Environmental

  • January 28, 2025

    Ariz. Judge Rejects Monument Challenge Due To Mining Ban

    A federal district court judge dismissed the Arizona State Legislature's challenge to former President Joe Biden's proclamation that established an Indigenous site in the Grand Canyon region as a national monument, saying the lawmakers failed to show how the order would harm the state's mining revenue-related interests.

  • January 28, 2025

    Senate Confirms Sean Duffy As DOT Secretary

    The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed former Wisconsin congressman Sean Duffy to be secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

  • January 28, 2025

    Cravath, Ropes & Gray Guide $2.4B Connecticut Water Deal

    Ropes & Gray LLP and Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP are leading a $2.4 billion deal that will see public energy company Eversource Energy sell subsidiary Aquarion Water Co., a public water supply and wastewater treatment company, to a unit of the state of Connecticut. 

  • January 28, 2025

    Environmental Group Of The Year: Baron & Budd

    Baron & Budd PC's attorneys over the past year secured billions of dollars from some of the world's biggest chemical companies to help reduce U.S. residents' exposure to toxic forever chemicals, work that took years to complete and that earned the firm a spot as one of the 2024 Law360 Environmental Groups of the Year.

  • January 28, 2025

    Judge Temporarily Halts Trump's Funding Freeze

    A D.C. federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked a Trump administration freeze on federal spending that was set to go into effect at 5 p.m., as a group of nearly two dozen attorneys general filed a separate case challenging what they described as an illegal and potentially catastrophic move.

  • January 28, 2025

    Calif. Bill Targets Oil Cos. For Climate Disaster Costs

    A Democratic lawmaker in California has introduced a bill aimed at improving insurance affordability in the state by allowing insurers and victims of natural disasters to pursue action against oil and gas companies for their role in fueling the climate crisis.

  • January 28, 2025

    NY Battery Startup Hits Ch. 11 With $136M Debt, Sale Plans

    Electric vehicle and renewable energy storage lithium-ion battery maker iM3NY filed for bankruptcy protection in Delaware, reporting around $136 million in debt after it wasn't able to drum up new funding for a battery production plant in New York.

  • January 27, 2025

    Anadarko Prevails In La. Kickback Defense Coverage Suit

    An environmental remediation company should defend and indemnify Anadarko Petroleum Corp. in a decade-old Louisiana kickback lawsuit, a Texas federal court judge has ruled.

  • January 27, 2025

    SoCal Edison To Leave Power Off Amid Eaton Fire Litigation

    Southern California Edison agreed Monday that it won't re-energize the power lines leading to the site of this month's deadly Eaton Fire for three more weeks, after plaintiffs' firm Edelson PC obtained a video that appears to show electrical sparks near the utility's equipment just before the fire began.

  • January 27, 2025

    Alaskan Co. Says Texas Firm Bungled Wash. Dam Scaffolding

    An Alaska Native-owned corporation is claiming a Texas firm supplied faulty underwater scaffolding designs that allegedly caused a structural collapse at a Pacific Northwest dam, exposing one of the corporation's subsidiaries to a demand of more than $1.4 million from the project's lead contractor.

  • January 27, 2025

    Enbridge Urges Line 5 Judge To Stall For Trump Admin Talks

    Enbridge Energy LP suggested Monday that a judge should "sit tight" rather than immediately rule on the merits of Michigan's lawsuit over its Line 5 pipeline to give the new U.S. presidential administration time to reach a resolution with Canada in the long-running dispute.

  • January 27, 2025

    Buddhist Group Wants Army Corps Everglades Plan Blocked

    A Buddhist community asked a Florida federal court to block construction on an Everglades restoration water retention project, arguing its concerns that the project will make its adjacent religious retreat center unusable have fallen on deaf ears at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

  • January 27, 2025

    Drone Co., Media Biz And Tire-Maker Announce SPAC Mergers

    Three overseas companies spanning industries from drones to fashion media and tire manufacturing announced plans on Monday to go public in the U.S. by merging with special purpose acquisition companies in deals projected to exceed $1.1 billion in value, guided by at least eight law firms.

  • January 27, 2025

    Fed Fisheries Seek Win In Tide Gate Fight Over Salmon

    The National Marine Fisheries Service has sought an early win in a suit by a county dike district challenging a U.S. government biological opinion that says a proposed tide gate project endangers salmon, telling a Washington federal judge that its ecological findings are reasonable.

  • January 27, 2025

    Norfolk Southern Can't Block Expert Testimony On Derailment

    A railcar inspector with over 45 years of experience is clear to testify against Norfolk Southern in litigation over the 2023 train derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio, a federal judge has ruled, rejecting the rail company's argument that he was not qualified to opine on certain train safety equipment.

  • January 27, 2025

    Holland & Hart Names New Senior Director Of Federal Affairs

    Holland & Hart LLP said Monday that it is bolstering its federal affairs team with the addition of a lobbyist who previously led the energy and environment practice at Cassidy & Associates.

  • January 27, 2025

    Arnold & Porter Adds Former Interior Dept. Energy Solicitor

    Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP has hired the former deputy solicitor for energy and mineral resources at the U.S. Department of the Interior, who is joining the firm's D.C. team as a counsel, the firm announced Monday.

  • January 27, 2025

    Pipeline Cos. Tell DC Circ. FERC Project Review Is Solid

    Companies behind a methane gas pipeline set to run between West Texas and Mexico are asking the D.C. Circuit to uphold the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's approval of the project, which is being challenged by environmentalists.

