Federal

Trump's Greenland Tariff Threats Could Backfire On US

Josh White

The brief turmoil over President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff threats involving Greenland has abated for Europe and the global financial markets, but European governments may be more likely to retaliate with their own tariffs on the U.S. in the future, experts said.

Justices' FCC Review Could Reshape IRS Penalty Disputes

Kat Lucero

The U.S. Supreme Court's upcoming review of a pair of cases questioning the validity of the Federal Communications Commission's penalty authority could have ripple effects that further delineate the Internal Revenue Service's authority to impose penalties.

Tax Pros Warn Of Turbulent 2026 Filing Season Ahead

Asha Glover

The 2026 tax filing season likely will be characterized by filing delays, processing backlogs and widespread confusion, tax experts and former IRS commissioners warn, despite promises from federal officials to smoothly deliver billions in new tax benefits with better service, updated forms and modernized systems.

Presidential Pardon Brokering Can Create Risks For Attys

The emergence of an apparent “pardon shopping” marketplace, in which attorneys treat presidential pardons as a market product, may invite investigative scrutiny of counsel and potential criminal charges grounded in bribery, wire fraud and other statutes, says David Klasing at The Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing.

Key False Claims Act Trends From The Last Year

The False Claims Act remains a powerful enforcement tool after some record verdicts and settlements in 2025, and while traditional fraud areas remain a priority, new initiatives are raising questions about its expanding application, says Veronica Nannis at Joseph Greenwald.

Hosting Exchange Students Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Opening my home to foreign exchange students makes me a better lawyer not just because prioritizing visiting high schoolers forces me to hone my organization and time management skills but also because sharing the study-abroad experience with newcomers and locals reconnects me to my community, says Alison Lippa at Nicolaides Fink.

How A 1947 Tugboat Ruling May Shape Work Product In AI Era

Rapid advances in generative artificial intelligence test work-product principles first articulated in the U.S. Supreme Court’s nearly 80-year-old Hickman v. Taylor decision, as courts and ethics bodies confront whether disclosure of attorneys’ AI prompts and outputs would reveal their thought processes, say Larry Silver and Sasha Burton at Langsam Stevens.

Navigating Privilege Law Patchwork In Dual-Purpose Comms

Three years after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to resolve a circuit split in In re: Grand Jury, federal courts remain split as to when attorney-client privilege applies to dual-purpose legal and business communications, and understanding the fragmented landscape is essential for managing risks, say attorneys at Covington.

Cannabis Industry Faces An Inflection Point This Year

Cannabis industry developments last year — from the passage of a new wholesale tax in Michigan, to an executive order accelerating the federal rescheduling process — presage a more mature phase of legalization this year, with hardening expectations and enforcement to come, says Alex Leonowicz at Howard & Howard.

4 Ways GCs Can Manage Growing Service Of Process Volume

As automation and arbitration increase the volume of legal filings, in-house counsel must build scalable service of process systems that strengthen corporate governance and manage risk in real time, says Paul Mathews at Corporation Service Co.

The Law Firm Merger Diaries: Forming Measurable Ties

Relationship-building should begin as early as possible in a law firm merger, as intentional pathways to bringing people together drive collaboration, positive client response, engagements and growth, says Amie Colby at Troutman.

3 Key Takeaways From Planned Rescheduling Of Cannabis

An executive order reviving cannabis rescheduling represents a monumental change for the industry and, while the substance will remain illegal at the federal level, introduces several benefits, including improving state-legal cannabis operators' tax treatment, lowering the industry's legal risk profile, and leaving state-regulated markets largely intact, say attorneys at Dentons.

OFAC Sanctions Will Intensify Amid Global Tensions In 2026

The Office of Foreign Assets Control will ramp up its targeting of companies in the private equity, venture capital, real estate and legal markets in 2026, in keeping with the aggressive foreign policy approach embraced by the Trump administration in 2025, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

5 E-Discovery Predictions For 2026 And Beyond

2026 will likely be shaped by issues ranging from artificial intelligence regulatory turbulence to potential evidence rule changes, and e-discovery professionals will need to understand how to effectively guide the responsible and defensible adoption of emerging tools, while also ensuring effective safeguards, say attorneys at Littler.

Judges On AI: How Courts Can Boost Access To Justice

Arizona Court of Appeals Judge Samuel A. Thumma writes that generative artificial intelligence tools offer a profound opportunity to enhance access to justice and engender public confidence in courts’ use of technology, and judges can seize this opportunity in five key ways.

Examining Privilege In Dual-Purpose Workplace Investigations

The Sixth Circuit's recent holding in FirstEnergy's bribery probe ruling that attorney-client privilege applied to a dual-purpose workplace investigation because its primary purpose was obtaining legal advice highlights the uncertainty companies face as federal circuit courts remain split on the appropriate test, say attorneys at Proskauer.