Public Policy

  • March 04, 2025

    Justices Doubt Mexico Can Pin Cartel Deaths On US Gun Cos.

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared highly skeptical of a suit by the Mexican government that seeks to hold Smith & Wesson and other American gunmakers liable for cartel violence, with justices from both sides of the ideological spectrum suggesting that the claims are too speculative.

  • March 04, 2025

    Court Can't Review Nix Of Venezuela Protected Status, DHS Says

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security told a California federal court it lacks authority to review a recent decision to scrap existing deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, and urged the court to reject a push to have it put on hold.

  • March 04, 2025

    New Crowell & Moring Group To Advise On Gov't Procurement

    Crowell & Moring LLP has launched a new governmental consulting group to provide companies with guidance on how to obtain and carry out federal procurements, the firm announced Tuesday.

  • March 04, 2025

    Ore. House OKs Extending Medical Provider Taxes

    Oregon would extend the sunset on medical provider and insurance assessments, worth more than $5 billion over four years and used to help fund state healthcare programs, under legislation approved by the state House of Representatives.

  • March 04, 2025

    USCIS Plans To Ask Noncitizens For Social Media Handles

    U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Tuesday that it plans to examine social media accounts of anyone trying to enter the country, as well as noncitizens applying for immigration benefits.

  • March 04, 2025

    CFPB Drops Zelle Fraud Prevention Suit Against Big Banks

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Tuesday abandoned its lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase and other major banks over digital payment fraud on Zelle, the latest Biden-era enforcement action to be dropped by the agency's Trump-appointed interim leadership.

  • March 04, 2025

    High Court Says EPA Went Too Far With SF Water Permit

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday sided with San Francisco in its attempt to escape the terms of a federal sewer and wastewater system permit that the city challenged as too vague and difficult to comply with.

  • March 03, 2025

    USAID Leader Details Toll On 'Critical' Aid Under Trump

    The U.S. Agency for International Development has been "wholly prevented" from delivering "critical" lifesaving services around the world, and that will lead to preventable death, destabilization and threats to national security "on a massive scale," according to memos from an agency leader made public Monday.

  • March 03, 2025

    DC Judge Calls For CFPB Official To Testify In Shutdown Suit

    A Washington, D.C., federal judge on Monday signaled skepticism of Trump administration claims that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau isn't going away, summoning a senior agency official to testify next week as she weighs a possible preliminary injunction.

  • March 03, 2025

    Calif. Jury Struggling To Reach Verdict In Judge's Murder Trial

    The murder trial of Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson took a dramatic turn on the fourth day of jury deliberations when jurors indicated they were at an impasse on whether Judge Ferguson is guilty of second-degree murder for shooting his wife to death in August 2023.

  • March 03, 2025

    TikTok And Reddit Face UK Probes Over Kids' Data Handling

    Britain's data protection watchdog on Monday stepped up its efforts to ensure that children are being protected online, launching investigations into how popular digital platforms TikTok, Reddit and Imgur gather and use minors' personal information.

  • March 03, 2025

    Ultragenyx Loses Bid To Toss Suit Over Henrietta Lacks' Cells

    A Maryland federal judge on Monday refused to toss a lawsuit lodged by the family of the late Henrietta Lacks against biotechnology company Ultragenyx for allegedly profiting off her stolen "immortal" cells, saying proof Ultragenyx engaged in intrastate business in Maryland would thwart its contention the lawsuit was filed too late.

  • March 03, 2025

    Colo. Judge Vacates Fed Orders Allowing Wild Horse Removal

    A Colorado federal judge vacated two U.S. Bureau of Land Management orders removing wild horses and donkeys from public lands Monday, finding they violate not only administrative and environmental laws, but a law governing protected populations of wild horses.

  • March 03, 2025

    Trump Admin Defends MSPB Chair's Ouster As Constitutional

    President Donald Trump and other administration officials pursued their argument that the U.S. Supreme Court's Humphrey's Executor ruling doesn't apply to the Merit Systems Protection Board, telling a D.C. federal judge that the removal of the agency's chair was lawful.

