Last month, I had the privilege of speaking at the American Council of Life Insurers Annual Compliance & Legal Conference in New Orleans. I was tasked with presenting an hour on legal ethics, which isn’t always the most exciting topic but is a great way to get lawyers to show up to your early-morning session.
Trump Administration Seeks to Streamline Federal Permitting for Data Centers with New Executive Order and Action Plan
Data center developers often struggle with lengthy and costly regulatory hurdles at both state and federal levels. In a move to simplify this process, the Trump administration has issued an executive order and introduced the “America’s AI Action Plan,” both designed to accelerate federal permitting and reshape environmental review frameworks for new data centers and
Kimi Gordy Joins TribalHub Webinar on Planning 2026 Tribal IT Budget
Partner Kimi Gordy will present during the TribalHub webinar titled “Getting Budget-Ready for 2026: Tribal IT Strategies for Security, AI & Policy,” July 31, 2025. The webinar will cover AI, data privacy, policy development and cybersecurity monitoring, as well communicating those needs to get the budget necessary to implement them.
Whitney Schneider-White Participates in Panel at Tech-Telecom Institute (TTI)
Associate Whitney Schneider-White will take part in a panel titled “Tech Law is Fluid: Exploring the Evolving AI & Privacy Legal Landscape” at the Tech-Telecom Institute (TTI), July 30, 2025, in New York, New York. The panel will discuss:
- Developing and intertwining regulatory frameworks around AI and Privacy
- Ethical considerations of AI in the legal
The Weekly Hill Update
Below is this week’s congressional update by BakerHostetler’s Federal Policy team. We’ll continue to post in weeks when both chambers of Congress are in session.
HEADLINES
- Congress is in its final full week with both chambers in session prior to the long August recess.
- President Donald Trump will travel to Scotland and meet with British
An EU Biodiversity Market by 2027? The new EU’s Roadmap towards Nature Credits.
On July 7, 2025, the European Commission presented its Roadmap Towards Nature Credits, setting the blueprint for biodiversity certification in the EU. The Communication was also accompanied by a Q&A and a call for feedback by 30 September 2025.
Nature Credits: Practical Uses Across Sectors
In short, nature credits will constitute quantifiable and fungible
Analysis of the 2025 Federal Tax Changes Under the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Legislation
Key Takeaways:
- President Donald Trump signed wide-ranging tax legislation, P.L. 119-21 (the Legislation) on July 4, 2025.
- The Legislation includes net tax cuts of $4.5 trillion and spending cuts of $1.2 trillion, for a cost compared with current law of approximately $3.3 trillion over the 10-year budget window.
- The Legislation will affect nearly every sector
Texas Passes TRAIGA: What the New AI Law Means for Your Business
On June 22, 2025, Governor Abbott signed the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (TRAIGA), which will take effect January 1, 2026. Any business or government agency working with AI in Texas should take note that TRAIGA is not a copy-paste of other states’ laws; rather, it specifically targets intentional misuse of AI, not just
Theresa Weisenberger Predicts AI Trends in <em>Managing IP</em> Article
Partner Theresa Weisenberger shared her thoughts about AI and copyright infringement in a Managing IP article titled “Liability and Fatigue: Counsel Predict AI Trends.” Published June 20, 2025, the article examines trends and developments that attorneys believe could be on the horizon, as well as those that they expect to appear soon. Among future concerns:
James Sherer Presents at Networking Event at BakerHostetler New York Office
Partner James Sherer took part in “AI in Practice – a Roundtable Discussion and Networking Event,” May 28, 2025, in the BakerHostetler New York office. The educational roundtable presented the practical aspects of AI, as well as how it is being used in practice today and what is in the near future for professionals wishing