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Public Policy

  • August 29, 2025

    Federal Judge Blocks New Texas ESG Disclosure Law

    A Texas federal judge temporarily blocked the state attorney general from enforcing a new state law that requires proxy advisory firms to disclose when their advice stems from factors such as diversity and inclusion, siding with the companies that argued the law breaches the First Amendment.

  • August 29, 2025

    FCC Reminds Rip-And-Replace Recipients To File Updates

    Telecom carriers that received funding from the "rip and replace" program need to provide a status report to the Federal Communications Commission at the end of September, updating the agency on the progress they've made in removing and replacing allegedly insecure foreign-made equipment from their networks, according to a notice issued Friday.

  • August 29, 2025

    LA's Acting US Atty Essayli Faces DQ Bid Over Expired Term

    The Federal Public Defender's Office in Los Angeles urged a California federal court Friday to disqualify acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, arguing that his temporary 120-day appointment has expired and his continuing service in the role "circumvented limitations" imposed by Congress.

  • August 29, 2025

    8th Circ.'s 'Erie Guess' Affirms Apt. Co.'s $27M Insurance Win

    A partially split Eighth Circuit panel affirmed an apartment complex's $27 million jury award against Travelers Insurance, holding that an expert's testimony about the presence of carcinogenetic soot is sufficient to support the verdict that a fire on the property caused "direct physical loss of or damage to" unburned sections.

  • August 29, 2025

    Trans Athlete Inclusion Case Paused Pending Justices' Ruling

    A Connecticut federal judge has stayed a lawsuit challenging transgender inclusion policies in high school sports, except for the written discovery the parties have said is nearly done, until the U.S. Supreme Court issues two rulings on the topic.

  • August 29, 2025

    Dems Urge FHFA Director To Focus On Housing Costs

    Democratic senators on Friday urged Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte to focus on measures to bring housing costs down — including by forestalling any privatization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — while lambasting Pulte for his role in the firing of Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook.

  • August 29, 2025

    Ohio Appeals Common Carrier, Public Utility Bid For Google

    The Ohio Attorney General's Office said that enforcers have appealed a pair of state court rulings that refused to subject Google to heightened oversight by declaring its search engine a common carrier or a public utility.

  • August 29, 2025

    DC Circ. Backs Biden Gulf Drilling Plan Amid Trump Revamp

    The D.C. Circuit rejected environmental groups' bid to scale back the U.S. Department of the Interior's 2024-2029 offshore oil and gas leasing program, finding the plan satisfied all legal requirements.

  • August 29, 2025

    Emigrant Seeks High Court Review Of 'Reverse Redlining' Suit

    Emigrant Mortgage Co. has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a Second Circuit decision upholding a jury verdict that found the company engaged in "reverse redlining" by targeting Black and Latino homeowners with predatory loans, arguing the appeals court broke with other circuits and made it too easy for borrowers to sue and prove disparate impact.

  • August 29, 2025

    Full DC Circ. Asked To Revive Inquiry Into El Salvador Flights

    The American Civil Liberties Union is asking the full D.C. Circuit to review a panel ruling ending a district judge's investigation into the Trump administration's first flights of Venezuelan citizens to El Salvador in March, claiming that the decision undermines the court's fundamental authority to enforce its orders.

  • August 29, 2025

    NJ Casinos Say 9th Circ. Ruling Backs Axing Price-Fixing Suit

    A group of Atlantic City casino-hotel owners have asked the Third Circuit to review a recent decision in the Ninth Circuit involving "nearly identical" antitrust claims related to the same software the defendants in both suits used to allegedly orchestrate inflated room rates across a given area.

  • August 29, 2025

    Norwegian Shipping Co. Pleads Guilty To Pollution Charge

    Shipping company V.Ships Norway admitted to illegally dumping oil-contaminated waste in the Atlantic Ocean and was sentenced to pay a $2 million fine, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

  • August 29, 2025

    Del. Gun Ownership Age Limit Deemed Unconstitutional

    A Delaware Superior Court judge on Friday ruled unconstitutional a state law prohibiting 18- to 20-year-olds from buying firearms or using them without the supervision of someone 21 or older, citing in part infringement of the "quintessential" right to self-defense under the state's constitution.

