Public Policy

  • December 06, 2024

    Wash. Justices OK Pilot To Relax Regs For Non-Lawyers

    Washington's high court has approved a pilot program that will allow the Evergreen State to loosen rules on who can practice law, with the aim of empowering businesses and organizations not run by lawyers to innovate on providing legal services, and perhaps make them more affordable.

  • December 06, 2024

    ​​​​​​​Top Groups Lobbying The FCC

    The Federal Communications Commission heard from advocates more than 80 times in November as they sought to sway the FCC on new rules for hyper-local FM broadcasts, making it easier to attach broadband gear to utility poles, revamping the 6 gigahertz band and more.

  • December 06, 2024

    Feds Want Full DC Circ. To Reverse Panel's NEPA Regs Ruling

    Two D.C. Circuit judges who ruled a White House agency lacks authority to issue regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act violated a cornerstone legal tenet and must be overturned, according to the federal government.

  • December 06, 2024

    New EU Antitrust Head Leaves Google Breakup 'On The Table'

    A potential breakup of Google, particularly its advertising placement technology business, remains on the table on both sides of the Atlantic, based on comments from the European Union's brand new antitrust chief.

  • December 06, 2024

    Google's Payments Unit Sues Over CFPB Supervision Order

    Google on Friday sued the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in D.C. federal court almost immediately after the regulator said it ordered formal supervision for the tech giant's payments arm based on potential risks to consumers, a designation to which Google previously objected.

  • December 06, 2024

    Nat'l Spectrum Strategy Advances With Move On 37 GHZ

    The Biden administration made a late push to advance its National Spectrum Strategy by floating a plan in recent days to open the lower 37 gigahertz band for shared federal and commercial use, but experts say there's still much work ahead on the proposal.

  • December 06, 2024

    Trump DOJ Antitrust Pick Means 'Google Should Be Nervous'

    President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division signaled the aggressive push against major technology giants is likely to continue, but may also suggest a somewhat friendlier reception for mergers.

  • December 06, 2024

    CFTC Tells DC Circ. Election Bets Turned Kalshi Into 'Casino'

    The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has told the D.C. Circuit that trading platform KalshiEx LLC "promptly turned its futures exchange into an online casino" when courts gave it the green light to list election contracts, urging the appeals court to overturn a lower court decision that the contracts don't involve unlawful gaming.

  • December 06, 2024

    Axon Gets FCC Waiver On Contentious Surveillance Devices

    Body-camera maker Axon Enterprise Inc. will be allowed to market three new contentious surveillance devices after it was granted a waiver by the Federal Communication Commission of two sections of the agency's rules, according to an order issued by the commission.

  • December 06, 2024

    House Poised To Take Up JUDGES Act As Some Dems Balk

    A bipartisan bill to create more federal judgeships to meet increasing caseloads is on the House's schedule for next week, but its support from some Democrats appears to be waning.

  • December 06, 2024

    Ex-Conn. Utility Execs May Get Reprieve From 2nd Indictment

    Two former Connecticut utility company executives who are weeks away from beginning federal prison sentences entered pretrial diversion agreements with the government on Friday that would allow them to escape a second raft of charges alleging that they conspired to misuse public money.

  • December 06, 2024

    Huizar's Big Brother Avoids Jail In LA City Hall Bribery Case

    The older brother of former Los Angeles City Councilor José Huizar on Friday avoided prison for lying to investigators about his role laundering bribes for the disgraced politician, with a California federal judge crediting the defendant's cooperation after he "finally decided to tell the truth."

  • December 06, 2024

    NYC Council OKs Mayor's Affordable Housing Plan

    The New York City Council passed a package of zoning reforms designed to spur housing production, greenlighting Mayor Eric Adams' City of Yes for Housing Opportunity plan after the city and state agreed to earmark $5 billion in funding to accompany the zoning overhaul.

  • December 06, 2024

    Ex-City Officials In California Cop To Cannabis Permit Bribes

    Two former officials of Los Angeles County cities have pled guilty to bribing another local politician in an attempt to influence his votes for cannabis dispensary permits.

