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Public Policy
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July 17, 2024
Chevron Repeal Doesn't Impact Benefits Rule Fight, DOL Says
The U.S. Supreme Court's rollback of Chevron deference doesn't boost the likelihood of success for a trade group's claims that a U.S. Department of Labor regulation unlawfully expanded the pool of retirement advisers with obligations under federal benefits law, the agency told a Texas federal judge Wednesday.
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July 17, 2024
Minn. Court Says VFW Property Subject To Lower Tax Rate
A group of properties used as a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Minnesota should be subject to a lower property tax classification because they weren't used for revenue-making purposes, the state's tax court ruled.
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July 17, 2024
FCC To Vote On New Emergency Code For Missing Persons
The Federal Communications Commission announced Tuesday that it plans to vote Aug. 7 on new rules for radio and TV broadcasters to add a code for missing adults to the emergency alert system.
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July 17, 2024
Boston Man Can't Escape Chinese Spy Charge
A Boston federal judge said the government does not have to show that a man accused of spying for China specifically sought to avoid registering as a foreign agent to prove that he violated or conspired to violate a law requiring him to do so.
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July 17, 2024
Death Threats Not Enough For 2nd Circ. To OK Asylum
The Second Circuit on Wednesday rejected an asylum application from a Nepali man who claimed to be fleeing political persecution from Maoist partisans, unconvinced that the threats against his life were serious enough.
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July 17, 2024
'Curious' CFPB Agenda Item Sparks Buzz Over Contract Rules
A mystery item tucked into the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's latest regulatory agenda is fueling speculation among attorneys that the agency may soon try to clamp down on some terms and conditions included in lenders' contractual agreements with consumer borrowers.
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July 17, 2024
Former Las Vegas Rep Charged In Charity Fraud Scheme
A former Las Vegas city councilwoman and current justice of the peace for Nye County, Nevada, has been charged with defrauding donors through a fake charity she set up to honor police officers killed on duty.
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July 17, 2024
Ex-Fed. Judge Likely Conflicted In 23 Cases, Say Prosecutors
Disgraced District of Alaska Judge Joshua Kindred presided over at least 23 criminal cases in which attorneys appearing before him may have had inappropriate relationships with the judge, according to an email sent by federal prosecutors and obtained Wednesday by Law360.
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July 17, 2024
Families Push To Revive Suits Over Harvard Body Part Thefts
Plaintiffs in a dozen lawsuits seeking to hold Harvard University liable after a former medical school morgue manager was charged with stealing and selling body parts have told a Massachusetts Appeals Court that a lower court judge got it wrong when he found that the school has legal immunity.
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July 17, 2024
After #MeToo, Report Suggests Judiciary Workplace Reforms
A report released on Wednesday makes 34 suggested reforms for the federal judiciary to better protect its approximately 30,000 employees, including clerks, building off changes made following the #MeToo movement.
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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 17, 2024
ADA Can't Shield Worker From Failed Drug Test, Co. Says
A chemical transportation company urged a South Carolina federal court to toss a former lift operator's lawsuit alleging he was fired for taking legal CBD because of cysts on his brain and spinal cord, arguing disability law doesn't protect workers from positive drug tests for THC.
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July 17, 2024
Massachusetts Governor Taps 5 For Superior Court Vacancies
A federal prosecutor, a criminal defense lawyer and a deputy chief in the Massachusetts attorney general's office are among five nominations to the state Superior Court announced Wednesday by Gov. Maura Healey.
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July 16, 2024
Smirnov Wants David Weiss DQ'd After Trump Docs Ruling
Former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov said Monday that a Florida federal judge's order disqualifying the special prosecutor in the Donald Trump classified documents case means special counsel David Weiss should also be disqualified from Smirnov's case, according to a motion filed in California federal court.
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July 16, 2024
3 Reasons Why 2nd Menendez Bribery Case Was The Charm
Nearly seven years after the government's first bribery case against longtime U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez collapsed in a hung jury, prosecutors avenged that loss Tuesday by sealing a conviction on a new round of corruption charges.
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July 16, 2024
Gilead Asks Calif. Supreme Court To Ax 'Disastrous' Decision
Gilead Sciences on Monday urged the California Supreme Court to overturn an appellate panel's decision that the company can't ditch claims it held back a safer HIV drug to maximize profits on an older medication, saying that holding manufacturers liable for non-defective products would "yield disastrous policy consequences."
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July 16, 2024
Trump Special Prosecutor Ruling Could Find Favor On Appeal
When U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the criminal case against former President Donald Trump in Florida over what she said was an unconstitutional appointment of a special prosecutor, she staked out a position that few other jurists have taken, but that could find support among some appellate judges, experts said.
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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
Banks Say 'Ambiguity' Hampers FDIC's Digital Signage Rules
Major banking trade groups have urged the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to clarify its new rule on how banks should display digital branding about deposit insurance to online customers, saying their compliance efforts have been hampered by "significant ambiguity" in the rule.
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July 16, 2024
SpaceX Loses Bid To Block Rival's Earth Station Renewals
The Federal Communications Commission denied SpaceX's request to reconsider the agency's renewal of licenses for three earth stations from satellite communications company DBSD Corp., saying in a new order that SpaceX showed little to support its claim that DBSD was using "obstructionist" tactics to interfere with SpaceX operations.
