Public Policy

  • August 19, 2024

    Judge Urges Throwing Out DOJ's 'Simple' Race Bias Suit

    A federal judge recommended dismissing a U.S. Department of Justice suit accusing a Georgia county of firing two Black workers who complained about a slur from a white colleague, faulting the DOJ for trying to "overcomplicate" the case.

  • August 19, 2024

    DC Council Member Charged With Bribery

    Federal prosecutors are accusing a Washington, D.C., councilmember of accepting more than $150,000 in bribes and kickbacks in exchange for pressuring government employees to extend city contracts, according to a complaint unsealed Monday in D.C. federal court.

  • August 19, 2024

    Calif. Lawmakers Decline To Advance Hemp THC Law

    A California bill that would have imposed new THC limits on hemp consumables is unlikely to become law this year, after lawmakers declined to move it out of committee.

  • August 19, 2024

    DQ'd Judge Should Have Kept Quiet, Tax Challengers Say

    A Michigan federal judge who disqualified himself from homeowners' challenge to a $217 million dam repair tax assessment put his "thumb on the scale of justice" by improperly commenting on legal questions as he bowed out, according to homeowners seeking to have the comments rescinded.

  • August 19, 2024

    Ex-NJ County Exec Loses Bid To DQ Firm In Retaliation Suit

    A former Cumberland County, New Jersey, health official claiming his firing was political retaliation cannot disqualify the county's counsel in his lawsuit, Testa Heck Testa & White PA, over interactions he had with two firm attorneys around the time of his firing, a state court judge ruled Friday.

  • August 19, 2024

    Crypto Co. Consensys Says Texas Is Right For SEC Fight

    Crypto software firm Consensys Software Inc. told a Texas federal judge that it beat the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to court when it filed a suit seeking a judgment that its MetaMask software does not offend securities laws, and the regulator cannot now "change the playing field" to New York with its later enforcement suit.

  • August 19, 2024

    Santos Admits Fraud: 'Betrayed The Trust Of My Constituents'

    Former U.S. Rep. George Santos pled guilty in New York federal court Monday to juicing his election fundraising reports with fake donations to qualify for Republican Party support, charges that carry a minimum of two years in prison.

  • August 19, 2024

    Hogan Boosts DC Energy, IP Teams With A&O Shearman Atty

    Hogan Lovells has hired a new global regulatory and intellectual property practice partner, who is joining the firm in Washington, D.C., after a little more than two and half years with Allen Overy Shearman Sterling, Hogan Lovells announced Monday.

  • August 19, 2024

    Voters Fight DeSantis Bid To Toss Prosecutor Suspension Suit

    Florida voters and a partisan advocacy group have pushed back against Gov. Ron DeSantis' argument that voters have no right to see an elected official serve an entire term in a suit over the suspension of Florida prosecutor Monique Worrell, saying it doesn't matter when interference in an election occurs because the effect on the voters is the same.

  • August 19, 2024

    GOP Rep. Fostered Homophobic Workplace, Ex-Staffer Says

    A former congressional staffer slapped a Republican lawmaker from Texas with a federal lawsuit claiming he was bullied, denied training opportunities and ultimately forced to quit because he is gay.

  • August 19, 2024

    H&R Block's Case On In-House Judges' Role Is Paused

    A Missouri federal judge who refused to halt Federal Trade Commission proceedings accusing H&R Block of deceptive advertising agreed to pause, while the company appeals her refusal, a district court case in which the company has argued that administrative judges should be booted from the proceedings.

  • August 19, 2024

    FTC Says Albertsons Execs Deleted Texts About Merger

    The Federal Trade Commission accused executives from Albertsons of deleting text messages about the supermarket chain's planned megamerger with Kroger, saying the messages likely contained valuable internal views about the effects of the $25 billion deal.

  • August 19, 2024

    Trump's Immunity Appeal May Delay Sentencing, DA Says

    Prosecutors will not oppose Donald Trump's request to delay sentencing in his New York hush money case, currently set for next month, while he seeks to dismiss his conviction in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's presidential immunity ruling, agreeing that an immediate appeal may upend the proceedings anyway.