  • August 29, 2025

    Trump Admin Yanks $679M In Offshore Wind Projects

    The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Friday that it is canceling $679 million in federal funding for a dozen offshore wind projects, the latest salvo in the Trump administration's attack on wind power. 

  • August 29, 2025

    Former National Security Officials Say Union EO Went Too Far

    Although President Donald Trump said he was protecting national security when he opened the door for dozens of agencies to shred their union contracts, he was actually retaliating against the unions for speaking out against him, a coalition of former senior national security officials told the Ninth Circuit on Friday.

  • August 29, 2025

    Hegseth Creates Joint Task Force To Counter Drone Threats

    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has moved to establish a joint Interagency task force aimed at countering foreign drone threats and promoting sovereignty over U.S. airspace. 

  • August 29, 2025

    Tribe Says Okla. City Can't Avoid Sovereignty Suit

    The Muscogee (Creek) Nation told an Oklahoma federal court to reject a local city's bid to dismiss the Indian nation's suit accusing the city of violating the nation's sovereignty by prosecuting Indians for crimes committed within the nation's territory.

  • August 29, 2025

    DOJ Targets BigLaw, Big Tech For Antitrust 'Gamesmanship'

    The U.S. Department of Justice's top antitrust official singled out technology platforms and the BigLaw attorneys who represent them for "gamesmanship" by hiding key information from merger and conduct investigators, and announced a special task force "to tackle abuses that arise in our investigations."

  • August 29, 2025

    Republicans Urge Justices To End Campaign Spending Caps

    Top Republican lawmakers are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to eliminate caps on how much political parties can spend on campaigns while in coordination with candidates, saying the caps hinder free speech and don't prevent corruption.

  • August 29, 2025

    Pro-Palestine Student Group Must Be Allowed On Pitt Campus

    The University of Pittsburgh must lift its suspension of a pro-Palestine student group, a federal judge ordered, several weeks before the group's ban on activities on-campus was set to expire.

  • August 29, 2025

    Texas Fights Statewide Block Of Migrant Transport Order

    Texas has urged a federal court not to issue a statewide injunction against an executive order allowing state officers to pull over drivers suspected of transporting unauthorized migrants in the wake of a Supreme Court decision limiting universal injunctive relief.

  • August 29, 2025

    Vape Groups Say Wisconsin Law Preempted By Federal Policy

    A coalition of vaping interests urged a Wisconsin federal judge not to dismiss their challenge to a new state law that bans the sale of e-cigarettes not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a law they allege is blocked by federal policy.

  • August 29, 2025

    High Court Urged To Uphold Wash. Gaming Compact Order

    Washington state, an Indigenous nation and the federal government are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to deny a gaming operator's bid to undo a Ninth Circuit ruling over tribal compacts, saying the petition mischaracterizes the decision and argues for certiorari based on the strawman it creates.

  • August 29, 2025

    Can Trump's Orders Stop The Rise Of Cashless Bail?

    President Donald Trump's recent executive orders threatening several cities and states that limit cash bail would end a "government-backed crime spree," according to the White House, despite data largely showing declining crime rates and other successes in jurisdictions he is targeting.

  • August 29, 2025

    NY Town Officials Let Mosque Land-Use Deal Fizzle

    A Long Island town has backed out of a settlement with a mosque that had accused local officials of leaning on land-use laws to thwart its redevelopment plans, an about-face the town blamed on traffic concerns but the mosque has attributed to public backlash.

Expert Analysis

  • Nuclear Stakeholders Must Prepare For Cyber Threats

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    As the White House signals its support for a revival of nuclear power to supply the power needs of data centers and the artificial intelligence industry, investors and operators must keep in mind that safeguarding nuclear infrastructure from evolving cyber threats will be essential, say attorneys at A&O Shearman.

  • Series

    Playing Mah-Jongg Makes Me A Better Mediator

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    Mah-jongg rewards patience, pattern recognition, adaptability and keen observation, all skills that are invaluable to my role as a mediator, and to all mediating parties, says Marina Corodemus.

