On August 27, 2026, the National Institutes of Health (“NIH”) issued a Request for Information seeking public comment on its proposed NIH Policy on Sharing Summary Level Study Results with Clinical Research Participants (“Draft NIH Policy”). The proposal would make sharing plain-language summaries of study results with research participants standard practice for NIH-supported clinical research, unless sharing is justifiably inappropriate. NIH reiterated on October 22, 2026, that the comment period closed October 26, 2026.
NIH’s proposal reflects a shift…
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When Do Securities Laws Apply to Private Companies? More Often Than You May ThinkMany privately held businesses unknowingly trigger federal and state securities laws when they raise capital, issue equity, or bring on outside investors. A common misconception is that state and federal securities laws only apply to publicly traded companies. After all, if your company isn’t listed on an exchange or market, why would the SEC be concerned with your business? The answer may surprise you. Securities laws…
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Think

Almost every negotiated agreement governing the sale of a business — whether a stock purchase or asset purchase agreement (purchase agreement) — contains certain provisions attempting to preclude liability for extracontractual representations. Generally, the buyer represents that it relied only on the representations written into the contract, and disclaims reliance on anything included in documents in the data room, stated during seller’s management presentations to the buyer, or otherwise said during negotiations. The purpose is straightforward. If the acquired…
Continue Reading The ‘Double-liar’ Doctrine: Understanding the Limits of Non-reliance Clauses

On October 15, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) announced a joint policy (“Policy”) designed to streamline the voluntary self-disclosure process for potential criminal health care fraud.
Background
Historically, federal health care providers and suppliers have had several avenues for voluntarily disclosing misconduct. Two of the most significant are DOJ’s Corporate Enforcement Policy (“CEP”) and HHS-OIG’s Health …
Continue Reading One Disclosure, Dual Benefits: DOJ and HHS-OIG Create a New Path for Self-Reporting Health Care Fraud

For Illinois employers, workers’ compensation claims can create staffing challenges, disrupt operations, increase costs, and raise difficult questions about how and when an injured employee can return to work. The decisions made after an injury is reported often have a lasting impact on the claim and the employee’s recovery. Fortunately, there are steps employers can take throughout the workers’ compensation process to help reduce risk and improve return-to-work outcomes.

Document Workplace Injuries from Day One
The return-to-work process begins…
Continue Reading Illinois Workers' Compensation: Best Practices for Returning Injured Employees to Work

Illinois employers that require a valid driver’s license in job postings may need to revise their hiring practices before January 1, 2027. A recent amendment to the Illinois Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act—known as the “Ban the Box” law—prohibits employers from requiring a driver’s license in a job posting unless certain conditions are met. Employers that continue to include unnecessary driver’s license requirements could face enforcement action and civil penalties.

The Act seeks to expand employment opportunities…
Continue Reading Illinois Employers Face New Restrictions on Driver's License Requirements in Job Postings Beginning 2027

Disclaimer: This post is not legal advice (or about the law, at all) and originally appeared on our blog in 2019.Happy (almost) Halloween everyone! Halloween is my favorite holiday, and for the last 25 years or so, I’ve marked it with an annual showcase of the timeless classic, “Garfield’s Halloween Adventure” or “Garfield in Disguise” (depending on your region).GHA is a great special in the Garfield cannon – right up there with “Garfield’s Thanksgiving” or “A…
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Oct. 27, 2026 — A Milwaukee County sheriff’s deputy whose distracted driving resulted in a fatal accident has qualified immunity, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit decided in Estate of Ceaser Stinson v. Joel Streicher, No. 22-3043 (Oct. 14, 2026). It’s the first case to decide whether inattentive driving could violate substantive due process under County of Sacramento v. Lewis, 523 U.S. 833 (1998). “Officer Streicher’s distractedness — regardless of the source — was…
Continue Reading Seventh Circuit: Deputy Involved in Fatal Crash Gets Qualified Immunity

Every two years in November, the Department of Workforce Development and the Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council conduct a public hearing to listen to people about their thoughts and concerns with how Wisconsin unemployment can be improved.

