All Perspectives

California recently enacted the Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act, sparking pushback from online entities who argue the law is an unconstitutional restriction on children’s First Amendment rights and a legislative overreach to regulate social media.

Amidst mounting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulation and litigation, the Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) judge overseeing the federal litigation related to firefighting foam has scheduled a “Science Day.”

Senior Government Relations Director Oliver Spurgeon will give a presentation titled “Reconciliation: What It Means for Sector Policy Priorities” Foundations on the Hill 2025, hosted and presented by United Philanthropy Forum and the Council on Foundations in partnership with Independent Sector, in Washington, DC, on February 23, 2025.

On February 14, the newly formed Saks Global announced its plan to pay vendors past due balances in 12 monthly installments beginning in July.

Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries

The new presidential Administration’s cost-reduction initiatives, including a hiring freeze and return-to-office mandate for federal employees, are poised to impact the efficiency of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), potentially affecting patent examination timelines and strategies.

Automotive Group Leader and Los Angeles Managing Partner Aaron Jacoby shared his insight on autonomous vehicles in a special ride-along with Waymo robotaxi.

Proposed legislation introduced in the US Senate last week would deny tax-exempt status to certain organizations that support undocumented immigrants. The legislation would change the eligibility requirements for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.

Last month, the Illinois General Assembly passed a bill establishing prevailing wage requirements and tax incentives for high voltage transmission line and utility-scale battery storage projects.

Following a cascade of developments, the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) is back, but with some potential changes on the horizon. Most reporting companies that have not yet filed all required reports under the CTA should prepare to file their initial, updated, or corrected reports by March 21, 2025.

The Trump Administration is beginning to roll out its policy plans to “dominate” the global energy space. These plans tackle energy transition issues in a dramatically different manner than did the Biden Administration, particularly by leaning into fostering the development of resources, including fossil fuels, nuclear, and hydroelectric power that provide reliable “baseload” supply. This comes as no surprise given President Trump’s promise to “drill, baby, drill” at the inauguration.

With 2025 underway, the AFS Health Care team highlights some of the most pressing legal issues facing the health care industry this year.

Join Angela Santos for an insightful webinar on how the new presidential administration taking office in January 2025 could impact the fashion industry.

Gender-affirming care (GAC) is a model of care encompassing medical, surgical, mental health, and non-medical services to support transgender and nonbinary individuals in affirming their gender identity. Advocates argue that GAC can be lifesaving for transgender youth experiencing gender dysphoria, a condition characterized by clinically significant distress resulting from incongruence between one’s gender identity and sex assigned at birth. However, recent legislative, executive, and judicial developments at both the federal and state levels have cast uncertainty over the future of GAC for minors.

In 2025, the retail and fashion industries are bracing for a transformative year, heavily influenced by the policies of the new Trump Administration. These policies promise rapid and significant changes, particularly in areas such as trade, tariffs, and immigration, which will profoundly affect global supply chains and labor dynamics.

AFS Automotive’s Kevin Timson and Charles Gallaer tell us about top trends that impact negotiations in dealership acquisitions.  Have a listen to their first stop on the “2025 Buy-Sell Hot Topics” tour!

Jonathan Judge spoke at the ICPHSO Annual Meeting and Training Symposium in Orlando, Florida, on February 18, 2025.

Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries

In a recent decision, the BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division (NAD) took issue with social media content posted by influencers engaged by Revolve Group, Inc. and recommended that the company provide more robust and prominent guidance to its influencers on compliance with the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Endorsement Guidelines.

Download ArentFox Schiff’s Comprehensive Annual 2024 Trade Secrets End of Year Report.

Welcome to the February 2025 issue of “As the (Customs and Trade) World Turns,” our monthly newsletter where we compile essential updates from the customs and trade world over the past month. We bring you the most recent and significant insights in an accessible format, concluding with our main takeaways — aka “And the Fox Says…” — on what you need to know.

On January 22, Nebraska state Senator Mike Jacobson (R), at the request of Governor Jim Pillen (R), introduced the Agriculture Data Privacy Act (LB525). This is a first-of-its kind privacy bill that would specifically regulate agricultural-sector data.

Join Mario Torrico for a panel organized by Asociación Nacional de Comercio Exterior (ANALDEX) and CID-Pro Consulting S.A.S.

On February 6, Congressional Republican leaders met with President Donald Trump to address the Trump Administration’s 2025 budget and tax priorities. During that meeting, the Trump Administration proposed to eliminate capital gains tax treatment on carried interest.

In an unprecedented and highly fluid series of US trade announcements emanating from Washington, DC, the latest Executive Orders (EOs) announced this past Friday and this week’s EO on steel imports did little to calm c-suite jitters.