Law/Legal
Here's a look at documents from law firms and legal groups
Featured Stories
Policy Week in Review - February 27, 2026
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Feb. 28 -- Littler, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Policy Week in Review - February 27, 2026
At a Glance
The Policy Week in Review, prepared by Littler's Workplace Policy Institute (WPI), sets forth WPI's updates on federal legislation, regulations, and congressional activity affecting the workplace.
By Shannon Meade, Jim Paretti, Alex MacDonald, and Maury Baskin
NLRB Formally Reinstates First Trump Joint Employer Rule
The National Labor Relations Board on Thursday issued a rulemaking formally restoring a 2020 standard for judging whether two separate
... Show Full Article
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Feb. 28 -- Littler, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Policy Week in Review - February 27, 2026
At a Glance
The Policy Week in Review, prepared by Littler's Workplace Policy Institute (WPI), sets forth WPI's updates on federal legislation, regulations, and congressional activity affecting the workplace.
By Shannon Meade, Jim Paretti, Alex MacDonald, and Maury Baskin
NLRB Formally Reinstates First Trump Joint Employer Rule
The National Labor Relations Board on Thursday issued a rulemaking formally restoring a 2020 standard for judging whether two separatebusinesses are a "joint employer." The rule follows a ruling by the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Texas that vacated a contrary rule issued in 2024. The Board is, therefore, returning to the traditional standard imposed during the first Trump administration, which establishes that an employer may be considered a joint employer of a separate employer's employees only if the entity possesses and exercises substantial direct and immediate control over one or more essential terms or conditions of employment. Given that this is the standard the Board has been enforcing for some time, it does not impose any immediate change. Litigation is likely to continue in the courts over the viability of the Board's standard. For further Littler analysis, read here.
DOL Proposes New Independent Contractor Rule
The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday proposed a new rule, entitled the "Employee or Independent Contractor Status Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act." The proposed rule is designed to differentiate between employees and independent contractors. If adopted, the rule would establish a standard similar to one the DOL issued under the first Trump administration. Like that first standard, the new rule aims to simplify worker classification by focusing on two main factors--control over the work, and entrepreneurial opportunity. While other factors like amount of skill and degree of permanence of the relationship would still be relevant, they would usually be unnecessary when the two main factors point in the same direction. For further Littler analysis, read here.
Chair MacKenzie Holds Hearing on Paid Leave
The House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Chair Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA) held a hearing on February 24, titled "Balancing Careers and Care: Examining Innovative Approaches to Paid Leave," to examine the issues and challenges of the paid family leave landscape. Chair Ryan highlighted the work of the House Bipartisan Paid Leave Working Group, co-chaired by Representatives Stephanie Bice (R-OK) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), which led to the introduction of bipartisan legislation H.R. 3089, More Paid Leave for Americans Act. The bill would establish a state paid family leave public-private partnership grant program and the Interstate Paid Leave Action Network (I-PLAN), which would coordinate and harmonize paid leave benefits across the states. A recap of the hearing and witness testimony can be found here.
House Committee on Education and Workforce Hearings in AI Series Continue
As part of the House Committee on Education and Workforce hearing series on Artificial Intelligence (AI), its Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing on February 24, titled "Building an AI-Ready America: Teaching in the AI Age," to examine how teachers are utilizing AI in the classroom to enhance learning opportunities for students. A recap of the hearing and witness testimony can be found here.
The series continues next week when the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development will hold a hearing on March 4 at 10:15 AM, titled "Building an AI-Ready America: Strengthening Employer-Led Training." You can watch on the Committee's YouTube site.
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Authors
Shannon Meade
Executive Director, Workplace Policy Institute
Washington, D.C.
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James A. Paretti
Shareholder
Washington, D.C.
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Alexander T. MacDonald
Shareholder
Washington, D.C.
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Maury Baskin
Shareholder
Washington, D.C.