  • August 19, 2024

    Groups Lack Standing To Challenge Asylum Rule, Texas Says

    The state of Texas asked a D.C. federal judge to grant it and the federal government victory in a suit brought by two immigrants' rights organizations challenging a rule from President Joe Biden's administration limiting asylum in the U.S.

  • August 19, 2024

    HUD Joins 6-Year Strategy To Beat Extreme Heat

    The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said it's partnering with two dozen federal agencies for an initiative focused on implementing solutions for extreme heat dangers in communities.

  • August 19, 2024

    Israel Boycott Question Withdrawn From Pittsburgh Ballots

    A proposed ballot question that would have required the City of Pittsburgh to stop doing business with or granting tax credits to entities associated with Israel during its war in Gaza will be withdrawn for lack of enough valid signatures, the parties agreed Monday — leaving unanswered whether such measures are preempted by state law.

  • August 17, 2024

    George Santos To Plead Guilty Before Campaign Fraud Trial

    Former U.S. Rep. George Santos has agreed to plead guilty to multiple criminal charges just weeks before his scheduled campaign finance fraud trial in New York federal court, Law360 learned Saturday.

  • August 16, 2024

    Justices Reject Biden Bid To Reinstate Gender Identity Rule

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday refused for now to lift lower court orders blocking the U.S. Department of Education from enforcing its new interpretation of Title IX intended to protect LGBTQ+ students from discrimination based on gender identity, handing a win to several Republican-led state challengers.

  • August 16, 2024

    9th Circ. Throws Alaska Fishers A Lifeline In Orca Food Case

    Alaskan salmon fishers got the green light to continue their hunts as the Ninth Circuit on Friday said a Washington federal judge "glossed over" severe economic consequences in holding that the fishing illegally reduced a food source for endangered orcas in Washington state.

  • August 16, 2024

    CFPB Signals Patience As BNPL Firms Navigate New Policy

    Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra on Friday pledged enforcement forbearance for buy-now, pay-later firms that are working "in good faith" to comply with recent guidance holding them to certain credit card rules, saying industry efforts so far have been encouraging.

  • August 16, 2024

    SEC Climate Rules Backed By Wave Of Amici At 8th Circ.

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has received a wave of support for its recently adopted climate disclosure rules from various consumer advocacy, environmental, investor and academic groups, which told the Eighth Circuit the measures are necessary and within the agency's authority.

  • August 16, 2024

    Discrimination Claim Row Becomes Party-Line FTC Slugfest

    Federal Trade Commission Republicans used partial dissents Friday from the settlement of an agency junk fees enforcement action they otherwise supported to air a string of grievances with the FTC's Democratic majority and its "ongoing effort to unilaterally expand its own authority."

  • August 16, 2024

    Florida Unlikely To Act Quickly On Condo Law Cost Concerns

    Florida lawmakers appear unlikely to take preemptive action to modify condominium safety laws enacted after the deadly 2021 building collapse in the town of Surfside, despite concerns that approaching year-end deadlines for mandated structural inspections and reserve studies will lead to overwhelming financial burdens for many residents.

  • August 16, 2024

    Feds Get Boost From Dem Reps In 5th Circ. PWFA Fight

    The federal government's Fifth Circuit challenge to a court order blocking it from enforcing a law to protect pregnant workers in Texas got support on Friday from four Democratic lawmakers who argued the lower court ruling, if upheld, would undercut Congress' authority to set its own rules of operation.

  • August 16, 2024

    Chinese Router Maker Must Be Looked Into, Reps. Say

    A House committee that weighs potential dangers posed by the Chinese Communist Party is raising the alarm about the routers sold by a Chinese-owned company, saying the panel believes the devices could pose a risk to national security.

Expert Analysis

  • Analyzing FDA Draft Guidance On Clinical Trial Diversity

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    In light of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's draft guidance on clinical trial diversity action plans, there are several important considerations for sponsors and clinical researchers to keep in mind to prevent delay in a drug or device application, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • Justices' Criminal Law Decisions: The Term In Review

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    Each of the 11 criminal decisions issued in the U.S. Supreme Court’s recently concluded term is independently important, but taken together, they reveal trends in the court’s broader approach to criminal law, presenting both pitfalls and opportunities for defendants and their counsel, says Kenneth Notter at MoloLamken.

