Public Policy

  • August 16, 2024

    SEC Climate Rules Backed By Wave Of Amici At 8th Circ.

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has received a wave of support for its recently adopted climate disclosure rules from various consumer advocacy, environmental, investor and academic groups, which told the Eighth Circuit the measures are necessary and within the agency's authority.

  • August 16, 2024

    Discrimination Claim Row Becomes Party-Line FTC Slugfest

    Federal Trade Commission Republicans used partial dissents Friday from the settlement of an agency junk fees enforcement action they otherwise supported to air a string of grievances with the FTC's Democratic majority and its "ongoing effort to unilaterally expand its own authority."

  • August 16, 2024

    Florida Unlikely To Act Quickly On Condo Law Cost Concerns

    Florida lawmakers appear unlikely to take preemptive action to modify condominium safety laws enacted after the deadly 2021 building collapse in the town of Surfside, despite concerns that approaching year-end deadlines for mandated structural inspections and reserve studies will lead to overwhelming financial burdens for many residents.

  • August 16, 2024

    Feds Get Boost From Dem Reps In 5th Circ. PWFA Fight

    The federal government's Fifth Circuit challenge to a court order blocking it from enforcing a law to protect pregnant workers in Texas got support on Friday from four Democratic lawmakers who argued the lower court ruling, if upheld, would undercut Congress' authority to set its own rules of operation.

  • August 16, 2024

    Chinese Router Maker Must Be Looked Into, Reps. Say

    A House committee that weighs potential dangers posed by the Chinese Communist Party is raising the alarm about the routers sold by a Chinese-owned company, saying the panel believes the devices could pose a risk to national security.

  • August 16, 2024

    Baltimore Inks $152.5M Opioid Deal With Cardinal Health

    Baltimore announced Friday that it settled claims for $152.5 million with Cardinal Health over its alleged role in helping fuel the city's opioid crisis, reaching the deal with the pharmaceutical distributor ahead of a September trial against five remaining defendants and following separate $45 million settlements with Allergan and CVS.

  • August 16, 2024

    New Study Sought On Uranium Mine Near Grand Canyon

    Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is asking the U.S. Forest Service for an updated environmental impact study on the state's only working uranium mine at the center of a dispute with the Navajo Nation, saying the original assessment is based on outdated information about risks to the region's groundwater.

  • August 16, 2024

    SG Tells High Court No Reason To Unblock Ariz. Voter Law

    Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to reject an argument from the Republican National Committee and two top Arizona lawmakers that federal law can't preempt the state from requiring proof of citizenship to vote.

  • August 16, 2024

    DHS Unit Unveils Guide Ahead Of New Parole Program Start

    The Biden administration released a guide Friday about a program set to roll out Monday that will allow certain foreigners married to U.S. citizens and their children to apply for green cards and get work authorization without leaving the U.S.

  • August 16, 2024

    Voters' Bid To Revive Ga. Election Suit Slammed As Hail Mary

    Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is asking a federal judge to "make clear" a case alleging a biased system to elect Georgia Public Service Commission members "is over," as Black voters behind the suit fight to keep it alive.

  • August 16, 2024

    Harris Proposes Tax Break For Homebuilders

    Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, proposed several housing-related tax proposals, including creating a tax incentive for homebuilders that sell to first-time homebuyers, during a campaign speech Friday.

  • August 16, 2024

    9th Circ. Keeps Part Of Block On Calif. Kids' Privacy Law

    The Ninth Circuit on Friday refused to completely scrap an injunction halting a groundbreaking new California law requiring social media platforms to bolster privacy protections for children, finding that a tech trade group was "likely to succeed" on its argument that the mandate for companies to identify and address potential risks to minors violates the First Amendment.

  • August 16, 2024

    States Get Teva Generic Price-Fix Case On Docket As 1st Trial

    A Connecticut federal judge has granted a request from a coalition of state attorneys general suing a slew of generic-drug makers to try a case focused on Teva before proceeding with a different case that was first filed.

  • August 16, 2024

    FCC Plans To Overhaul Citizens Broadband Radio Service

    The Federal Communications Commission plans to give the Citizens Broadband Radio Service a makeover that it says will ensure better interference protections for both current and future users of the spectrum.

