Chief Justice Paul Newby has designated Judge Adam Conrad to serve as Chief Judge of the North Carolina Business Court, effective August 1, 2026. The announcement can be found here. Judge Conrad’s elevation comes at a transition point for
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Client Alert—CMMC Level 2 November Deadline Suspended Indefinitely
On July 13, 2026, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced the immediate suspension of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2 third-party assessment requirements, which were originally scheduled to come into effect on November 10, 2026. The announcement clarified
RFO Consolidation Limitations Do Not Apply to BPAs, Says GAO
Contractors tracking the government’s growing reliance on Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) and the rollout of the Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul (RFO) should take note of Government Accountability Office (GAO) bid protest decisions interpreting the new rules.
A recent GAO
Supreme Court Agrees to Take Up Trademark Strength Issue in Rise Brewing Trademark Case Against PepsiCo Over “Mtn Dew Rise”
On June 29, the Supreme Court agreed to review the question of whether judges or juries should decide a trademark’s inherent strength when assessing whether consumers are likely to be confused by the mark in trademark disputes under the Lanham
The Lawyer in the Room: A Lawyer’s Role in the NTSB Process
The National Transportation Safety Board operates under a mandate that is almost philosophically distinct from the legal system that surrounds it. The Board does not assign blame. It does not determine liability. It does not adjudicate fault in any legally
State and Federal PFAS Litigation – 2019 to Q2 2026
PFAS-related litigation continues to climb and to diversify as to claims and parties. See the attached graphics, updated through the second quarter of 2026. We will continue to update these graphics on a quarterly basis.
Complex Family Financial Cases Get the “Specialty Court” Treatment in Newly Adopted North Carolina Budget
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein signed budget legislation yesterday that resolved a long-standing stand-off between Republicans in the state House and Senate. Republicans in both chambers passed their own budgets in 2025 but couldn’t reach a final deal over employee
State Budget Ushers In Modest Appellate Changes
Governor Stein signed a state budget into law today, triggering happy headlines about teacher pay and investments in community colleges, amidst debates over a number of other provisions. Tweaks to our appellate system tend not to make the front page,
Appellate Judges Education Institute 2026
Registration for the best national appellate CLE program is now open.
Here’s the link: https://judges.org/appellate judges edu/about-ajei. You need to be there.
The AJEI Summit will be held November 12-15, 2026, in Philadelphia.
Speakers and presenters include Dean Erwin Chemerinsky,
IRS Launches Online Portal for Kwong Refund Claims
On July 1, 2026 the IRS unveiled a new portal for Kwong related refund claims. Taxpayers who want file Forms 843 claiming a refund for interest or penalties that accrued between January 20, 2020 and July 10, 2023 can file