The public hearing in 2026
For 19 November 2026, this public hearing is again scheduled for two sessions (with separate registration required for each session):

These public hearings again occur via Webex video chat,…
Continue Reading Public hearing on unemployment for 2026; recap of the 2024 public hearing

Tags, , , , , , , , , , , , , The upgrade from Xubuntu 24.04 to Xubuntu 26.04 on my laptop went quite smoothly — as smooth and error-free as I can remember. Previous upgrades/installations from one LTS version to another seemed to cause problems — problems related to the transition from DEB packages to snap packages. For example,…
Continue Reading Upgrade to Xubuntu Resolute from Noble

  • The Duke Endowment gave a $100M grant to NC Children’s for the development of the state’s first freestanding children’s hospital. Duke Health and UNC Health established NC Children’s in 2025 to develop and operate the hospital on a 230-acre property in Apex, NC.
  • Bayhealth announced the “Next Wave,” a multi-year investment strategy totaling at least $373M that includes a $250M expansion of the Kent General campus in Dover, a $52M emergency department in Smyrna and several other renovations and

    • …
    Continue Reading Weekly Hospital Real Estate Briefing: NC Children’s Lands $100M Grant | Bayhealth Plans $373M Expansion | Parkview Acquires Ovation

    On September 9, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) published Advisory Opinion 26-18 (“AO 26-18”), a favorable advisory opinion considering a proposed paid referral service that would connect patients identified as having potential hearing loss with hearing providers (the “Arrangement”) operated by a company whose parent manufactures medical devices used in ear, nose and throat (“ENT”) care (“Requestor”). OIG concluded that although the Arrangement would implicate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”),…
    Continue Reading When Hearing Referrals Are Sound: OIG Issues Favorable Opinion on Ear and Hearing Referral Services

    As investment opportunities across Africa’s energy sector continue to grow, U.S. companies should be aware that sanctions, export controls, and trade compliance requirements can significantly affect project timelines, costs, financing, and operational feasibility. Whether pursuing oil and gas projects, liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) infrastructure, or renewable and advanced energy technologies, companies that identify compliance risks early are better positioned to avoid costly delays and disruptions.

    Discussions at Africa Energy Week 2026 highlighted the increasing interest in U.S.-Africa energy partnerships.
    Continue Reading U.S.-Africa Energy Investments: Key Trade Compliance Risks to Address Before Closing a Deal

    If you’re reading this blog, you are very likely concerned about justice in Wisconsin, the country, and across the world. But you’re probably also pretty busy. How do you choose which books about the justice system to read during your limited free time?

    In a series of posts, Wisconsin Justice Initiative founder and former executive director Gretchen Schuldt helps you out. An avid reader, she returns to the blog with book reviews so you can decide what’s of interest…
    Continue Reading Book review: In superb book, journalist Tony Messenger condemns court fines and justice system fees

    When the Referee Gets the Rulebook Wrong: Concerns About Recent Illinois Department of Labor Prevailing Wage Audits

    For Illinois contractors performing public work, prevailing wage compliance requires careful attention to worker classifications, payroll practices, and fringe benefit calculations. Recently, however, many contractors have reported audit findings and assessments that appear disconnected from Illinois Prevailing Wage Act (IPWA) requirements, established industry practice, and, at times, the Illinois Department of Labor’s (IDOL) own published guidance.

    The consequences can be significant. Prevailing…
    Continue Reading When the Referee Gets the Rulebook Wrong: Concerns About Recent Illinois Department of Labor Prevailing Wage Audits

    Illinois businesses participating in the digital asset marketplace will soon face a new layer of tax compliance and reporting. Effective July 1, 2027, a first-of-its-kind Digital Asset Tax (DAT) will impose a 0.2% tax on the value of certain digital assets, broadly defined to include cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and other digital tokens used to store, transfer, or exchange value.

    The DAT, which has been subject to legal challenges that delayed its January 1, 2027 originally scheduled implementation, will create new…
    Continue Reading New Illinois Digital Asset Tax: What Businesses and Taxpayers Need to Know