More Real Estate Coverage

Expert Analysis

• Leveraging Municipal Bonds For Green Energy Finance

  

  The U.S.'s transition to renewable energy will require collaboration between public and private capital sources — and that means that lawyers used to working in corporate finance must understand how the municipal bond market functions differently, due to its grounding in the U.S. Constitution, says Ann Fillingham at Dykema.

• ESG Around The World: European Union

  

  As the EU makes ESG regulation a priority, companies — both those based in the EU and others just doing business there — need to keep abreast of myriad new legislation that has either already taken effect or will in the near future, as noncompliance could result in fines, damages and director liability, say attorneys at Steptoe & Johnson.

• As AI Pricing Tools Evolve, So Does Antitrust Risk

  

  As the use of pricing algorithms has given rise to regulatory scrutiny and civil actions, such as RealPage Rental Software Antitrust Litigation in the Middle District of Tennessee and Gibson v. MGM in the District of Nevada, independent pricing decisions and other best practices can help limit antitrust risk, say attorneys at Axinn.

• ESG Around The World: Australia

  

  Clive Cachia and Cathy Ma at K&L Gates detail ESG-reporting policies in Australia and explain how the country is starting to introduce mandatory requirements as ESG performance is increasingly seen as a key investment and corporate differentiator in the fight for global capital.

• Industry Takeaways From OMB's Final Buy America Guidance

  

  The Office of Management and Budget's recently released guidance on "Buy America" requirements for federal infrastructure projects provides clarity in certain areas but fails to address troublesome inconsistencies with state laws and international trade agreements, so manufacturers and suppliers will need to tread carefully as agencies implement the changes, say Amy Hoang and Sarah Barney at Seyfarth Shaw.

• Texas Produced Water Ruling Helps Clarify Oil, Gas Leases

  

  A Texas state appeals court's recent opinion in Cactus Water Services v. COG Operating, holding that the mineral lessee under an oil and gas lease owns the water extracted during oil and gas production, is a first step toward clarity on an issue that has divided the midstream industry, say attorneys at Mayer Brown.

• Pa. Case Highlights Complexity Of Oil And Gas Leases

  

  A Pennsylvania state court's recent decision in Douglas Equipment Inc. v. EQT Production Co. is a reminder that oil and gas leases are rather strange creatures — morphing from something akin to a traditional surface lease to a mineral property conveyance the moment oil and gas is produced, says Christopher Rogers at Frost Brown.

• Calif. Protected Species Law Changes: Real Fix Or Red Tape?

  

  California's recent amendments to its "fully protected species" statutes create a temporary permitting regime intended to accelerate the building of renewable energy, transportation and water infrastructure in response to climate change — but the new legislation could become another obstacle to the projects it purports to benefit, says Paul Weiland at Nossaman.

• EPA Focus On Lead Could Heighten Private Litigation Risk

  

  As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continues a series of initiatives aimed at reducing lead exposure, including last month's proposal to strengthen removal requirements for lead-based paint, the risks of private suits from citizens groups over lead contamination grow, say Jonathan Brightbill and Madalyn Brown Feiger at Winston & Strawn.

• Ruling Affirms Drillers' Right To Choose Methods In Colo.

  

  In the wake of the Tenth Circuit's decision in Bay v. Anadarko E&P Onshore, a bellwether trespass case, oil and gas operators can breathe easy knowing that Colorado landowners cannot dictate their method of drilling — even in the face of more reasonable alternatives, say Lauren Varnado and Jessica Pharis at Michelman & Robinson.

• NYC Sidewalk Obligations Must Go Beyond Construction

  

  New York City's recently announced Get Sheds Down plan will bring sweeping changes to regulation of the scaffolding and construction sheds looming over sidewalks — but it cannot stop there, says Michael Pollack at Yeshiva University's Cardozo School of Law.

• 5 Quick Takeaways From Feds' New Bank Capital Proposals

  

  The federal banking agencies' recent proposed rulemaking on capital requirements is the culmination of a holistic review of U.S. capital standards initiated by the Federal Reserve, and at over 1,000 pages, the proposal will take some time to fully digest, but there are a few items that can be immediately highlighted, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

• Contract Disputes Recap: Timeliness, Evidence, Fact-Finding

  

  Edward Arnold and Bret Marfut at Seyfarth Shaw look at three recent opinions from three stages of government contract claims litigation about avoiding untimeliness by ticking procedural boxes, supporting factual positions at the summary judgment stage and how the appellate boards review default terminations.