  • August 16, 2024

    State Dept. Issues Interim Australia, UK Export Waiver Rule

    The U.S. Department of State issued an interim rule Friday easing export restrictions for Australia and the United Kingdom to facilitate the trilateral AUKUS agreement, after determining the allied countries' export controls were comparable to those of the U.S.

  • August 16, 2024

    UN Votes For Global Services As First Priority Under Tax Pact

    The United Nations voted Friday to make taxation of cross-border services the most prioritized topic for a legally binding agreement to be finalized by late 2027 alongside the organization's framework convention on international tax cooperation.

  • August 16, 2024

    24-Hour Abortion Delay Violates Ohio Constitution, Court Told

    In the wake of an Ohio constitutional amendment enshrining the right to abortion, a state court heard arguments Friday as it considers whether to block laws requiring pregnant individuals to wait at least 24 hours before they can access abortions in the state.

  • August 16, 2024

    TCJA's Estate Tax Treatment Shouldn't Change, Panel Told

    If the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act's estate tax exemption increase is allowed to lapse in 2025, many family farms in the Midwest would face tough choices, including whether to sell to large corporations, panelists told the House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee on Friday.

  • August 16, 2024

    Off The Bench: WNBA Suit, Olympic Fallout, Swimming Ban

    In this week's Off The Bench, a WNBA star accuses her former team of discrimination for trading her once she became pregnant, questions swirl around the revocation of a U.S. gymnast's Olympic medal, and a BigLaw investigation prompts the University of Notre Dame to suspend its men's swimming program.

  • August 16, 2024

    Atty Gets 32 Months In Prison For Bribing Chicago Alderman

    An Illinois federal judge on Friday sentenced an immigration attorney and real estate developer convicted of bribing former Chicago Alderman Ed Burke to two years and eight months in prison, maintaining prison time is warranted because the lawyer initiated the bribe and tried to hide it from federal agents and the grand jury.

  • August 16, 2024

    5th Circ. Nixes Injunction Denial In Texas Electioneering Suit

    The Fifth Circuit blocked a Texas county's new electioneering rules Thursday, reversing a district court's ruling rejecting a preliminary injunction motion from local conservative groups and holding that the regulations on signage near county-owned voting locations and other provisions likely violate the First Amendment.

  • August 16, 2024

    DC Circ. Rolls Back Pipeline Safety Rules

    The D.C. Circuit on Friday threw out a handful of new safety standards for gas transmission pipelines set by the U.S. Department of Transportation, ruling that federal regulators failed to explain why their benefits outweighed their costs.

  • August 16, 2024

    Public Interest Orgs. Press For FCC's AI Ad Disclosure Rule

    As the fall elections loom, more than 40 public interest groups are advocating for the Federal Communications Commission to require radio and TV broadcasters to disclose the use of artificial intelligence in political ads.

  • August 16, 2024

    5th Circ. Tosses Appeal In FTC's Anesthesia Antitrust Case

    The Fifth Circuit has agreed with the Federal Trade Commission and tossed an early appeal from U.S. Anesthesia Partners in the agency's case accusing the group of monopolizing the Texas anesthesiology market through a "roll-up" strategy.

  • August 16, 2024

    1st Circ. Smooths Path For Title VII Retaliation Claims

    The First Circuit affirmed a lower court's grant of summary judgment for Bentley University in an employment discrimination lawsuit brought by a former program coordinator, but also took the opportunity to lower the bar for retaliation claims.

Expert Analysis

  • 15 Areas That Would Change Under Health Data Rule Proposal

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    If finalized, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology's proposed rule will significantly progress its efforts to advance interoperability, respond to stakeholder concerns and clarify compliance with the health IT certification program, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

  • The Road Ahead For Regulation Of Digital Twins In Healthcare

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    Digital replicas of cells, organs and people — known as digital twins — can facilitate clinical trials for new drugs by reducing the number of patients required, but data limitations can create logistical hurdles and regulatory efforts addressing digital twins are still in early stages, say consultants at Keystone Strategy.