  • Business Court Bill Furthers Texas' Pro-Corporate Strategy

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    The Texas Legislature's recent bill to enhance corporate protections and expand access to the Texas Business Court by refining its jurisdictional standards is just the latest step in the state's playbook for becoming the new center of corporate America, say attorneys at Katten.

  • Calif. Air Waivers Fight Fuels Automakers', States' Uncertainty

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    The unprecedented attempt by Congress and the Trump administration to kill the Clean Air Act waivers supporting California's vehicle emissions standards will eventually end up in the U.S. Supreme Court — but meanwhile, vehicle manufacturers, and states following California's standards, are left in limbo, says John Watson at Spencer Fane.

  • FTC Staff Cuts Unlikely To Curb Antitrust Enforcement Agenda

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    While Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson's recent commitment to reducing agency staff may seem at odds with the Trump administration's commitment to antitrust enforcement, a closer analysis shows that such reductions have little chance of derailing the president's efforts, say attorneys at Squire Patton.

  • Diversity, Equity, Indictment? Contractor Risks After Kousisis

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent Kousisis v. U.S. decision, holding that economic loss is not required to sustain wire fraud charges related to fraudulent inducement, may extend criminal liability to government contractors that make false diversity, equity and inclusion certifications, say attorneys at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Navigating Client Trauma

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    Law schools don't train students to handle repeated exposure to clients' traumatic experiences, but for litigators practicing in areas like civil rights and personal injury, success depends on the ability to view cases clinically and to recognize when you may need to seek help, says Katie Bennett at Robins Kaplan.

  • What To Expect As UK, US Gov'ts Develop Stablecoin Policies

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    While the U.K. and U.S. governments’ policies both suggest that fiat-backed stablecoins can improve efficiency and safety in payments systems, a perception that crypto-assets remain high risk means consumers are unlikely to use them in significant volume anytime soon, say lawyers at Cadwalader.

  • Series

    Texas Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q2

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    In the second quarter of 2025, the Texas Business Court's newly expanded jurisdiction set the stage for rising caseloads, while the state Legislature narrowed an exception to state bank control requirements and closed a cryptocurrency dividends payments loophole, say attorneys at Mayer Brown.

  • Lawsuit, Exec Orders Should Boost Small Modular Reactors

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    A lawsuit in Texas federal court and a set of new executive orders from the White House may finally push the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to allow for accelerated deployment of small modular reactors — a technology that could change the country's energy future, says Aleksey Shtivelman at Shutts & Bowen.

  • Opinion

    4 Former Justices Would Likely Frown On Litigation Funding

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    As courts increasingly confront cases involving hidden litigation finance contracts, the jurisprudence of four former U.S. Supreme Court justices establishes a constitutional framework that risks erosion by undisclosed financial interests, says Roland Eisenhuth at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.

  • Congress Crypto Movement Could Bring CFTC 'Clarity' At Last

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    The Clarity Act's arrival at the House floor during "Crypto Week" in Congress demonstrates enduring bipartisan support for legislation addressing digital assets and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's important role in a future regulatory structure, say attorneys at DLA Piper.

  • What Employers Can Learn From Axed Mo. Sick Leave Law

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    Missouri's recent passage and brisk repeal of Proposition A, which would have created a paid sick time benefit for employees, serves as a case study for employers, highlighting the steps they can take to adapt as paid sick leave laws are increasingly debated across the country, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

  • Preparing For Trump Pushback Against State Climate Laws

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    An April executive order from President Donald Trump mandated a report from the U.S. attorney general on countering so-called state overreach in climate policy, and while that report has yet to appear, companies can expect that it will likely call for using litigation, legislation and funding to actively reshape energy policy, say attorneys at Bracewell.

  • Practical Implications Of SEC's New Crypto Staking Guidance

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent staff guidance that protocol staking does not constitute securities offerings provides a workable compliance blueprint for crypto developers, validators and custodial platforms willing to keep staking strictly limited to protocol-driven rewards, say attorneys at Cahill.

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