Federal
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February 26, 2025
Trump Orders Fed Agencies To Plan For Large Layoffs
The White House is telling federal agencies to submit plans for "large-scale" layoffs by mid-March, accusing them of siphoning funding for "unproductive and unnecessary programs" and "not producing results for the American public."
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February 26, 2025
Police Supply Store, Others Ask 5th Circ. To Keep CTA Paused
A Texas police supply store joined with Mississippi libertarians and several other parties asking the Fifth Circuit to keep the Corporate Transparency Act on hold, saying ending the stoppage of that law could force 32 million business entities to file beneficial ownership reports.
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February 26, 2025
IRS Spinoff Safe Harbors Not Seen As All-Purpose Reprieve
Safe harbors proposed by the IRS would allow certain corporate spinoffs to get statutory tax-free treatment, but the bright-line requirements to qualify for these provisions reflect the tension between a blanket approach and the unique complexities of each transaction.
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February 26, 2025
House Panel Advances Bill To Repeal IRS DeFi Broker Rule
House Ways and Means Committee Republicans advanced legislation that would repeal a final U.S. Treasury Department rule implementing additional reporting requirements for decentralized finance brokers.
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February 26, 2025
Coke's $2.7B Tax Bill Due To 'Bait And Switch,' 11th Circ. Told
Coca-Cola urged the Eleventh Circuit to reverse a U.S. Tax Court decision putting the beverage giant on the hook for $2.7 billion in taxes, arguing the ruling excused the IRS' "blatant bait and switch" regarding how it allocates income from foreign affiliates.
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February 26, 2025
Tax Overhaul Designer Named Top Tax Adviser To Treasury
An attorney who worked for Exxon Mobil and helped design the 2017 tax overhaul in President Donald Trump's first term has been appointed to serve as a top tax adviser to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Treasury announced Wednesday.
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February 25, 2025
DC Judge Blocks Trump's Federal Funding Freeze
A D.C. federal judge on Tuesday issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from implementing a federal spending freeze while a group of nonprofits challenge the freeze, calling the measure "ill-conceived from the beginning."
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February 25, 2025
House Passes Budget Blueprint Allowing $4.5T In Tax Cuts
The House of Representatives approved a budget blueprint Tuesday that would allow for the passage of up to $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, paving the way to renew the expiring provisions of President Donald Trump's signature 2017 tax overhaul.
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February 25, 2025
IRS Top Operating Officer To Serve As Acting Commissioner
The Internal Revenue Service's chief operating officer will become its acting commissioner, replacing current acting commissioner Douglas O'Donnell, who took on the role just last month, the U.S. Treasury Department announced Tuesday.
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February 25, 2025
Tax Court Reaffirms Suzanne Somers' Estate Owes $2.7M
The U.S. Tax Court on Tuesday reaffirmed roughly $2.7 million in tax liabilities against television producer Alan Hamel and the estate of his wife, actor Suzanne Somers, finding a Treasury regulation it had relied on in its initial decision was sound.
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February 25, 2025
Texas Tax Pros Criticize Proposal To Advise IRS Disclosures
Texas accountants objected to a proposed federal regulation that would require them to advise clients who have broken tax laws to make disclosures to the IRS, saying in a letter to the agency released Tuesday that it would likely create a conflict when clients have criminal exposure.
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February 25, 2025
Manufacturers Ask To Suspend Biden-Era Reporting Rules
Tax regulations governing partnerships and corporations passed by the outgoing Biden administration should be suspended — or outright retracted — because they conflict with the Trump administration's priorities, the National Association of Manufacturers said in a letter to the IRS and U.S. Treasury Department released Tuesday.
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February 25, 2025
10th Circ. Asked To Rethink Denying Atty's Racing Deductions
A Denver personal injury lawyer asked the Tenth Circuit to reconsider its decision barring his $300,000 tax deduction for car-racing costs as professional advertising, saying the court deprived him of due process in dismissing his argument that the IRS wrongly denied him a chance to settle.
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February 24, 2025
DC Judge Wary Of Constitutionality Of Musk's DOGE
A D.C. federal judge on Monday questioned the constitutionality of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency while expressing skepticism that groups challenging the department's access to federal systems housing Americans' sensitive data had established the irreparable harm needed to block access.
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February 24, 2025
Eaton's Foreign Tax Credits Rejected By Tax Court
The U.S. Tax Court rejected foreign tax credits that Eaton Corp. had claimed on its lower-tier overseas entities' income taxes for 2007 and 2008, saying in a Monday opinion that its overseas ownership structure had disqualified the multinational power management company.
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February 24, 2025
Investor Settles In $2.1B Danish Tax Fraud Case
A U.S. investor who was among those accused by Denmark's tax agency of participating in a $2.1 billion tax fraud scheme related to fraudulently claiming refunds on tax withheld from stock dividends has reached a settlement, according to New York federal court documents filed Monday.
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February 24, 2025
Justices Won't Hear Challenge To Colo. Tax Ballot Title Law
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday let stand a ruling by the Tenth Circuit that a Colorado law requiring that financial impacts be included in the titles of some tax-related ballot initiatives does not cause "improperly compelled" speech.
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February 24, 2025
Tax Software Co. Says Rival Is The Real Trade Secrets Thief
Corporate-focused tax preparation software company Avalara, accused by Vertex Inc. of poaching workers to steal trade secrets, has asked to file counterclaims, arguing Vertex has actually done the illegal poaching.
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February 24, 2025
Express Scripts Sees Claims Cut From $43M Tax Refund Suit
A Missouri federal court on Monday tossed some of Express Scripts' claims for a $42.9 million tax refund formerly available for domestic production, saying the pharmacy benefit manager improperly reversed course on whether certain costs should be included in its calculation of the tax break.