  • December 06, 2024

    NC Lt. Gov. Fights Porn Store Clerk's Exit From Defamation Suit

    North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has hit back at a former porn store clerk's dismissal bid in his defamation suit that includes CNN, saying the motion is based on a bogus pleading violation under state court procedures even though the suit is now before a federal judge.

  • December 06, 2024

    Feds, NC Insurance Mogul Want Grier Wright On $2B Liquidation

    Convicted insurance mogul Greg Lindberg and federal prosecutors have come together to ask a North Carolina federal judge to appoint an attorney from Grier Wright Martinez PA to serve as special master for liquidating Lindberg's billions in assets as restitution for his $2 billion fraud scheme.

  • December 06, 2024

    FDIC Asked Banks To 'Pause' Crypto Activity, Letters Show

    The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. directed some financial institutions to pause cryptocurrency-related activity while the agency evaluated regulatory concerns with the services, according to letters made public Friday in response to a suit a research consultancy filed on behalf of the crypto exchange Coinbase Global Inc.

  • December 06, 2024

    Senate OKs Bill To Ease SEC Reporting Regs On Rural Telcos

    The Senate has unanimously passed a bipartisan bill to expand access to broadband in rural areas by reducing the "red tape" on smaller broadband providers.

  • December 06, 2024

    AI Hype Won't Wash With Canadian Securities Regulators

    The Canadian Securities Administration is warning market participants against hyping ties to artificial intelligence in order to drum up interest for investments — a practice called "AI washing" — as the agency invites public comment before crafting AI-focused regulations.

  • December 06, 2024

    Off The Bench: Kyrie Irving Sued, Golf's New Transgender Ban

    In this week's Off The Bench, the New York Knicks and Rangers sue the unknown masses of people selling counterfeit team gear, a therapist who put on a family retreat for Kyrie Irving sues him over the bill, and two major golf organizations block transgender players from women's tournaments.

  • December 06, 2024

    Gov't Appeals Texas Judge's Block On Anti-Laundering Law

    The U.S. government has appealed a Texas federal judge's order that halted the rollout of new reporting requirements aimed at unmasking anonymous shell companies, setting the stage for the Fifth Circuit to weigh in on the nationwide preliminary injunction.

  • December 06, 2024

    1st Circ. Affirms Mass. Wind Energy Permits

    A three-judge First Circuit panel rejected a pair of fishing industry challenges to environmental permits for the massive — and now paused — Vineyard Wind project off the coast of Massachusetts.

  • December 06, 2024

    Canada's Chinese Import Surtaxes Expected To Raise $334M

    Canada's new surtaxes on Chinese electric vehicles and steel and aluminum products are estimated to generate CA$473 million ($334 million) over the next five years, though the EV surtax on its own is likely to cause a dip in revenue, a government analysis said.

  • December 06, 2024

    EU Finalizes Deal With South American Trade Bloc

    After 25 years of negotiations, and five years after a deal was initially struck, the European Union finalized a sweeping trade accord with the South American trading bloc Mercosur Friday, but is likely to face stiff headwinds from European farmers.

  • December 06, 2024

    DC Circ. Won't Revisit Retroactive FARA Registration

    The D.C. Circuit rejected a bid asking the en banc court to reconsider a panel ruling that bars the federal government from suing to compel former foreign agents to retroactively register their onetime foreign influence.

Expert Analysis

  • The Do's And Don'ts Of Commercial Debt Under Calif. FDCPA

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    Lenders, servicers and attorneys collecting on their behalf should pay careful attention to the consumer protections under the newly expanded California Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act that may apply going forward to some commercial debts, say attorneys at Womble Bond.

  • A Look At The Hefty Demands In Calif. Employer AI Draft Regs

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    California's draft regulations on artificial intelligence use in employment decisions show that the California Privacy Protection Agency is positioning itself as a de facto AI regulator for the state, which isn't waiting around for federal legislation, says Lily Li at Metaverse Law.

