The U.S. Maritime Administration proposed changing the way persons prove U.S. citizenship for participation in various programs on July 1, 2025. Those regulations were last adjusted in 2004. MARAD proposed changes initially in 2019. The proposal is of special interest to public companies seeking to qualify for MARAD programs.

We previously reported how the PTAB’s institution rate has fallen to approximately 40% in the new administration, with many of those denials stemming from the PTAB’s increased usage of its discretionary denial processes to deny IPR challenges without otherwise addressing the merits of the identified prior art. The latest grant of discretionary denial continues that trend and exemplifies the current challenges in pursuing IPR/PGR invalidity challenges at the U.S. Patent Office. 

The Texas Governor signed a bill that raises the bar for shareholder proposals for Texas corporations. The new law, signed by Governor Abbott on May 19, 2025, has major implications for shareholders of certain Texas corporations and is part of a larger effort to make Texas more business-friendly.