  • What's New In The AI Healthcare Regulatory Space

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    Attorneys at Hogan Lovells review the current legal and regulatory landscape for artificial intelligence applications in healthcare, touching on policies around safety, transparency, nondiscrimination and reimbursement, and what to expect in the future.

  • Biden Policy Gives Employers New Ways To Help Dreamers

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    A new Biden administration immigration policy makes the process more predictable for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients to seek employment visas, and, given uncertainties surrounding DACA’s future, employers should immediately determine which of their employees may be eligible, says Jennifer Kim at Moore & Van Allen.

  • 25 Years Of OECD's Anti-Bribery Convention

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    Marking its 25th anniversary this year, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's anti-bribery convention has advanced legislative reforms and reshaped corporate conduct in dozens of countries amid the persistent challenges of uneven enforcement and political pressure, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Despite Calif. Delays, Climate Disclosure Rules Are Coming

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    Progress continues on state, federal and international climate disclosure regimes, making compliance a key concern for companies — but the timeline for implementation of California's disclosure laws remains unclear due to funding and timing disputes, says David Smith at Manatt Phelps.

  • Series

    After Chevron: Bid Protest Litigation Will Hold Steady For Now

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    Though the substantive holding of Loper Bright is unlikely to affect bid protests because questions of statutory interpretation are rare, the spirit of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision may signal a general trend away from agency deference even on the complex technical issues that often arise, say Kayleigh Scalzo and Andrew Guy at Covington.

  • Challenging Prosecutors' Use Of Defendants' Jail Phone Calls

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    Although it’s an uphill battle under current case law, counsel for pretrial detainees may be able to challenge prosecutors’ use of jail-recorded phone calls between the defendant and their attorney by taking certain advance measures, say Jim McLoughlin and Fielding Huseth at Moore & Van Allen.

  • 1 Year At The UPC: Implications For Transatlantic Disputes

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    In its first year, the Unified Patent Court has issued important decisions on procedures like provisional measures, but complexities remain when it comes to coordinating proceedings across jurisdictions like the U.S. due to differences in timelines and discovery practices, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • Opinion

    H-2 Visas Offer Humane, Economic Solution To Border Crisis

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    Congress should leverage the H-2 agricultural and temporary worker visa programs to match qualified migrants with employers facing shortages of workers — a nonpolitical solution to a highly divisive humanitarian issue, say Ashley Dees and Jeffrey Joseph at BAL.

  • PAGA Reforms Encourage Proactive Employer Compliance

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    Recently enacted reforms to California's Private Attorneys General Act should make litigation under the law less burdensome for employers, presenting a valuable opportunity to streamline compliance and reduce litigation risks by proactively addressing many of the issues that have historically attracted PAGA claims, say attorneys at Mintz.

  • Opinion

    Now More Than Ever, Lawyers Must Exhibit Professionalism

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    As society becomes increasingly fractured and workplace incivility is on the rise, attorneys must champion professionalism and lead by example, demonstrating how lawyers can respectfully disagree without being disagreeable, says Edward Casmere at Norton Rose.

  • Series

    After Chevron: Piercing FEMA Authority Is Not Insurmountable

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    While the Federal Emergency Management Agency's discretionary authority continues to provide significant protection from claims under the Administrative Procedure Act, Loper Bright is a blow to the argument that Congress gave FEMA unfettered discretion to administer its own programs, says Wendy Huff Ellard at Baker Donelson.

  • What Happens After Hawaii Kids' Historic Climate Deal

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    Implications of the Hawaii Department of Transportation's first-of-its-kind settlement with youth plaintiffs over constitutional climate claims may be limited, but it could incite similar claims, says J. Michael Showalter and Robert Middleton at ArentFox Schiff.

  • How Tech Trackers May Implicate HIPAA After Hospital Ruling

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    A recent Texas federal court order in American Hospital Association v. Becerra adds a legal protection on key data, clarifying when tracking technologies implicate the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, so organizations should ensure all technology used is known and accounted for, say John Howard and Myriah Jaworski at Clark Hill.

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