Public Policy

  • March 20, 2025

    Senate Panel To Weigh NTIA Nom Next Week

    A U.S. Senate panel next week will consider President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Commerce branch that oversees federal spectrum policy.

  • March 20, 2025

    9th Circ. Won't Renew Consumers' Amazon 'Buy Box' Suit

    A Ninth Circuit panel has declined to revive a consumer antitrust suit against Amazon, ruling on Thursday the plaintiffs have failed to show they were injured by the e-commerce company's practices incentivizing third-party sellers to use its logistics services with the "Buy Box" feature.

  • March 20, 2025

    Feds Ask High Court To Nix Mich. Tribal Land Trust Row

    A Michigan tribe's analysis of a law governing the state's Indigenous land claims would allow it to purchase property anywhere and then compel the U.S. to take it into trust for its benefit, the Interior Department has told the Supreme Court, arguing the interpretation would render a bizarre result.

  • March 20, 2025

    Colo. Court Says No Corp. Damages Cap In Some Death Suits

    A Colorado Court of Appeals panel on Thursday held that there is no cap on damages for corporations facing wrongful death lawsuits for "felonious killings," sending a case back to a trial court to consider how much of a $15 million verdict Xcel Energy should pay.

  • March 20, 2025

    DHS Says There's No Evidence Parole Is Being Categorically Denied

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security urged a D.C. federal judge on Thursday to reject asylum-seekers' attempt to renegotiate an agreement to release them from detention on a case-by-case basis, saying they've offered no evidence that parole is being categorically denied.

  • March 20, 2025

    IRS SALT Cap Workaround Rule Unlawful, 2nd Circ. Told

    The Internal Revenue Service unlawfully created a rule prohibiting workarounds to the federal cap on state and local tax deductions, a New Jersey deputy attorney general told a Second Circuit panel Thursday, asking the appellate judges to overturn a lower court ruling that upheld the rule.

  • March 20, 2025

    CFPB Union Narrows Injunction Bid In Shutdown Suit

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would be barred from idling its workforce under a narrowed injunction bid filed Wednesday in Washington, D.C., federal court, where the agency's employee union is squaring off with the Trump administration.

  • March 20, 2025

    Ill. Justices End Cities' Dispute Over Cooper's Hawk Sales Tax

    The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a suit brought by an Illinois village against a neighboring city that allegedly pocketed over $1 million in sales tax revenue owed to the village, saying the Illinois Department of Revenue has exclusive jurisdiction over such disputes between municipalities and an intermediate appellate panel wrongly revived the case.

  • March 20, 2025

    FCC Eases Regs To Hasten Switch From Copper Lines

    The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday waived several longstanding rules in an effort to clear what FCC Chair Brendan Carr characterized as "red tape" delaying telecoms from putting legacy copper lines out to pasture.

  • March 20, 2025

    Conn. AG Sues Builder, Companies For State Park Clear-Cut

    A real estate builder and two of his companies have illegally clear-cut multiple acres of Connecticut state park land, installed fixtures including a basketball court and a guesthouse without permission and blocked public access to the area, according to an enforcement action brought by the state attorney general's office.

  • March 20, 2025

    Judge Denies CFPB's Bid To Pause Experian Dispute Case

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can't pause its dispute-handling claims against credit reporting giant Experian to give the agency's new acting director time to review the case, a California federal judge said.

  • March 20, 2025

    NC Statehouse Catch-Up: Helene, Crypto, Curbing The AG

    Hurricane Helene is still center stage in the North Carolina General Assembly nearly six months after it tore through a large swath of the state, with the governor signing off on the latest round of funding as one lawmaker seeks to carve out cash to rebuild a destroyed courthouse.

  • March 20, 2025

    Animal, Community Groups Can't Foil Iowa 'Ag-Gag' Law

    An Iowa federal judge has tossed animal rights and community advocacy groups' First Amendment challenge to the state's "ag-gag" law that's designed to thwart undercover investigations of animal treatment.

