State & Local

All Eyes On 2026 Elections As Ga. Lawmakers Get Into Gear

Chart Riggall

Georgia lawmakers are expected to move on from the heavyweight fight over tort reform that stole the stage last year and set their sights on elections slated for November when they return to Atlanta this month, experts told Law360.

Top Federal Tax Cases To Watch In 2026

Kat Lucero

The application of self-employment taxes to limited partners, the economic substance doctrine's threshold and the question of whether IRS penalties need a jury's deliberation are topics federal courts likely will examine in coming decisions. Here, Law360 reviews the top federal tax cases to watch in the coming year.

State And Local Tax Cases To Watch In 2026

Maria Koklanaris
Senior Tax Correspondent

From Florida's suit against California over single-sales-factor apportionment to matters in New York and New Jersey challenging an interpretation of when a federal law applies to internet transactions, 2026 promises to reveal a lot about state and local tax law. Here, Law360 examines cases to watch this year.

Hot Topics For Family Offices In 2026

For family offices, the throughline of 2026 is disciplined readiness, as navigating impact from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and platform maturation will be necessary to preserve flexibility and enhance client outcomes, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

The Case For Emulating, Not Dividing, The Ninth Circuit

Champions for improved judicial administration should reject the unfounded criticisms driving recent Senate proposals to divide the Ninth Circuit and instead seek to replicate the court's unique strengths and successes, says Judge J. Clifford Wallace of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

5 Tariff And Trade Developments To Watch In 2026

A new trade landscape emerged in 2025, the contours of which will be further defined by developments that will merit close attention this year, including a key ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court and a review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, says Ted Posner at Baker Botts.

4 Developments That Defined The 2025 Ethics Landscape

The legal profession spent 2025 at the edge of its ethical comfort zone as courts, firms and regulators confronted how fast-moving technologies and new business models collide with long-standing professional duties, signaling that the profession is entering a period of sustained disruption that will continue into 2026, says Hilary Gerzhoy at HWG Law.

The Answer, In A Word, Is Federalism: SALT In Review

From the treasury secretary's view of states that resist conformity to a proposed retroactive tax on California's billionaires, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.

How Fractional GCs Can Manage Risks Of Engagement

As more organizations eliminate their in-house legal departments in favor of outsourcing legal work, fractional general counsel roles offer practitioners an engaging and flexible way to practice at a high level, but they can also present legal, ethical and operational risks that must be proactively managed, say attorneys at Boies Schiller.

How OECD Tax Update Tackles Mobile Workforce Complexity

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s recently updated model tax convention — a recalibration of international tax principles in response to an increasingly mobile workforce — should prompt companies to reevaluate cross-border operations, transfer pricing policies and tax controversy strategies, say attorneys at Eversheds.

A Uniform Federal Rule Would Curb Gen AI Missteps In Court

To address the patchwork of courts’ standing orders on generative artificial intelligence, curbing abuses and relieving the burden on judges, the federal judiciary should consider amending its civil procedure rules to require litigants to certify they’ve reviewed legal filings for accuracy, say attorneys at Shook Hardy.

Supreme Court Term Limits Would Carry Hidden Risk

While proposals for limiting the terms of U.S. Supreme Court justices are popular, a steady stream of relatively young, highly marketable ex-justices with unique knowledge and influence entering the marketplace of law and politics could create new problems, say Michael Broyde at Emory University and Hayden Hall at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

AI Evidence Rule Tweaks Encourage Judicial Guardrails

Recent additions to a committee note on proposed Rule of Evidence 707 — governing evidence generated by artificial intelligence — seek to mitigate potential dangers that may arise once machine outputs are introduced at trial, encouraging judges to perform critical gatekeeping functions, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert & Wohl.

The Law Firm Merger Diaries: Getting The Message Across

Communications and brand strategy during a law firm merger represent a crucial thread that runs through every stage of a combination and should include clear messaging, leverage modern marketing tools and embrace the chance to evolve, says Ashley Horne at Womble Bond.

Horizontal Stare Decisis Should Not Be Casually Discarded

Eliminating the so-called law of the circuit doctrine — as recently proposed by a Fifth Circuit judge, echoing Justice Neil Gorsuch’s concurrence in Loper Bright — would undermine public confidence in the judiciary’s independence and create costly uncertainty for litigants, says Lawrence Bluestone at Genova Burns.

Food For Thought On Taxes, By The Bagful: SALT In Review

From a welcome annual ranking of the states' tax climates to the Virginia capital city's new tax on plastic bags, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.