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Original text here: https://www.littler.com/news-analysis/asap/policy-week-review-february-27-2026
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Littler Issues Commentary: NLRB Reinstates 2020 Joint Employer Standard - Return to Direct Control
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Feb. 28 -- Littler, a law firm, issued the following commentary on Feb. 27, 2026, by shareholder Alexander T. MacDonald and associate Dinora Orozco:
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NLRB Reinstates 2020 Joint Employer Standard: A Return to Direct Control
On February 26, 2026, the National Labor Relations Board formally reinstated its 2020 joint-employer standard. This action officially withdraws a Biden-era 2023 rule and restores a narrower framework for determining when two businesses share legal responsibility for the same group of workers. By returning to the 2020 standard, the Board is aiming
... Show Full Article
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Feb. 28 -- Littler, a law firm, issued the following commentary on Feb. 27, 2026, by shareholder Alexander T. MacDonald and associate Dinora Orozco:
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NLRB Reinstates 2020 Joint Employer Standard: A Return to Direct Control
On February 26, 2026, the National Labor Relations Board formally reinstated its 2020 joint-employer standard. This action officially withdraws a Biden-era 2023 rule and restores a narrower framework for determining when two businesses share legal responsibility for the same group of workers. By returning to the 2020 standard, the Board is aimingto settle period of legal uncertainty that has loomed over the business community for years.
Closing the Regulatory Gap
The Board's action traces back to a legal defeat. In 2020, the Board adopted a rule setting out its joint-employment standard. Among other things, that standard found joint employment only when two businesses exercised direct and substantial control over the same worker. The Board retreated from that position in 2023, adopting a new rule that allowed joint employment based only on "indirect" or "reserved" control. But in March 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas struck down the 2023 rule. The court ruled that the 2023 rule was "arbitrary and capricious" because the word "employee" under the National Labor Relations Act is defined by the common law, and the 2023 rule's expansive standard contradicted long-standing common-law standards.
That ruling created a technical "regulatory gap." The Biden-era rule was vacated, but the official Code of Federal Regulations had not yet been updated to reflect the return of the previous standard. This left the Board without a formal, codified rule on the books. By formally codifying the 2020 standard, the NLRB has now officially closed that gap.
The Return of "Direct and Immediate Control"
The rule's most immediate effect is to restore the "direct and immediate control" standard. Under this standard, a company is deemed a joint employer only if it exercises "substantial direct and immediate control" over the essential terms and conditions of another company's employees. To meet this threshold, an entity must actually possess and exercise such control over one or more essential employment terms to a degree that it meaningfully affects the employment relationship.
This standard is a higher bar than the 2023 rule's "reserved control" test. The standard focuses on concrete, actual control over functions such as hiring, firing, discipline, supervision, and wages. Critically, merely retaining the ability to influence these decisions, without actually doing so, generally does not create a joint-employer relationship. Similarly, indirect influence, brand standards, or general operational expectations are no longer enough to trigger shared bargaining obligations. For employers, the change allows them to rely more comfortably on the terms of their service contracts. They are less likely to be considered the employer of another company's workers simply because they set basic standards for the project.
A Mirror of the Broader Political Shift
This move comes at a time of shifting employment standards. On the same day, the U.S. Department of Labor proposed a rule that adopts a more focused test for classifying workers under the FLSA. For the business community, both rules signal a shift from open standards to bright-line rules. They may also signal a period of greater stability.
Strategic Risk Management for the Business Community
The Board's action may also help companies utilizing staffing agencies, subcontractors, or franchise models, allowing them to enforce brand standards and safety requirements. These companies will operate under a brighter-line standard, and so may find it easier to navigate joint-employment risks.
That said, some risks remain. Joint-employer liability remains a fact-intensive inquiry. Businesses must ensure onsite managers do not cross the line from setting project goals to "directing the work" of third-party providers through direct supervision or task assignment. Under this results-oriented framework, the focus must remain on what needs to be done rather than how the vendor's employees perform it. Furthermore, because the direct control rule makes it harder to pull parent companies into bargaining, businesses should anticipate a tactical pivot by unions toward aggressive, site-specific organizing or alternative pressure tactics, such as legislative lobbying and corporate campaigns, that bypass the NLRB's doctrine entirely.