  • A Guide To Long-Term, Part-Time Employee Determinations

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    With final regulations under the Secure Act requiring 401(k) retirement benefits for long-term, part-time employees expected soon, Amy Sheridan and David Guadagnoli at Sullivan & Worcester look at how the proposed rules would shift the risk-reward calculus on excluding categories of employees, and what plan sponsors would need to consider when designing retirement plans.

  • Series

    After Chevron: Delegation Of Authority And Tax Regulators

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    The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service will face higher standards following Loper Bright’s finding that courts should determine whether agency rules meet the best possible interpretation of the tax code, as well as the scope of the authority delegated by Congress, says Edward Froelich at McDermott.

  • Lawyers Can Take Action To Honor The Voting Rights Act

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    As the Voting Rights Act reaches its 59th anniversary Tuesday, it must urgently be reinforced against recent efforts to dismantle voter protections, and lawyers can pitch in immediately by volunteering and taking on pro bono work to directly help safeguard the right to vote, says Anna Chu at We The Action.

  • Decoding CFPB Priorities Amid Ramp-Up In Nonbank Actions

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    Based on recent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau enforcement actions and press releases about its supervisory activities, the agency appears poised to continue increasing its scrutiny over nonbank entities — particularly with respect to emerging financial products and services — into next year, say attorneys at Wiley.

  • Series

    After Chevron: What Loper Bright Portends For The NLRB

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    While the U.S. Supreme Court has a long history of deferring to the National Labor Relations Board's readings of federal labor law, the court's Loper Bright v. Raimondo decision forces courts to take a harder look at the judgment of an agency — and the NLRB will not be immune from such greater scrutiny, says Irving Geslewitz at Much Shelist.

  • PE Firms Should Prepare For Increased False Claims Scrutiny

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    The impact private equity firms may have over medical decisions and care is increasingly attracting potential liability under the False Claims Act and attention from states and the federal government, so investors should follow best practices including conducting due diligence both before and after acquisitions, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • Series

    After Chevron: NRC Is Shielded From Loper Bright's Effects

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    While the U.S. Supreme Court's recent Loper Bright v. Relentless decision brought an end to Chevron deference, Congress' unique delegation of discretionary authority to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will likely insulate it from the additional judicial scrutiny that other federal agencies will face, say Ryan Lighty and Scott Clausen at Morgan Lewis.

  • Opinion

    Unclear Intellectual Property Laws Are Stifling US Innovation

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    U.S. intellectual property law’s lack of predictability means far less job-creating investments for companies that need patent protection to compete, and Congress must step in with legislation like the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act to help address the problem, says Michael Gulliford at Soryn IP Capital Management.

  • Pros And Cons Of 2025 NDAA's Space Contracting Proposal

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    The introduction of a Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve fleet in the pending 2025 National Defense Authorization Act presents a significant opportunity for space and satellite companies — despite outstanding questions, and potential risks, for operators, say attorneys at Wiley.

  • How 3rd Circ. Raised Bar For Constitutional Case Injunctions

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    The Third Circuit's decision in Delaware State Sportsmen's Association v. Delaware Department of Safety & Homeland Security, rejecting the relaxed preliminary injunction standards many courts have used when plaintiffs allege constitutional harms, could portend a shift in such cases in at least four ways, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

  • New Russia Sanctions Law: Bank Compliance Insights

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    Financial institutions must familiarize themselves with the new reporting obligations imposed by the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, a recent law that authorizes seizures of Russian sovereign assets under U.S. jurisdiction, say attorneys at Seward & Kissel.

  • Opinion

    Dreamer Green Card Updates Offer Too Little For Too Few

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    Despite the Biden administration’s good intentions in announcing a new pathway for college-educated Dreamers to receive green cards, the initiative ultimately does little to improve the status quo for most beneficiaries, and could even leave applicants in a worse position, says Adam Moses at Harris Beach.

  • 3 Healthcare FCA Deals Provide Self-Disclosure Takeaways

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    Several civil False Claims Act settlements of alleged healthcare fraud violations over the past year demonstrate that healthcare providers may benefit substantially from voluntarily disclosing potential misconduct to both the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, say Brian Albritton and Raquel Ramirez Jefferson at Phelps Dunbar.

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