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Public Policy

  • July 11, 2025

    Cannabis Industry Group Praises Hemp Ban In Spending Bill

    A cannabis industry trade group has applauded a U.S. Senate committee's adoption of language in a federal appropriations bill that would ban consumable hemp-derived products with THC, while hemp industry stakeholders are seeking to use a one-year delay to amend a policy they say would kill the market.

  • July 11, 2025

    Census Didn't Change Rural Carrier Definition, FCC Says

    The Federal Communications Commission hasn't changed its definition of a "rural competitive local exchange carrier," the agency assured companies after the U.S. Census Bureau's shift in terminology for urban areas threw the definition into doubt.

  • July 11, 2025

    9th Circ. Upholds Feds' Arctic Ringed Seal ESA Protections

    The Ninth Circuit on Friday upheld the federal government's Endangered Species Act protections for Arctic ringed seals and rejected Alaska's effort to roll them back.

  • July 11, 2025

    State Dept. Defends Visa Revocations For Anti-Israel Protests

    A senior U.S. Department of State official testified Friday that a series of high-profile visa and green card revocations were based on participation in campus protests or other acts that "fostered a hostile environment for Jewish students" and included expressions of support for terrorist organizations.

  • July 11, 2025

    Former NC Rep. Says State Law Covers Discrimination Suit

    A former North Carolina lawmaker is fighting back against the state body of independent administrative law judges' effort to defeat his discrimination and retaliation case, saying state statute should cover his claims of being unfairly fired as its general counsel.

  • July 11, 2025

    Ga. Judge Pauses Discovery In Suit Against Ex-Atlanta IG

    A Georgia federal judge has stayed discovery in a case in which a lobbyist and city contractor sued Atlanta's former inspector general for allegedly violating state law by issuing subpoenas for the lobbyist's bank records in order to bolster a frivolous corruption probe.

  • July 11, 2025

    Google Won't Have To Turn Over EU Ad Tech Settlement Docs

    A Virginia federal judge refused a request from the U.S. Department of Justice Friday to force Google to hand over submissions it made to European enforcers when trying to settle their investigation as the sides ready for a remedies trial in the ad tech monopolization case.

  • July 11, 2025

    Gun Group's NJ Nuisance Law Case Paused Amid State Action

    A New Jersey federal judge has put the National Shooting Sports Foundation's lawsuit against the Garden State on hold, finding that the group's challenges to a state law — holding gunmakers and sellers liable for crimes committed with their products — are also being raised by one of its members in a related state enforcement action.

  • July 11, 2025

    Judge Considers Halt On Abrego Garcia's Deportation

    A Maryland federal judge said Friday she would seek to ensure that Kilmar Abrego Garcia isn't deported without due process again, pressing government attorneys to either adequately guarantee that he'll get sufficient notice and a chance to challenge his removal, or to expect an order from her requiring it.

  • July 11, 2025

    PepsiCo Challenges $2.1M Tax Penalty In Ill. Supreme Court

    Illinois' justices should overturn lower court decisions allowing $2.1 million in penalties on PepsiCo for categorizing Frito-Lay expatriates' compensation as foreign payroll, a categorization that excluded Frito-Lay's profits from PepsiCo's state income tax calculations, the food and beverage giant said in a petition.

  • July 11, 2025

    2nd Circ. Backs NY Liability Law Targeting Gunmakers

    The Second Circuit has upheld a New York public nuisance statute that opens up firearm manufacturers to civil lawsuits for acts of violence involving their guns.

  • July 11, 2025

    FCC Approves T-Mobile's $4.4B UScellular Deal

    Federal Communications Commission staff late Friday approved the license transfers needed for T-Mobile to complete its $4.4 billion acquisition of UScellular wireless operations.

  • July 11, 2025

    Florida Insurer Sued For Alleged Bias In Arbitration Process

    A 92-year-old Miami resident has brought a petition against one of Florida's largest property insurers over redirecting disputes away from courts and into state arbitration hearings, described as forums with biased administrative law judges who shield the company from legal liability. 

