State & Local

NY Tax Changes Up In Air As Budget Talks Stretch On

Paul Williams
Tax Correspondent

New York's budget negotiations stretched past Wednesday's deadline, leaving unresolved the fate of tax policies that include potential pass-through-entity tax changes and rate increases on high-income earners and businesses.

State & Local Tax Takeaways From March

Maria Koklanaris
Senior Tax Correspondent

As state legislatures raced in March to finish their sessions, governors increasingly enacted measures such as a tax on millionaires in Washington state and a Utah excise tax on commercial entities that publish digital content deemed harmful to minors. Here, Law360 looks at these and other state and local tax highlights from the past month.

Clean Energy Tax Credit Market Thrives Despite New Limits

Kat Lucero

The market for selling clean energy tax credits continues to thrive despite the 2025 budget law's stricter eligibility rules for solar and wind incentives, with more corporations embracing the ability to buy those credits as a streamlined method to shrink their tax liabilities.

Navigating The Perks Of Qualified Opportunity Zones 2.0

The second iteration of the qualified opportunity zone program, effective Jan. 1, 2027, will introduce new tax incentives for rural real estate development, but these benefits can only be realized if proper governance is a priority, including clear documentation and securities law compliance, says Coni Rathbone at VF Law.

Getting The Most Out Of Learning And Development Programs

Excerpt from Practical Guidance

Junior associates can better develop the legal, business and interpersonal skills they need for long-term success by approaching their firms’ learning and development programs armed with five tips for getting the most out of these resources, says Lauren Hakala at Reed Smith.

AI Presents A Make-Or-Break Moment For Outside Counsel

The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence by corporate legal departments is forcing a long-overdue reset of the relationship between inside and outside counsel, and introducing a significant opportunity to shed frustrating inefficiencies and strengthen collaboration for firms willing to embrace the shift, says Intel Chief Legal Officer April Miller Boise.

5 Tips For Navigating Your Firm's All-Attorney Summit

Excerpt from Practical Guidance

Law firm retreats should be approached strategically, as they present valuable opportunities to advance both the firm's objectives and attorneys' professional development through meaningful participation, building and strengthening internal relationships, and proactive follow-up, says James Argionis at Cozen O’Connor.

A Ruling That Shakes Things Up In California: SALT In Review

From a monumentally important ruling against California's apportionment rules to a call for no more personal income tax in Louisiana, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.

The Benefits Of Choosing A Niche Practice In The AI Age

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly accessible, lawyers with a niche practice may stand out as clients seek specialized judgment that automation cannot replicate, but it is important to choose a niche that is durable, engaging and a good personal fit, says Daniel Borneman at Lowenstein Sandler.

Ill. Swipe Fee Ruling Sets Stage For A High-Stakes Appeal

In Illinois Bankers Association v. Raoul, an Illinois federal court upheld the state's ban on credit and debit card swipe fees on tax and tip payments, while permanently enjoining the statute's data usage limitation, but an imminent appeal could significantly influence the trajectory of state-level payments regulation, say attorneys at Latham.

Lessons From Justices' Split On Major Questions Doctrine

The justices' varied opinions in Learning Resources v. Trump, which held the International Emergency Economy Powers Act did not confer the power to impose tariffs, offer a meaningful window into the U.S. Supreme Court's perspective on the major questions doctrine that will likely shape lower courts' approach to executive action challenges, say attorneys at Venable.

A Worthy Successor: SALT In Review

From the naming of the Multistate Tax Commission's new executive director to a bidding war for the Chicago Bears, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.

Aligning Microsoft Tools With NYC Bar AI Recording Guidance

The New York City Bar Association’s recently issued formal opinion, providing ethical guidance on artificial intelligence-assisted recording, transcription and summarization, raises immediate questions about data governance and e-discovery for companies that use Microsoft 365 and Copilot, say Staci Kaliner, Martin Tully and John Collins at Redgrave.

5 Different AI Systems Raise Distinct Privilege Issues

A New York federal court’s recent U.S. v. Heppner decision, holding that a defendant’s use of Claude was not privileged, only addressed one narrow artificial intelligence system, but lawyers must recognize that the spectrum of AI tools raises different confidentiality and privilege questions, says Heidi Nadel at HP.

AI-Assisted Arbitration Needs Safeguards To Ensure Fairness

As tribunals and arbitral institutions increasingly use artificial intelligence tools in their decision-making processes, ​​​​​​​clear disclosure standards and procedural safeguards are necessary to ensure that efficiency gains do not erode the fairness principles on which arbitration depends, says Alexander Lima at Wesco International.

AI-Generated Doc Ruling Guides Attys On Privilege Risks

A New York federal court's ruling, in U.S. v. Heppner, that documents created by a defendant using an artificial intelligence tool were not privileged, can serve as a guide to attorneys for retaining attorney-client or work-product privilege over client documents created with AI, say attorneys at Sher Tremonte.