California employers can breathe a sigh of relief. On March 17, the Fifth District Court of Appeal issued a significant, published decision in Ayala-Ventura v. Superior Court that is likely to maintain enforceability of employee arbitration agreements in the state.
On March 12, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals issued a landmark decision interpreting the District’s Anti-SLAPP Act, the statutory scheme directed at deterring Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). The court’s opinion reinforces the utility of the Anti-SLAPP Act’s special motion to dismiss framework for early dismissal of meritless litigation targeting speech on matters of public interest, and the significant hurdles SLAPP plaintiffs face to survive such motions, particularly in cases brought by public or limited public figures.
On March 11, US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director John A. Squires issued a Memorandum setting forth three additional discretionary factors for Inter Partes Review (IPR) and Post Grant Review (PGR) institution decisions, all organized around US manufacturing and small business status. When deciding whether to institute a review, the director will now consider the following.
The Trump Administration’s tariff strategy has undergone a significant legal pivot in recent weeks. After the February 20 US Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs, the Administration immediately announced that they would impose tariffs under alternative authorities, seemingly in an attempt to mirror the IEEPA tariff regime.
Branded residences, which are residential properties that offer residents hotel-caliber services and amenities in everyday life, most often tied to well-known hospitality or luxury retail brands, are experiencing unprecedented growth and are reshaping the landscape of real estate development in the United States and globally.
On January 20, the Virginia Court of Appeals issued an opinion interpreting the meaning of the term “knowledge” within Virginia Code § 13.1-1021.1(C), a provision of the Virginia Limited Liability Company Act (LLC Act) governing real property transfers by limited liability company (LLC) managers.
Michelle J. Shapiro, William P. Ziegelmueller, Alexander S. Birkhold, Apeksha Vora, Meghan F. Hart, Meredith Gillespie
On March 10, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced its first uniform Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy (DOJ CEP).
R. Erica Roque, Angela M. Santos, George P. Angelich, Adam D. Bowser, Lynn R. Fiorentino, Matthew L. Finkelstein*, Alex Garel-Frantzen, Thorne Maginnis, Berin S. Romagnolo, Jeffrey B. Weston, James E. Britton, Emily P. Caylor, Amanda Peterson, Lucas A. Rock, Yusra H. Siddique, Natalie Tantisirirat, Natasha Weis, Felicia A. Xu, Alexis Glynn
As in 2025, the first few months of 2026 have seen fashion and retail companies operating in an environment where legal developments increasingly shape day-to-day business decisions, and the same is expected to continue throughout the rest of the year.
Nancy J. Puleo, Kelly K. Ballentine, Roxana Bokaei, Robert K. Carrol, Nicholas L. Collins, Morgan Forsey, Daniel J. McQueen, Kimia Pourshadi, Alex Rafuse, Berin S. Romagnolo, Alexandra M. Romero, Lauren C. Schaefer, Brett Young
As we approach the close of the first quarter of 2026, our Labor, Employment & OSHA team highlights some of the leading legal developments and issues that employers face, including the reshaping of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB); artificial intelligence (AI) regulation at the state level; continuing expansion of state paid family and medical leave laws; challenges to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace; and changes to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) guidance and enforcement.
For the first time, an Illinois appellate court has held that Illinois counties must issue siting permits to solar facilities that meet certain state standards.
On March 13, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent warning letters to 97 automobile dealership groups, putting them on notice that their pricing practices may violate Section 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices (UDAP) as well as unfair methods of competition.
D. Jacques Smith, Michael F. Dearington, Nadia Patel, Hillary M. Stemple, Laura Zell, Michelle J. Shapiro, Apeksha Vora, Meghan F. Hart
Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries
Richard J. Berman, Nardeen Billan, Shoshana Golden, Gayland O. Hethcoat II, Abha Kundi*, Emily Cowley Leongini, Joseph M. Maraia, Nadia Patel, Sailesh K. Patel, D. Jacques Smith, Stephanie Trunk
As we continue to move through 2026, the life sciences landscape is shaped by a convergence of regulatory, enforcement, and market access developments that demand heightened attention from industry stakeholders.
Alexander S. Birkhold, Brittany H. Sokoloff, Peter V. B. Unger, Patricia A. Pileggi, Elizabeth Satarov, Sean A. Worley
On February 24, the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Division of Enforcement published a revised Enforcement Manual, replacing the version that had been in effect since November 2017.
Angela M. Santos, Antonio J. Rivera, Nadia Patel, Jackson David Toof, Nancy A. Noonan, Matthew Tuchband, Yun Gao, Lucas A. Rock, Mario A. Torrico, Maya S. Cohen, Tyler J. Kimberly, Denny Peixoto, Andrew McArthur, Collin M. Douglas
Welcome to the March 2026 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.
Linda M. Jackson, Matthew F. Prewitt, Allan E. Anderson, Nicholas J. Nesgos, Alexander H. Spiegler, Meghan F. Hart, John M. Hindley, Nicole Curtis Martinez
The Fifth Circuit affirmed summary judgment on the plaintiff’s trade secrets claims under the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) and Louisiana Uniform Trade Secrets Act (LUTSA), holding that the plaintiff failed to establish that its training materials, client list, and member database qualified as protectable trade secrets.
A coalition of US Senate Democrats introduced the FCPA Reinforcement Act, legislation aimed at strengthening enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) amid concerns that the Trump Administration has weakened federal efforts to combat corporate bribery abroad.
The rapidly expanding consumer biomarker testing market — a major pillar of the longevity ecosystem — has produced its first major lawsuit between competitors.
D. Jacques Smith, Michael F. Dearington, Nadia Patel, Hillary M. Stemple, Laura Zell, Michelle J. Shapiro, Pascal Naples, Rebekkah R.N. Stoeckler
Headlines That Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule on March 5 that will change National Drug Codes (NDCs) from several different 10‑digit formats to one standard 12‑digit format.
On February 19, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a significant shift in its drug approval framework: A single adequate and well-controlled clinical trial, combined with confirmatory evidence, will now serve as the default standard for marketing authorization of new drugs.
As continuation fund activity continues to accelerate in both volume and complexity, the Institutional Limited Partners Association (ILPA) has introduced a new Continuation Fund Disclosure Template designed to bring greater standardization and transparency to these transactions.
Prop 65 Counsel: What To Know
Later this year marks the 15th anniversary of the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s adoption of Rule 202(a)(11)(G)-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the Family Office Rule).
Importers seeking International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariff refunds just caught a significant break — and they may not even need to lift a finger to claim them.