In 2025, Louisiana lawmakers passed several tort reform acts with the aim of reducing frivolous lawsuits and addressing insurance issues. The Governor also vetoed an “insurance reform” bill limiting bad faith lawsuits against insurers. This summary outlines key developments from the Louisiana State Legislature’s 2025 regular session.

Within a matter of days, goods entering the United States from India will be subject to a 50 percent ad valorem duty. These collective duties are imposed pursuant to different legal authorities, some of which are being challenged in court. This has led to significant confusion which will likely compound if court challenges persist. This Client Alert examines the applicable tariff orders and some of the critical areas of uncertainty for U.S. businesses.

Best Lawyers has selected 198 Lewis Brisbois attorneys across 49 offices for its 32nd edition of The Best Lawyers in America. It has also recognized two Lewis Brisbois partners on its "Lawyers of the Year" list: Charleston Partner Patricia Bello (Litigation - Environmental) and Northwest Indiana/Indianapolis Managing Partner Renee J. Mortimer (Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants).

59 Lewis Brisbois attorneys across 27 offices have been named to the 6th edition of “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.” Congratulations to the following attorneys on this recognition!

Effective August 18, 2025, 407 new categories of goods entering the United States became subject to a 50 percent ad valorem duty rate (the “Derivative Tariffs”). 

On July 15, 2025 the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) settled apparent (the term OFAC uses) violations by Interactive Brokers LLC (IB) of multiple OFAC sanctions programs. IB is a Connecticut-based global electronic broker-dealer providing brokerage and investment services to millions of customers worldwide through its online brokerage platform. It agreed to pay $11,832,136 to settle its multiple apparent violations. For almost eight years ending in January 2024, IB provided brokerage and investment services to persons in Iran, Cuba, Syria, and the Crimea region of Ukraine (together the Sanctioned Countries), processed trades in securities subject to the Chinese Military-Industrial Complex program, conducted transactions involving blocked persons under OFAC’s Russia, Global Magnitsky, Venezuela, and Syria sanctions programs, and engaged in new investment in the Russian Federation.

Northwest Indiana Partner Tricia Bellich will present on two workers’ compensation topics at the upcoming National Business Institute (NBI) webinar on August 25 at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Wilmington Partner Rafael X. Zahralddin-Aravena, New York Partner Minyao Wang, and Los Angeles Partner Scott Lee will be honored at The M&A Advisor’s 16th Annual International M&A Awards ceremony, held in New York City on September 15-16.

It is often notoriously difficult to defeat summary judgment in a rear-end collision case. This is because, under established case law, a “rear-end collision with a stopped or stopping vehicle establishes a prima facie case of negligence on the part of the operator of the rear vehicle, thereby requiring that operator to rebut the inference of negligence by providing a non-negligent explanation for the collision."

Tampa Partner Nicholas Dareneau recently obtained summary judgment for a property owner client in a trip-and-fall lawsuit, with a Florida judge finding that the condition of the sidewalk over which the plaintiff tripped was not dangerous as a matter of law.

On July 3, 2025, New Jersey Transit (NJT) was granted a writ of certiorari to the United States Supreme Court regarding the issue of whether states are entitled to sovereign immunity from private suits in other states' courts, including “state-created entities” that function as "arms of the State."

In early March 2025, the Texas Legislature introduced Senate Bill 2117 and House Bill 5007 relating to the establishment of the Texas Committee on Foreign Investment (“TCFI”) to review certain transactions involving certain foreign entities. The Texas Senate passed S.B. 2117 on March 28, 2025 with sweeping support, while H.B. 5007 was left pending in committee when the Texas Legislature ended its session on June 2, 2025. If H.B. 5007 passes, Texas will become the first state to screen foreign transactions, similar to federal-level CFIUS review.

Fort Lauderdale Partner Michael G. Platner will lead a “Going Liquid” market update webinar on private business mergers & acquisitions on August 27 at 11:00 a.m. ET.

In May 2025, the Court of International Trade (“CIT”) issued a decision in V.O.S. Selections v. United States, vacating and permanently enjoining tariffs that President Trump earlier imposed. Lewis Brisbois previously published Client Alerts concerning the V.O.S. Selections case and other tariff-related litigation entitled, “Legal Battle Over Trump Tariffs Intensifies” on May 29, 2025 and “Update on Trump Tariff Litigation” on July 1, 2025. The purpose of this Client Alert is to provide additional updates on the V.O.S. Selections case.