  • March 03, 2025

    ICE Contractor Loses Immunity Bid In Family Separation Suit

    A California federal judge Monday largely denied a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement contractor's attempt to escape litigation that a father and son brought against the transportation company for its role in a policy that separated them and thousands of other immigrant families during the first Trump administration.

  • March 03, 2025

    Trump Deportees Sue Panama To Stop Refoulement To Iran

    A group of asylum-seekers deported from the U.S. lodged a complaint at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, asking the tribunal to stop Panama from returning them to their home countries where they say they will face certain persecution.

  • March 03, 2025

    Sandoz Settles Florida's Generic Drug Price-Fixing Claims

    Sandoz AG reached a settlement with Florida that ends federal antitrust claims the Sunshine State lodged against the drugmaker within wider litigation claiming numerous pharmaceutical companies and individuals participated in a conspiracy to fix generic drug prices, according to a Friday court filing.

  • March 03, 2025

    Gov't Wants End Of Judicial Review, Atty For MSPB Head Says

    An attorney for the briefly ousted head of the Merit Systems Protection Board said Monday that the U.S. Department of Justice was effectively calling for the end of judicial review during impassioned arguments on an injunction that would keep the official on the board after a temporary order reinstating her expires Tuesday.

  • March 03, 2025

    SEC Expands Confidential Filing Options For Companies

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday said it is expanding the range of filings that companies can submit for confidential review before such documents become public, predicting that the new accommodations will spur capital formation.

  • March 03, 2025

    Judge Tosses SEC Crypto Case For Lack Of US Ties

    Crypto founder Richard Heart has beaten a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission suit over his Hex, PulseChain and PulseX crypto projects after the Brooklyn federal judge overseeing the case found the regulator failed to show enough stateside ties.

  • March 03, 2025

    Catholic Charity Org. Sues HHS Over Frozen Refugee Funds

    Catholic Charities Fort Worth sued the Trump administration in D.C. federal court Monday, accusing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of illegally withholding more than $36 million in grant funding meant for resettling refugees in Texas.

  • March 03, 2025

    FDIC Beats Bank's Constitutional Fight Over In-House Judges

    A Kansas federal judge tossed on Monday a local bank's constitutional challenge to administrative law judges presiding over the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s $20.5 million anti-money laundering enforcement proceeding against the bank, ruling that the district court does not have the jurisdictional authority to hear the bank's Seventh Amendment claims.

  • March 03, 2025

    Texas High Court Told Telecom Law Clears State Constitution

    Texas is hoping its highest court will overturn a ruling that found the state violated its own constitutional rules about gift-giving by capping the amount cities can charge telecoms for using their rights-of-way to such a degree that they were basically forced to give away public money.

  • March 03, 2025

    Transparency Law Flouts Biz Owners' Privacy, Judge Says

    A Michigan federal judge on Monday ruled the Corporate Transparency Act's beneficial ownership reporting requirements constitute an unreasonable intrusion into business owners' privacy, shortly after the U.S. Department of the Treasury said it was suspending enforcement of the embattled law.

  • March 03, 2025

    Conn. Justices Set New Atty Duty In Deathbed Will Dispute

    Three intended beneficiaries of a late businessman's will can sue attorney Anthony J. Palermino for allegedly failing to tell his client that TD Ameritrade account documents would need to be changed to fulfill his deathbed wishes, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Monday, finding that attorneys have a duty to third-party beneficiaries in such situations.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    Laken Riley Act Will Not Advance Immigration Reform

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    By granting states legal standing to sue the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for immigration violations, the Laken Riley Act enables states to block all kinds of federal actions they don't like but provides little reason for them to be invested in positive change, says Jacob Hamburger at Cornell University Law School.

  • Series

    Playing Rugby Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My experience playing rugby, including a near-fatal accident, has influenced my legal practice on a professional, organizational and personal level by showing me the importance of maintaining empathy, fostering team empowerment and embracing the art of preparation, says James Gillenwater at Greenberg Traurig.

