Administrative Law

Companies Have Up to a Year for New U.S. Tax Bill Reporting: SEC

News
The $1.5 trillion tax bill will significantly affect many companies’ year-end financial statements, according to Reuters.

The Net Neutrality Lawsuits Are Coming. Here’s What They’re Likely to Say.

News
Consumer groups and some state attorneys general have vowed to sue the FCC to overturn its net neutrality decision, writes Brian Fung in an article for The Washington Post.

FBI’s Top Lawyer Said to Be Reassigned

News
The FBI’s top lawyer, James Baker, is being reassigned — one of the first moves by new director Christopher A. Wray to assemble his own team of senior advisers, reports The Washington Post.

Whistleblowers’ Lawsuit Leads to Massive Medical Fraud Settlement

News
The payments cap off longstanding allegations of a vast medical-fraud conspiracy between a major hospital chain and the physicians groups that bilked federal and state healthcare programs, reports The Charlotte Observer.

Labor Board Burns Through Obama-Era Rules

News
In recent days, the independent board tasked with enforcing fair labor practices and collective bargaining rights overruled three Obama-era rules in a series of 3-2 rulings, The Hill reports.

Download: FRCP & E-Discovery: The Layman’s Guide

Insight
Exterro has published “FRCP & E-Discovery: The Layman’s Guide” to sort out the technical aspects of the FRCP as they relate to e-discovery, supported with relevant case law and expert opinions.

Fear Mounts Inside USDA over Trump’s General Counsel Pick

News
Politico is reporting that morale among many of the Agriculture Department’s legal staff has plummeted since Stephen Vaden, the Trump administration’s nominee to be USDA General Counsel, assumed leadership in March, say several agency attorneys from across the country.

ITAR For Government Contractors

Webinar, Dec. 13, 2017, 1 p.m. EST
An upcoming webinar presented by Williams Mullen’s International Practice Group will provide an overview of ITAR for government contracts executives and an update on recent developments in the law.

Ex-Akin Partner Guilty of Trying to Sell Secret U.S. Whistleblower Lawsuits

News
As a former employee of the Justice Department, Jeffrey Wertkin had access to lawsuits filed by whistleblowers against companies on the government’s behalf to recover taxpayer funds paid out based on fraudulent claims.

FCC Plan Would Give Internet Providers Power to Choose the Sites Customers See and Use

News
The Washington Post reports that federal regulators unveiled a plan Tuesday that would give Internet providers broad powers to determine what websites and online services their customers can see and use, and at what cost.

AT&T Counsel, an Ex-Trump Attorney, Calls DOJ’s Suit on Time Warner Deal ‘Fake Antitrust’

News
“There is no credible evidence” that AT&T’s proposed $85.4 billion acquisition of media powerhouse Time Warner poses any threat to industry competition or consumer prices, AT&T attorney Dan Petrocelli told CNBC.

Now That FERC Is Back In Action, Will It Keep Pace With States on Energy Storage?

Insight
State action is robust, and state regulatory authorities are routinely emerging as thought leaders in energy storage initiatives, according to Morgan, Lewis & Bockius.

Wall Street Penalties Have Fallen in Trump’s First Year, Study Says

News
In its latest fiscal year, Wall Street’s top regulator sought the smallest amount of penalties since 2013, a drop that could show a softer approach to policing wrongdoing, Bloomberg reports.

AT&T Would Win a Fight With DOJ Over Time Warner Deal, Analyst Says

News
AT&T and the Justice Department could be on their way to a major court battle, which one analyst believes the company stands a strong chance of winning, CNBC reports.

Insurance Giant Receives New York Subpoena on Sales Practices

News
New York’s attorney general has subpoenaed TIAA, the giant insurance company and investment firm, seeking documents and information relating to its sales practices, according to people briefed on the inquiry, reports The New York Times.

U.S. States Allege Broad Generic Drug Price-Fixing Collusion

News
The states said the drugmakers and executives divided customers for their drugs among themselves, according to Reuters.

Silicon Valley Software Startup, Ex-CEO Fined Nearly $1M

News
Zenefits will pay a $430,000 penalty and the co-founder/former chief executive has been fined more than $533,000, Reuters reports.

Senate Kills Rule On Class-Action Suits Against Financial Companies

News
Vice President Pence cast the tie-breaking vote to rollback the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule banning restrictive mandatory arbitration clauses found in the fine print of credit card and checking account agreements.

The Coal Ash Rule: Regulation, Litigation, and Strategies to Minimize Risk

Event, Dec. 13, 2017
Steptoe & Johnson’s Energy and Environmental, Products & Mass Tort Groups will host a webinar to discuss the implementation of the Coal Ash Rule, the current litigation landscape surrounding coal ash, and strategies for avoiding courtroom and regulatory challenges.