  • January 27, 2025

    High Court Passes On Solar Project Fine Levied Without Jury

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to review the Vermont Supreme Court's ruling that the state Public Utility Commission has the authority to bypass a jury trial and unilaterally impose civil penalties on solar energy project backers that allegedly cleared land without a permit.

  • January 24, 2025

    Syngenta, Chevron Headed For October Paraquat Bellwether

    An Illinois federal judge has set an October date for Syngenta and Chevron's first trial in a multidistrict litigation alleging that the pesticide paraquat causes Parkinson's disease, after the previous dismissal of trial-selected plaintiffs and the disqualification of an expert.

  • January 24, 2025

    Trump Admin Requests Justices Pause Three Energy Cases

    The Trump administration on Friday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to pause three cases so the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency can review Biden-era regulatory decisions that may alter the government's legal positions.

  • January 24, 2025

    Ga. Judge Gives Tentative OK To $1M PFAS Deal

    A federal judge gave preliminary approval to a $1 million settlement in a sprawling class action over forever chemicals allegedly released from a north Georgia textile plant, potentially ending the involvement of one of the half-dozen chemical companies in the suit.

  • January 24, 2025

    Trump Fires Inspectors General Without Notice

    President Donald Trump fired more than a dozen inspectors general Friday night, some of whom he had appointed, prompting concerns from both sides of the aisle that the president had not followed legal protocol.

  • January 24, 2025

    Enviros Want To Reopen Yellowstone Bison Suit

    An environmental group has asked a Montana federal court to reopen a case over the management of Native American tribes' bison hunting on public land near Yellowstone National Park, saying new analysis is needed to determine whether the United States' national mammal can now roam free.

  • January 24, 2025

    Trump Energy Order Disrupts High-Profile NEPA Cases

    One of President Donald Trump's first energy-related executive orders is unsettling closely watched litigation in the U.S. Supreme Court and D.C. Circuit regarding the executive branch's power to implement the National Environmental Policy Act.

Expert Analysis

  • Litigation Inspiration: Reframing Document Review

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    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.

  • The Fashion Industry Should Prep Now For State PFAS Bans

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    New York and California have each passed legislation regulating PFAS in apparel and other textiles, so retailers should consult with manufacturers and suppliers and obtain the requisite certification documents as soon as possible to avoid disruptions in supply chains, say attorneys at Venable.

  • California Supreme Court's Year In Review

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    Attorneys at Horvitz & Levy highlight notable decisions on major questions from the California Supreme Court's last term, including voter initiatives, hostile work environment and the economic loss rule.

  • DC Circ. Decision Opens Door To NEPA Regulation Litigation

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    A recent D.C. Circuit decision in Marin Audubon Society v. Federal Aviation Administration could open the door to more litigation over the White House Council on Environmental Quality's National Environmental Policy Act regulations, and could affect how many agencies conduct and interpret environmental assessments, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff.

  • Service Providers Must Mitigate 'Secondary Target' Risks

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    A lawsuit recently filed in an Illinois federal court against marketing agency Publicis over its work for opioid manufacturers highlights an uptick in litigation against professional service providers hired by clients that engaged in alleged misconduct — so potential targets of such suits should be sure to conduct proper risk analysis and mitigation, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • Opinion

    FTC Actions In Oil Cases Go Against Its Own Rulemaking

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    Two recent Federal Trade Commission actions concerning the oil and gas industry appear to defy its own merger guidelines, with allegations that fall far short of the commission's own standard — raising serious questions about the agency's current approach, say attorneys at Clifford Chance.

  • How Global Data Center Regs May Influence US Policies

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    As regulators around the world react to the growth of data centers, and their increasing consumption of energy, water and land, international policies in this area may influence how the incoming U.S. administration regulates data centers in this country, say attorneys at HWG.

  • Series

    Flying Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Achieving my childhood dream of flying airplanes made me a better lawyer — and a better person — because it taught me I can conquer difficult goals when I leave my comfort zone, focus on the demands of the moment and commit to honing my skills, says Ivy Cadle at Baker Donelson.

  • Post-Election Implications For The EPA's Methane Rules

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    Amid the U.S. Supreme Court's recent denial of requests to halt implementation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's methane rule in two suits, and given the outcome of the election, a complete reversal of the methane rule is expected, but state-level policymaking and enforcement will continue, says John Watson at Spencer Fane.

  • Series

    Circus Arts Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    Performing circus arts has strengthened my ability to be more thoughtful, confident and grounded, all of which has enhanced my legal practice and allowed me to serve clients in a more meaningful way, says Bailey McGowan at Stinson.

  • 3 Ways To Train Junior Lawyers In 30 Minutes Or Less

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    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.

  • 8 Tech Tips For Stress-Free Remote Depositions

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    Court reporter Kelly D’Amico shares practical strategies for attorneys to conduct remote depositions with ease and troubleshoot any issues that arise, as it seems deposition-by-Zoom is here to stay after the pandemic.

  • What Trump Presidency May Mean For Climate Reporting

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    While the Trump administration will likely take a hands-off approach to climate-related disclosures and rescind regulations promulgated under the Biden administration, state and international ESG laws mean the private sector may not reverse course on such disclosures, say attorneys at Seyfarth.

  • Expect Surging Oil And Gas Industry Under New Trump Admin

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    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.

  • SEC Action Indicates Continued Focus On ESG Disclosures

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recently settled enforcement action against Invesco Advisers provides a road map for how regulatory agencies will continue to focus on ESG-related disclosures going forward, and underscores a focus on greenwashing, say attorneys at V&E.

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