Amundsen Davis Newsletters & Alerts

Subscribe via RSS
Visit Blog
By: Amundsen Davis

Blog Authors

Amundsen Davis LLC

Latest from Amundsen Davis Newsletters & Alerts

Amundsen Davis International Trade Alert

July 21, 2026

On July 20, 2026, President Trump signed three supplementing presidential proclamations under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (Section 338 Tariffs), which imposes a 50 percent import tariff on certain products from Canada. The new tariffs will go into effect on August 19, 2026.

Importers should promptly review affected products, evaluate available exemptions, and assess potential cost and supply-chain impacts.
Which Products Are Subject to the New Canada Tariffs?

…
Continue Reading Trump Administration to Impose 50% Tariffs on Canadian Imports

On July 15, 2026, the Trump Administration announced a new 25 percent tariff on all imports from Brazil, with certain exemptions under sections 301(b) and 304(a) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (“Trade Act”). The new tariffs will go into effect on July 22, 2026.

Importers should promptly review affected products, evaluate available exemptions, and assess potential cost and supply-chain impacts. 
Which Products Are Subject to the New Brazil Tariffs?
The new tariffs apply broadly to imports

…
Continue Reading Trump Administration to Impose 25% Tariffs on Brazil Imports

When people think about IP, they often envision tech companies, software developers, and research and development labs—not construction companies. In reality, most companies, including those in construction, manage far more IP than they may realize. From brand identity to proprietary building methods, these assets can be as valuable as cranes, trucks, or tools, and, like any asset, they need protection.

Below are key areas where construction companies should take a closer look at how they manage and protect their

…
Continue Reading Why Construction Companies Must Protect Their Intellectual Property Now

Plaintiffs’ attorneys use “Reptile Theory” tactics in transportation litigation to push for higher verdicts by appealing to jurors’ primal need for safety, distracting from the relevant facts of the case. They attempt to get witnesses to agree to sweeping absolute statements about safety precautions and broaden motor carriers’ responsibility beyond what state and federal regulations require, thereby portraying motor carriers and their drivers as an inherent risk to public safety. For motor carriers, understanding how these arguments work and

…
Continue Reading What Motor Carriers Need to Know About Reptile Theory in Transportation Litigation

ArticleAmundsen Davis International Trade AlertJune 3, 2026
On June 1, 2026, President Trump issued a new proclamation further amending the Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminum, and copper that it issued on April 2, 2026. These changes, which potentially lower costs for U.S. importers, will be effective June 8, 2026 and expand eligibility for preferential tariff rates.
For U.S. businesses that import goods or rely on global supply chains—especially in manufacturing, construction, and agriculture—these updates may affect duty rates,

…
Continue Reading Section 232 Tariff Cuts: What Lower Steel, Aluminum, and Copper Duties Mean
for U.S. Businesses

Companies operating in the online payments ecosystem should be aware of a limited window to secure branded domain names in the newly launched .pay top-level domain before it opens to broader public registration in 2027.

Strategic Brand Considerations for Businesses
Amazon Registry Services has recently launched a .pay generic top-level domain (“gTLD”) within a Limited Registration Period (“LRP”), which will run from May 13, 2026‒February 1, 2027, by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (“ICANN”).

During this

…
Continue Reading Limited Registration Period for .PAY gTLD Now Open

It’s not just a crying baby keeping many new parents up at night—rising education costs have made planning for a child’s future a top concern. Section 529 accounts have long served as a powerful tax‑advantaged tool to help families save for education, allowing investment earnings to grow tax‑free when used for qualifying expenses.
What Is a Section 529 Account?
A 529 account, named for the section of the Tax Code under which such accounts have been granted tax

…
Continue Reading Section 529 Accounts: Expanded Education Uses and New Tax‑Free Planning Opportunities

Intellectual property shapes how businesses develop new products, protect their brands, and compete in crowded markets. Every April 26, World Intellectual Property Day celebrates the power of human creativity and this year’s theme—“IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate!”—highlights how intellectual property drives progress across the global sports industry. From patented equipment to iconic team branding and the media that brings games to life, IP strategies that serve as the invisible infrastructure behind world renowned teams offer lessons for businesses

…
Continue Reading What Sports Innovation Teaches Every Business About IP Strategy

