In a significant decision for school districts and institutional defendants, the California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, granted a writ of mandate reversing a trial court’s denial of summary adjudication in Rancho Cucamonga…
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/ Education Law, Personal Injury
In 2025, countries around the world implemented or proposed regulations to restrict the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals.” Specifically, countries are implementing more…
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/ Environmental Law, International Law & Trade, Toxic Torts
Every year or so, another case crops up in Massachusetts highlighting the significance and seriousness of Massachusetts General Laws Chapters 93A and 176D relative to unfair claims handling and bad faith settlement practices…
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/ Civil Remedies, Insurance
The New York City Council has proposed a new bill to ban the use of “forever chemicals” in the turnout gear worn by FDNY’s 11,000 firefighters. See Notice and Provision to Fire Department Personnel of Firefighting Protective…
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/ Environmental Law, Products Liability, Toxic Torts
Ethylene oxide (EtO) is a naturally occurring, colorless gas compound used primarily in the sterilization of medical and dental equipment, in construction, and in transportation. It can also be found in various consumer…
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/ Environmental Law, Products Liability, Toxic Torts
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a proposed rule that would amend the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 8(a)(7) PFAS Reporting and Recordkeeping Rule, originally finalized on October 11, 2023…
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/ Administrative Law, Environmental Law
The US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois recently granted preliminary approval of a $1.2 billion settlement in a class action involving Discover-related credit cards.
Background -
In 2023, three separate…
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/ Antitrust & Trade Regulation, Commercial Law & Contracts, Finance & Banking
On September 29, 2025, the US District Court for the District of Columbia dismissed a lawsuit brought by Texas farmers, multi-state environmental organizations, and Johnson County, Texas that alleged the United States…
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/ Administrative Law, Agriculture, Environmental Law
On September 11, 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) moved the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit to vacate its regulations concerning four PFAS chemicals under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). EPA has asked…
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/ Administrative Law, Environmental Law
An appeal being filed with the Massachusetts Appeals Court (Appeals Court) involving construction defects alleged against a condominium developer has the potential to impact construction and design professionals. As a result of…
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/ Civil Procedure, Construction Law, Real Estate - Residential
David Hatem explores the response to tragic events such as the Surfside Condominium collapse in June 2021 should not be finding more parties to sue or defenses to establish, but to develop constructive initiatives and mandates…
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/ Construction Law, Real Estate - Residential, Zoning, Planning & Land Use
Given ongoing concerns surrounding exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and potential adverse human health effects, researchers recently examined whether PFAS exposure could contribute to an increased risk of…
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/ Environmental Law, Health, Toxic Torts
In 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established maximum contaminant levels (MCL) for six PFAS chemicals in drinking water. That rule set MCLs of 4 parts per trillion (ppt) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and…
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/ Energy & Utilities, Environmental Law, Toxic Torts
A recent study published in Nature Microbiology by researchers at the University of Cambridge revealed that certain human gut bacteria may have the capacity to bioaccumulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and could…
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/ Environmental Law, Science, Computers, & Technology, Toxic Torts
Monsanto has recently settled with families who claimed they were exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at a school near Seattle, ending what had become one of the most closely watched toxic tort cases in recent memory…
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/ Conflict of Laws, Environmental Law, Toxic Torts