Public Policy

  • July 17, 2024

    FTC Cites 3rd Circ. In Defending Noncompete Ban

    The Federal Trade Commission has continued to argue against a preliminary injunction a tree services company wants against its noncompete ban, directing a Pennsylvania federal judge to look at a Third Circuit decision from the day before calling for a high bar on initial court blocks absent immediate and permanent harm.

  • July 18, 2024

    CORRECTED: Green Card Process For Mixed-Status Families Opens Aug. 19

    The Biden administration said Wednesday that unauthorized spouses and children of U.S. citizens can start applying on Aug. 19 for a new program that will allow them to get green cards without having to leave the country, in addition to other announcements aimed at increasing access to counsel in immigration courts and boosting noncitizens' ability to work. Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the start date of the parole-in-place program for unauthorized spouses and children of U.S. citizens. The error has been corrected.

  • July 17, 2024

    Commerce Tees Up Dumping Duties On 4 Countries' Melamine

    The U.S. Department of Commerce preliminarily found that foreign producers of a compound used to create plastic dishware, utensils and countertops were receiving government subsidies that gave them an unfair edge in the U.S. market.

  • July 17, 2024

    Lawmakers Say Bid To Toss Monument Suit Is A 'Red Herring'

    The Arizona Legislature is fighting a bid by the Biden administration to dismiss a challenge to a presidential proclamation that established an Indigenous site as a national monument in the Grand Canyon region, arguing that the state's constitution gives the lawmakers power over state trust lands.

  • July 17, 2024

    FCC To Vote On Smart Car Technology's Use Of 5.9 GHz

    The Federal Communications Commission is ready to vote on rules that would bring advanced vehicle communications technology to the 5.9 GHz band, setting standards for the technology's use in the slice of spectrum and greenlighting the use of in-vehicle and roadside units running on the technology.

  • July 17, 2024

    Split 5th Circ. Allows Limits On Arlington Donation Boxes

    A split Fifth Circuit upheld an Arlington, Texas, ordinance regulating the placement of donation boxes, writing that the regulation is content-neutral and tailored in a way that gives local charities the ability to collect donations through other means, even if it limits box locations.

  • July 17, 2024

    Many AI Patent Eligibility Issues Still Hazy After Guidance

    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's new guidance on patent eligibility for inventions involving artificial intelligence provides some helpful details for patent applicants, but attorneys say it leaves unanswered questions that will likely require court decisions or legislation to sort out.

  • July 17, 2024

    Judge Warns HHS It's Not In 'Reasonable Compliance'

    The Department of Health and Human Services appears not to be in "reasonable compliance" of an injunction ordering it to develop an avenue for Medicare beneficiaries to appeal their hospitalization status, a Connecticut federal judge said in a Tuesday notice.

  • July 17, 2024

    Del. Gov. Signs Hotly Contested Corp. Law Amendments

    Delaware Gov. John Carney signed into law on Wednesday state code amendments allowing corporations to cede some governance rights to stockholders, as well as some state corporate oversight to other jurisdictions.

  • July 17, 2024

    Pa. Justices OK Zoning Decision To Allow Suburban Hospital

    A zoning officer for a Pittsburgh suburb was within state law to issue a "use permit" that would allow the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to build near a rival network's existing hospital, even if that permit punted on making sure the plan conformed with other zoning rules, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

  • July 17, 2024

    Nasdaq Seeks To Tighten Delisting Rules Governing SPACs

    Nasdaq is proposing to strengthen its rules governing delistings and trading suspensions of special-purpose acquisition companies that fail to complete mergers within 36-month deadlines or that violate other listing standards.

  • July 17, 2024

    DOE Says Challenge Of $1.1B Diablo Canyon Award Must Fail

    The U.S. Department of Energy is urging a California federal judge to throw out a suit challenging its award of $1.1 billion of credits to help Pacific Gas & Electric Co. keep two generation units running for now at the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant.

  • July 17, 2024

    Feds Uphold Tech Co.'s Fine For Auction Talks With AT&T

    The Federal Communications Commission upheld its $100,000 fine against internet service provider AMG Technology Investment Group for discussing bidding strategy during an infrastructure funding auction with AT&T, saying it has no basis to reconsider the penalty Wednesday.

  • July 17, 2024

    6th Circ. To Review 2 Standards In FirstEnergy's Cert. Fight

    The Sixth Circuit indicated Wednesday that it would have to examine the applicability of two different class certification standards in a securities suit by FirstEnergy investors, as the company insisted there was no proof its statements influenced stock prices, and that purported omissions didn't factor into the mix.

