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Environmental

  • September 04, 2025

    Pollution Exclusion Bars Coverage For HOA Stormwater Suit

    An insurer has no duty to defend or indemnify a homeowners association against claims that its stormwater drainage system caused flooding and damage to nearby properties, a Georgia federal court ruled, saying a pollution exclusion bars coverage.

  • September 04, 2025

    Feds Don't Have Immunity In NM Wildfire Row, Court Told

    The U.S. Forest Service's failure to comply with a plan for the Santa Fe National Forest means it cannot avoid liability by invoking an "overarching discretionary enterprise" of prescribed burning that led to the destruction of nearly 43,000 acres, a New Mexico tribe, an electric cooperative and others argue.

  • September 04, 2025

    Solar Co. Meyer Burger Unit Gets OK For $29M Ch. 11 Sale

    The U.S. unit of Swiss solar-panel maker Meyer Burger secured a Delaware bankruptcy judge's approval Thursday to sell its assets for $28.7 million in Chapter 11, defeating an objection to the deal from unsecured creditors who charged that it benefits secured creditors but no one else.

  • September 04, 2025

    Solar Co. Mosaic Gets OK For Debt-For-Equity Ch. 11 Plan

    A Texas bankruptcy judge Thursday approved residential solar panel financing firm Mosaic's plan to reorganize and hand ownership of its loan servicing business to its secured lender, after no buyers came forward at a Chapter 11 auction.

  • September 04, 2025

    Trump's Wind Project Halt Faces Suits From Conn., RI, Ørsted

    The decision by President Donald Trump's administration to stop a nearly completed wind project slated to power the New England region was met with two lawsuits on Thursday, with the attorneys general of Connecticut and Rhode Island and developer Ørsted seeking to resume construction.

  • September 04, 2025

    FERC Nominee Says He Supports Review Of Removal Protections

    A Federal Energy Regulatory Commission nominee said Thursday that he hopes the U.S. Supreme Court will rethink long-standing tenure protections guaranteed for members of independent agencies, raising the eyebrows of U.S. senators concerned about FERC's future under President Donald Trump.

  • September 04, 2025

    Feds Sue SoCal Edison Over Eaton, Fairview Wildfires

    The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday sued Southern California Edison, seeking a combined $77 million in a pair of lawsuits alleging that its negligence in maintaining its infrastructure caused the catastrophic Eaton wildfire in January and devastating Fairview fire in 2022.

  • September 04, 2025

    Unions Defend Challenge To Federal Work Safety Agency Cuts

    Unions representing nurses, teachers, miners and factory workers have asked a Washington, D.C., federal judge to preserve their challenge to the Trump administration's cuts to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, saying they have standing to sue because they "rely on NIOSH's lifesaving work."

  • September 04, 2025

    Wash. Justices To Review Voter Measure Backing Natural Gas

    The Washington State Supreme Court has agreed to weigh in on a dispute over a law approved by voters that prevents local governments and code officials in the state from passing rules restricting or discouraging the use of natural gas.

  • September 04, 2025

    Cube Highways Trust Mulls $600M IPO, Plus More Rumors

    Indian infrastructure investment trust Cube Highways Trust is considering a $600 million initial public offering, premium diaper brand Coterie is in talks to be acquired by consumer goods business Mammoth Brands, and European antitrust regulators have reportedly paused their investigation into ADNOC's $17.1 billion acquisition of German chemicals producer Covestro.

  • September 03, 2025

    Ga. County Can't Recoup Bio-Lab Emergency Response Costs

    A Georgia federal judge said a metro Atlanta county can't recover its emergency services expenses in responding to the massive Bio-Lab chemical plant fire last year, but left the door open for the county to win damages from the resulting economic fallout of the disaster.

  • September 03, 2025

    How Morgan & Morgan Got Ousted As Top Federal Tort Filer

    Heavyweight injury firm Morgan & Morgan PA was ousted from the top spot for most federal court filings in the past three years thanks to more than 2,000 individual cases filed in Mississippi over drinking water there, according to a new analysis by Lex Machina, whose rich trend data also shows how other firms fared over the same period.

  • September 03, 2025

    DOI Casino Approval Overturned For Ignoring Tribal Input

    The U.S. Department of the Interior went beyond its authority and failed to properly consult with another local tribe when it approved the Koi Nation's plan to build a casino on newly acquired trust land, a California federal judge has ruled.