Looking Ahead: Growth and Flexibility
If nothing else, the Board's action provides more certainty. That certainty could, in the long term, encourage growth in affected industries, such as the franchise and outsourced-services sectors. Businesses that paused expansion in response to the expected impact of the 2023 rule may now be more comfortable pursuing long-term partnerships.
However, prudent employers will not view this as a permanent resolution. To protect their business, employers should audit service agreements and train onsite managers on the "direct control" boundary. While the NLRB has provided much-needed breathing room, maintaining operational flexibility remains essential in this unpredictable legal environment.
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Alexander T. MacDonald
Shareholder
Washington, D.C.
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Dinora Orozco
Associate
Chicago
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Original text here: https://www.littler.com/news-analysis/asap/nlrb-reinstates-2020-joint-employer-standard-return-direct-control
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Lyle Wallace and Stefan Stein Share Insights on Taft's Growth with Denver Business Journal
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, Feb. 27 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Taft, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Lyle Wallace and Stefan Stein Share Insights on Taft's Growth with Denver Business Journal
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The Denver Business Journal (DBJ) Executive Insights series featured Taft's Colorado and Nevada Partner-in-Charge Lyle Wallace and the firm's former Mountain West Chairman and Colorado Partner-in-Charge Stefan Stein.
Wallace and Stein spoke to DBJ Market President and Publisher Keith Dennis about the significance of the Taft/Sherman & Howard (S&H), the firm's continued growth, its commitment
... Show Full Article
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, Feb. 27 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Taft, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Lyle Wallace and Stefan Stein Share Insights on Taft's Growth with Denver Business Journal
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The Denver Business Journal (DBJ) Executive Insights series featured Taft's Colorado and Nevada Partner-in-Charge Lyle Wallace and the firm's former Mountain West Chairman and Colorado Partner-in-Charge Stefan Stein.
Wallace and Stein spoke to DBJ Market President and Publisher Keith Dennis about the significance of the Taft/Sherman & Howard (S&H), the firm's continued growth, its commitmentto culture, and long-term goals.
Speaking on the positive impact of the Taft/S&H merger, Stein said: "The merger has really made us a magnet for talent. Lateral attorneys are reaching out to us after the merger because they see the opportunities here. We've added roughly 37 attorneys in our Mountain West offices since the merger, and that really has broadened and strengthened our capabilities in areas like corporate, intellectual property, fintech, labor and employment, public finance, and real estate. In essence, the way I really look at this is the merger has meant more resources, more talent, and greater opportunities for our clients and our Mountain West team."
As the newly appointed Colorado partner-in-charge, Wallace outlined his goals for the Denver office as client service, community engagement, growth, and culture. When discussing Taft's growth, he stated: "We've been very fortunate to grow significantly since the merger was announced in September of 2024, and that is a continued focus for us. It's not just growth for growth's sake. It's really being focused on what our clients' needs are. So, there are very specific areas that we're continuing to grow in, but as opportunities come up for us to add legal talent, we're always looking to do that."
Effective Jan. 1, 2025, S&H combined with Taft, the first of three mergers in 2025. The firm also added Morris, Manning & Martin (Atlanta and Washington, D.C.) and Mrachek Law (Florida). Taft enters 2026 as an Am Law 100 firm with more than 1,250 attorneys in 25 offices nationwide and projected revenues exceeding $1 billion.
About Taft
Founded in 1885, Taft is one of the nation's fastest-growing law firms, with a 140-year legacy rooted in the historic Taft family. With more than 1,250 attorneys and a modern, non-headquarter operating model, Taft is committed to delivering exceptional legal service to today's organizations and individuals. The firm is recognized nationally in the Am Law 100, Chambers USA, Best Lawyers(r), and Super Lawyers. Learn more at Taftlaw.com.
