Legal News for Mon 9/9 - Biden Administration's Mental Health Coverage Rule, Google Antitrust Trial on Ad Dominance Begins, Minority Enrollment in Law School Holds Steady

Minimum Competence

This Day in Legal History: Abraham Lincoln Admitted to the Bar

On September 9, 1836, Abraham Lincoln was officially admitted to the Illinois bar, beginning a legal career that would shape his future as one of America’s most influential leaders. After passing the bar exam, he received a license to practice law from the Illinois Supreme Court and soon after set up his practice in Springfield. Lincoln quickly immersed himself in the legal field, filing his first lawsuit on October 5 of that same year.

Over the next 25 years, Lincoln became known as a formidable trial lawyer and skilled orator, handling a wide variety of cases, from small disputes to significant cases involving railroads and property law. His work often took him across Illinois, where he gained a reputation for his honesty and meticulous approach, earning the nickname "Honest Abe." Despite the challenges of frontier law, Lincoln’s dedication and intellect helped him build a thriving practice.

His legal experience also shaped his political career. Lincoln's ability to present clear, logical arguments in court foreshadowed the rhetorical prowess he would later bring to debates and speeches during his presidency. This legal foundation would prove instrumental as he navigated complex constitutional issues during the Civil War.

The Biden administration is set to release a final rule aimed at ensuring employer-sponsored health plans offer mental health and substance abuse coverage on par with traditional medical benefits. Announced by the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury, the rule requires employers with self-insured plans to conduct detailed analyses of their mental health benefits under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. It addresses the use of non-quantitative treatment limitations, such as prior authorizations, that hinder access to mental health services. The rule also removes an exemption for non-federal government health plans and adjusts enforcement deadlines for certain provisions.

While employer groups support the principle of mental health parity, many oppose the rule due to concerns over compliance costs and administrative challenges, arguing it may lead some employers to drop mental health coverage altogether. Additionally, critics like House Education and Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx claim the rule overreaches and will increase employee premiums. Despite opposition, the administration remains confident that the rule is legally sound and necessary to improve access to mental health care.

New Mental Health Rule Introduces Employer Benefit Parity Test

Biden administration finalizes rule to strengthen mental health parity law | Reuters

Google's antitrust trial over its dominance in online advertising technology begins in Alexandria, Virginia. The Justice Department accuses Google of monopolizing the online ad space, controlling the infrastructure behind 150,000 ad sales per second. Prosecutors allege Google used acquisitions, customer restrictions, and auction manipulations to suppress competition. If found guilty, Google could be forced to divest Google Ad Manager, a key component of its ad operations.

Google denies the claims, arguing that the prosecution overlooks growing competition from apps and connected TV in the ad market. Ad tech tools generated $20 billion for Google in 2020, a significant portion of its revenue. The trial will feature testimonies from digital ad competitors and publishers who say they were harmed by Google’s conduct. This case is one of several efforts by U.S. regulators to challenge Big Tech monopolies, alongside separate lawsuits against Apple, Meta, and Amazon.

Google's antitrust trial over online advertising set to begin | Reuters

Early data from top U.S. law schools shows minority enrollment has mostly held steady following the 2023 Supreme Court ruling banning race-conscious admissions. Of the six top 20 law schools that provided racial diversity data, five reported either steady or increased enrollment of students of color. These schools include the University of Virginia, UCLA, Cornell, Vanderbilt, and USC, with an average of 44% minority enrollment. Only UC Berkeley saw a decline, dropping from 57% to 50%, though the school’s admissions process did not change.

Despite the ruling, which prohibits using race in admissions, law schools may have been insulated from major declines due to a larger and more diverse applicant pool this year. The full effects of the ruling may become clearer as more schools report their diversity data to the American Bar Association by December. Fear of lawsuits over diversity efforts may also be influencing schools to delay publicizing their figures, in contrast to previous years when many touted their class diversity early on. Legal experts suggest that law schools are navigating a cautious environment amid ongoing legal challenges to diversity initiatives across various sectors.

Minority enrollment holds steady at top U.S. law schools, early data indicates | Reuters

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