  • Series

    Being A Navy Reservist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Serving this country in uniform has not only been one of the greatest honors of my life, but it has also provided me with opportunities to broaden my legal acumen and interpersonal skills in ways that have indelibly contributed to my civilian practice, says Phillip Smith at Weinberg Wheeler.

  • How To Prepare For Expanded HSR Notification Process

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    Following the recent publication of the Federal Trade Commission's final rule enhancing premerger reporting requirements under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, filing parties can take key steps to comply by the new Feb. 10 effective date, say attorneys at Squire Patton.

  • Cos. Should Inventory Issues To Prep For New Congress

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    As the legislative and oversight agendas of the 119th Congress come into sharper focus, corporate counsel should assess and plan for areas of potential oversight risk — from tax policy changes to supply chain integrity — even as much uncertainty remains, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • Incoming Admin May Shake Up Life Sciences Regulation

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    Though President-elect Donald Trump has not yet articulated policy priorities regarding the life sciences industry, the sector is positioned to see significant changes that could affect everything from drug exclusivity and generic drug approvals, to the availability of over-the-counter drugs, to laboratory-developed tests and digital health, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • OCC Recovery Guidance Can Help Banks Bounce Back Better

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    The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's recently finalized recovery guidelines add to the constellation of exercises that larger banks must undertake, while also aiding information-gathering and preparedness efforts that can help prevent — or better manage — bank failures, say attorneys at Davis Wright.

  • Conservation Easement Cases Weave Web Of Uncertainty

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    Much of the IRS and Justice Department’s recent success in prosecuting syndicated conservation easement cases can be attributed to the government’s focus on the so-called PropCo ratio, which could indicate treacherous waters ahead for participants and their advisers, even under the incoming Trump administration, say attorneys at Polsinelli.

  • Trump Fossil Fuel Focus Won't End Interest In Clean Energy

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    A second Donald Trump administration is expected to prioritize expanding oil and gas drilling and reducing regulations — but some clean energy investments, including energy storage, hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel, will likely continue to garner bipartisan and market support, says Scott Segal at Bracewell.

  • EPA's New Lead Pipe Rule Leaves Key Questions Unanswered

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    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recently released update to its Lead and Copper Rule is a major step forward in the elimination of lead from drinking water systems, but it lacks meaningful guidance on alternative materials, jurisdictional concerns, cost allocation and other topics, say attorneys at Foley Hoag.

  • Navigating DOJ's Patchwork Whistleblower Regime

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    In the past few months, the U.S. Department of Justice and several individual U.S. attorney’s offices have issued different pilot programs aimed at incentivizing individuals to blow the whistle on misconduct, but this piecemeal approach may create confusion and suboptimal outcomes, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.

  • What To Expect From State AGs As Federal Control Changes

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    Under the next Trump administration, Democratic attorneys general are poised to strengthen enforcement in certain areas as Republican attorneys general continue their efforts with stronger federal support — resulting in a confusing patchwork of policies that create unintended liabilities for businesses operating in multiple jurisdictions, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • So You Want To Move Your Law Practice To Canada, Eh?

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    Google searches for how to move to Canada have surged in the wake of the U.S. presidential election, and if you’re an attorney considering a move to the Great White North, you’ll need to understand how the practice of law differs across the border, says David Postel at Henein Hutchison.

  • A Look At Similarities Between SOX And SEC's Cyber Rule

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    Just as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act paved the way for greater transparency and accountability in financial reporting, the SEC's cybersecurity rule is doing much the same for cybersecurity, ensuring that companies are resilient in the face of growing cyber threats, says Padraic O'Reilly at CyberSaint.

  • Opinion

    Efficiency Dept. Should Consolidate Antitrust Enforcement

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    President-elect Donald Trump's planned Department of Government Efficiency should transfer the authority of the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Competition into the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division, because there is no justification for two federal entities to enforce antitrust and competition laws, says retired judge Susan Braden.

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