Ballot Measure 1, passed by voters in the 2025 general election, is a voter initiative that (1) increases the minimum wage, (2) establishes the Alaska Paid Sick Leave Act (“Act”) to provide a minimum paid sick leave benefit to…
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/ Labor & Employment Law
A wave of water-related legislation swept through the Oregon Legislature during the 2025 session. The most controversial water-related bills did not end up passing. In particular, there were three bills that would have affected…
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/ Agriculture, Environmental Law
On July 1, 2025, the DOL published two separate proposed rules that would affect federal contractors’ obligations to have affirmative action plans for individuals with disabilities, as well as minorities and women…
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/ Government Contracting, Labor & Employment Law
The Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council is undertaking a systematic approach to revising the FARs. On Friday, June 27, 2025, a revision to FAR Part 6, Competition Requirements was issued…
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/ Commercial Law & Contracts, Government Contracting
On June 27, 2025, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (“SBA”), Kelly Loeffler, announced that she is directing an “immediate and full-scale audit of the agency’s 8(a) Business Development Program.”…
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/ Criminal Law, Government Contracting
Generally speaking, family offices are established by families with complex and varying interests to manage investments and provide other services to family members, most commonly associated with business holdings. Family…
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/ Business Organizations, Law Practice Products & Services, Taxation, Wills, Trusts, & Estate Planning
On June 23, 2025, the Northern District of California federal district court issued the first substantive district court decision regarding the intersection of copyright law and generative artificial intelligence. The case…
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/ Intellectual Property, Science, Computers, & Technology
A series of employment-related bills have become law and will go into effect in the coming months and years. These new bills contain some significant changes that will likely affect most Washington employers. Understanding these…
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/ Civil Rights, Immigration Law, Labor & Employment Law
Optis Cellular Technology, LLC v. Apple Inc., Appeal Nos. 2022-1904, -1925 (Fed. Cir. June 16, 2025)
In this week’s Case of the Week, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit vacated a jury decision awarding $300,000,000…
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/ Administrative Law, Civil Procedure, Intellectual Property, Science, Computers, & Technology
In Mid-America Milling Company v. United States Department of Transportation, Case No. 3:23-cv-00072 (“Mid-America”), the Plaintiffs challenged the United States Department of Transportation’s (“DOT”) use of a rebuttable…
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/ Administrative Law, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Transportation
On June 9, 2025, Governor Tina Kotek signed SB 426 into law. The bill, set to become effective on January 1, 2026, follows the Oregon Legislature’s ongoing attempts to pass a “wage theft” bill imposing strict liability on owners…
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/ Commercial Law & Contracts, Construction Law, Labor & Employment Law
The FAR Council is undertaking a systematic approach to revising the FARs. On Friday, June 13, 2025, it released its revisions to FAR Part 18 – Emergency Acquisitions, FAR Part 39 – Acquisition of Information and Communication…
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/ Commercial Law & Contracts, Government Contracting, Science, Computers, & Technology
On Friday, June 13, 2025, the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) held a Tribal Consultation in Anchorage, Alaska. The SBA’s stated purpose for the consultation was to solicit comments and testimony from Alaska Native…
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/ Administrative Law, Commercial Law & Contracts, Government Contracting, Indigenous Peoples
The renewable energy sector represents one of the most dynamic areas for mergers and acquisitions (M&A), driven by the global shift toward sustainable energy sources and carbon reduction goals. From utility-scale wind projects…
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/ Energy & Utilities, Environmental Law, Mergers & Acquisitions, Zoning, Planning & Land Use
Mitek Systems Inc. v. United Services Automobile Association, Appeal No. 2023-1687 (Fed. Cir. June 12, 2025)
In our Case of the Week, the Federal Circuit examined the limits of declaratory judgment jurisdiction for a software…
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/ Civil Procedure, Intellectual Property, Science, Computers, & Technology