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Original text here: https://www.taftlaw.com/news-events/news/lyle-wallace-and-stefan-stein-share-insights-on-tafts-growth-with-denver-business-journal/
Lewis Rinaudo Cohen Speaks at the NYC Bar Association's Annual Crypto Conference
NEW YORK, Feb. 27 -- Cahill Gordon and Reindel, a law firm, issued the following news on Feb. 26, 2026:
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Lewis Rinaudo Cohen Speaks at the NYC Bar Association's Annual Crypto Conference
Lewis Rinaudo Cohen, co-chair of the CahillNXT Digital Assets and Emerging Technology practice, will speak at the New York City Bar Association's Annual Crypto Conference on March 18, 2026. The annual event brings together legal practitioners, regulators, academics, and industry leaders to discuss key developments shaping the ever-evolving digital asset landscape.
Lewis will moderate and serve as lead panelist
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Feb. 27 -- Cahill Gordon and Reindel, a law firm, issued the following news on Feb. 26, 2026:
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Lewis Rinaudo Cohen Speaks at the NYC Bar Association's Annual Crypto Conference
Lewis Rinaudo Cohen, co-chair of the CahillNXT Digital Assets and Emerging Technology practice, will speak at the New York City Bar Association's Annual Crypto Conference on March 18, 2026. The annual event brings together legal practitioners, regulators, academics, and industry leaders to discuss key developments shaping the ever-evolving digital asset landscape.
Lewis will moderate and serve as lead panelistfor "DeFi, Stablecoins and the Rise of Digital Money" from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The panel will examine the implications of the GENIUS Act, exemptions under the Clarity Act, and guidance from the President's Crypto Taskforce, and how these developments are reshaping markets and raising critical questions around regulation, security, and systemic risk.
To learn more about this event and register, click here (https://www.nycbar.org/cle-offerings/crypto-conference/).
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Original text here: https://www.cahill.com/news/events/2026-03-18-lewis-rinaudo-cohen-speaks-at-the-nyc-bar-association-annual-crypto-conference
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
In Law360 Q&A, Managing Partner Andrew Detherage Highlights Firm's Organic Growth Strategy
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, Feb. 27 -- Barnes and Thornburg, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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In Law360 Q&A, Managing Partner Andrew Detherage Highlights Firm's Organic Growth Strategy
In a Q&A interview with Law360 Pulse, Barnes & Thornburg Managing Partner Andrew J. Detherage discussed the firm's master plan of expanding strategically through steady, organic growth and lateral hiring rather than law firm combinations.
The Feb. 23 article was published shortly after the firm added a 35-lawyer team to its Government Services and Finance Department in multiple locations around
... Show Full Article
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, Feb. 27 -- Barnes and Thornburg, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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In Law360 Q&A, Managing Partner Andrew Detherage Highlights Firm's Organic Growth Strategy
In a Q&A interview with Law360 Pulse, Barnes & Thornburg Managing Partner Andrew J. Detherage discussed the firm's master plan of expanding strategically through steady, organic growth and lateral hiring rather than law firm combinations.
The Feb. 23 article was published shortly after the firm added a 35-lawyer team to its Government Services and Finance Department in multiple locations aroundthe country, including three new offices in Baltimore, Denver and Phoenix.
Since Detherage joined in 1989, Barnes & Thornburg has grown from an Indiana firm to a national powerhouse with over 850 lawyers in 26 offices across the United States -- all without undergoing a major combination.
"We're very lawyer-focused in our leadership, and so we always felt like that was the key to success, and it's borne out," Detherage said. "We measure our lateral success rate on if people stay more than five years, and we're at 90%. And we believe that's because we are recruiting strategically.