  • September 03, 2025

    Ex-Latham Atty Who Quit Over Trump Deal Joins Stoel Rives

    Former BigLaw associate Sam Wong, who publicly quit Latham & Watkins LLP earlier this year in response to a deal it reached with the Trump administration to avoid executive orders targeting the firm, said he has joined Stoel Rives LLP, where he will be advising clients on energy projects, regulatory matters and more. 

  • September 03, 2025

    Feds Move To Sink Mass. Offshore Wind Farm Approval

    The federal government said Wednesday it will yank approval for a Massachusetts offshore wind farm 20 miles south of Martha's Vineyard, the latest in a series of moves by the Trump administration to stymie U.S. offshore wind development.

  • September 03, 2025

    Enviro Groups Urge 11th Circ. To Keep Detention Center Shut

    Seven environmental groups filed an amicus brief Tuesday in the appeal of an order shutting down an Everglades immigration detention center, arguing that the district court was right to enjoin the center because the federal government failed to fulfill its obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act.

  • September 03, 2025

    9th Circ. Upholds Ruling Against Wash. Tribe's Fishing Claims

    A Ninth Circuit panel Wednesday affirmed a lower court's ruling that determined a Washington tribe fell short of its evidentiary burden to establish that a 19th century treaty included its customary fishing grounds near the Puget Sound after vacating the dispute for further review last year.

  • September 03, 2025

    4th Circ. Says Md. Immunity Doesn't Apply In Tugboat Case

    The Fourth Circuit said Wednesday that a tugboat owner's petition seeking to limit its liability over a 2015 accident involving Maryland's Nanticoke River Memorial Bridge does not infringe on the state's sovereign immunity, so it can proceed in the district court.

  • September 03, 2025

    Feds Seek $140M Fine For Mich. Energy Co. Over Air Pollution

    The federal government on Tuesday advocated for $140 million in penalties for a Michigan energy company the government alleges shares responsibility for air pollution resulting from coke production, while the energy company maintained it tried to comply with the state-issued permit, in briefs filed this week ahead of a bench trial later this month.

  • September 03, 2025

    9th Circ. Saves Tribes' Cultural Superfund Claims Against Teck

    The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday revived the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation's natural resource damages claims against Teck Cominco Metals Ltd. for the company's alleged pollution of the Columbia River.

  • September 03, 2025

    Wash. Court Pressed To Immediately End EV Funding Freeze

    Clean energy advocates have urged a Washington federal judge to wipe out the Trump administration's decision to freeze funding for new electric-vehicle charging infrastructure, saying the government can't be allowed to drag its feet on a pledge to restore funding.

  • September 03, 2025

    EPA Withdraws Slaughterhouse Water Pollution Rule

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday withdrew a Biden-era proposal that would have imposed stricter water discharge regulations on meat and poultry slaughtering, processing and rendering facilities across the country.

  • September 03, 2025

    Calif. Senate Panel OKs Property Tax Break For Tribes

    Native American tribes in California would be eligible for open space exemptions to property taxes under legislation approved by a state Senate panel that's heading for a final vote.

  • September 02, 2025

    DC Circ. Says EPA Can Freeze Climate Grant Funds

    A D.C. Circuit panel vacated an injunction on Tuesday ordering Citibank to relinquish grant funding frozen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, finding green groups are not likely to succeed on the merits of their "essentially contractual" claims.

  • September 02, 2025

    Two Unions Fight Trump Order Ending Labor Rights

    Unions representing thousands of employees of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the National Weather Service challenged in a lawsuit Tuesday in D.C. federal court an executive order by President Donald Trump ending their collective bargaining agreements. 

Expert Analysis

  • How Energy Cos. Can Prepare For Potential Tax Credit Cuts

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    The Senate Finance Committee's version of the One Big Beautiful Bill act would create a steep phaseout of renewable energy tax credits, which should prompt companies to take several actions, including conduct a project review to discern which could begin construction before the end of the year, say attorneys at Husch Blackwell.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Rejecting Biz Dev Myths

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    Law schools don’t spend sufficient time dispelling certain myths that prevent young lawyers from exploring new business opportunities, but by dismissing these misguided beliefs, even an introverted first-year associate with a small network of contacts can find long-term success, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.

