 as Rising Stars.
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July 16, 2024
These Firms Have The Most Diverse Equity Partnerships
Law360’s law firm survey shows that firms' efforts to diversify their equity partner ranks are lagging. But some have embraced a broader talent pool at the equity partner level. Here are the ones that stood out.
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July 15, 2024
Biggest Transportation Decisions: Midyear 2024 Review
The U.S. Supreme Court's upending of a legal doctrine applying to federal agencies' regulatory powers, the dismantling of JetBlue's proposed acquisition of Spirit Airlines and the preservation of California's authority to set its vehicle emissions standards are among the biggest court decisions so far in 2024 affecting the transportation industry.
Expert Analysis
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Think Like A Lawyer: Follow The Iron Rule Of Trial Logic
Many diligent and eager attorneys include every good fact, point and rule in their trial narratives — spurred by the gnawing fear they’ll be second-guessed for leaving something out — but this approach ignores a fundamental principle of successful trial lawyering, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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Breaking Down EPA's Rule On PFAS In Drinking Water
Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized the first enforceable federal drinking water regulation for PFAS, which, along with reporting and compliance requirements for regulated entities, will have a number of indirect effects, including increased cleanup costs and the possible expansion of existing Superfund sites, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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The Art Of Asking: Leveraging Your Contacts For Referrals
Though attorneys may hesitate to ask for referral recommendations to generate new business, research shows that people want to help others they know, like and trust, so consider who in your network you should approach and how to make the ask, says Rebecca Hnatowski at Edwards Advisory.
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Wave Of Final Rules Reflects Race Against CRA Deadline
The flurry of final rules now leaping off the Federal Register press — some of which will affect entire industries and millions of Americans — shows President Joe Biden's determination to protect his regulatory legacy from reversal by the next Congress, given the impending statutory look-back period under the Congressional Review Act, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.
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EPA Chemical Safety Rule Raises Questions About Authority
Stakeholders should consider the practical and economic costs of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recently finalized rule imposing novel board reporting regulations for certain chemical plants and refineries, which signals that the agency may seek a role in regulating corporate governance, say attorneys at Sidley.
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Series
Being An Equestrian Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Beyond getting experience thinking on my feet and tackling stressful situations, the skills I've gained from horseback riding have considerable overlap with the skills used to practice law, particularly in terms of team building, continuing education, and making an effort to reset and recharge, says Kerry Irwin at Moore & Van Allen.
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Teach Your Party Representative The Art Of Nonverbal Cues
As illustrated by recent reports about President Donald Trump’s nonverbal communication in court, jurors notice what’s happening at counsel table, which may color their perceptions of the case as a whole, so trial attorneys should teach party representatives to self-monitor their nonverbal behaviors, says Clint Townson at Townson Consulting.
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ECHR Climate Rulings Hint At Direction Of Future Cases
Three recent climate rulings from the European Court of Human Rights show the court's tendency toward a more formalistic, hands-off approach to procedural issues but a more hands-on approach to the application of the European Convention on Human Rights, setting the first guiding principles for key issues in EU climate cases, say Stefanie Spancken-Monz and Leane Meyer at Freshfields.
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Opinion
Cyber Regulators Should Rely On Existing Sources Cautiously
New incident reporting rules proposed by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency illustrate how the use of definitions, standards and approaches from existing sources can create a complex patchwork of regulations, demonstrating that it is essential for agencies to be clear about expectations and not create unnecessary confusion, says Megan Brown at Wiley.
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DOE Funding And Cargo Preference Compliance: Key Points
Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the U.S. Department of Energy will disburse more than $62 billion in financing for innovative energy projects — and recipients must understand their legal obligations related to cargo preference, so they can develop compliance strategies as close to project inception as possible, say attorneys at White & Case.
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4 Ways To Refresh Your Law Firm's Marketing Strategy
With many BigLaw firms relying on an increasingly obsolete marketing approach that prioritizes stiff professionalism over authentic connection, adopting a few key communications strategies to better connect with today's clients and prospects can make all the difference, say Eric Pacifici and Kevin Henderson at SMB Law.
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Cos. Must Prepare For Calif. Legislation That Would Ban PFAS
Pending California legislation that would ban the sale or distribution of new products containing intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances could affect thousands of businesses — and given the bill's expected passage, and its draconian enforcement regime, companies must act now to prepare for it, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.
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Opinion
Seafarer Detention Under Ship Pollution Law Must Have Limits
The U.S. Coast Guard should reinstate limits on the number of days that foreign crew members may be forced to remain in the country while the U.S. Department of Justice investigates alleged violations of shipping pollution laws, in order to balance legitimate enforcement interests and seafarer welfare, say attorneys at Blank Rome.
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10 Tips For ESG Disclosure Compliance In Private Funds
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
As regulators increase scrutiny of misleading claims about environmental, social and governance investments, private fund sponsors should consider several practical tips for communicating accurately with potential investors, drafting comprehensive disclosures and establishing internal policies that can keep pace with evolving compliance requirements, says Jonathan Rash at Ropes & Gray.
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Assigning Liability In Key Bridge Collapse May Be Challenging
In the wake of a cargo ship's collision with Baltimore's Key Bridge last month, claimants may focus on the vessel's owners and the agencies responsible for the design and maintenance of the bridge — but allocating legal liability to either private or governmental entities may be difficult under applicable state and federal laws, says Clay Robbins at Wisner Baum.