Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has announced a new procedure allowing patent owners to submit a limited, early response to requests for ex parte reexamination—before the Office decides whether to institute review.   Published in the April 1, 2026 issue of the Official Gazette, this change gives patent owners an opportunity to address the merits of arguments raised in the request at the outset, potentially influencing whether reexamination is ordered at all.   With ex parte reexaminations increasingly used as an alternative to inter partes review, this update has meaningful implications for both patent owners and challengers.   Our alert breaks down:   ▪️ What the new pre-order response allows. ▪️ Key filing requirements and limitations. ▪️ Practical considerations for patent strategy.   Read the full alert here: https://lnkd.in/eNrCBv4g   By: Andy Rosbrook, Rubén H. Muñoz, Dan Moffett #IntellectualProperty #IP #PatentLaw

Washington State has enacted legislation that will render most non‑compete agreements void and unenforceable as of June 30, 2027. Learn more about the Washington non‑compete law in Akin’s latest LaborSpeak video: https://lnkd.in/gn3gQHXn By: Lauren Leyden and Alex Lau Subscribe to the Akin LaborSpeak Blog: https://lnkd.in/gKJ2xXai #LaborSpeak 

In a recent speech, the newly appointed Director of the CFTC's Division of Enforcement signaled that while the "era of regulation by enforcement is over," the agency is ramping up enforcement activity with a "laser focus" on serious violations of fraud, market manipulation and market abuse. Key enforcement priorities include: • Insider trading—especially in prediction markets • Market manipulation—especially in energy markets • Market abuse and disruptive trading • Retail fraud • Willful AML and KYC violations The Director also announced that the Division of Enforcement is preparing a new cooperation policy intended to provided clearer incentives—and potentially declinations—for companies that self-report, cooperate fully and remediate misconduct. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gchHz44b By: Jack Murphy, Peter Altman, Michael Asaro, James J. Benjamin Jr., Katherine Goldstein, Lance Jasper and Parvin M. #CFTC #Enforcement #CommoditiesRegulation #MarketManipulation

Akin media, entertainment & sports practice head Chris Spicer and partners Alissa Miller and Vanessa Roman are featured in the Los Angeles Times as Banking and Finance Visionaries.  The list recognizes their “exemplary leadership, strategic foresight and unwavering commitment to both clients and communities over the past 24 months.” For more: https://lnkd.in/em7AZCpn #Media #Entertainment

On April 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (Proposed Rule) that would establish procedures governing whistleblower submissions, award eligibility and determinations, and anti-retaliation protections, primarily in connection with sanctions, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)/anti-money laundering (AML), Outbound Investment Security Program (OISP) and Data Security Program (DSP) enforcement. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ge53G7DA By: Shiva Aminian, Christian Davis, Nnedi Ifudu Nweke, Jonathan Poling, George Pence, Jason Prince, Katherine Penberthy Padgett, Andrew Schlossberg, Sarah Gerdes, Gregory Dunlap, Orfeh Vahabzadeh and Katherine V. #FinCEN #SanctionsCompliance #Whistleblower

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Trump v. Barbara, challenging an executive order that seeks to narrow birthright citizenship under the Fourteenth Amendment's Citizenship Clause: "[a]ll persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United States."   Although Native American citizenship is not at issue—the Court held in 1884 they were excluded from Fourteenth Amendment citizenship until Congress granted it by statute in 1924—their historical treatment dominated the arguments. Justices Gorsuch and Barrett examined how this historical exclusion informs the meaning of "subject to the jurisdiction thereof," particularly regarding children of immigrants who, like tribal members, may "owe allegiance" to a sovereign other than the United States. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dV7C6bF9   By: Katie Brossy, Jason Hauter, Lide Paterno, James Tysse, Don Pongrace, Merrill Godfrey, Denise Desiderio, Brette Peña, Jenny Patten Magallanes, Radiance Campbell and Haley Gorman   #SupremeCourt #ImmigrationLa #BirthrightCitizenship #FourteenthAmendment #Policy

Akin health care & life sciences practice head John Jacob has been named the 2026 Laura N. Rinaldi Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year by the D.C. Bar. The awards recognize “individuals and organizations whose outstanding work and exceptional projects benefited Bar membership, enriched the legal community, and expanded access to justice.” To read more: https://lnkd.in/gMgtmxD5 #ProBono

Akin advised Pharmakon Advisors, LP. and the BioPharma Credit Investment funds in connection with a $250 million senior secured term loan to Zenas BioPharma, Inc. The Akin team was led by tax partner Geoffrey Secol and included fellow tax partner Stuart Leblang and associate John (Myunghoon) Kwack; international trade partner Nnedi Ifudu Nweke; health care & life sciences partner Nathan Brown, senior counsel Jo-Ellyn Sakowitz Klein, JD, CIPP/US, counsel Emily Gerry and associates Jenna Becker and Maddy Bolger; and corporate associates Jake Gawlak, CPA and Yossi Abadi. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e9YXjtu2  #Tax #Pharma #HealthCare 

Akin complex commercial and labor & employment litigation partner Laura Smolowe has been named to Daily Journal’s ‘Leading Commercial Litigators’ list 2026. "I love helping clients solve problems of all kinds, from the very personal to the headline news, and because I deeply enjoy the intellectual and creative process of analyzing a case, putting it together and presenting it in court," Laura told Daily Journal. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/egBxBq_4  #LaborAndEmployment #ComplexCommercialLitigation 

 FDA has published final guidance on “Incorporating Voluntary Patient Preference Information over the Total Product Life Cycle,” providing updated recommendations on how patient perspectives may inform device‑related regulatory decision‑making.   Our latest Eye on FDA post on this guidance highlights how voluntary patient preference information may be considered—when appropriate—in evaluating benefit‑risk profiles and supporting regulatory submissions. The guidance also outlines recommended approaches for developing, submitting and contextualizing patient preference data across the product life cycle.   Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g4zQ3kcd   By: Molly (Brimmer) Lolli, Maddy Bolger, Anna Abram and Nathan Brown   Subscribe to the Akin Eye on FDA Blog: https://lnkd.in/g8Qd3HsW   #FDA #MedTech #DevicePolicy #Regulatory