  • Move Beyond Surface-Level Edits To Master Legal Writing

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    Recent instances in which attorneys filed briefs containing artificial intelligence hallucinations offer a stark reminder that effective revision isn’t just about superficial details like grammar — it requires attorneys to critically engage with their writing and analyze their rhetorical choices, says Ivy Grey at WordRake.

  • 9th Circ. Has Muddied Waters Of Article III Pleading Standard

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    District courts in the Ninth Circuit continue to apply a defunct and especially forgiving pleading standard to questions of Article III standing, and the circuit court itself has only perpetuated this confusion — making it an attractive forum for disputes that have no rightful place in federal court, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

  • Future Of Enviro Crimes Under Trump's Federal Regs Order

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    President Donald Trump's recent executive order about fighting overcriminalization in federal regulations creates new advocacy opportunities for defense counsel to argue that particular environmental crime investigations and matters ought to be limited or declined based on the policy priorities reflected in the order, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Series

    Competing In Modern Pentathlon Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Opening myself up to new experiences through competing in modern Olympic pentathlon has shrunk the appearance of my daily work annoyances and helps me improve my patience, manage crises better and remember that acquiring new skills requires working through your early mistakes, says attorney Mary Zoldak.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Teaching Yourself Legal Tech

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    New graduates often enter practice unfamiliar with even basic professional software, but budding lawyers can use on-the-job opportunities to both catch up on technological skills and explore the advanced legal and artificial intelligence tools that will open doors, says Alyssa Sones at Sheppard Mullin.

  • State Farm Rate Hike Portends Intensifying Insurance Crisis

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    The California Department of Insurance's unprecedented emergency approval of a 17% rate increase for State Farm General Insurance, the first interim rate relief granted before completing full actuarial justification, represents a regulatory watershed and establishes precedent that could fundamentally reshape insurers' response to climate-driven market instability, says Daniel Veroff at Merlin Law Group.

  • Texas Targets Del. Primacy With Trio Of New Corporate Laws

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    Delaware has long positioned itself as the leader in attracting business formation, but a flurry of new legislation in Texas aimed at attracting businesses to the Lone Star State is aggressively trying to change that, says Andrew Oringer at the Wagner Law Group.

  • How AI May Reshape The Future Of Adjudication

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    As discussed at a recent panel at Texas A&M, artificial intelligence will not erase the human element of adjudication in the next 10 to 20 years, but it will drive efficiencies that spur private arbiters to experiment, lead public courts to evolve and force attorneys to adapt, says Christopher Seck at Squire Patton.

  • When Legal Advocacy Crosses The Line Into Incivility

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    As judges issue sanctions for courtroom incivility, and state bars advance formal discipline rules, trial lawyers must understand that the difference between zealous advocacy and unprofessionalism is not just a matter of tone; it's a marker of skill, credibility and potentially disciplinary exposure, says Nate Sabri at Perkins Coie.

  • 3 Corporate Deposition Prep Tips To Counter 'Reptile' Tactics

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    With plaintiffs counsel’s rising use of reptile strategies that seek to activate jurors' survival instincts, corporate deponents face an increased risk of being lulled into providing testimony that undercuts a key defense or sets up the plaintiff's case strategy at trial, making it important to consider factors like cross-examination and timing, say attorneys at Dentons.

  • Series

    Volunteering At Schools Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Speaking to elementary school students about the importance of college and other opportunities after high school — especially students who may not see those paths reflected in their daily lives — not only taught me the importance of giving back, but also helped to sharpen several skills essential to a successful legal practice, says Guillermo Escobedo at Constangy.

  • DOE Grant Recipients Facing Termination Have Legal Options

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    Federal grant recipients whose awards have recently been rescinded by the U.S. Deparment of Energy have options for successfully challenging those terminations through litigation, say attorneys at Bracewell.

  • Attacks On Judicial Independence Tend To Manifest In 3 Ways

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    Attacks on judicial independence now run the gamut from gross (bald-faced interference) to systemic (structural changes) to insidious (efforts to undermine public trust), so lawyers, judges and the public must recognize the fateful moment in which we live and defend the rule of law every day, says Jim Moliterno at Washington and Lee University.

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