Public Policy

January 07, 2025
Bill To Protect Wounded Knee Massacre Site Reintroduced

A federal bill seeking to preserve a section of land at Wounded Knee Creek, where about 150 Lakota Indians were killed by the U.S. Army more than a century ago, has been reintroduced to the U.S. House for consideration during the Trump administration.
January 07, 2025
Ex-Ill. Speaker Madigan Testifies In His Racketeering Trial

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan took the stand in his own defense Tuesday, testifying that he neither traded his public office for private gain nor demanded or accepted anything valuable in exchange for his official action, adding that he was "very angry" to learn that people who he'd recommended for jobs did little to no work.
January 07, 2025
Cato Institute Urges Justices To Hear Jury Right Case

The Cato Institute asked the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday to accept a social media influencer's certification petition over the denial of a jury trial for a misdemeanor, saying the erosion of the Constitutional jury right for "all crimes" goes against the founders' intentions.
January 07, 2025
Feds Urge 9th Circ. To Uphold Ringed Seal Protections

The federal government and environmentalists on Monday asked the Ninth Circuit to keep Endangered Species Act protections for Arctic ringed seals in place and reject Alaska's effort to roll them back.
January 07, 2025
9th Circ. To Let Feds Argue In Wash. ICE Inspection Law Fight

The Ninth Circuit has said the U.S. government can participate in oral arguments over a blocked Washington law that allowed the state to inspect conditions at a privately-run immigration detention facility in Tacoma.
January 07, 2025
Conn. AG, Feds Reach 3rd Dentist Kickback Settlement

A joint investigation by state and federal law enforcement has netted its third settlement with a Connecticut dentist accused of using illegal patient recruiting tactics to rip off Medicaid.
January 07, 2025
Cannabis Reformers Move To Oust DEA From Pot Hearings

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has worked behind the scenes to undermine an administrative process that will determine whether federal restrictions on marijuana are relaxed, a group of reformers alleged in a new filing submitted to an agency tribunal.
January 07, 2025
Navajo Nation Sues Feds Over Judicial Funding, Again

The Navajo Nation alleges in a pair of lawsuits in D.C. federal court that the U.S. Department of the Interior wrongly rejected the tribe's funding proposals for its judicial branch, kicking off a new chapter in a long-running legal saga over yearly funding for the federally recognized tribe.
January 07, 2025
4th Circ. Says Farm Bill Does Not Preempt Va. Hemp Law

The Fourth Circuit affirmed Tuesday that the federal farm bill legalizing hemp nationwide did not preempt Virginia's new law reining in intoxicating products containing THC derived from hemp.
January 07, 2025
FCC Urged To Revisit New Robocall Penalty Plan

Voice providers are calling on the Federal Communications Commission to ease robocall reporting requirements, with one prominent telecom trade group calling a potential agency proposal to fine companies $10,000 for submitting false or inaccurate compliance reports "unnecessarily punitive."
January 07, 2025
Detroit Flooding Class Quizzed On Decision To Skip Expert

A Michigan appellate panel pressed flooding victims Tuesday to explain why they didn't use an expert to bolster their case that a regional water authority's neglect led to a mass flooding event in 2021, with the judges giving away little about whether they would ultimately revive the claims.
January 07, 2025
Biden Designates Two New National Monuments In California

President Joe Biden on Tuesday designated two sites in California as national monuments amid years of calls from Native American tribes and state and federal lawmakers, in turn protecting 848,000 acres from development.
January 07, 2025
'Unflattering' Story Not Defamatory, Gannett Says

A tax firm's defamation suit against USA Today should be tossed, the newspaper's owner told Texas justices Monday, arguing that a 2021 investigative series was not defamatory even if its "gist" was "unflattering."
January 07, 2025
5 Argument Sessions Benefits Attys Should Check Out In Jan.

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear from Cornell University workers looking to revive a retirement plan mismanagement suit and a former firefighter who says federal disability bias law protects post-employment benefits, while circuit courts will weigh gender-affirming care restrictions and a battle over pension annuity payments. Here, Law360 looks at five arguments that benefits attorneys ought to keep an eye on this month.
January 07, 2025
Mont. Bill Floats Mine, Data Center Property Tax Changes

Montana would lower the property tax rate imposed on metal mines, certain agricultural land and railroads but raise the rate on data center property as part of a bill introduced in the state Senate.
January 07, 2025
Mich. Town Tries To Ditch $5M Suit Over Dispensary Flip-Flop

A Michigan township accused of greenlighting, and then blocking, a developer's special-use permit for a marijuana dispensary said Tuesday the developer suing it for $5 million never actually got the required prequalification from the state.
January 07, 2025
DOJ Revamps Process For Federal Real Estate Deals

The U.S. Department of Justice has replaced "outdated provisions" that guided how federal agencies acquired real property with 10 new federal provisions that have the goal of "promoting government efficiency and saving taxpayer funds," the DOJ said Tuesday.
January 07, 2025
Top Groups Lobbying The FCC

The Federal Communications Commission heard from advocates more than 50 times in December on issues ranging from prison phone rates to the use of artificial intelligence in text messages, shared use of the airwaves, marketing consent rules and more.
January 07, 2025
Ligado Gets OK To Tap $939M DIP Amid Spectrum Spat

Satellite and spectrum business Ligado Networks received a Delaware bankruptcy judge's approval Tuesday to borrow a share of $939 million in Chapter 11 financing that the company will use to repay high-ranking debt and support itself during the case.
January 07, 2025
Khan Says FTC Approach A Bulwark To Trump 'Backsliding'