  • How 2025 NDAA May Affect DOD Procurement Protests

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    A bid protest pilot program included in the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act shifts litigation costs onto unsuccessful bid protesters and raises claim-filing thresholds, which could increase risks to U.S. Department of Defense contractors who file protests, and reduce oversight of DOD procurement awards, say attorneys at Venable.

  • Looking Back At 2024's Noteworthy State AG Litigation

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    State attorneys general across the U.S. took bold steps in 2024 to address unlawful activities by corporations in several areas, including privacy and data security, financial transparency, children's internet safety, and other overall consumer protection claims, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • What Broker-Dealers Must Know Before Selling Bitcoin ETPs

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    Interest in bitcoin exchange-traded products is already high, and only expected to grow in light of the incoming Trump administration's pro-crypto stance, but broker-dealers must still consider numerous regulatory requirements before recommending a bitcoin ETP to a client, say Frank Weigand and Justine Woods at Cahill Gordon.

  • Opinion

    A Federal Insurance Mandate For Private Aviation Is Overdue

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    A recent private plane crash in California that killed two people and injured 19 others spotlights the dangers of such occurrences — and serves as a reminder that because there is no federal requirement for general aviation pilots to carry insurance, the victims of these accidents are often unable to obtain fair compensation, says Timothy Loranger at Wisner Baum.

  • Updated FWS Regs Will Streamline Right-Of-Way Permitting

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    Although the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's final rule covering rights-of-way across lands administered by the service will bring increased up-front fees and stricter permit terms and conditions, it also provides a clearer application process and should reduce permitting delays and total costs, say attorneys at Holland & Hart.

  • Cyber Disclosure Is A Mainstay In 2025 SEC Exam Priorities

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    Despite a new administration and a new U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission chair incoming, the SEC's 2025 examination priorities signal that cybersecurity disclosures and risk management practices will remain important due to the growing threat of cyberattacks, says Anjali Das at Wilson Elser.

  • Reviewing 2024's Evolving EdTech Privacy Regulations

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    Lawmakers are trying to keep up with the privacy and security risks of the increasingly prevalent education technology, with last year's developments including the Federal Trade Commission's proposed amendments to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, and the U.S. Senate passing two new children's privacy acts, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • Opinion

    No, Litigation Funders Are Not 'Fleeing' The District Of Del.

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    A recent study claimed that litigation funders have “fled” Delaware federal court due to a standing order requiring disclosure of third-party financing, but responsible funders have no problem litigating in this jurisdiction, and many other factors could explain the decline in filings, say Will Freeman and Sarah Tsou at Omni Bridgeway.

  • Patent Policy Changes To Track Under New Gov't Leadership

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    The new federal government will likely bring pivotal shifts in U.S. patent policy through legislation and initiatives that reflect a renewed focus on strengthening intellectual property rights, fostering innovation and enhancing the nation's competitive edge, says PK Chakrabarti at Butzel Long.

  • How Trump Presidency May Influence NLRB's Next Phase

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    Attorneys at Paul Hastings discuss how last year’s key National Labor Relations Board developments may progress once President-elect Donald Trump takes office, including the wave of lawsuits challenging the board’s constitutionality and two landmark board decisions that upset decades of precedent.

  • Series

    Calif. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q4

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    Douglas Thompson at Snell & Wilmer highlights a number of recent and pending issues, actions and potentially pivotal federal regulatory and legislative developments on deck that will affect California banks and financial institutions.

  • Opinion

    Congress Should Finally Add Clarity To Section 101

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    With both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate introducing bills to provide guidance on what qualifies as patentable subject matter under the Patent Act, Congress will hopefully put an end at last to 10 years of uncertainty surrounding the question, says David Carstens at Carstens Allen.

  • Hydrogen Regs Will Provide More Certainty — If They Survive

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    Newly finalized regulations implementing the Section 45V clean hydrogen tax credit allow producers more flexibility, and should therefore help put the industry on more solid footing — but the incoming Trump administration and Republican Congress will have multiple options for overturning or altering the regulations, say attorneys at Steptoe.

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