Public Policy

  • March 12, 2025

    4th Circ. Won't Undo Health Data Access Order

    A Fourth Circuit panel issued a ruling Wednesday that affirmed a lower court's order requiring PointClickCare to allow Real Time Medical Systems to access patient data that it uses to provide nursing facilities with alerts for potential medical complications.

  • March 12, 2025

    Alaska Tribal Groups' Bid To Update Fish Harvesting Rule Fails

    A federal judge has said the National Marine Fisheries Service didn't violate the law by relying on 2004 and 2007 environmental impact statements to determine specifications for a final groundfish harvest rule for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, rejecting two Alaskan tribal organizations' bid to vacate the rule.

  • March 12, 2025

    Trump Admin Drops Biden Bid To Unfreeze ACA Trans Rule

    The Trump administration asked the Fifth Circuit on Wednesday to dismiss its appeal, filed in July by the Biden administration, of a Texas federal judge's decision to halt a rule protecting access to gender-affirming healthcare.

  • March 12, 2025

    Catholic Bishops Take Refugee Funding Fight To DC Circ.

    The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Wednesday appealed a federal judge's refusal to require the State Department to reinstate refugee resettlement funding, an issue the lower court determined belongs in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

  • March 12, 2025

    HUD Rejects NC City's DEI-Incorporating Disaster Relief Plan

    The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said it rejected a draft plan submitted by Asheville, North Carolina, outlining how the city would distribute $225 million in federal relief funds for hurricane recovery due to the plan's incorporation of "DEI criteria."

  • March 12, 2025

    House GOP Blocks Oversight Of DOGE Taxpayer Info Access

    House Ways and Means Committee Republicans rejected an attempt Wednesday by Democrats to force President Donald Trump's administration to hand over documents related to the Department of Government Efficiency's access to U.S. Treasury Department payment systems and confidential payment information.

  • March 12, 2025

    Live Nation Calls DOJ 'Delay Tactics' Claim 'Groundless'

    Live Nation Entertainment assailed the U.S. Department of Justice for claiming "out of the blue" that the company is slow-walking its discovery obligations in the government's New York federal court monopolization suit centered on the 2010 purchase of Ticketmaster.

  • March 12, 2025

    Justices Face Renewed Calls To Nix Mass. Wind Farm Permits

    Fishing industry groups have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to undo federal approvals of the Vineyard Wind project off the Massachusetts coast, less than two months after the justices declined to consider another legal challenge by project opponents.

  • March 12, 2025

    Senate Confirms Trump's Pick For DOL Deputy Leader

    The U.S. Senate on Wednesday in a party-line vote confirmed President Donald Trump's nominee for deputy labor secretary, the second-in-command of the U.S. Department of Labor.

  • March 12, 2025

    Texas Urges Court Not To Let DuPont Out Of PFAS Lawsuit

    Chemical companies DuPont and Corteva are leaning on a "fraudulent transfer scheme" in order to exit a lawsuit accusing them of making and selling forever chemicals despite knowing about their toxic nature, the state of Texas said Tuesday, urging a federal court not to give them the out.

  • March 12, 2025

    Canada Announces Steel, Aluminum Retaliatory Tariffs On US

    Canada will impose CA$29.8 billion ($20.7 billion) in retaliatory tariffs in response to the 25% rates that President Donald Trump has levied on all steel and aluminum imports, a senior Canadian government official announced on Wednesday.

  • March 12, 2025

    Final Google Fixes Keep Apple Payments, DOJ Tells DC Circ.

    The U.S. Department of Justice doubled down on its arguments against permitting Apple to intervene in the upcoming remedies phase of its Google search monopoly lawsuit, arguing that the newly submitted final version of its sought fixes show Apple would keep getting payments it wants protected.

  • March 12, 2025

    Judge Narrows Injunction In Florida Migrant Transport Case

    A Florida federal judge narrowed a statewide injunction blocking a state law that criminalizes the transportation of unauthorized immigrants, saying the injunction should apply only to the plaintiffs who have established standing in the case.

  • March 12, 2025

    Judge Blocks Order Limiting Perkins Coie Government Access

    A D.C. federal judge on Wednesday halted enforcement of the Trump administration's executive order against law firm Perkins Coie LLP that cited issues including its representation of Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential run, calling the order "viewpoint discrimination, plain and simple."