  • March 20, 2025

    7th Circ. Backs Chicago Rail In Canine Officer's ADA Suit

    The Seventh Circuit said Thursday it won't revive a Chicago rail officer's suit claiming he was removed from his canine handler role after testing positive for drugs he had been prescribed, faulting him for failing to respond to the agency's requests to clarify the results.

  • March 20, 2025

    Frost Brown Adds Former Houston City Atty To Finance Team

    Frost Brown Todd LLP announced that it has hired an attorney from the ranks of Houston's city government to strengthen its public finance group, adding his expertise in state and local government operations, taxation and economic development.

  • March 20, 2025

    Former Ore. Doctor's Deduction For Insurance Premiums OK'd

    A former Oregon doctor's payments of $2.5 million to a captive insurer are deductible from his state taxable income, the Oregon Tax Court ruled, saying an agreement the taxpayer reached with the Internal Revenue Service did not bar the deductions.

  • March 20, 2025

    7th Circ. Chief Judge Diane Sykes To Take Senior Status

    Chief U.S. Circuit Judge Diane Sykes of the Seventh Circuit will take semiretired status on Oct. 1.

  • March 20, 2025

    Hawley To Introduce Bill To Restrict Nationwide Injunctions

    Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced on Thursday he would be introducing legislation to prevent district court judges from issuing nationwide injunctions.

  • March 20, 2025

    Robinson Bradshaw Adds Ex-FBI Deputy Chief Of Staff

    Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson PA has hired a former FBI deputy chief of staff, whose new role will focus on representing clients in complex internal investigations similar to those he led in a previous position at the Justice Department, the firm announced.

  • March 19, 2025

    Judge Tells DOJ To Alert All Agencies Of Perkins Coie Ruling

    A Washington, D.C., federal judge Wednesday directed the Trump administration to tell all federal agencies to rescind requests for disclosures about government and contractor relationships with Perkins Coie LLP, following an order last week blocking enforcement of the president's executive order against the Seattle-based law firm.

  • March 19, 2025

    Lenders Rally For CDFI Fund After Trump Orders Cuts

    A broad coalition of lender trade groups is lobbying in support of a key federal program aimed at boosting Main Street investment, defending it to lawmakers after President Donald Trump ordered the program slashed as much as possible.

  • March 19, 2025

    All GOP FTC Tamps Down Dissent, Ratchets Up Legal Fights

    Dissenting voices may become an endangered prospect at the Federal Trade Commission after President Donald Trump fired the agency's two Democrats on Tuesday, with no sign of plans to name new members.

  • March 19, 2025

    California Rancheria Can Comment On Casino Land Dispute

    A D.C. federal judge has let the Redding Rancheria file a friend of the court brief in two tribes' challenge to the U.S. government's decision to take 221 acres into trust for the rancheria's casino project, ruling it has a special interest in the litigation.

  • March 19, 2025

    Abortion Case May Be Just The Start For Empowered Paxton

    Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's announcement of the first criminal charges under the state's abortion ban comes amid a political shift in which lawmakers are increasingly willing to empower the state's top legal office, potentially setting up a court battle over how much clout the AG should wield.

  • March 19, 2025

    Fired FTC Dem Warns Of Billionaire Influence On Trump

    A Democrat who was terminated by President Donald Trump from the Federal Trade Commission said Wednesday that the public should be concerned about "which billionaire has the president's ear" when the next "mega-merger" is proposed, in remarks to a Colorado legislative committee the day after his firing.

Expert Analysis

  • 4 Keys To Litigating In An Active Regulatory Environment

    Author Photo

    For companies facing litigation influenced by government regulatory action — a recent trend that a politically charged atmosphere will exacerbate — there are a few principles that can help to align litigation strategy with broader public positioning in the regulatory and oversight context, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • Perspectives

    How High Court May Rule In First Step Act Resentencing Case

    Author Photo

    U.S. Supreme Court justices grappled with verb tenses and statutory intent in recent oral arguments in Hewitt v. U.S., a case involving an anomalous resentencing issue under the First Step Act, and though they may hold that the statute is unambiguous, they could also decide the case on narrow, practical grounds, say attorneys at Bracewell.

