Federal
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August 08, 2025
Pennsylvania Litigation Highlights Of The 1st Half Of 2025
In the first half of 2025, Pennsylvania judges have created a federal and state court split in a $175 million verdict against Monsanto in Philadelphia's Roundup mass tort, reduced the tax fraud sentence of a member of the family behind an iconic Philadelphia cheesesteak shop and permanently barred a college apparel company from copying Penn State trademarks.
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August 07, 2025
2nd Circ. Says Trial Atty With Brain Disease Not 'Ineffective'
The Second Circuit on Thursday affirmed the convictions of a former New York City law enforcement union president along with its ex-financial adviser for defrauding members out of $500,000, rejecting among contentions that one defense lawyer's abilities were impaired at trial by a fast-moving neurodegenerative disease.
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August 08, 2025
Midyear Review: A Look At The Tax Trends Shaping 2025
Tax professionals had a lot to keep up with in the first half of 2025, from congressional action to extend the 2017 GOP tax overhaul to a tumultuous international trade scene. And the back half of the year is poised to be just as busy, with litigation over how the IRS handles employee retention tax credits, an Amazon suit in South Carolina over sales tax, and an uncertain future for global minimum tax rules. Here, dive into our slate of analysis pieces to help guide you through evolving tax litigation and policy.
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August 07, 2025
IRS Can Collect From Incarcerated Man, Tax Court Says
The IRS properly denied a request by an incarcerated man to stop collecting his nearly $160,000 tax debt, the U.S. Tax Court ruled Thursday, saying the man admitted to having hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets.
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August 07, 2025
Toyota Forecasts $9.5B Annual Hit From US Tariffs
U.S. tariffs would cost Toyota Motor Corp. 1.4 trillion yen ($9.5 billion) during its fiscal year ending March 2026, including 450 billion yen in its first quarter, the automaker said Thursday.
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August 07, 2025
Siemens Contests Nix Of $315M Foreign-Dividend Tax Break
Regulatory missteps caused the IRS to wrongly slash $315 million from a foreign-dividend tax deduction Siemens claimed on shareholder payments it received from an overseas affiliate, the medical giant told the U.S. Tax Court.
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August 07, 2025
Man Pleads Guilty To Tax Evasion, Faces $50M In Restitution
A man accused of numerous financial crimes related to his operation of promoting abusive and illegal tax shelters pled guilty to three charges across two different cases in Colorado federal court on Thursday.
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August 07, 2025
Hodgson Russ Adds Former NY Tax Pros To SALT Group
Hodgson Russ LLP has announced that two former New York state and city tax professionals have joined the firm's state and local tax practice in New York City, advising the team on complex regional tax issues.
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August 07, 2025
No Changes To Tax Forms Yet After Budget Bill, IRS Says
Withholding tables and information returns for the current tax year as related to the federal budget bill will remain unchanged, the Internal Revenue Service announced Thursday, saying it wants to avoid disruptions to tax filing season.
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August 07, 2025
Trump Greenlights Private Equity, Crypto 401(k) Investing
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that aims to make it easier for retirement plans to invest in a wider range of assets, including cryptocurrency, private equity and real estate.
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August 07, 2025
Vanguard, Investors Agree To Settle After Axed $40M Tax Deal
Vanguard and investors have reached a second deal in a suit over allegations of surprise tax bills from a fund restructuring after a Pennsylvania federal judge scrapped a previous settlement in which the class would have fetched $40 million, the parties said Thursday.
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August 07, 2025
Fed. Circ. Skeptical Of Realty Co.'s IRS Contract Dispute
Federal Circuit judges seemed skeptical Thursday of a realty company's claim that the IRS improperly blocked its bid to continue leasing office space to the agency after IRS employees complained about the building, with one judge challenging whether evidence actually showed the agency acted in bad faith.
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August 07, 2025
German Carmakers Press EU To Secure Tariff Relief Quickly
A German automaker association urged the European Union to finalize its trade deal with the U.S. to relieve the car manufacturing industry of the pressure of tariffs.
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August 06, 2025
Under Pressure, Higher Ed Leans On Real Estate
As institutions of higher education contend with declining enrollment and federal funding cuts, some are finding creative ways to monetize their real estate, which comes with important legal considerations, according to attorneys.
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August 06, 2025
Ex-Homeowners Seek OK On Tax Foreclosure Suit Deal
A proposed class of former property owners asked a Michigan federal judge Tuesday to give initial support to a settlement with several counties that would allow the ex-homeowners to receive the surplus profits they allege the county treasurers made selling their tax-delinquent properties.
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August 06, 2025
No IRS Error In Lien Against Lawyer, Tax Court Says
The IRS' appeals office did nothing wrong in sustaining a tax lien against an attorney who asked for other ways of paying what the agency said was her $43,000 tax debt, the U.S. Tax Court ruled Wednesday, saying the lawyer was offered lower payment options.
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August 06, 2025
Troutman Adds Former Fannie Mae Associate GC In DC
The former associate general counsel at the Federal National Mortgage Association, who spent the past decade as a tax partner with Morris Manning & Martin LLP, has joined Troutman Pepper Locke LLP in the nation's capital, the firm announced Wednesday.
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August 06, 2025
G7's Tax Carveout For US Cos. Raises EU State Aid Questions
The Group of Seven nations' deal to exclude U.S. companies from Pillar Two minimum tax rules would give those companies a competitive advantage, experts say, prompting questions about the carveout's compatibility with EU state aid rules and whether a viable path exists to challenge the deal.