Outgoing Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina M. Khan on Tuesday defended the Biden administration's aggressive tack against corporate power and concentration, telling CNBC that while it's "natural" Facebook and Amazon might seek a "sweetheart deal" from the Trump administration, the past four years have made "backsliding" more difficult.
January 07, 2025
Cos. Seek Pause Of Retention Credit Processing In Litigation

Two companies that helped clients obtain pandemic-era employee retention tax credits asked Arizona federal district court Tuesday to pause the IRS' use of a system for automatically processing claims, saying harm caused by this process cannot be remedied after litigation.
January 07, 2025
DHS Releases 'Playbook' For AI Public Sector Deployment

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a framework on Tuesday for what it referred to as the "reasonable adoption" of generative artificial intelligence technologies based on lessons learned from the agency's various pilot programs.
January 07, 2025
ND Gov. Pitches Property Tax Reform In Annual Address

North Dakota would cap local property tax increases at 3% and double a major exemption under a plan pitched by the state's new governor that he said would eliminate the tax on many primary residences in the next decade.
January 07, 2025
States Push For Jury Trial In Google Ad Tech Case

State enforcers accusing Google of monopolizing key digital advertising technology have urged a Texas federal court to reject Google's bid to have the case decided by a judge, saying the U.S. Supreme Court's recent Jarkesy decision confirms the right to a jury trial.
January 07, 2025
Mont. Bill Seeks Review Process For Tax-Exempt Property

Montana would require the state Department of Revenue to create a program to review property that is exempt from taxation under a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives.

Expert Analysis

An Associate's Guide To Career Development In 2025

As the new year begins, associates at all levels should consider establishing career metrics, fostering key relationships and employing other specific strategies to help move through the complexities of the legal profession with confidence and emerge as trailblazers, say EJ Stern and Amanda George at Fractional Law Firm.
The Securities Litigation Trends That Will Matter Most In 2025

2025 is shaping up to be a significant year for securities litigation, as plaintiffs and defendants alike navigate shifting standards for omission theories of liability, class certification, risk disclosure claims and more, say attorneys at Willkie.
Predicting The Lasting Changes CFPB May Face In 2025

President-elect Donald Trump and the incoming Republican-controlled Congress' likely attempts to reshape the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau could significantly alter its rulemaking, supervisory and enforcement abilities for years to come, says Jim Sandy at McGlinchey Stafford.
5 Proactive Immigration Best Practices For Employers In 2025

Businesses that depend on foreign talent should take specific steps in anticipation of changes to federal immigration policies that could affect the H-1B visa and other programs, and likely require changes in organizational operations and compliance strategy, says Dustin O'Quinn at Ballard Spahr.
2025 Patent And TM Policy At USPTO: What We Know So Far

This upcoming year at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office promises a continued focus on artificial intelligence-related policies, as well as initiatives to drive efficiency and modernize standard processes, say attorneys at Knobbe Martens.
What To Watch For In The 2025 Benefits Landscape

While planning for 2025, retirement plan sponsors and service providers should set their focus on phased implementation deadlines under both Secure 1.0 and 2.0, an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling, and the fate of several U.S. Department of Labor regulations, says Allie Itami at Lathrop GPM.
5 Antitrust Issues For In-House Counsel In 2025

Attorneys at Squire Patton evaluate the top areas where U.S. antitrust policy is likely to change in the next 12 months, including major challenges to the Federal Trade Commission's authority that could reshape enforcement.
Reviewing 2024's Crucial Patent Law Developments

As 2024 draws to a close, significant rulings and policies aimed at modernizing long-standing legal practices or addressing emerging challenges have reached patent law, says Michael Ellenberger at Rothwell Figg.
How White Collar Enforcement May Shift In Trump's 2nd Term

After President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House next month, the administration’s emphasis on immigration laws, drug offenses and violent crime will likely reduce the focus on white collar crime overall, but certain areas within the white collar world may see increased activity, say attorneys at Keker Van Nest.
COP29 Offers Pathway To A Global Carbon Market

COP29, the recently concluded United Nations climate conference, represented a breakthrough in the establishment of standards for a global carbon market — and voluntary carbon market participants in the U.S. and elsewhere can enhance the value of their projects by aligning them with these standards, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
New Trump Admin May Bring Financial Oversight Turbulence

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to begin his second term, his top financial market regulatory and securities law enforcement appointees, campaign promises, and regulatory preferences foretell a period of muddy regulatory waters, say attorneys at Kroll.
The Justices' Securities Rulings, Dismissals That Defined '24

The U.S. Supreme Court's 2024 securities rulings led to increased success for defendants' price impact arguments, but the justices' decisions not to weigh in on important issues relating to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act's pleading requirements may be just as significant, say attorneys at Skadden.
10 Noteworthy CFPB Developments From 2024

In a banner year for consumer finance regulation, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau made significant strides in its efforts to rein in Big Tech and nonbank financial firms, including via rules regarding open banking, credit card late fees, and buy now, pay later products, say attorneys at Wiley.
What To Expect From EEOC Next Year After An Active 2024

While highlights this year for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission include its first-ever Pregnant Workers Fairness Act cases and comprehensive workplace harassment guidance, the question for 2025 is whether the commission will sustain its momentum or shift its focus in a new direction, says Shannon Kelly at GrayRobinson.
Series

Fixing Up Cars Makes Me A Better Lawyer

From problem-solving to patience and adaptability to organization, the skills developed working under the hood of a car directly translate to being a more effective lawyer, says Christopher Mdeway at Kaufman Dolowich.