  • July 17, 2024

    NC Must Use Smithfield Foods Funds For Schools, Judge Says

    North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein can no longer get his hands on $2 million a year from Smithfield Foods to give out environmental grants to private entities after a judge ruled the state constitution requires the money to be used in public schools.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Serving In The National Guard Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My ongoing military experience as a judge advocate general in the National Guard has shaped me as a person and a lawyer, teaching me the importance of embracing confidence, balance and teamwork in both my Army and civilian roles, says Danielle Aymond at Baker Donelson.

  • Big Business May Come To Rue The Post-Administrative State

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    Many have framed the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decisions overturning Chevron deference and extending the window to challenge regulations as big wins for big business, but sand in the gears of agency rulemaking may be a double-edged sword, creating prolonged uncertainty that impedes businesses’ ability to plan for the future, says Todd Baker at Columbia University.

  • Reading Between The Lines Of Justices' Moore Ruling

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent Moore v. U.S. decision, that the Internal Revenue Code Section 965 did not violate the 16th Amendment, was narrowly tailored to minimally disrupt existing tax regimes, but the justices' various opinions leave the door open to future tax challenges and provide clues for what the battles may look like, say Caroline Ngo and Le Chen at McDermott.

  • Series

    After Chevron: A Sea Change For Maritime Sector

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    The shipping industry has often looked to the courts for key agency decisions affecting maritime interests, but after the U.S. Supreme Court's Loper Bright ruling, stakeholders may revisit important industry questions and coordinate to bring appropriate challenges and shape rulemaking, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Opinion

    Post-Chevron, Good Riddance To The Sentencing Guidelines

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of the Chevron doctrine may signal the end of the U.S. sentencing guidelines, which is good news given that they have accomplished the opposite of Congress’ original intent to bring certainty, proportionality and uniformity to sentencing, say attorneys Mark Allenbaugh, Doug Passon and Alan Ellis.

  • Opinion

    Proposed Terminal Disclaimers Rule Harms Colleges, Startups

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    Universities and startups are ill-suited to follow the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s recently proposed rule on terminal disclaimers due to their necessity of filing patent applications early prior to contacting outside entities for funds and resources, say attorneys at Sterne Kessler.

  • Series

    After Chevron: Impact On CFPB May Be Limited

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo is likely to have a limited impact on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's regulatory activities, and for those who value due process, consistency and predictability in consumer financial services regulation, this may be a good thing, says John Coleman at Orrick.

  • A Midyear Forecast: Tailwinds Expected For Atty Hourly Rates

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    Hourly rates for partners, associates and support staff continued to rise in the first half of this year, and this growth shows no signs of slowing for the rest of 2024 and into next year, driven in part by the return of mergers and acquisitions and the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence, says Chuck Chandler at Valeo Partners.

  • Series

    After Chevron: 7 FERC Takeaways From Loper Bright

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    Following the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of the Chevron doctrine, it's likely that the majority of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's orders will not be affected, but the commission has nonetheless lost an important fallback argument and will have to approach rulemaking more cautiously, says Norman Bay at Willkie Farr.

  • Opinion

    Discount Window Reform Needed To Curb Modern Bank Runs

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    We learned during the spring 2023 failures that bank runs can happen extraordinarily fast in light of modern technology, especially when banks have a greater concentration of large deposits, demonstrating that the antiquated but effective discount window needs to be overhauled before the next crisis, says Cris Cicala at Stinson.

  • Opinion

    Cell Tech Patent Holdup Is Stalling Automaker Innovation

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    Courts and Congress should seek to stem anticompetitive harm caused by standard-essential patent holders squeezing automakers with unfairly high royalties for cellular connectivity technology, says Charles Haake at Alliance for Automotive Innovation.

  • Series

    After Chevron: USDA Rules May Be Up In The Air

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    The Supreme Court's end of Chevron deference may cause more lawsuits against U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations, like the one redefining "unfair trade practices" under the Packers and Stockyards Act, or a new policy classifying salmonella as an adulterant in certain poultry products, says Bob Hibbert at Wiley.

  • Mitigating Risks Amid 10-Year Sanctions Enforcement Window

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    In response to recent legislation, which doubles the statute of limitations for actions related to certain U.S. sanctions and provides regulators greater opportunity to investigate possible violations, companies should take specific steps to account for the increased civil and criminal enforcement risk, say attorneys at Freshfields.

  • Series

    After Chevron: Creating New Hurdles For ESG Rulemaking

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's Loper Bright decision, limiting court deference to agencies' statutory interpretations, could have significant impacts on the future of ESG regulation, creating new hurdles for agency rulemaking around these emerging issues, and calling into question current administrative actions, says Leah Malone at Simpson Thacher.

  • A Timeline Of Antisemitism Legislation And What It Means

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    What began as hearings in the House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce has expanded to a House-wide effort to combat antisemitism and related issues, with wide-ranging implications for education, finance and nonprofit entities, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

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