Public Policy

  • February 13, 2025

    Maryland Judge Blocks Trump's Orders On Trans Healthcare

    A Maryland federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from restricting gender-affirming care for people under the age of 19 and required the administration to keep in place federal funding for healthcare providers that provide transgender care. 

  • February 13, 2025

    Sens. Hope To Clear Up Delays In Broadband Supply Chain

    A bipartisan group of senators has renewed legislation to more quickly identify issues that could cause delays in the flow of equipment needed to build out U.S. broadband networks.

  • February 13, 2025

    Denver Schools Sue DHS Over Protected Area Removals

    Denver Public Schools slammed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security over the agency's rescission of longstanding protections against immigration enforcement on school grounds, saying the DHS has offered no facts to back its decision. 

  • February 13, 2025

    Profs Back Hotel Guests In 3rd Circ. Algorithmic Pricing Case

    A group of academics has joined antimonopoly groups to support hotel guests accusing several Atlantic City casino hotels of using shared software to fix room rates in their Third Circuit fight to revive their suit.

  • February 13, 2025

    Mass. Auto Telematics Data Law Not Preempted, Judge Says

    A Boston federal judge's dismissal of an auto industry group's challenge to a Massachusetts vehicle telematics data law centered on a limited interpretation of the statute's reach and the lack of a clear conflict with federal laws, according to an order unsealed Thursday explaining the decision.

  • February 13, 2025

    DC Judge Says Utah Tribe Can't Restore Reservation Lands

    A District of Columbia federal judge refused to hand over ownership of federally managed land in a Utah reservation to a Utah tribe, ruling Thursday that the tribe wasn't entitled to ownership.

  • February 13, 2025

    Court Must Curb Elon Musk's 'Limitless' Power, States Say

    Fourteen states filed suit against Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency on Thursday, saying the cost-cutting agency and its leader have been granted unprecedented power over the federal government without Congress' approval.

  • February 13, 2025

    Menendez Files Notice Of Appeal Of Corruption Convictions

    Former U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez filed a notice of appeal Thursday at the Second Circuit, formalizing his earlier pledge to challenge his convictions on bribery and corruption charges.

  • February 13, 2025

    2nd Circ. Trims Ex-NY County Official's Corruption Verdict

    The Second Circuit on Thursday undid part of the bribery conviction of a former Long Island county official accused of accepting kickbacks in return for helping a restaurateur secure a loan, saying his role as Nassau County executive did not make him an "agent" of a local municipality.

  • February 13, 2025

    Brazil, Spain Push For Global Wealth Tax Standards

    The international community must continue to strive toward establishing standards for the taxation of high-net-worth individuals, building on progress made last year, the leaders of Brazil and Spain said Thursday during a conference in Vatican City.

  • February 13, 2025

    Ga. House Speaker Sued Over State Senator's Ban And Arrest

    Georgia Speaker of the House Jon Burns has been hit with a lawsuit from constituents of a lawmaker who was barred from the chamber last month after he called Burns' predecessor "one of the most corrupt Georgia leaders we'll ever see in our lifetimes."

  • February 13, 2025

    EPA Boss Says Biden Admin Wrongly Ceded Control Of $20B

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's new leader said Thursday that $20 billion Congress appropriated for an EPA grant program had been inappropriately transferred outside the agency and is lacking adequate supervision — a claim disputed by a Biden-era official.

  • February 13, 2025

    9th Circ. Upholds DEA Denial Of Psilocybin Petition

    The Ninth Circuit on Thursday affirmed the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's rejection of a Seattle physician's request to treat terminally ill patients with psilocybin.

  • February 13, 2025

    Pa. Sues Feds Over Withheld $2B In Energy-Related Grants

    Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro sued several Trump administration agencies on Thursday claiming the federal government has frozen $2 billion in funds dedicated to state energy- and mining-focused projects in defiance of two court orders, in a "flagrantly lawless" move.

