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Public Policy

  • October 02, 2025

    Ill. Panel Backs Whistleblower's $3.5M Retaliation Verdict

    An Illinois appellate panel on Wednesday affirmed a $3.5 million verdict for a man who claimed he was unlawfully fired from a southern Illinois hospital system for reporting Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse, saying jurors saw evidence he and others faced retaliation when they "called attention to what they believed to be unlawful conduct." 

  • October 02, 2025

    Rust-Oleum Buyers' $1.5M Greenwashing Deal Gets Final OK

    A California federal judge on Thursday gave her final blessing to a $1.5 million settlement to a class of Rust-Oleum Corp. customers who accused the company of "greenwashing" its cleaning products with representations like "non-toxic" and "Earth Friendly," noting the deal provides significant monetary and nonmonetary benefits to the plaintiffs.

  • October 02, 2025

    Ill. Panel Rejects Challenge To Abortion Coverage Mandate

    Illinois' mandate that health policies issued in the state cover abortion care does not violate an Illinois religious freedom law, a state appeals court ruled, rejecting a Baptist organization's claims that the mandate "substantially burdened" its religious beliefs per the Illinois Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

  • October 02, 2025

    Mass. Court Denies States' Bid To Block ACA Subsidy Cuts

    A Massachusetts federal court has rejected a bid by a coalition of 21 states to stay implementation of a rule that will cut Affordable Care Act subsidies and enforce enrollment restrictions, saying the states hadn't shown imminent or irreparable harm from the policy's costs or possible coverage losses.

  • October 02, 2025

    Hegseth's New Whistleblower Memo Draws Criticism

    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's memorandum instructing military department heads to work with the agency's inspector general to identify whistleblowers who submit multiple "frivolous" complaints has drawn the ire of a whistleblower group that says the move undermines independent oversight.

  • October 02, 2025

    Judge Orders ICE To Release Dreamer Detained For 2 Months

    A Texas federal judge has told U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that it must release a Mexican national who was brought to the U.S. unlawfully as a child and is protected from removal by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

  • October 02, 2025

    Justices To Hear Clash Over State Med Mal Laws In Fed. Court

    The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments Monday on whether a Delaware medical malpractice statute can be applied in federal court, in a case that is expected to offer legal guidelines for similar laws in 28 other states.

  • October 02, 2025

    Emory, Student Urged To Mediate Pro-Palestine Speech Suit

    A Georgia federal judge on Thursday encouraged the parties to seek mediation in a Muslim Palestinian American student's suit alleging that her rights were violated when she was suspended from Emory University's medical school after expressing support for Palestinians in Israel's attacks on Gaza. 

  • October 02, 2025

    Energy Dept. Cancels $7.5B In Blue State Project Awards

    The U.S. Department of Energy said it's terminating over $7.5 billion in grants for energy projects, which are primarily clean energy projects located in blue states and include a regional hydrogen hub in California slated to receive a $1.2 billion funding commitment.

  • October 02, 2025

    Oregon Cannabis Wholesaler Challenges Interstate Sales Ban

    An Oregon marijuana and hemp wholesaler alleged in a new federal lawsuit Wednesday that a state law prohibiting interstate sales of locally cultivated cannabis is unconstitutional.

  • October 02, 2025

    Wis. E-Cig Law Treads On FDA's Turf, Vape Cos. Tell 7th Circ.

    A group of vaping interests is urging the Seventh Circuit to issue an order blocking enforcement of a new Wisconsin law prohibiting the sale of e-cigarettes not approved by federal regulators, saying the district court was wrong in finding that the law is not preempted by the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

  • October 02, 2025

    Experts Flag Rare Cooperation Level In Conn. Corruption Case

    Former Connecticut state budget official Konstantinos Diamantis faces jury selection Friday for charges of soliciting and accepting bribes connected to school construction projects, plus likely testimony from three construction company leaders who swiftly signaled their cooperation with the government in a manner some local experts found unique.

  • October 02, 2025

    DOJ Beats Heritage Foundation Suit Over Hunter Biden Docs

    A Delaware federal judge has ruled against The Heritage Foundation in its Freedom of Information Act suit against the U.S. Department of Justice regarding documents withheld detailing the investigation of Hunter Biden, saying the government "adequately established" that harm would result from releasing the records.

