Insights

Washington – June 26, 2025: Crowell & Moring hosted its 26thannual George Bailey Public Service Awards ceremony. Named after the hero of the classic movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” these awards recognize the firm’s lawyers and staff who have made a substantial impact on the lives of others through their pro bono efforts.

Washington – June 10, 2025: Crowell & Moring partners Paul Haskel and Paul Muscutt, senior counsel Scott Lessne, and counsel John Laird authored a chapter entitled “An Overview of Litigation Funding” for the International Comparative Legal Guide – Lending & Secured Finance 2025 edition.

To date the Trump Administration has issued multiple proclamations imposing varying rates of import duties on steel and aluminum and certain derivatives, including construction materials. These measures have added volatility and financial pressures to the construction sector both in the United States and abroad. Most recently, on June 3, 2025, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, doubling tariffs on imported steel and aluminum from 25% to 50%, effective June 4, 2025. This action aims to counteract the continued influx of lower-priced, excess steel and aluminum imports that, according to the administration, threaten U.S. national security by undermining domestic production capacity. The proclamation notes that while prior tariffs provided some price support, they were insufficient to achieve the necessary capacity utilization rates for sustained industry health and defense readiness. The United Kingdom remains temporarily exempt at the 25% rate until July 9, per the U.S.-U.K. Economic Prosperity Deal.

The UK’s 2025 Strategic Defence Review (SDR)[1] marks a significant shift in national defence policy, emphasising enhanced military readiness and domestic industrial growth. This comprehensive plan is poised to reshape the landscape for defence contractors across the country. This follows the enactment of the UK’s new Procurement Act 2023, which took effect on 24 February 2025, also impacting defence contractors. More information on this can be found in our alert: What Defence Contractors Need To Know About the New UK Procurement Act.

On 2 June 2025 the Civil Justice Council (a UK public body that advises on civil justice and civil procedure) (“CJC”) issued its Review of Litigation Funding Final Report (the “Report”). The CJC has provided comprehensive recommendations on the regulation and reform of litigation funding in England and Wales. The highlight recommendation of the Report is for the UK Government to remove third party litigation funding from the regulations and requirements of the Damages-Based Agreements Regulations 2013 (“DBA Regulations”), reversing the judgment of the Supreme Court in PACCAR.[1] Meanwhile, the UK Court of Appeal has recently endorsed a position that the Competition Appeal Tribunal (“CAT”) may order that third party funders of collective proceedings be paid first from litigation proceeds before claimants according to waterfall provisions in their funding agreements.

We are pleased to invite you to "Cyber Perspectives: Views from Attackers, Defenders, and Regulators," a collaborative event hosted in partnership with Crowell & Moring and IBM. This insightful session will delve into the multifaceted world of cybersecurity, offering perspectives from those on the front lines of cyber defence and the attackers they combat, as well as what we are seeing from the regulators who shape the landscape. Join us for an engaging discussion that promises to enhance your understanding of current cyber threats and the strategies employed to mitigate them.

Join Crowell's Michelle Linderman and Dj Wolff on December 14, 2022, 13:00 UTC for a BIMCO 15 + 15 webinar (15 min presentation, followed by a 15 min Q&A). They will talk about the price cap on Russian oil exports, whereby the G7, along with the European Union and Australia, have agreed to implement a price cap on Russian oil and oil products in order to reduce Russia’s revenues which are funding its war efforts in Ukraine while seeking to ensure energy security.  The price cap is designed to allow companies to provide shipment and insurance of Russian oil and oil products provided that the purchase price is below the agreed price cap, but how has it begun to work in practice, and what are the practical issues being experienced by the different actors in the supply chain?