  • March 12, 2025

    Property Tax Can Fund Retired Cops' Insurance, Panel Says

    A Michigan state appeals court on Tuesday said property taxes imposed by four municipalities to cover the cost of health insurance for retired firefighters and police officers are not illegal, finding a law established before a constitutional amendment barring new taxes without a public vote allowed taxation for broad retirement benefits.

  • March 12, 2025

    White House Urged To Back Patent Eligibility Bill To Aid AI

    The Council for Innovation Promotion has urged the Trump administration to support a legislative overhaul of patent eligibility law and reconsider patent office guidance on the issue as the White House aims to ensure the U.S. plays a dominant role in artificial intelligence.

  • March 12, 2025

    Ex-Smartmatic Execs Seek FCPA Reprieve After Trump Order

    Two former executives of electronic-voting system developer Smartmatic asked a Florida federal judge on Wednesday to push back the schedule in their bribery case while the U.S. Department of Justice reviews pending Foreign Corrupt Practices Act cases.

  • March 12, 2025

    As Perkins Coie Fights Order, How Will Other Firms Respond?

    Perkins Coie LLP, represented by Williams & Connolly LLP, is challenging President Donald Trump's executive order revoking its security clearance and launching investigations into its diversity efforts. But other firms have remained silent, raising questions about the order's potential effects on how firms handle public policy litigation, publicly support their right to defend all clients and pursue hiring initiatives.

  • March 12, 2025

    Arizona Lawmakers Reintroduce $5B Tribal Water Rights Act

    A bipartisan group of Arizona federal lawmakers reintroduced a bill to finalize a $5.1 billion water rights settlement for three Indigenous tribes in the Colorado River Basin that, if approved, will resolve one of the Grand Canyon State's longest-running water disputes.

  • March 12, 2025

    HHS To Eliminate 6 Regional Offices For Legal Staff

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday it will close six out of 10 regional offices where attorneys for the agency work.

  • March 12, 2025

    Harvard Docs Say Gov't Censored Articles With Gender Terms

    A pair of Harvard Medical School researchers sued the Trump administration in Massachusetts federal court on Wednesday, claiming their work was erased from a government-run patient safety website because their articles contained terms like "LGBTQ" and "transgender."

  • March 12, 2025

    UK Enforcers Double Down On Apple Mobile Browser Worries

    A new report from British competition enforcers claims that Apple and Google's dominance in mobile operating systems and browsers limits competition and innovation in the United Kingdom, while encouraging regulators to consider imposing pro-competition requirements on the tech giants.

  • March 12, 2025

    Catholic Charity Group Says Frozen Refugee Funds Abnormal

    Catholic Charities Fort Worth argued before a D.C. federal judge on Wednesday that a purported pause on federal funding for refugee resettlement programs is abnormal and illegal, urging the court to unlock more than $36 million intended for resettling refugees in Texas.

  • March 12, 2025

    ND Lawmakers OK Recommending Tribal Land Taxation Study

    North Dakota would direct state lawmakers to consider studying issues related to the taxation of land owned by enrolled tribal members who reside on Native American reservations under a bill passed by the state Legislative Assembly and headed to the governor.

  • March 12, 2025

    NY Judge Tees Up Bail, Venue Fights For Columbia Activist

    A Manhattan federal judge on Wednesday ordered expedited briefing on whether a Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student who was arrested on Saturday should be granted bail pending his release petition, and on where the case belongs, saying there's "some need for speed here."

Expert Analysis

  • High Court Sentencing Case Presents Legal Fork In The Road

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    On Feb. 25, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in Esteras v. U.S. about the factors trial courts may consider when imposing a sentence of imprisonment after revoking supervised release, and the justices’ eventual decision may prioritize either discretion or originalism, says Michael Freedman at The Freedman Firm.

