Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

In a ruling issued on Jan. 2, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit blocked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from restoring its...

The 2025 legislative session begins tomorrow. With a $1 billion budget shortfall looming, Colorado lawmakers are already facing tough decisions on how to tackle issues affecting residents and businesses alike. In addition, following the November election, Colorado lawmakers will arrive at the state capitol to a newly elected class of legislators, caucus leadership and new committee assignments.

President-elect Donald Trump and his key advisors have embraced the “Return to Peace through Strength,” sometimes known as “America First,” concept...

As Maryland’s 477th legislative session quickly approaches, and with a $2.9 billion budget shortfall looming, lawmakers will have to make tough...

The governor’s 2025-26 budget proposal breaks the cycle of deficits past with a cautiously optimistic projection of a $322.2 million surplus. The source of this modest surplus, which comes as a great surprise to many still reeling from the $37.9 billion shortfall initially projected this time last year, is allegedly in part due to a successful implementation of the governor’s two-year budget framework approach. This surplus differs from the projections released by the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), who estimated a deficit of $2.2 billion, which the governor claims to have accounted for in adjustments to Proposition 98 and the Special Fund for Economic Uncertainties (SFEU). In other words, California has purportedly balanced their budget so successfully that the expected deficit has not only been closed but has been replaced with a small surplus.

On Jan. 10, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission announced the 2025 adjusted thresholds under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976...

On Jan. 8, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) announced the creation of the Supply Chain Resiliency Initiative (SCRI), a targeted financing program aimed at diversifying and strengthening critical mineral and rare earth element supply chains. Officially launched through a vote of approval by the EXIM Board of Directors, the initiative is designed to support projects that secure critical minerals and rare earth materials and reduce U.S. reliance on the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for these materials, which are essential for technologies such as energy storage, semiconductors and electric vehicles (EVs). By supporting international projects that ensure critical minerals flow into U.S.-based production facilities, SCRI aims to bolster domestic manufacturing, create domestic jobs and enhance national and economic security.

As of Jan. 1, 2025, California law mandates a written buyer-broker representation agreement for buyer’s brokers to receive a commission in real property sales. The new law applies to sales of all property types, including office, retail, industrial, multifamily and single-family properties. The new law does not apply to leases, rental agreements, state and federal land or loan brokerage services.

With President-elect Donald Trump’s victory in the November elections, the former and next occupant of the White House is expected to shake up...

President Donald Trump issued an “ American First Trade Policy Memorandum ” as part of wide-ranging executive actions on Jan. 20, his first day in office. The memorandum calls for a series of reviews of U.S. trade policy and investigations of trade imbalances and unfair trade practices. President Trump’s goal is to “establish[ing] a robust and reinvigorated trade policy that promotes investment and productivity, enhances our Nation’s industrial and technological advantages, defends our economic and national security, and—above all—benefits American workers, manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, and businesses.”