"From the very beginning, our view was, math is not a strategy when it comes to growth. It's not a question of what headcount and gross revenue can we get. It's how we can build, get better and serve our clients better. We really believe the environment we have allows our firm to be successful, and we didn't think we could maintain that by doing mergers."
Read the full Q&A here (https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/barnesthornec91-btlawb18a-prod2e0c-5bea/media/files/barnes_thornburg_head_on_firms_nonmerger_growth_motto.pdf).
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Original text here: https://btlaw.com/en/insights/news/2026/in-law360-qa-andrew-detherage-highlights-firm-organic-growth-strategy
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Faegre Drinker Biddle and Reath Issues Commentary: Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty Petitions on Truck Bed Covers From China
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, Feb. 28 -- Faegre Drinker Biddle and Reath, a law firm, issued the following commentary on Feb. 26, 2026, by counsel Richard P. Ferrin, associate Morgan Alexis Howard and partners Carrie Bethea Connolly and Daniel R. Wilson:
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New Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty Petitions on Truck Bed Covers from China
Petitioner Alleges Dumping Margins from 150.74% to 274.47%
At a Glance
* RealTruck, Inc., filed antidumping and countervailing duty petitions on truck bed covers from China.
* An investigation related to this petition could result in increased prices and/or
... Show Full Article
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, Feb. 28 -- Faegre Drinker Biddle and Reath, a law firm, issued the following commentary on Feb. 26, 2026, by counsel Richard P. Ferrin, associate Morgan Alexis Howard and partners Carrie Bethea Connolly and Daniel R. Wilson:
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New Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty Petitions on Truck Bed Covers from China
Petitioner Alleges Dumping Margins from 150.74% to 274.47%
At a Glance
* RealTruck, Inc., filed antidumping and countervailing duty petitions on truck bed covers from China.
* An investigation related to this petition could result in increased prices and/ordecreased supply of truck bed covers.
* The US Department of Commerce is expected to begin investigation on March 17, 2026.
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On February 25, 2026, antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions were filed on truck bed covers from China. The petition was filed by RealTruck, Inc.
The US's AD law imposes special tariffs to counteract imports that are sold in the United States at less than "normal value." The US's CVD law imposes special tariffs to counteract imports that are sold in the United States with the benefit of foreign government subsidies. For AD/CVD duties to be imposed, the US government must determine not only that dumping and/or subsidization is occurring, but also that there is "material injury" (or threat thereof) by reason of the dumped imports. Importers are liable for any potential AD/CVD duties imposed. In addition, these investigations could impact purchasers by increasing prices and/or decreasing supply of truck bed covers.
Scope
Please note that this section was not written by our authors but is taken verbatim from the petition.
The scope of the petitions covers truck bed covers ("TBCs"), which are protective shields made of aluminum, fiberglass, carbon fiber, plastic, and/or water-resistant fabric that are sized to span the open-top area of a pickup truck. When fully assembled, truck bed covers have a width between 45 and 75 inches (actual) and a length between 55 and 100 inches (actual), and can be used to secure the cargo area of a pickup truck and/or repel water.
TBCs typically encompass four general configurations -- i.e., folding,12 roll-up,13 one-piece,14 and retractable. The scope of the petitions includes not only the cover material, but also any hardware for the mounting or storage of the cover (e.g., rails, latches, straps, clasps, clamps, nuts, bolts, washers, screws, hitch pins, weather strips/seals/gaskets) or other parts (e.g., locks, struts, drain tubes, canisters, motors), provided that such items accompany the cover at the time of importation or are otherwise invoiced together with the cover.
Excluded from the scope are truck caps (also known as camper shells, toppers, or canopies), which are enclosures that can be mounted on truck bed rails to extend the height of a truck bed by at least 12 inches (actual), thus creating a fully-enclosed, lockable storage area for cargo.
Also excluded from the scope of the petitions are any products already covered by the scope of any extant antidumping and/or countervailing duty orders, including Aluminum Extrusions from the People's Republic of China: Antidumping Duty Order, 76 Fed. Reg. 30650 (May 26, 2011), and Aluminum Extrusions from the People's Republic of China: Countervailing Duty Order, 76 Fed. Reg. 30653 (May 26, 2011).