  • Series

    Documentary Filmmaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Becoming a documentary filmmaker has allowed me to merge my legal expertise with my passion for storytelling, and has helped me to hone negotiation, critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are important to both endeavors, says Robert Darwell at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Litigation Funding Disclosure Debate: Strategy Considerations

    Author Photo

    In the ongoing debate over whether courts should require disclosure of litigation funding, funders and plaintiffs tend to argue against such mandates, but voluntarily disclosing limited details about a funding arrangement can actually confer certain benefits to plaintiffs in some scenarios, say Andrew Stulce and Marc Cavan at Longford Capital.

  • Illuminating The Trend Of Florida's Unpaid Hurricane Claims

    Author Photo

    The sheer number of insurance claims closed without payment for damage caused by Hurricanes Milton and Helene reveals a systemic problem within Florida's insurance industry exacerbated by complex issues, including climate change and state regulators' resource limitations, say attorneys at Farah & Farah.

  • 2025 May Be A Breakout Year For The Cannabis Industry

    Author Photo

    The cannabis industry faced a slow and frustrating 2024, but consumer trends continue to shift in favor of cannabis, and the new administration may provide the catalyst that the industry needs, says Lynn Gefen at TerrAscend.

  • Mass. Law Shows Patchwork Money Transfer Rules Persist

    Author Photo

    Though Massachusetts' recently passed law governing domestic money transfers means 26 states now have a version of the Model Money Transmission Modernization Act on the books, the national framework remains a patchwork that will continue to force industry players to pay sharp attention to state variations, say attorneys at Manatt.

  • Opinion

    Firing Of Jack Smith's Team Is A Threat To Rule Of Law

    Author Photo

    The acting attorney general’s justifications for firing prosecutors who worked on the criminal cases against President Donald Trump rest on a mischaracterization of legal norms, and this likely illegal move augurs poorly for the rule of law, say Bruce Green at Fordham University and Rebecca Roiphe at New York Law School.

  • FDA's Red No. 3 Ban Reshapes Food Safety Legal Landscape

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recent ban on Red No. 3 represents more than the end of a controversial dye — it signals a shift in regulatory priorities, consumer expectations, intellectual property strategy, compliance considerations and litigation risk, says Dino Haloulos at Foley Mansfield.

  • Top Considerations For Insurance Companies In 2025

    Author Photo

    As insurance industry participants look to plan for the year, regulatory changes, climate-related challenges, the ongoing effects of social inflation and the potential for significant mergers and acquisitions will be among the key items for insurer boards and management to have on their radar, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Scope And Nature Of Judicial Relief Will Affect Loper's Impact

    Author Photo

    The practical result of post-Loper Bright rulings against regulatory actions will depend on the relief courts grant — and there has been controversy in these types of cases over whether the ruling is applied just to the parties or nationwide, and whether the action can be left in place while it's corrected, says Steven Gordon at Holland & Knight.

  • Trump's Day 1 Orders Augur Disruptions In Travel To US

    Author Photo

    While the orders President Donald Trump issued his first day in office didn't impose immediate entry bans as some speculated, they authorized greatly increased scrutiny of foreign nationals at U.S. consulates and ports of entry, and laid the groundwork for future actions that could significantly disrupt international travel, says Jennifer Kim at Moore & Van Allen.

  • The Implications Of E-Cigarette Cos. Taking Suits To 5th Circ.

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in U.S. Food and Drug Administration v. R.J. Reynolds over the definition of an "adversely affected" person under the Tobacco Control Act, and the justices' ruling will have important and potentially wide-ranging implications for forum shopping claims, says Trillium Chang at Zuckerman Spaeder.

  • Del. Dispatch: Lessons From Failed Albertsons-Kroger Merger

    Author Photo

    The allegations in Albertsons' lawsuit against Kroger following the grocery stores' blocked merger demonstrate how a target company can best ensure that a buyer timely and effectively complies with its obligations to pursue the necessary regulatory approvals for a deal, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

  • Series

    Adventure Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Photographing nature everywhere from Siberia to Cuba and Iceland to Rwanda provides me with a constant reminder to refresh, refocus and rethink the legal issues that my clients face, says Richard Birmingham at Davis Wright.

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 Public Policy 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!