As we anticipated in our October 17, 2024, blog, both the Government and the Relator have appealed the district court’s decision in U.S. ex rel. Zafirov v. Florida Medical Associates, LLC, et al. (Zafirov), the first case to hold that the qui tam provision of the federal False Claims Act violates the Appointments Clause of ..read more

Days before President Biden leaves the White House, the U.S. government has delivered a major blow against Russia. On January 10, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced its most comprehensive sanctions to-date against Russia’s energy sector. OFAC’s sanctions were complemented by another sweeping sanctions action by the ..read more

The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced a settlement with Brick & Bourbon, a Minnesota-based restaurant group, for violations of federal anti-discrimination laws in its employment eligibility verification practices. This case bears resemblance to previous DOJ settlements in which employees were asked for more or different documents during the employment eligibility process, such as the ..read more

The legal industry has changed - clients no longer choose lawyers based on reputation alone. They research, compare and assess who truly understands their needs. A digital presence isn’t just a tool for visibility; it’s how lawyers prove they’re the right choice before a conversation even begins ..read more

The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is giving no-action letters a second chance. On January 8, 2025, the CFPB issued a policy statement setting forth new procedures for companies to request supervisory and enforcement relief through no-action letters. The policy statement was issued at the same time as a related policy statement setting forth procedures for companies to seek ..read more

On Jan. 10, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the annual changes to the notification thresholds for filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act (HSR) and certain other values under the HSR rules. The new thresholds will become effective in late February, 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. As background, the HSR ..read more

If you are looking for a high-level summary of California laws regulating artificial intelligence (AI), check out the two legal advisories issued by California Attorney General Rob Bonta. The first advisory is directed at consumers and entities about their rights and obligations under the state’s consumer protection, civil rights, competition, and data privacy laws. The ..read more

On January 15, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) released a blog post highlighting the growing efforts by financial institutions to serve consumers with limited English proficiency (LEP). However, according to the Bureau, despite these advancements, significant barriers remain for LEP individuals in accessing fair and competitive financial services. Key Observations: Underserved Market ..read more

As a new administration takes office in 2025, several new energy policy trends are expected to emerge, reflecting the inherent tension that often exists between political desires and economic realities. For example, while the incoming Trump administration has expressed a desire to claw back subsidies made available under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Republican states ..read more

Keypoint: The FTC finalizes changes to bolster COPPA Rule, the first updates to the Rule since 2013. The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) finalized changes to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”) Rule today, making the first updates to the Rule since 2013. In January 2024, the FTC proposed changes to the COPPA Rule and ..read more