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Lobbying Revenue On The Rise For Midsize Southeast Law Firms

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 18:45:50 EST

One firm's income rose 50% as two New Orleans-founded firms each took in almost $3 million

'Police the Market'? New SEC Enforcement Unit Targets Accounting 'Bad Actors'

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 11:09:25 EST

The new accounting and financial reporting fraud unit is within the agency's enforcement division.

States Sue to Halt New Tariffs, Alleging That White House Is Using 'Pretext' for Hiked Duties

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 14:23:04 EST

The states argue that President Donald Trump—by citing "forced labor" or the failure to prevent it—is misusing a law in order to reenact baseline tariffs orders that had already been rejected by the courts.

FCC Commissioners Took Expensive Gifts From Paramount, Ethics Complaints Allege

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:32:46 EST

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and commissioner Olivia Trusty attended the Kennedy Center Honors with tickets gifted by Paramount worth thousands, the groups allege. Two days before the event, Warner Bros. accepted a $110 billion merger bid with Paramount.

Cleary Sees Opportunity to Grow Litigation on Both Coasts

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 05:59:59 EST

Litigation practice co-chair Victor Hou sees the group as more “Seal Team Six than a full-on brigade, but he said the firm plans to grow the group with the right hires at the right time.

SEC Puts Hold on Nasdaq Rule to Delist Smallest Companies

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:34:57 EST

The rule would remove small companies from Nasdaq that do not maintain at least a $5 million market value of listed securities. Unlike other Nasdaq listing requirements, it provides no cure or compliance period.

'Slaughter' Ruling Gives Trump More Room to Sideline Democratic Commissioners, Experts Say

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:06:22 EST

Even before the ruling, Trump showed almost no interest in nominating Democratic commissioners or replacing the dozens of Democratic commissioners that he fired.

Trump's New Global Tariffs Have Better Legal Grounding. Does That Matter?

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 16:21:56 EST

President Donald Trump has turned to a tried and tested trade law that offers him better legal support for his ambitious second-term goal, a new baseline tariff covering nearly all imports.

With MSO Deals on The Rise, Holland & Knight Expands Legal Services Transactions Team

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 16:09:03 EST

Partner Courtney Miller joined the firm's Washington office at the start of the week, while partner Michael Zhang arrived earlier this month in Chicago.

SEC Approves Nasdaq Rule Raising Bar for Small Companies

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:17:20 EST

Companies that have a market value of their listed securities below the $5 million threshold for 30 straight days will be delisted without a cure or compliance period that normally applies to other Nasdaq listing deficiencies.

Ashley Keller Appeals Sanctions in Acetaminophen Cases, Asks to Reassign MDL to Another Judge

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:29:27 EST

Ashley Keller, of Keller Postman, asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to reverse U.S. Senior District Judge Denise Cote's May 8 sanctions against him, then assign the multidistrict litigation alleging prenatal use of acetaminophen causes autism or ADHD to another judge.

'Prioritize Profits and Hide the Truth': Tennessee AG Opens Addiction Trial Against Instagram

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:54:24 EST

The trial, which accuses Meta of violating the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act, is similar to a case New Mexico Attorney General Rau l Torrez brought against Meta, in which a jury this year awarded $375 million in civil penalties to the state.

Johnson & Johnson Settles 76,000 Talcum Powder Lawsuits for at Least $5.5B

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 20:33:27 EST

The settlement, which resolves 99.75% of the talcum powder litigation in federal and state courts, comes 15 years after the first suits alleged Johnson & Johnson's baby powder caused ovarian cancer.

Got $29? AI-Driven Platform Makes Filing a Lawsuit Easy. But Is It Legal?

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 15:10:27 EST

The business model of Petty Lawsuit could make it vulnerable to litigation for practicing law without a license, says Sean Griffin, a Washington, D.C. lawyer who blogs about AI in the legal profession.

As SCOTUS Grapples with Plea Deals, NJ Provides Helpful Lessons

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:27:39 EST

These New Jersey rules have worked well in the administration of criminal justice and they have not precluded sentence review even when there was an agreement not to appeal the sentence.

‘Untested, Unused, a Blank Slate': What to Know About the Section 338 Tariffs

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 16:44:17 EST

The law supporting President Donald Trump's new tariffs on Canadian goods is little known. But if it works the way the president seems to think it does, the law could be his most flexible trade weapon yet.

White House Withdraws DOJ Pick Who Faced Questioning Over Past Tweets

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 16:07:43 EST

The withdrawal of Konstantinos Ligris' nomination to head the Justice Department's Office of Justice Programs was not linked to his social media use, but it had drawn fire from Democrats on a U.S. Senate panel.

Johnson & Johnson Wins Big: Federal Judge Orders Nearly 70,000 Talc Claimants to Show Why They Shouldn't be Dismissed

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 19:42:40 EST

In Wednesday's order, U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah Singh, in the District of New Jersey, raised "deep skepticism" about the plaintiffs' specific causation experts and sought to reevaluate how to manage the "aged and complex mass tort MDL."

Several Big Law Firms on Track for Record-Setting Year for Lobbying Income

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:42:05 EST

Brownstein, Akin, K&L Gates and others saw their lobbying income climb in the second quarter of this year, compared to the first three months of this year, as clients prepare for the midterm elections this fall.

Losing Fight with Amazon, New York Is Blocked From Enforcing New Labor Law

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 17:27:23 EST

U.S. District Judge Eric Komitee of the Eastern District of New York permanently enjoined the state from enforcing amendments to the State Employment Relations Act empowering New York's Public Employment Relations Board to referee disputes in the private sector.