  • 5 Major Crypto Developments From The Trump Admin So Far

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    The early weeks of the Trump administration have set the stage for a significant transformation in U.S. digital asset policy by prioritizing regulatory clarity, innovation and a shift away from enforcement-heavy tactics, but many of these changes will require congressional support and progress may be gradual, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

  • Compliance Pointers For DOJ's Sweeping Data Security Rule

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    A new Justice Department rule broadly restricts many common data transactions with the goal of preventing access by countries of concern, and with an effective date of April 8, U.S. companies must quickly assess practices related to employee, customer and vendor data, says Sam Castic at Hintze Law.

  • Opinion

    Admin Change May Help Reduce PTAB Invalidation Rates

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    It is not good for the U.S. patent system that the Patent Trial and Appeal Board finds all challenged claims to be unpatentable 70% of the time — but new leadership at the Commerce Department and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office may foster pro-patent policies and provide some relief, says Stephen Schreiner at Carmichael IP.

  • What To Expect From The New FCC Chair

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    As a vocal critic of the Federal Communications Commission's recent priorities, newly appointed chair Brendan Carr has described a vision for the agency that would bring significant changes to telecommunication regulation and Telephone Consumer Protection Act enforcement in the U.S., say attorneys at BCLP.

  • Navigating The Trump Enviro Rollback And Its Consequences

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    The Trump administration's rapid push for environmental deregulation will lead to both opportunities and challenges, requiring companies to adopt strategic approaches to a complex, unpredictable legal environment in which federal rollbacks are countered by increased enforcement by states, and risks of citizen litigation may be heightened, say attorneys at Beveridge & Diamond.

  • Comparing 2 Pending Bills To Regulate Stablecoins

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    Alexandra Steinberg Barrage at Troutman analyzes the key similarities and differences between two payment stablecoin proposals currently pending in Congress — the STABLE and GENIUS acts — as both chambers are forming a working group to deliver a clear regulatory framework for digital assets and bipartisan agreement appears within reach.

  • Citibank Wire Transfer Ruling Creates New Liability For Banks

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    A New York federal court's recent decision in New York v. Citibank, affirming the Electronic Fund Transfer Act's consumer protections cover wire transfers allegedly initiated by scammers who infiltrated Citibank customers' online accounts, creates new liability for sending financial institutions and upends decades-old regulatory guidance, say attorneys at Stinson.

  • Series

    Competitive Weightlifting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    The parallels between the core principles required for competitive weightlifting and practicing law have helped me to excel in both endeavors, with each holding important lessons about discipline, dedication, drive and failure, says Damien Bielli at VF Law.

  • Axed ALJ Removal Protections Mark Big Shift For NLRB

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    A D.C. federal court's recent decision in VHS Acquisition Subsidiary No. 7 v. National Labor Relations Board removed long-standing tenure protections for administrative law judges by finding they must be removable at will by the NLRB, marking a significant shift in the agency's ability to prosecute and adjudicate cases, say attorneys at Proskauer.

  • 3 Potential Developments That May Alter US Patent Rights

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    The Federal Circuit's upcoming decision in EcoFactor v. Google, pending legislation before Congress and the appointment of a new U.S Patent and Trademark Office director all have significant potential to strengthen or weaken patent rights, say attorneys at McKool Smith.

  • Year Of The Snake Will Shake Up RE And Mortgage Finance

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    The year ahead may bring profound transformation and opportunities for growth in the real estate and mortgage finance sectors, with significant issues including policy battles and questions surrounding the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, says Marty Green at Polunsky Beitel.

  • 8 Ways Cos. Can Prep For Termination Of Their Enviro Grants

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    The federal government appears to be reviewing energy- and infrastructure-related grants and potentially terminating grants inconsistent with the Trump administration's stated policy goals, and attorneys at DLA Piper provide eight steps that recipients of grants should consider taking in the interim.

  • The Syria Sanctions Dilemma Facing Trump Administration

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    Parties looking to engage in transactions involving Syria will be watching the expiration of General License 24 in July, when the Trump administration will need to decide whether to make significant changes to the Syrian sanctions program and reconsider the de facto government's status as a foreign terrorist organization, says Charlie Lyons at Ferrari & Associates.

  • Inside The Uncertainty Surrounding CFPB's Overdraft Rule

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    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's overhaul of overdraft fee regulation hangs in limbo as the industry watches to see whether new leadership will repeal the rule, allow it to stay in place, or wait for congressional action or the courts to drive its demise, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

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