Civil Law

Law and Order – February 2026

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) posts the disciplinary actions it took to an online database. It also publishes a monthly summary of these actions, which is a worthwhile read for those in the industry—if only for insight into FINRA’s current priorities.  Below, I offer a thought on FINRA’s February 2026 edition.

Supervisory Procedures and Systems Continue to be Important

By my count, 23 of the cases reported cited alleged failures in supervisory systems or procedures. The issues included trade reporting—which is … Read the rest

Civil Law

Trump 2.0 tariff tracker

According to President Trump, “Tariff is the most beautiful word in the dictionary.” Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump promised to use tariffs as a central part of his foreign policy strategy. His America First Trade Policy memorandum also directs the administration to review various tariff- and tariff-adjacent levers the United States could use to further its new trade policy.

Reed Smith’s International Trade and National Security team tracks the latest threatened and implemented U.S. tariffs, as well as counter-tariffs from … Read the rest

Civil Law

Driving Impact Through Women’s Sport Trust’s Unlocked Programme

We are proud to support Women’s Sport Trust and the impactful work taking place through its flagship Unlocked programme. Unlocked brings together elite female athletes from across the sporting spectrum, providing professional development, networking opportunities and visibility to accelerate their impact. It is a powerful example of how dedicated support can amplify female athlete voices, expand influence and contribute to a stronger, more equitable sporting landscape.

The programme is designed around a simple but powerful principle: athletes are uniquely positioned … Read the rest

Civil Law

The Heppner And Warner Rulings: Hobgoblin Consistency Or An Application Of Principle?

Two federal judges with  seemingly opposite rulings on whether using GenAI tools waives the work product privilege. But the cases present facts that differ in important ways.

Here’s what reading them together can tell us about discovery risk, waiver, and pro se status. The bottom line is that privilege issues can still be minefield, and neither ruling necessarily gives you a safe harbor.

Here’s my post for Above the Law.

LexBlog… Read the rest

Civil Law

Let’s Talk FCA: Gender-Affirming Care and Anti-DEI Executive Orders

Hosts Jason Crawford and Agustin Orozco are joined by special guests Alice Hall-Partyka and Savanna Williams to discuss the administration’s novel use of the False Claims Act to advance social policy goals. The episode takes a specific look at the issues of gender-affirming care and anti-discrimination laws and discusses the recent announcement of the the new DOJ Division for National Fraud Enforcement. “Let’s Talk FCA” is Crowell & Moring’s podcast covering the latest developments with the False Claims Act.

Click below … Read the rest

Civil Law

Lessons from a Hawaiian Queen about Governance, Public Health and Ambition

On February 28, 2026 I joined a friend to see “Emalani,” a newly commissioned play at Arena Stage, inspired by the life Emm Na’ea Rooke, who became Queen when she married into the Kamehameha royal family, and who became known as a humanitarian, health care crusader, and advocate for native Hawaiians in the years before the United States took over the islands.

I had the good luck to chat with the playwright, Lee Cataluna, before the event started, which … Read the rest