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Expert Analysis

• FTC Focus: When Green Goals And Antitrust Law Collide

  

  A recently concluded Federal Trade Commission investigation has turned an emissions deal involving major U.S. heavy-duty truck manufacturers that was brokered by the California Air Resources Board into a cautionary tale about the potential for environmental agreements to run afoul of competition rules, say attorneys at Proskauer.

• High Court E-Cig Ruling Opens Door For FDA Challenges

  

  There will likely be more challenges to marketing denial orders brought before the Fifth Circuit following the Supreme Court's recent ruling in U.S. Food and Drug Administration v. R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co., where litigants have generally had greater success, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

• Untangling 'Debanking' Exec Order And Ensuing Challenges

  

  President Donald Trump's recent executive order on the practice of closing or refusing to open accounts for high-risk customers has heightened scrutiny on "debanking," but practical steps can help financial institutions reduce the likelihood of becoming involved in investigations, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

• Employer Tips As Memo Broadens Religious Accommodations

  

  A recent Trump administration memorandum seeking to expand religion-related remote work accommodations for federal workers continues the trend of prioritizing religious rights in the workplace, which should alert all employers as related litigation shows no signs of slowing down, say attorneys at Seyfarth Shaw.

• How 9th Circ. Customs Ruling Is Affecting FCA Litigation

  

  The Ninth Circuit’s recent Island Industries decision holding that the U.S. Court of International Trade doesn’t have exclusive jurisdiction over whistleblower suits involving import duties has set the stage for the False Claims Act to be a key weapon on the customs enforcement battlefield, say attorneys at Haynes Boone.

• What FDIC's Asset Threshold Raise Would Mean For Banking

  

  If the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. goes through with its plan to raise asset thresholds that determine regulatory intensity, it could free billions in compliance costs and bolster regional and community banks, but risk of oversight gaps are making this a contested area in banking policy, says Jessica Groza at Kohr Jackson.

• 2nd Circ. Ruling Gives Banks Shield From Terrorism Liability

  

  A recent Second Circuit dismissal strengthens the position of international banks facing claims they indirectly helped terrorist organizations and provides clearer guidance on the boundaries of secondary liability, but doesn't provide absolute immunity, say attorneys at Freshfields.

• Calif. Board's Financial-Grade Climate Standards Raise Stakes

  

  After the California Air Resources Board's recent workshop, it is clear that the state's climate disclosure laws will be enforced with standards comparable to financial reporting — so companies should act now to implement assurance-grade systems, formalize governance responsibilities and coordinate reporting across their organizations, says Thierry Montoya at Frost Brown.

• Patterns And Trends In Publicly Filed Insider Trading Policies

  

  An assessment of insider trading policies filed by over 60 issuers reveals a range of common approaches and a few differences with respect to key policy terms, including the parties covered, the scope of prohibited activities and the exceptions to these prohibitions, say attorneys at Debevoise.

• Series

  Coaching Cheerleading Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  At first glance, cheerleading and litigation may seem like worlds apart, but both require precision, adaptability, leadership and the ability to stay composed under pressure — all of which have sharpened how I approach my work in the emotionally complex world of mass torts and personal injury, says Rashanda Bruce at Robins Kaplan.

• 9th Circ.'s Kickback Ruling Strengthens A Prosecutorial Tool

  

  The Ninth Circuit's decision last month in U.S. v. Schena, interpreting the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act to prohibit kickback conduct between the principal and individuals who do not directly interact with patients, serves as a wake-up call to the booming clinical laboratory testing industry, say attorneys at Kendall Brill.

• Unpacking The BIS Guidance On Chinese AI Chip Use

  

  In response to May guidance from the Bureau of Industry and Security, which indicates the agency considers a wide but somewhat unclear range of activities involving Chinese integrated circuits to be in violation of its General Prohibition 10, companies should consider adopting enhanced due diligence to determine how firm counterparties may be using the affected chips, says Peter Lichtenbaum at Covington.

• How To Address Tariff-Related Risks In Commercial Contracts

  

  Companies' commercial agreements may not clearly prescribe which party bears the risks and consequences of tariff-related fallout, but cases addressing common-law defenses and force majeure have one key takeaway, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

• How New Texas Law Targets ESG Proxy Advice

  

  A recently enacted Texas law represents a major shift in how proxy advisory services are regulated in Texas, particularly when recommendations are based on nonfinancial factors like ESG and DEI, but legal challenges underscore the statute’s broader constitutional and statutory implications, say attorneys at Bracewell.

• Opinion

  $40M Award Shows Hospitality Cos. Can't Ignore Trafficking

  

  A Georgia federal jury's recent verdict in J.G. v. Northbrook Industries, ordering a hospitality company to pay $40 million to a woman who was sex-trafficked at one of its motels while she was a teenager, sends a powerful message that businesses that turn a blind eye to such activities on their property will pay a price, say attorneys at Singleton Schreiber.