  • February 13, 2025

    EPA Asks 5th Circ. To Pause State Ozone Plan Decision

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency asked the Fifth Circuit to hold off on deciding whether it was allowed to deny three states' plans to comply with federal ozone standards to give the Trump administration time to evaluate the rule at the center of the litigation.

  • February 13, 2025

    Musk Must Pay Up For Illegal Access To Data, Class Suit Says

    Elon Musk should be forced to compensate taxpayers and recipients of government benefits after gaining access to federal databases housing their data, a proposed class told a D.C. federal court, saying the billionaire violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

  • February 13, 2025

    Duke Rate Hike Discrepancy Lacks Reason, NC Justices Hear

    The North Carolina Attorney General's Office urged the state's highest court Thursday to undo what it characterized as a glaring rate hike for Duke Energy Carolinas compared to what a sister entity received, saying state regulators offered no justification for the jump.

  • February 13, 2025

    Colo. Justices Won't Put City's Pot Question On April Ballot

    The Colorado Supreme Court on Thursday denied a petition from Colorado Springs seeking to upend a state court decision removing from the April general election a ballot question to repeal an ordinance allowing retail cannabis sales in the city.

  • February 13, 2025

    House Republican Debuts Independent Contractor Status Test

    A U.S. House Republican who has vocally opposed Democratic-backed analyses for determining whether a worker is an independent contractor or employee announced two bills related to the issue Thursday, proposing a new worker classification standard in one of the measures.

  • February 13, 2025

    4th Judge Rejects Trump's Take On Birthright Citizenship

    A Massachusetts federal judge on Thursday joined three other U.S. district courts in blocking President Donald Trump's executive order limiting birthright citizenship, rejecting the administration's interpretation of the 14th Amendment.

  • February 13, 2025

    NYC Man Pleads Guilty To $62.8M Crowdfunded CRE Scheme

    A New York City man who raised $62.8 million through commercial real estate platform CrowdStreet for sham developments in Atlanta, Georgia, and Miami Beach, Florida, has pled guilty to a federal wire fraud charge.

  • February 13, 2025

    White & Case Environmental Partner Moves To Weil In NY

    Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP announced Thursday that it has hired a White & Case LLP environmental law partner for its regulatory transactions group in New York.

  • February 13, 2025

    Colo. Ends Deal With Medicaid Ride Co. Over Blown Deadline

    Colorado on Wednesday terminated a contract with a company that provides transportation for state Medicaid members after the company sued to invalidate its suspension from the program, with the state citing a failure to complete driver background checks and other requirements on time.

  • February 13, 2025

    Musk Says He'll Drop OpenAI Bid If It Scraps 'For Profit' Plans

    Elon Musk has hit back at OpenAI's claim that his $97.375 billion takeover bid is improper, noting if the ChatGPT maker agrees to nix plans to become a for-profit business, his offer will be dropped. 

  • February 13, 2025

    SDNY US Atty Resigns, Alleging Trump-Adams 'Quid Pro Quo'

    Danielle R. Sassoon, the interim U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, resigned Thursday after she refused an order by U.S. Department of Justice officials to drop the federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams and expressed concern the move was part of an improper quid pro quo with President Donald Trump.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    Judge Should Not Have Been Reprimanded For Alito Essay

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    Senior U.S. District Judge Michael Ponsor's New York Times essay critiquing Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito for potential ethical violations absolutely cannot be construed as conduct prejudicial to the administration of the business of the courts, says Ashley London at the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University.

  • A Look At Drug Price Negotiation Program's Ongoing Impact

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    More than two years after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and the rapid implementation of the drug price negotiation program, attorneys at Ropes & Gray discuss how the IRA has influenced licensing strategies, and how maximum fair prices under the law have economically affected certain drugs.