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February 24, 2025
4th Circ. Upholds Levy Against Md. Man's Tax Liability
The Fourth Circuit rejected Monday a Maryland man's attempt to vacate a Tax Court opinion that allowed the IRS to go ahead with a levy to collect his tax liability, saying it found no issue with the determination that he lacked any overpayments to offset his liability.
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February 24, 2025
Ex-Goldman Exec Owes For Not Filing FBARs, US Says
A former Goldman Sachs banking executive who lives in Australia owes penalties to the Internal Revenue Service for failing to report foreign bank accounts she held, the U.S. government told a D.C. federal court.
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February 24, 2025
High Court Won't Hear Tax Tipster's $690M Award Claim
The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to review a man's claim for a $690 million whistleblower award for undercover recordings and tips he gave the IRS that he said led to the arrests of Swiss bankers and the success of an offshore tax disclosure program.
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February 21, 2025
Fla. Biz Owner Gets 4 Years In Prison For Worker Fraud Plot
A Florida federal judge sentenced a construction business owner to four years in prison and ordered him to pay millions of dollars in restitution after pleading guilty to fraud-related charges in connection with an elaborate worker scheme and violating safety standards that led to the death of an employee.
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February 21, 2025
GOP Leader Zeros In On Fintech And Enviro Rules For Repeal
An Internal Revenue Service rule targeting digital asset sales and U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission guidance on the trading of voluntary carbon credits are among the environmental and financial regulations that Republicans are prioritizing for repeal, according to House Majority Leader Steven Scalise.
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February 21, 2025
Judge Trims $40M Green Energy Co. Investor Suit
A Tennessee federal judge won't toss a proposed class action claiming that a Chicago green energy outfit and its executives used false promises of extravagant returns to lure investors, but ruled two defendants can escape some of the suit's claims.
Expert Analysis
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Litigation Inspiration: Reframing Document Review
For attorneys — new ones especially — there is much fulfillment to find in document review by reflecting on how important, interesting and pleasant it can be, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.
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Rank-And-File DOJ Attorneys Will Keep Calm And Carry On
Career prosecutors at the U.S. Department of Justice often pride themselves on their ability to remain apolitical in order to ensure consistency and keep the department’s mission afloat, and the incoming Trump administration is unlikely to upend this tradition, says Michael Landman at Bird Marella.
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What Higher Education Can Expect From A 2nd Trump Admin
The election of Donald Trump for a second presidential term has far-reaching ramifications for colleges and universities — come January, institutions can expect a crackdown on DEI, increased scrutiny of campus protests, a rollback of the Biden administration's Title IX rules and more, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.
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3 Ways To Train Junior Lawyers In 30 Minutes Or Less
Today’s junior lawyers are experiencing a skills gap due to pandemic-era disruptions, but firms can help bring them up to speed by offering high-impact skill building content in bite-sized, interactive training sessions, say Stacey Schwartz at Katten, Diane Costigan at Winston & Strawn and Lauren Tierney at Freshfields.
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Expect Surging Oil And Gas Industry Under New Trump Admin
Throughout his recent campaign, President-elect Donald Trump promised increased oil and natural gas production and reduced reliance on renewables — and his administration will likely bring more oil and gas dealmaking, faster federal permitting and attempts to roll back incentives for green energy, say attorneys at Sidley.
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The Bar Needs More Clarity On The Discovery Objection Rule
Almost 10 years after Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 34 was amended, attorneys still seem confused about what they should include in objections to discovery requests, and until the rules committee provides additional clarity, practitioners must beware the steep costs of noncompliance, says Tristan Ellis at Shanies Law Office.
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Cos. Should Inventory Issues To Prep For New Congress
As the legislative and oversight agendas of the 119th Congress come into sharper focus, corporate counsel should assess and plan for areas of potential oversight risk — from tax policy changes to supply chain integrity — even as much uncertainty remains, say attorneys at WilmerHale.
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Conservation Easement Cases Weave Web Of Uncertainty
Much of the IRS and Justice Department’s recent success in prosecuting syndicated conservation easement cases can be attributed to the government’s focus on the so-called PropCo ratio, which could indicate treacherous waters ahead for participants and their advisers, even under the incoming Trump administration, say attorneys at Polsinelli.
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So You Want To Move Your Law Practice To Canada, Eh?
Google searches for how to move to Canada have surged in the wake of the U.S. presidential election, and if you’re an attorney considering a move to the Great White North, you’ll need to understand how the practice of law differs across the border, says David Postel at Henein Hutchison.
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Legislation Most Likely To Pass In Lame Duck Session
As Congress begins its five-week post-election lame duck session, attorneys at Greenberg Traurig break down the legislative priorities and which proposals can be expected to pass.
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What Trump's 2nd Presidency Could Mean For Crypto Sector
Trump's second term will bring a fundamental shift from the Biden administration's approach to crypto-asset regulation and banking supervision, with the most significant changes likely taking effect in the first two quarters of 2025 and broader policy shifts emerging over the next year, say attorneys at Cahill.
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Promoting Diversity In The Selection Of ADR Neutrals
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Choosing neutrals from diverse backgrounds is an important step in promoting inclusion in the legal profession, and it can enhance the legitimacy and public perception of alternative dispute resolution proceedings, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.
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Striking A Balance Between AI Use And Attorney Well-Being
As the legal industry increasingly adopts generative artificial intelligence tools to boost efficiency, leaders must note the hidden costs of increased productivity, and work to protect attorneys’ well-being while unlocking AI’s full potential, says Ed Sohn at Factor.