  • October 02, 2025

    Comey's 1st Task: Decoding A Cryptic Indictment

    The criminal indictment of James B. Comey is unusually sparse for such a high-profile matter, leaving open questions for the ex-FBI director to probe that could shed more light on how the government intends to prove its case and create potential lines of attack for the defense, experts say.

  • October 02, 2025

    Court Warned Of Harm From Delaying Medical Device Merger

    A D.C. federal court refused to pause the Federal Trade Commission's case challenging Edwards Lifesciences Corp.'s planned acquisition of JenaValve Technology Inc. during the government shutdown after the companies argued that "time is of the essence" for a new lifesaving medical device.

  • October 02, 2025

    Arnold & Porter Bolsters DC Team With Energy Policy Adviser

    Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP has hired the former executive director of government affairs for the Americas and of U.S. federal relations at Air Products, an industrial gas company that works with clients in a range of industries, the firm announced Wednesday.

  • October 02, 2025

    Feds, Mont. Tribe Dispute $325K Law Enforcement Contract

    The Interior Department and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe are both asking for summary judgment wins in a dispute over law enforcement funding after the tribe accused the U.S. government of failing to provide it with adequate services to maintain programs on its 440,000-acre Montana reservation.

  • October 02, 2025

    Calif. Law Updates Rules For Tax-Defaulted Property Sales

    California has enacted a measure conforming the process of selling tax-defaulted property to a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision finding Minnesota violated the Fifth Amendment by keeping proceeds from a foreclosure sale that exceeded a tax debt.

  • October 02, 2025

    Snapshot: Delaware Expands Scope Of Anti-SLAPP Law

    Delaware's governor recently signed into law expanded protections against lawsuits meant to discourage public participation and speech, including broadening whose speech is protected and requiring those who do file such suits to possibly pay attorney fees and damages.

  • October 02, 2025

    Wis. Bill Seeks Awards For Tax Tip-Offs In Construction Biz

    Wisconsin would authorize monetary awards for people who provide information to the state Department of Revenue about construction industry employers believed to be violating state tax laws under a bill introduced in the state Assembly.

  • October 01, 2025

    States Say DOJ Can't Tie Victim Service Funds To Immigration

    Several state attorneys general sued the U.S. Department of Justice in Rhode Island federal court Wednesday over new restrictions prohibiting them from using federal funding that supports crime victims to provide services to "removable aliens," in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act and the U.S. Constitution's spending clause.

  • October 01, 2025

    FTC Halts Fraud Complaints, Spam Call Help Amid Shutdown

    The Federal Trade Commission said Wednesday that none of its mechanisms for reporting fraud, including identity theft, will be available to consumers while the federal government is shut down, nor will the National Do Not Call Registry be operational for consumers or telemarketers.

  • October 01, 2025

    Ga. High Court Says State Can Kill Right Of Way Contracts

    Georgia can cancel right of way contracts with broadband providers any time it wants — and so can the broadband providers, the Supreme Court of Georgia has ruled in a decision hearkening back to a century-old precedent that says contracts with no end date can be canceled whenever.

  • October 01, 2025

    SEC Gives Crypto Custody Nod To State Trust Companies

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission staff has assured registered investment advisers and certain fund issuers they won't risk an enforcement action by using state trust companies as cryptocurrency custodians in a move that some praised as widening access to more crypto-savvy custody options and others decried as an erosion of custody rules.

  • October 01, 2025

    Trump Taps Federal Immigration Judge As Next Wash. US Atty

    Federal Immigration Judge Charles Neil Floyd has reportedly been selected by President Donald Trump as the next U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington.

Expert Analysis

  • Divest Order Shows How Security Fears Extend CFIUS Scope

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    A recent White House order forcing a Chinese company to divest its 2020 acquisition of a U.S. audiovisual supplier demonstrates the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States’ growing power to sink foreign transactions over national security concerns — and the enormous risks to U.S. companies from such reviews, say attorneys at Bass Berry.

  • Art Market Must Prepare For More AML Scrutiny

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    Calls for art market regulation continue to grow, as evidenced by a recently introduced bill that would subject it to the Bank Secrecy Act’s anti-money laundering requirements, so participants should consider adopting basic, risk-based controls, says Jane Levine at The ArtRisk Group.

