Government Regulation and Public Sector Law

Lowenstein lawyers and business services professionals discuss the firm's comprehensive pro bono program, demonstrating how attorneys across all practice areas—from white collar defense to real estate—contribute to matters serving individuals, nonprofits, and communities. The video explores how pro bono work provides meaningful opportunities for client interaction, hands-on responsibility, and professional development while receiving the same attention as billable client matters.

Lowenstein attorneys and business services professionals share powerful stories of pro bono work that transformed lives and communities. From representing transgender women in federal prisons to helping clients navigate immigration, civil rights, and domestic violence cases, these legal advocates reveal the profound personal and professional impact of providing access to justice for those who need it most.

As forced labor import bans proliferate globally, traditional M&A due diligence methodologies are proving inadequate for identifying and pricing supply chain risks that can instantly freeze inventory at borders and destroy deal value. This analysis examines why conventional approaches fail to detect upstream vulnerabilities in multi-tier supply chains and proposes enhanced diligence frameworks that integrate customs enforcement priorities, origin-level traceability, and specialized contractual protections

The U.S. Treasury Department has issued its first civil penalty under the Outbound Investment Security Program, fining a company $200,000 for failing to notify authorities about an investment in a Chinese AI firm. This enforcement action reveals Treasury's proactive monitoring capabilities and signals the serious consequences investors face for non-compliance with notification requirements, even for relatively small transactions.

The United States and Colombia have signed two bilateral agreements establishing frameworks for cooperation in critical minerals development and civil nuclear energy. These arrangements create potential opportunities for investment and collaboration in mining, energy infrastructure, and advanced technologies across the region.

On October 7, 2026, the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”) announced that it had, in July 2026, issued its first civil enforcement penalty under the Outbound Investment Security Program, often referred to as the Outbound Investment Rule (the “OIR”). Treasury levied a $200,000 penalty against Amidi, LLC (“Amidi”) for failing to submit a required notification of an investment by its controlled foreign entity into a “Chinese embodied artificial intelligence company.”

Congress faces a December 11 funding deadline with unfinished FY27 appropriations bills, and the path forward depends on more than just election results. Will lawmakers complete the bills in a lame duck session, extend funding into 2027, or pursue a hybrid approach? The answer hinges on whether negotiators can reach a funding agreement quickly enough and whether congressional leaders and the White House will support the necessary compromises.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has finalized a mandatory drug pricing model that ties Medicare Part B rebates to international pricing benchmarks across 19 reference countries. Beginning January 2027, manufacturers of eligible high-cost drugs will owe incremental rebates when international benchmark-based calculations exceed standard inflation rebates, with participation exemptions only for those in the voluntary GENEROUS Model.

On October 14, HHS delegated permissive exclusion authority under Section 1128(b) of the Social Security Act to CMS, effective immediately, giving CMS independent power to bar individuals and entities from Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal healthcare programs.

The Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and Office of Foreign Assets Control have launched coordinated enforcement actions targeting the A7 Network, a sophisticated global financial infrastructure allegedly designed to help sanctioned entities from Russia, Iran, and North Korea move funds through the international banking system.

Israel implements diplomatic countermeasures against the UK following sanctions on West Bank settlements, while the US authorizes Russian diesel imports amid record-high prices. The UK and EU expand Russia sanctions targeting oil revenues and military supply chains, and OFAC reaches a settlement with a logistics company for counter-narcotics sanctions violations.

The U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network has uncovered $17.5 billion in suspicious financial activity tied to health care fraud schemes, revealing how fraudulent providers exploit Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance programs. Analysis of over 5,700 Bank Secrecy Act reports exposes sophisticated money laundering networks spanning all 50 states, with home health care businesses emerging as the most frequently identified perpetrators.