The products subject to the petitions are currently classifiable under subheading 8708.29.5160 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Although the HTSUS subheading is provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope of the petitions is dispositive.
Estimated Dumping Margins
The petitioners allege dumping margins ranging from 150.74% to 274.47%.
The petitioners also allege subsidies with respect to subject imports, although the petitions do not quantify the alleged net subsidy margins.
Estimated Schedule of Investigations
The following is an estimated schedule of investigations by the US Department of Commerce (DOC) and the US International Trade Commission (ITC):
February 25, 2026
Petition is filed.
March 17, 2026
DOC initiates investigation.
March 18, 2026
ITC staff conference (estimated).
April 13, 2026
Deadline for ITC preliminary injury determination.
May 21, 2026
Deadline for DOC preliminary CVD determination, if deadline is NOT postponed.
July 27, 2026
Deadline for DOC preliminary CVD determination, if deadline is fully postponed.
August 4, 2026
Deadline for DOC preliminary AD determination, if deadline is NOT postponed.
September 23, 2026
Deadline for DOC preliminary AD determination, if deadline is fully postponed.
February 5, 2027
Deadline for DOC final AD/CVD determinations, if all deadlines are fully postponed.
March 22, 2027
Deadline for ITC final injury determinations, if all DOC deadlines are fully postponed.
The material contained in this communication is informational, general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. The material contained in this communication should not be relied upon or used without consulting a lawyer to consider your specific circumstances. This communication was published on the date specified and may not include any changes in the topics, laws, rules or regulations covered. Receipt of this communication does not establish an attorney-client relationship. In some jurisdictions, this communication may be considered attorney advertising.
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Meet the Authors
Richard P. Ferrin
Counsel
Washington, D.C.
+1 202 230 5803
richard.ferrin@faegredrinker.com
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Carrie Bethea Connolly
Partner
Washington, D.C.
+1 202 230 5330
carrie.connolly@faegredrinker.com
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Daniel R. Wilson
Partner
Washington, D.C.
+1 202 230 5211
daniel.wilson@faegredrinker.com
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Morgan Alexis Howard
Associate
Washington, D.C.
+1 202 230 5305
morgan.howard@faegredrinker.com
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Original text here: https://www.faegredrinker.com/en/insights/publications/2026/2/new-antidumping-duty-and-countervailing-duty-petitions-on-truck-bed-covers-from-china
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Enwright Joins Panel on AI in M&A
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, Feb. 27 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Taft, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Enwright Joins Panel on AI in M&A
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Taft partner Steven Enwright recently served as a panelist at "Changing the Game with AI," a program hosted by the Detroit Chapter of the Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (AM&AA). The discussion focused on how artificial intelligence is reshaping mergers and acquisitions, including practical implementation strategies, real-world deal use cases, and the evolving role of AI in driving transaction efficiency and outcomes.
Enwright delivers
... Show Full Article
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, Feb. 27 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Taft, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Enwright Joins Panel on AI in M&A
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Taft partner Steven Enwright recently served as a panelist at "Changing the Game with AI," a program hosted by the Detroit Chapter of the Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (AM&AA). The discussion focused on how artificial intelligence is reshaping mergers and acquisitions, including practical implementation strategies, real-world deal use cases, and the evolving role of AI in driving transaction efficiency and outcomes.
Enwright deliversstrategic business counsel to founders, companies, and investors across the full lifecycle of a transaction. His practice includes general corporate counseling, capital raising, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), strategic partnerships, AI / technology agreements, and a range of financing transactions. He frequently serves as outside general counsel to emerging and mid-sized businesses and family offices across a variety of industries.
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Original text here: https://www.taftlaw.com/news-events/news/enwright-joins-panel-on-ai-in-ma/
