D. Jacques Smith, Michael F. Dearington, Nadia Patel, Hillary M. Stemple, Laura Zell, Michelle J. Shapiro, Shoshana Golden, Meghan F. Hart
Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 53, “The Transparency in Frontier Intelligence Act” (TFAIA), establishing new AI safety and transparency obligations for certain AI developers.
On October 21, the DC Council voted 9-4 to exempt most two-to-four-unit properties owned by individual landlords who do not own more than two housing properties in DC from the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) under the revised RENTAL Act.
On October 11, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 513, expanding employee rights under Labor Code § 1198.5 to inspect and obtain their personnel records.
On October 13, California took a significant step toward consumer transparency with the enactment of SB 68, the Allergen Disclosure for Dining Experiences Act. This legislation makes California the first state to mandate large restaurant chains to disclose major food allergens on their menus. The law is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.
On September 19, President Trump signed a proclamation imposing an additional $100,000 fee on the entry of certain H-1B employees into the United States, effective September 21.
The US Supreme Court has declined to review the Fifth Circuit’s decision in St. James Parish v. Inclusive Louisiana, leaving intact a unanimous ruling that environmental justice (EJ) organizations have standing to pursue a civil rights challenge to St. James Parish’s land-use practices in Louisiana’s industrial corridor.
Rather than waiting for the “ultra-processed food” (UPF) definition promised by the federal government’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission, the California legislature has forged ahead to produce its own definition and to apply it to the state’s school meals program.
The first nine months of the Trump Administration have seen extensive use of Executive Orders (EOs) to “deregulate” and otherwise rollback Biden-era environmental policies.
Whether by pleading or contractual provisions, New York practitioners face the risk of surrendering a client’s right to a jury trial with unsettling ease. This article exposes these procedural snares by: first, introducing the statutory mechanism found in CPLR 4101 that is central to jury waiver by pleading and explores how merely asserting equitable or declaratory judgment claims can forfeit the right to a trial by jury; second, it surveys the enforceability of pre-dispute contractual jury waivers, highlighting New York’s willingness to extend such clauses beyond pure contract claims and juxtaposing that stance with less accommodating jurisdictions; and finally, it distills practical drafting and motion practice strategies designed to help practitioners preserve (or strategically eliminate) the jury right. By charting these intersecting doctrines – and the hidden pitfalls they create – this article aims to arm litigators and transactional lawyers alike with the vigilance necessary to avoid stumbling into an unintended waiver.
On August 12, the Ninth Circuit in Quintara Biosciences, Inc. v. Ruifeng Biztech, Inc. held that the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) does not require a plaintiff to identify its allegedly misappropriated trade secrets with particularity at the pleading stage because that is a question of fact meant for summary judgment or trial.
D. Jacques Smith, Michael F. Dearington, Nadia Patel, Hillary M. Stemple, Laura Zell, Michelle J. Shapiro, Elizabeth Satarov, Meghan F. Hart
Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries
Angela M. Santos, Antonio J. Rivera, Megan Barnhill, Diana Dimitriuc Quaia, Leah Scarpelli, Christopher H. Skinner, Matthew Tuchband, James Kim*, Mario A. Torrico, Lucas A. Rock, Maya S. Cohen, Derek Ha, Tyler J. Kimberly, Andrew McArthur, Denny Peixoto, David Llorente
Welcome to the October 2025 issue of “As the (Customs and Trade) World Turns,” our monthly newsletter where we compile essential updates from the customs and trade world over the past month. We bring you the most recent and significant insights in an accessible format, concluding with our main takeaways — aka “And the Fox Says…” — on what you need to know.
Linda M. Jackson, Matthew F. Prewitt, Allan E. Anderson, Nicholas J. Nesgos, Alexander H. Spiegler, Meghan F. Hart, John M. Hindley, Nicole Curtis Martinez
Wu-Tang Clan produced a single physical copy of the album “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin,” which was never publicly released. In 2015, Martin Shkreli purchased the album.
The US District Court for the District of Massachusetts in Monteiro v. RAC Acceptance East, LLC issued an early federal interpretation of the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act (EFAA), which became law in March 2022.
D. Jacques Smith, Michael F. Dearington, Nadia Patel, Hillary M. Stemple, Laura Zell, Michelle J. Shapiro, Mattie Bowden, Elizabeth Satarov
Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries
E-Verify is a web-based federal program where employers verify identity and work authorization of employees. E-Verify is operated by the US Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS), which is within the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
On August 18, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a significant decision in King v. United States, affirming that reductions in multiemployer pension benefits authorized by the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014 (MPRA) are not takings under the Fifth Amendment.
On September 30, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and US Department of Treasury released their 2025-2026 Priority Guidance Plan, outlining the topics they intend to prioritize for formal guidance in the upcoming fiscal year. The Plan addresses several topics that may impact tax-exempt organizations.
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) updated its Entity List FAQs, providing some additional guidance about the “Affiliates Rule” that came into effect on September 29.
On September 26, the US Department of Commerce, through its Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), announced the initiation of a new Section 232 investigation into “robotics and industrial machinery” and its parts and components.
Two recent dismissals in the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) class action landscape expose a significant weakness in these claims.
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has announced that it will permanently close the Rocky Mountain Regional Outreach Office in Denver, Colorado. This decision reflects the USPTO’s evolving approach to outreach, education, and examiner recruitment.
D. Jacques Smith, Michael F. Dearington, Nadia Patel, Hillary M. Stemple, Laura Zell, Michelle J. Shapiro, Mattie Bowden, Rebekkah R.N. Stoeckler
Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries
On September 25, President Trump directed federal agencies to investigate and prosecute organizations and individuals that engage in “acts of political violence.”