Public Policy

  • July 29, 2024

    Biden Support Adds Heat To Calls For Supreme Court Reform

    President Joe Biden endorsed significant U.S. Supreme Court reform on Monday, calling on Congress to pass legislation that would impose term limits and an enforceable code of conduct on the justices and to adopt a constitutional amendment that would reverse the court's decision granting former presidents broad immunity for crimes committed in office.

  • July 29, 2024

    3rd Circ. Says Jury Must Weigh Ex-Philly ADA's Vax Bias Case

    A jury will have to determine whether the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office was following a neutral, general policy when it denied an employee's religious exemption from its COVID-19 vaccination mandate, or whether D.A. Larry Krasner harbored anti-religious bias in the decision, the Third Circuit ruled Monday.

  • July 29, 2024

    5th Circ. Takedown Prompts Call To Reform Universal Service

    A major telecom trade association is telling Congress to get started reforming the Universal Service Fund quickly, saying that the Fifth Circuit's recent holding that the program's current setup is unconstitutional should bring an urgency to restructuring efforts.

  • July 29, 2024

    Boston Equity Official Says She Was Forced Out By Politics

    The former deputy director of equity for the city of Boston says she was fired in 2021 in retaliation for advising her boss that it was inappropriate to recommend that employees vote for Michelle Wu in that year's mayoral race, according to a suit filed in state court.

  • July 29, 2024

    DC Taxes Due From Property Transfer Prior To Sale

    A business that sold a commercial property in Washington, D.C., was properly assessed back taxes for a 2007 merger with a subsidiary, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals ruled.

  • July 29, 2024

    Mich. Man Fights LA Bid To Toss Pot License Lottery Suit

    A Michigan man who owns several cannabis retailers is pushing back on a bid by Los Angeles to throw out his suit challenging its social equity license lottery.

  • July 29, 2024

    6th Circ. Revives Challenge Of Clean Water Rule

    Just 11 days after oral arguments, the Sixth Circuit on Monday revived Kentucky and industry groups' challenges to a federal government rule defining the scope of the Clean Water Act, finding a district court judge had improperly dismissed the case.

  • July 29, 2024

    Remainder Of DOL Fiduciary Regs Blocked In Texas

    A Texas federal judge froze the remainder of a package of regulations from the U.S. Department of Labor expanding the definition of a fiduciary under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, after a judge blocked most of the policy in an adjacent district the day before.

  • July 26, 2024

    DOJ Whistleblower Pilot On Deck As Cos. Boost Compliance

    Corporations are making their compliance programs more proactive amid an ongoing push from the Biden administration for firms to come forward with information as the U.S. Department of Justice prepares to roll out a pilot program to reward whistleblowers who alert prosecutors to significant corporate misconduct.

  • July 26, 2024

    Apple Commits To White House Guidelines For Responsible AI

    Apple Inc. has signed onto the Biden administration's voluntary guidelines for "responsible" artificial intelligence innovation, joining the likes of Amazon.com Inc., Google LLC, Microsoft Corp. and a dozen other leading tech companies, the White House announced Friday.

  • July 26, 2024

    State Street Inks $7.5M Deal Over Russia Sanctions Violations

    Financial services giant State Street has agreed to pay nearly $7.5 million to resolve apparent violations by its investment management solution subsidiary Charles River Systems Inc. of Obama-era sanctions targeting Russian actions against Ukraine, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced Friday.

  • July 26, 2024

    Off The Bench: NBA Signs Mega Deals, Jerry Jones Settles

    In this week's Off The Bench, the NBA signed $77 billion worth of telecast and streaming deals while longtime league broadcaster TNT challenged the decision, Jerry Jones' suit against his alleged daughter settled while jurors were at lunch, and Pennsylvania's high court agreed to hear an appeal relating to Pittsburgh's jock tax, a fee applied to nonresident professional athletes.

  • July 26, 2024

    Fla. Top Court Petitioned To Review 'Misleading' Abortion Info

    A Florida coalition petitioned the state's high court to review a proposed financial impact statement that officials attached to an upcoming ballot measure legalizing abortions up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, saying the language is misleading and shouldn't be used to manipulate voters one way or the other.

  • July 26, 2024

    Colorado's New Chief Justice Sworn In

    Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez started her three-year term leading the Colorado Supreme Court on Friday after being sworn in during a closed-door ceremony.

  • July 26, 2024

    FTX's Ryan Salame Asks To Delay Prison After Dog Attack

    Former FTX executive Ryan Salame on Friday asked a New York federal judge to delay his prison surrender date because he was recently mauled by a German shepherd and must undergo "urgent and necessary medical treatment and surgery."

  • July 26, 2024

    Puerto Rico Fiscal Board Sues To Stop Solar Panel Bill

    The Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico on Friday sued Gov. Pedro R. Pierluisi to nullify a law extending a program which reduces the cost of solar panels for Puerto Rican households, calling it legislative interference with the island's energy regulator.

  • July 26, 2024

    More Airwaves Needed To Support Drones, FCC Told

    Several utility companies have come together to tell the Federal Communications Commission that they need more room in the 5 gigahertz and 4.9 GHz bands for drone operations, which they say make their employees' jobs safer and easier.

  • July 26, 2024

    G20 Declines To Back Brazil's Plan For A Minimum Wealth Tax

    Finance ministers from the Group of 20 nations declined to back Brazil's proposal for an agreement on individual wealth taxation similar to the global corporate minimum tax, instead issuing a statement Friday that opted for softer language about cooperation.

  • July 26, 2024

    Erroneous Background Check Cost Man HSN Job, Suit Says

    A company that sells background checks to employers was hit with a federal lawsuit accusing it of incorrectly telling the Home Shopping Network that an applicant had a felony charge for distributing narcotics equivalent to cocaine, methamphetamine or fentanyl, when he was actually charged with selling marijuana.

  • July 26, 2024

    Miami Official Says Salary Is Exempt From $63.5M Judgment

    A Miami lawmaker told a federal judge Friday that a portion of his monthly compensation shouldn't be withheld to pay a $63.5 million judgment against him for civil rights violations, testifying that he is the sole breadwinner of his household and should be exempt from having his salary garnished.

  • July 26, 2024

    Georgia Judge Won't Block Prosecutor Oversight Commission

    A Georgia judge has rejected an attempt to temporarily block a new state commission created to investigate and discipline state prosecutors, finding it doesn't violate Georgia's constitution.

  • July 26, 2024

    Short-Term Rental Group Defends Colo. City Ordinance Suit

    A group of short-term rental owners in Colorado urged a federal court on Thursday to reject a city's bid to dismiss their suit, which claims a 2023 ordinance that regulates where short-term rentals can operate "effectively bans most existing short-term rentals."

  • July 26, 2024

    DC Circ. Vacates FERC Oil Pipeline Index Revision

    The D.C. Circuit on Friday vacated a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission order that lowered the five-year index level governing oil pipeline transportation rates, ruling that the agency ran afoul of federal law when it failed to gather public input on the revision.

  • July 26, 2024

    Calif. Community Org Opposes FCC Bulk Billing Clampdown

    A technology-focused community group in California has joined a chorus of advocates calling for the Federal Communications Commission to hit the brakes on a proposal to tighten rules for bulk billing in multitenant environments.

  • July 26, 2024

    FCC Kicks Off Rapid Response Team To Zap Pole Disputes

    The Federal Communications Commission has launched a rapid response team to clear up disputes between utility pole owners and internet service providers over the cost of upgrading or replacing poles to allow for new broadband equipment.

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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