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August 06, 2025
3 Key Foreign Entity Issues In Claiming Clean Energy Credits
Stricter foreign supply chain and business ownership rules were tacked onto clean energy tax credits that weren't eliminated under the new budget reconciliation law, raising major compliance hurdles that have practitioners eagerly awaiting implementation rules from the U.S. Treasury Department. Here, Law360 outlines key issues the agencies need to address in coming guidance on restrictions targeting projects linked to foreign entities of concern.
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August 06, 2025
DOJ Says $47M Fat Brands Tax Case Not A Priority
The U.S. Department of Justice quit prosecuting Fat Brands and its founder on charges of helping hide $47 million from the IRS because of guidance from DOJ leaders that emphasized other priorities, including enforcement against cartels, the department told a California federal court.
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August 05, 2025
GAO Denies Co.'s Protest Of $49M IRS Task Order
The U.S. Government Accountability Office denied a Virginia company's protest of a $49 million task order issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury for information technology services support, saying it was not competitively prejudiced during the procurement process.
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August 05, 2025
AICPA Pushes For Guidance On Renewed R&D Tax Break
The U.S. Department of the Treasury needs to issue guidance immediately allowing taxpayers to deduct research and development costs incurred in 2024 on their originally filed federal income tax returns for that year, the American Institute of CPAs said in a letter released Tuesday.
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August 05, 2025
McGuireWoods Adds Loeb & Loeb Tax Pro In Los Angeles
McGuireWoods LLP is enhancing its corporate team, announcing Tuesday it is bringing in a Loeb & Loeb LLP tax expert as a partner in its Los Angeles office in Century City.
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August 05, 2025
Simpson Thacher Adds Tax, Funds Pro From Dechert
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP announced Monday that it has continued its growth in the tax and registered funds spaces, welcoming a partner from Dechert LLP to its New York office.
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August 05, 2025
Swiss President Hustles To DC To Address 39% Tariff
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter traveled Tuesday to Washington, D.C., for trade talks with the White House after Switzerland was hit with a 39% tariff on exports to the United States.
Expert Analysis
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Gardening Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Beyond its practical and therapeutic benefits, gardening has bolstered important attributes that also apply to my litigation practice, including persistence, patience, grit and authenticity, says Christopher Viceconte at Gibbons.
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Litigation Inspiration: Reframing Document Review
For attorneys — new ones especially — there is much fulfillment to find in document review by reflecting on how important, interesting and pleasant it can be, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.
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Rank-And-File DOJ Attorneys Will Keep Calm And Carry On
Career prosecutors at the U.S. Department of Justice often pride themselves on their ability to remain apolitical in order to ensure consistency and keep the department’s mission afloat, and the incoming Trump administration is unlikely to upend this tradition, says Michael Landman at Bird Marella.
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What Higher Education Can Expect From A 2nd Trump Admin
The election of Donald Trump for a second presidential term has far-reaching ramifications for colleges and universities — come January, institutions can expect a crackdown on DEI, increased scrutiny of campus protests, a rollback of the Biden administration's Title IX rules and more, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.
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3 Ways To Train Junior Lawyers In 30 Minutes Or Less
Today’s junior lawyers are experiencing a skills gap due to pandemic-era disruptions, but firms can help bring them up to speed by offering high-impact skill building content in bite-sized, interactive training sessions, say Stacey Schwartz at Katten, Diane Costigan at Winston & Strawn and Lauren Tierney at Freshfields.
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Expect Surging Oil And Gas Industry Under New Trump Admin
Throughout his recent campaign, President-elect Donald Trump promised increased oil and natural gas production and reduced reliance on renewables — and his administration will likely bring more oil and gas dealmaking, faster federal permitting and attempts to roll back incentives for green energy, say attorneys at Sidley.
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The Bar Needs More Clarity On The Discovery Objection Rule
Almost 10 years after Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 34 was amended, attorneys still seem confused about what they should include in objections to discovery requests, and until the rules committee provides additional clarity, practitioners must beware the steep costs of noncompliance, says Tristan Ellis at Shanies Law Office.
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Cos. Should Inventory Issues To Prep For New Congress
As the legislative and oversight agendas of the 119th Congress come into sharper focus, corporate counsel should assess and plan for areas of potential oversight risk — from tax policy changes to supply chain integrity — even as much uncertainty remains, say attorneys at WilmerHale.
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Conservation Easement Cases Weave Web Of Uncertainty
Much of the IRS and Justice Department’s recent success in prosecuting syndicated conservation easement cases can be attributed to the government’s focus on the so-called PropCo ratio, which could indicate treacherous waters ahead for participants and their advisers, even under the incoming Trump administration, say attorneys at Polsinelli.
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So You Want To Move Your Law Practice To Canada, Eh?
Google searches for how to move to Canada have surged in the wake of the U.S. presidential election, and if you’re an attorney considering a move to the Great White North, you’ll need to understand how the practice of law differs across the border, says David Postel at Henein Hutchison.
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Legislation Most Likely To Pass In Lame Duck Session
As Congress begins its five-week post-election lame duck session, attorneys at Greenberg Traurig break down the legislative priorities and which proposals can be expected to pass.
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What Trump's 2nd Presidency Could Mean For Crypto Sector
Trump's second term will bring a fundamental shift from the Biden administration's approach to crypto-asset regulation and banking supervision, with the most significant changes likely taking effect in the first two quarters of 2025 and broader policy shifts emerging over the next year, say attorneys at Cahill.
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Promoting Diversity In The Selection Of ADR Neutrals
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Choosing neutrals from diverse backgrounds is an important step in promoting inclusion in the legal profession, and it can enhance the legitimacy and public perception of alternative dispute resolution proceedings, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.