  • July 11, 2025

    FCC Cuts 'Utility-Style' Internet Regs After Net Neutrality's Fall

    The Federal Communications Commission on Friday slashed 41 "utility-style" regulations on broadband service and network interconnection, following a Sixth Circuit ruling in January that sank Biden-era net neutrality rules.

  • July 11, 2025

    Dow, Others Can't Duck NY Water District's Contamination Suit

    Dow and two other companies must face a New York state water district's claims that they contaminated drinking water supply wells with a highly toxic chemical, a federal judge has said.

  • July 11, 2025

    Mo. Halts Paid Sick Leave, Cost-Of-Living Wage Increases

    Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has signed a bill repealing paid sick leave benefits and yearly cost-of-living wage increases that were approved by state voters in a ballot initiative.

  • July 11, 2025

    Feds Urge 1st Circ. To Toss Third Country Injunction

    The Trump administration urged the First Circuit to throw out an injunction enforcing due process protections for immigrants facing deportation to third countries, saying the U.S. Supreme Court concluded the government is likely to succeed on the merits of the challenge.

  • July 11, 2025

    Suppressing Rival Views Can Break Antitrust Laws, DOJ Says

    The anti-vaccine group once tied to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. got a boost Friday in its D.C. federal court suit alleging that the Associated Press, The Washington Post, Reuters and the BBC colluded with social media platforms to censor rivals, drawing a Justice Department brief assailing news organization assertions that viewpoint competition can't be illegally suppressed.

  • July 11, 2025

    Calif. County Asks Justices To Deny 7th Amendment Review

    A Northern California county is urging the U.S. Supreme Court not to hear a case arguing that the constitutional right to a jury trial should apply in instances of local law enforcement issuing civil penalties for alleged illicit marijuana growing.

  • July 11, 2025

    FTC Looks To Extend Pause Of Noncompete Rule Appeal

    The Federal Trade Commission has asked the Fifth Circuit to keep an appeal over the commission's blocked noncompete rule on hold for another 60 days as the agency continues to mull whether it actually wants to defend the rule.

  • July 11, 2025

    Conservative Groups Bash Idea Of Next-Gen TV Mandate

    The growing battle over potential federal rules to move the U.S. toward next-generation TV continued this week as several right-leaning groups came out swinging against government mandates forcing the switchover.

  • July 11, 2025

    US Seeks To Toss DOGE Taxpayer Data-Sharing Suit

    Unions and advocacy organizations trying to block the White House's Department of Government Efficiency from sharing taxpayer data across agencies have not shown they've suffered the sort of injuries that would allow them to sue the federal government, the U.S. government told a D.C. federal court.

  • July 11, 2025

    Trump Declares 35% Canadian Import Tariff Is Coming Aug. 1

    President Donald Trump has sent a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney indicating Canadian goods entering the U.S. outside the compliance of a regional trade agreement will face 35% tariffs beginning Aug. 1.

  • July 11, 2025

    Connecticut Wins Bid To Halt 80-Acre Tribal Land Acquisition

    A federal judge has blocked the federal government from transferring 80 acres of land into trust for a Connecticut tribe, saying the state — by a narrow margin — established the factors necessary to warrant a temporary injunction to preserve the status quo.

  • July 11, 2025

    Dem States Drop Bid To Block Machine Gun Trigger Returns

    Sixteen Democrat-led states and the District of Columbia told a Maryland federal judge Friday that they are dropping their motion to block the federal government from returning forced-reset triggers for guns to their owners, following declarations from the government and others that they would not distribute the products into states where possession is illegal.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    Address Nationwide Injunction Issues With Random Venues

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    Many of the qualms about individual district court judges' authority to issue nationwide injunctions could be solved with a simple legislative solution: handling multiple complaints about the same agency action filed in different district courts by assigning a venue via random selection, says Harvey Reiter at Stinson.

  • 7 D&O Coverage Areas To Assess As DOJ Targets DEI

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    Companies that receive federal funds or have the remnants of a diversity, equity and inclusion program should review their directors and officers liability insurance policies ahead of a major shift in how the U.S. Department of Justice enforces the False Claims Act, says Bill Wagner at Taft.

  • ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµ Industry Impact Uncertain Amid Priority Shift, Staff Cuts

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    A recent enforcement memo outlines how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's regulatory agenda diverges from that of the previous administration, but, given the bureau's planned reduction in force, it is uncertain whether the agency will be able to enforce these new priorities, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • FAR Rewrite May Cloud Key Gov't Contract Doctrine

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    The Trump administration's government procurement overhaul, under which sections of the Federal Acquisition Regulation are eliminated by default, is bound to collide with a doctrine that allows courts to read omitted clauses into government contracts if they represent long-standing pillars of federal procurement law, say attorneys at Rogers Joseph.

  • SEC Staff Input Eases Path For Broker-Dealer Crypto Activities

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    Recent guidance from U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission staff on broker-dealer and transfer agent crypto-asset activities suggests a more constructive regulatory posture on permissibility and application of financial responsibility rules, bringing welcome clarity for blockchain market participants and traditional financial institutions alike, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Compliance Essentials To Mitigate AI Crime Enforcement Risk

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    As artificial intelligence systems move closer to accurately mimicking human decision-making, companies must understand how the U.S. Department of Justice might prosecute them for crimes committed by AI tools — and how to mitigate enforcement risks, say attorneys at Paul Hastings.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From US Attorney To BigLaw

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    When I transitioned to private practice after government service — most recently as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia — I learned there are more similarities between the two jobs than many realize, with both disciplines requiring resourcefulness, zealous advocacy and foresight, says Zach Terwilliger at V&E.

  • Employer-Friendly Fla. Law Ushers In New Noncompete Era

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    Florida's CHOICE Act is set to take effect July 1, and employers are welcoming it with open arms as it would create one of the most favorable environments in the country for the enforcement of noncompete and garden leave agreements, but businesses should also consider the nonlegal implications, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.

  • Most-Favored Nation Drug Pricing Could Shake Up US Pharma

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    Recent moves from the executive and legislative branches represent a serious attempt to revive and refine the first Trump administration's most-favored-nations model for drug pricing, though implementation could bring unintended consequences for pharmaceutical manufacturers and will likely draw significant legal opposition, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Opinion

    Aviation Watch: A Supersonic 'Boom' Going Nowhere Fast

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    Legislation recently introduced in Congress to repeal the Federal Aviation Administration's ban on supersonic flight over U.S. territory appears to benefit a single company with an uncertain business plan, and is not truly in the public interest, says Alan Hoffman, a retired attorney and aviation expert.

  • How The DOJ Is Redesigning Its Approach To Digital Assets

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    Two key digital asset enforcement policy pronouncements narrow the Justice Department's focus on threats like fraud, terrorism, trafficking and sanctions evasion and dial back so-called regulation by prosecution, but institutions prioritizing compliance must remember that the underlying statutory framework hasn't changed, say attorneys at Blank Rome.

  • Opportunity Zone Revamp Could Improve The Program

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    If adopted, the budget bill's new iteration of the opportunity zone program could renew, refine and enhance the effectiveness and accountability of the original program by including structural reforms, expanded eligibility rules and incentives for rural investment, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • At 'SEC Speaks,' Leaders Frame New Views

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    At the Practising Law Institute's recent SEC Speaks conference, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission leadership highlighted the agency's significant priority changes, including in enforcement, crypto and artificial intelligence, say attorneys at Perkins Coie.

  • The Ins And Outs Of Consensual Judicial References

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    As parties consider the possibility of judicial reference to resolve complex disputes, it is critical to understand how the process works, why it's gaining traction, and why carefully crafted agreements make all the difference, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • Opinion

    Congress Must Restore IP Protection To Drive US Innovation

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    Congress should pass the RESTORE Patent Rights Act to enforce patent holders' exclusive rights and encourage American innovation, and undo the decades of patent rights erosion caused by the U.S. Supreme Court's 2006 decision in eBay v. MercExchange, says former Chief U.S. Circuit Judge Paul Michel.

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