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July 16, 2024
Praying Coach's School Faces Skeptical Judge In Fee Fight
A Washington state appellate judge struggled Tuesday to follow a school district's argument that its insurer should cover a nearly $1.8 million legal bill for a praying football coach's U.S. Supreme Court win, pointing to a policy exclusion for certain adverse judgments.
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July 16, 2024
USPTO Provides Guidance On AI And Patent Eligibility
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday unveiled guidance for when inventions involving artificial intelligence are eligible for patents, saying the guidelines are aimed at "providing further clarity and consistency" on the issue.
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July 16, 2024
Ill. Judge Wants Expert Testimony Preview In Madigan Trial
An Illinois federal judge said Tuesday that he needs to hear more about potential testimony from certain Chicago politics experts and a proposal to research potential jurors before he decides whether either are appropriate for former state House speaker Michael Madigan's corruption trial.
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July 16, 2024
Feds Contest Texas DA's Immunity In Migrant Arrest Law Fight
Nonprofits challenging Texas' migrant arrest law have urged the Fifth Circuit to reject Texas District Attorney Bill Hicks' claim of immunity, saying his argument that the Fifth Circuit's ruling in a separate case over changes to the state's election code is meritless.
Expert Analysis
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Lower Courts May Finally Be Getting The Memo After Ciminelli
A year after the U.S. Supreme Court again limited prosecutors' overbroad theories of fraud in Ciminelli v. U.S., early returns suggest that the message has at least partially landed with the lower courts, spotlighting lessons for defense counsel moving forward, says Kenneth Notter at MoloLamken.
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After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1
The Eastern District of Virginia’s precipitous 2022 fall from its storied rocket docket status appears to have been a temporary aberration, as recent statistics reveal that the court is once again back on top as the fastest federal civil trial court in the nation, says Robert Tata at Hunton.
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Protecting Trade Secrets In US, EU Gov't Agency Submissions
Attorneys at Mintz compare U.S. and European Union trade secret laws, and how proprietary information in confidential submissions to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency is protected in the face of third-party information requests under government transparency laws.
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Big Banks Face Potential Broader Recovery Plan Rules
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's recent call for potentially subjecting more banks to recovery planning standards would represent a significant expansion of the scope of the recovery guidelines, and banks that would be affected should assess whether they’re prepared, say attorneys at Debevoise.
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New Laws, Regs Mean More Scrutiny Of Airline Carbon Claims
Recent climate disclosure laws and regulations in the U.S. and Europe mean that scrutiny of airlines' green claims will likely continue to intensify — so carriers must make sure their efforts to reduce carbon emissions through use of sustainable aviation fuel, hydrogen and carbon offsets measure up to their marketing, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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Recruitment Trends In Emerging Law Firm Frontiers
BigLaw firms are facing local recruitment challenges as they increasingly establish offices in cities outside of the major legal hubs, requiring them to weigh various strategies for attracting talent that present different risks and benefits, says Tom Hanlon at Buchanan Law.
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How Uyghur Forced Labor Law Affects Importing Companies
Amid a growing focus on forced labor in supply chains and a likely increase in enforcement under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, companies may face costly import delays unless they develop and implement compliance best practices, say Thad McBride and Lauren Gammer at Bass Berry.
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Series
Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.
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What Employers Need To Know About Colorado's New AI Law
The Colorado AI Act, enacted in May and intended to regulate the use of high-risk artificial intelligence systems to prevent algorithmic discrimination, is broad in scope and will apply to businesses using AI for certain employment purposes, imposing numerous compliance obligations and potential liability, say Laura Malugade and Owen Davis at Husch Blackwell.
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What DOL Fiduciary Rule Means For Private Fund Managers
Attorneys at Ropes & Gray discuss how the U.S. Department of Labor's recently released final fiduciary rule, which revises the agency's 1975 regulation, could potentially cause private fund managers' current marketing practices and communications to be considered fiduciary advice, and therefore subject them to strict prohibitions.
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Best Practices For Chemical Transparency In Supply Chains
A flurry of new and forthcoming regulations in different jurisdictions that require disclosure of potentially hazardous substances used in companies' products and processes will require businesses to take proactive steps to build chemical transparency into their supply chains, and engage robustly and systematically with vendors, says Jillian Stacy at Enhesa.
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What 11th Circ. Fearless Fund Ruling Means For DEI In Courts
The Eleventh Circuit's recent backing of a freeze on the Fearless Fund's grants to women of color building new companies marks the latest major development in litigation related to diversity, equity and inclusion and may be used to question other DEI programs targeted at providing opportunities to certain classes of individuals, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.
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Opinion
Paid Noncompetes Offer A Better Solution Than FTC's Ban
A better alternative to the Federal Trade Commission's recent and widely contested noncompete ban would be a nationwide bright-line rule requiring employers to pay employees during the noncompete period, says Steven Kayman at Rottenberg Lipman.
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Opinion
Flawed Fintiv Rule Should Be Deemed Overreach In Tech Suit
A pending federal lawsuit over the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's unilateral changes to key elements of the America Invents Act, Apple v. Vidal, could shift the balance of power between Congress and federal agencies, as it could justify future instances of unelected officials unilaterally changing laws, say Patrick Leahy and Bob Goodlatte.
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Unpacking The Latest Tranche Of Sanctions Targeting Russia
Hundreds of new U.S. sanctions and export-control measures targeting trade with Russia, issued last week in connection with the G7 summit, illustrate the fluidity of trade-focused restrictions and the need to constantly refresh compliance analyses, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.