  • NY Tax Talk: ALJ Vacancy, Online Sales, Budget

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    Among the most notable developments in New York tax law last quarter, an administrative law judge vacancy continued affecting taxpayers, a state court decision tested the scope of the Interstate Income Act, and Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the 2025-2026 fiscal budget containing key tax-related provisions, say attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland.

  • Series

    Quilting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Turning intricate patterns of fabric and thread into quilts has taught me that craftsmanship, creative problem-solving and dedication to incremental progress are essential to creating something lasting that will help another person — just like in law, says Veronica McMillan at Kramon & Graham.

  • Lessons Learned 3 Years After First CCPA Enforcement Action

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    Three years after the first public enforcement action under the California Consumer Privacy Act, Attorney General Rob Bonta has pursued a steady stream of enforcement actions across industries, providing a clearer picture of how the law is being interpreted and enforced, says Tatum Andres at Kilpatrick.

  • Utility Agency Suits May Rise As Calif. Justices Nix Deference

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    A recent California Supreme Court ruling rejecting the uniquely deferential standard of review accorded to California Public Utilities Commission decisions interpreting the Public Utilities Code will incentivize more litigation against the agency, as long as litigants can show their challenges meet certain requirements, says Thaila Sundaresan at Davis Wright.

  • 2 Appellate Rulings Offer Clickwrap Enforcement Road Map

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    Two recent decisions from the Fourth and Eleventh Circuits in cases involving Experian signal that federal appellate courts are recognizing clickwrap agreements' power in spite of their simplicity, and offer practical advice on how companies can sufficiently demonstrate notice and assent when attempting to enforce contractual terms, says Brian Willett at Saul Ewing.

  • How Tariffs Can Affect Event Studies In Securities Litigation

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    When the control period is calm and the event window is stormy — often the case with breaking political or economic developments, like President Donald Trump's recent tariff announcements — traditional event study methodology can increase the risk of misleading conclusions in securities litigation, say economic consultants at NERA.

  • A Look At Robinson-Patman Enforcement In The MLM Industry

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    The Federal Trade Commission's recent focus on price discrimination in high-profile speeches and litigation suggests a renewed interest around Robinson-Patman Act enforcement, particularly in multilevel marketing, making it an apt time for direct sellers to audit their pricing, say Katrina Eash at Winston & Strawn and Juliet Belling Warren and Branko Jovanovic at Edgeworth Economics.

  • A Former PTAB Judge Weighs The End Of Remote Hearings

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    Former Patent Trial and Appeal Board Judge Amanda Wieker, now at McGuireWoods, examines the costs and benefits of the PTAB's impending in-person hearing requirement, and offers suggestions for making the most out of this new regime.

  • How Proposed FAA Rule May Streamline Drone Operations

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    The Federal Aviation Administration's recent proposed rule on autonomous drone delivery operations offers a more streamlined approach, by shifting away from the current pilot-centered framework and placing safety and operational responsibility at the level of the operator's organization, say Amanda Losacco and Jessica Monahan at Cozen O'Connor.

  • What To Expect From 401(k) Plan Alternative Assets Order

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    The executive order this month making it easier for retirement plans to invest in alternative assets, including private equity, real estate and digital assets, marks a watershed moment for democratizing access to private markets, but the U.S. Department of Labor's anticipated formal rulemaking will also be impactful, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • The Future Of Lab-Test Regs After FDA Rescinds Rule

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    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently rescinded its laboratory-developed tests rule in response to a Texas federal court decision this spring, reinforcing a separation of authority between the FDA and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and calling into question the FDA's role in overseeing such tests without congressional action, say attorneys at Venable.

  • How AI Is Easing Digital Asset Recovery In Fraud Cases

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    In combination with recent legislation and a maturing digital asset infrastructure, artificial intelligence tools are making it easier to recover stolen assets, giving litigants a more specific understanding of financial fraud earlier in the process and making it economically feasible to pursue smaller fraud claims, says Solomon Shinerock at Lewis Baach.

  • Fleeing Or Just Leaving Quickly? 2nd Circ. Says It Depends

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    The Second Circuit’s recent U.S. v. Bardakova decision adopted a new approach for determining whether a defendant who commits a crime in the U.S., and then leaves and remains abroad, intends to avoid prosecution — making it more difficult to argue against the fugitive disentitlement doctrine in most cases, say attorneys at MoloLamken.

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