Skadden's Deal with Trump and Work for Intel Deal Gets Scrutinized by Democratic Lawmakers

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:58:53 EST

Several Democratic lawmakers sent a letter on Tuesday to Skadden, requesting the firm to respond to questions related to its work for Intel and apparent work for the Commerce Department following its deal with the Trump administration.

'Poorly Reasoned'?: SEC's Semiannual Reporting Proposal Hits Wall of Opposition

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:48:50 EST

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission says allowing companies to report financial results twice a year will reduce regulatory burdens and encourage more IPOs. Investors say the agency is solving problems that do not exist—while creating new risks for market transparency and fraud detection.

DOJ's Extensive Subpoenas to 14 Law Firms Revealed

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 14:29:19 EST

The subpoenas to 14 law firms go much further than previously believed, requesting that firms turn over any and all communications related to Trump's law firm executive orders or deals. The deadline passed last week. It's unclear if any firms have responded.

DOJ Wants to Disqualify Susman Godfrey from ABA Suit

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 21:40:34 EST

The government says Susman Godfrey cannot both serve as advocate and fact witness in the suit the American Bar Association filed against the Trump administration.

After Disqualifying Beasley Allen, Johnson & Johnson Sets Sights on Other Talc Lawyers

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 19:15:10 EST

Johnson & Johnson lawyer Kristen Fournier, at Kirkland & Ellis, wrote in a July 9 letter to U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah Singh in the talc multidistrict litigation about "concerning and newly developed facts" that surfaced during a July 6 evidentiary hearing in Florida.

White & Case and Honigman to Relocate DC Offices, Among Other Law Firm Office Deals in Q2

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:43:17 EST

Steptoe, White & Case, Honigman and Wilkinson Barker Knauer all inked D.C. office deals in Q2 of 2026.

How I Made Practice Group Chair: 'Listen as Much as You Speak,' Says Doug Rettew of Finnegan

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 10:59:59 EST

"Listen as much as you speak (and perhaps more). With the wisdom you impart, there's much to learn from others; any litigator who believes otherwise, is not a good one. And don't forget how terrifying it felt the first time you did something in court. Young lawyers need to hear and understand that nerves are not a weakness; they are often the mark someone cares, prepares, and ultimately excels."

Are DOJ's Subpoenas to Big Law Firms a Breach of Trump Deals?

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 05:59:59 EST

As a result of the murky nature of the Trump deals with law firms, experts were split as to whether DOJ's recent subpoenas may violate the terms of the law firm deals, if they were even formal to begin with.

'Stunning Turn of Events': Johnson & Johnson Asks Judge to Order Potential Dismissal of All 67,000 Talc Lawsuits

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:01:50 EST

Johnson & Johnson, in a motion for order to show cause, insisted that lead plaintiffs' counsel in the talc multidistrict litigation withdrew their two "marquee" specific causation experts after they acknowledged other risk factors impacting women in six bellwether cases—and that most ovarian cancers are idiopathic.

Vought Defends CFPB Overhaul, Says Bureau Remains 'Structurally Defective'

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 16:49:18 EST

Despite the existential threats to the CFPB, the bureau has pursued an ambitious deregulatory agenda through rulemaking and interpretive guidance.

General Dynamics Names Deputy GC Nick Barnaby as Successor to Longtime Legal Chief

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 16:30:27 EST

Barnaby, a former Jenner & Block partner who joined the company in 2018, will take over as general counsel when longtime legal chief Greg Gallopoulos retires at the end of 2026.

Todd Blanche's Independence From Trump Faces Sharp Questions During AG Confirmation Hearing

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:59:59 EST

“I can't answer that yes or no, Blanche said, when asked by Sen. Mazie Hirono whether he believed it was the president's right to order the investigation or prosecution of his perceived enemies.

CFTC Defies Michigan Court Order, Orders Kalshi to Complete Trades

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 18:48:29 EST

The aggressive move by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is the latest by the agency to prevent state regulation of prediction markets.

The Pipeline of Big Law Marketing Officers Making the Move to Midsize Firms

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 17:30:28 EST

"There are a lot of Am Law 50-100 [marketing] directors who feel kind of stuck and can't get to the CMO level in the Am Law 50-100 sphere, so they find less resistance going to a mid-sized firm and becoming a chief,” said Jason Caramanico, senior managing director at Celeritas Recruiting.

Watchdog Group Seeks HHS Investigation Into Former General Counsel's Stock Trades

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 17:31:49 EST

Campaign Legal Center alleges Michael Stuart failed to divest prohibited holdings, continued buying restricted investments and violated the terms of his ethics agreement while serving as the department's top lawyer.

S&C, Expanding Relationship With Trump, Joins Legal Team for E. Jean Carroll Defamation Case

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 17:00:31 EST

The petition to the Supreme Court is expected to rely on presidential immunity arguments not unlike those made in a separate criminal case out of New York involving Trump that Sullivan & Cromwell is handling.

Litigation Trends to Watch: Lawsuits Center on AI Trainers, Surveillance Pricing and Last-Mile Delivery Drivers

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:49:17 EST

A new wave of litigation is taking shape as workers who train AI models claim they were misclassified as independent contractors.

Big Law's Trump Deals May Face More Lawmaker Pressure After Midterms

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:37:58 EST

Democratic lawmakers are expected to revive congressional investigations into nine law firms that made deals with the Trump administration, if Democrats gain a majority in one or both chambers of Congress. Law firms could be the subject of congressional subpoenas or public hearings.

SEC Hires Citadel Alum for Artificial Intelligence Advice

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 16:57:34 EST

Stan Yakoff began work as the SEC's new senior adviser on AI and exams in June.

Sidley Raids Clifford Chance, Prioritizes Finance Practice Growth

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:23:32 EST

The latest group brings Sidley up to about 13 total lateral hires in its global finance and tax practices so far this year.