  • Opinion

    Congress Must Consider Accurate Data About Patent Thickets

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    If Congress revisits a controversial bill this year aimed at limiting the number of patents pharmaceutical manufacturers could assert, it must make sure to act based on accurate reports — such as a recent U.S. Patent and Trademark Office study that found no evidence of patent thicketing, says David Kappos at the Council for Innovation Promotion.

  • Aviation Watch: Litigation Liabilities After DC Air Tragedy

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    While it will likely take at least a year before the National Transportation Safety Board determines a probable cause for the Jan. 29 collision between a helicopter and a jet over Washington, D.C., the facts so far suggest the government could face litigation claims, says Alan Hoffman, a retired attorney and aviation expert.

  • 5 Key Takeaways From Energy Secretary's Confirmation

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    The recent confirmation hearing for U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright highlighted several important themes, including his vision for transforming the DOE, his nuanced stance on renewables, and a renewed emphasis on energy abundance and affordability, says Connor McCulloch at Ankura Consulting Group.

  • What Day 1 Bondi Memos Mean For Corporate Compliance

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    After Attorney General Pam Bondi’s flurry of memos last week declaring new enforcement priorities on issues ranging from foreign bribery to diversity initiatives, companies must base their compliance programs on an understanding of their own core values and principles, says Hui Chen at CDE Advisors.

  • Lights, Camera, Ethics? TV Lawyers Tend To Set Bad Example

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    Though fictional movies and television shows portraying lawyers are fun to watch, Hollywood’s inaccurate depictions of legal ethics can desensitize attorneys to ethics violations and lead real-life clients to believe that good lawyers take a scorched-earth approach, says Nancy Rapoport at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

  • SEC Motion Response Could Reveal New Crypto Approach

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    Cumberland DRW recently filed to dismiss the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s enforcement action against it for the unlawful purchase and sale of digital asset securities, and the agency's response should unveil whether, and to what extent, the Trump administration will relax the federal government’s stance on digital asset regulation, say attorneys at O'Melveny.

  • What Employers Should Know For Next Round Of H-1B Filings

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    With the fiscal year 2026 H-1B visa period opening soon, employers should brush up on the registration and filing procedures, as well as organize applicable data, to ensure they are ready for this dynamic, multistep process, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • What Contractors Can Do To Address Material Cost Increases

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    In light of the Trump administration's plans to increase tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China, construction industry players should proactively employ legal strategies to mitigate the impacts that price increases and uncertainty may have on projects, says Brenda Radmacher at Seyfarth Shaw.

  • 5 Things For Private Employers To Do After Trump's DEI Order

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    Following President Donald Trump's recent executive order pushing the private sector to narrow, and even end, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, employers should ensure DEI efforts align with their organization's mission and goals, are legally compliant, and are effectively communicated to stakeholders, say attorneys at Mintz.

  • What Calif. Bill Could Mean For Battery Energy Storage

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    A newly proposed bill in the California Legislature would place major restrictions on the development of battery energy storage system projects in the state — but with Gov. Gavin Newsom's strong support for clean energy technology, the legislation will likely face significant obstacles, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

  • 3 Ways Trump Can Nix SEC's Climate Disclosure Rules

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    Given President Donald Trump's campaign statements and agency appointments, it's likely that his administration will try to annul the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's climate disclosure rules, but his options for doing so present unique opportunities and challenges, with varying levels of permanence and impact, say attorneys at DLA Piper.

  • A Compliance Update For Credit Card Reward Partnerships

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    While the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's interest in credit card rewards programs could fade under the new administration, a recent circular focusing on both issuers and their merchant partners means that co-brand credit card partnerships with banks could be subject to increased scrutiny ahead, say attorneys at Goodwin.

  • Will 4th Time Be A Charm For NY's 21st Century Antitrust Act?

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    New York's recently introduced 21st Century Antitrust Act would change the landscape of antitrust enforcement in the state and probably result in a sharp increase in claims — but first, the bill needs to gain traction after three aborted attempts, says Tyler Ross at Shinder Cantor.

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