ArticleAmundsen Davis Transportation AlertMay 14, 2026
U.S. Supreme CourtIn a unanimous decision issued May 14, 2026, the Supreme Court of the United States held that negligent hiring/selection claims against freight brokers are not preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (FAAAA). In Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, the Court ruled that state law negligent hiring/selection claims fall within the FAAAA’s “safety exception,” which preserves state authority over safety matters “with respect to motor vehicles.” The Court concluded that a

…
Continue Reading U.S. Supreme Court Finds FAAAA Does Not Preempt Negligent Hiring/Selection
Claims Against Freight Brokers

Federal and state prevailing wage mandates are colliding on construction projects in Illinois, exposing owners, developers, and contractors to conflicting compliance obligations and increased project costs. With the enactment of Illinois HB 1189, projects that long fell exclusively under the federal prevailing wage law (Davis-Bacon) may now also be subject to the state’s prevailing wage law mandates.

While the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) has issued guidance for contractors, there is little clarity on how to reconcile fundamental and…
Continue Reading Are Your Federal Construction Projects Now Subject to the IllinoisPrevailing Wage? What Contractors Must Know

ArticleAmundsen Davis Construction AlertApril 27, 2026
The U.S. Department of Labor has revised OSHA’s National Emphasis Program (NEP) on outdoor and indoor heat-related hazards, signaling that construction employers should expect continued heat inspections rather than the rollout of a new federal heat standard. Construction site in the sunlight
The updated NEP, which takes effect immediately and continues through April 10, 2031, refines how OSHA targets employers, including construction jobsites, for heat-related inspections when the heat index is expected to be 80 degrees or higher.

…
Continue Reading OSHA Revises Heat Enforcement Program for Construction Jobsites, Signaling
Continued Enforcement Instead of a Federal Heat Rule

In a major win for businesses facing Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”) claims, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently held that the 2024 amendment limiting damages applies retroactively to cases pending at the time of enactment.

This decision significantly reduces potential exposure by limiting plaintiffs who allege multiple, biometric data collections or disclosures to a single recovery, rather than per-scan statutory damages, even for actions that predate the amendment. The ruling also undercuts the

…
Continue Reading Seventh Circuit Ruling Curbs BIPA Damages for Illinois Businesses

Book about Defamation Law and gavel.
Book about Defamation Law and gavel.

A new lawsuit filed by Lebohang “Lebo M” Morake, the Grammy‑winning composer behind the iconic opening chant in Disney’s The Lion King, raises important questions about defamation, comedy, and reputational harm. Morake has sued comedian Learnmore “Jonasi” Mwanyenyeka for $27 million, alleging that a joking “translation” of the chant during a podcast appearance damaged his reputation by misrepresenting the meaning of the lyrics to a global audience.

At the center of the dispute is a viral podcast clip

…
Continue Reading Defamation or Comedy? Lion King Composer’s Lawsuit Tests the Limits of Reputation Protection

Federal Court Draws the Line on PIPS After Muldrow: A Win for Employers in Walsh v. HNTB

In the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024 Muldrow v. City of St. Louis decision, the Court expanded the legal standard for what qualifies as an “adverse employment action” by pivoting from asking whether a change to an employee’s terms or conditions of employment was “material” to whether  the change left the employee worse off in those terms or conditions. Supreme Court of the United StatesUnsurprisingly, employers saw a

…
Continue Reading Federal Court Draws the Line on PIPS After Muldrow: A Win for Employers in
Walsh v. HNTB

Ohio is currently at the center of one of the most significant shifts in name, image, and likeness (“NIL”) rights for high school student-athletes.

After years of focusing on NIL in college athletics, the most consequential developments are now occurring much earlier in the athletic pipeline, with direct implications for students, schools, and policymakers.

Until recently, Ohio stood as one of the last holdouts in the country, prohibiting high school student-athletes from earning compensation tied to their name, image,

…
Continue Reading Leveling the Playing Field: How Ohio’s NIL Battle Signals the Future of High School Sports

ArticleAmundsen Davis International Trade AlertApril 9, 2026
On April 2, 2026, President Trump issued a proclamation under section 232 tariff authority imposing sweeping new tariffs on patented pharmaceutical products and ingredients imported into the U.S., with rates reaching up to 100 percent and taking effect as early as July 2026 for certain companies.Prescription pill bottole
The implementation timelines and rates vary depending on the importing company’s size, product country of origin, and trade deals with partners. Companies identified in Annex III will face

…
Continue Reading Trump Overhauls Section 232 Tariffs on Patented Pharmaceutical Products