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State AG Insights

Foley Hoag’s State Attorney General Investigations lawyers offer their experience, insight and skill to help your business through the considerable challenges of an AG investigation or enforcement action.

State Attorneys General Bring Lawsuit Against Executive Order on Energy Emergency
Blog May 29, 2025
Following up on our previous posts on United States energy policy under the Trump Administration, we are writing with an update on recent State Attorney General (AG) action in response to the Trump Administration’s climate and energy-focused executive actions…
State Attorney General and State Governor Responses to Executive Orders Impacting Climate and Energy
Blog April 15, 2025
In the twelve weeks since Inauguration Day, President Trump has issued dozens of executive orders, a number of which are designed to reverse the nation’s momentum on clean energy and climate action…
An Impoundment By Any Other Name
Blog January 29, 2025
A Monday night memorandum issued by the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) ordered federal agencies to “temporarily pause” all federal funding and other agency activities that “may be implicated by” the slew of executive orders Trump issued last week…
California AG Launches Investigation into Fossil Fuel and Petrochemical Industries for Plastic Pollution
Blog May 27, 2022
On April 28, 2022, the California Attorney General launched an investigation into the “fossil fuel and petrochemical industries for their role in causing and exacerbating the global plastics pollution crisis.”  As a first step, the CA AG issued a subpoena to ExxonMobil, “a major source of global plastic pollution, seeking information relating to the company's role in deceiving the public.”  The stated purpose of the investigation is to “target companies that have caused and exacerbated the……
Losses Continue to Mount For ExxonMobil in its Fight to Prevent State Attorney General Climate Investigations
Blog April 07, 2022
On March 15, 2022, the Second Circuit rejected an appeal brought by ExxonMobil attempting to block investigations by the New York and Massachusetts Attorneys General into historical claims made by Exxon regarding climate change.  These cases have a long procedural history in both state and federal courts as Exxon has employed multiple procedural vehicles to attempt to halt the investigations.  Generally, both investigations relate to whether Exxon intentionally mislead investors and the……
Massachusetts Claims Against ExxonMobil Survive — Wave of the Future or Litigation Sideshow?
Blog June 25, 2021
This week, Judge Karen Green denied Exxon Mobil's motion to dismiss claims brought by Massachusetts under its Consumer Protection Act. The complaint alleges that Exxon Mobil both mislead Massachusetts investors in its marketing to them of Exxon Mobil securities and mislead Massachusetts consumers in its marketing of its products to those consumers.  Judge Green rejected Exxon Mobil's arguments that it was not subject to jurisdiction in Massachusetts with respect to these claims…
Massachusetts AG Petitions DPU to Investigate Gas Industry Future in Light of Commonwealth's GHG Emissions Goals
Blog June 10, 2020
On June 4, 2020, the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General (AGO) filed a petition with the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) requesting that the DPU open an investigation “to assess the future of local gas distribution company (LDC) operations and planning in light of the Commonwealth's legally binding statewide limit of net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050.” Citing Massachusetts' Global Warming Solutions Act, and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental……
White Collar Year in Preview: Massachusetts Attorney General Trends in 2020
Blog January 23, 2020
2019 marked the beginning of Maura Healey's second term as Massachusetts Attorney General. So far, this term has seen an increased focus on issues surrounding climate change and e-cigarettes, and a continued focus on healthcare fraud. We expect to see even more focus on these areas in 2020. Expect More Climate Change-Related Enforcement Healey's inaugural address listed climate change as one of the top priorities in her second term…
Massachusetts Attorney General Files Long-Awaited Climate Change Lawsuit Against Exxon
Blog January 17, 2020
On October 24, 2019, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey filed a 200-page complaint against Exxon in Suffolk Superior Court, alleging violations of G.L. c. 93A, the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act.  The lawsuit is the culmination of a three-year long investigation that has been contested in state and federal courts in both Texas and Massachusetts. The core legal theories espoused in the complaint resemble and also build upon allegations made by the New York Attorney General…
Massachusetts and Other States Challenge Trump's Move to Bar State Vehicle Emissions Regulations
Blog January 15, 2020
Led by California, 23 states, including Massachusetts, have sued the Trump administration challenging new federal regulations that strip the states' authority to set their own vehicle emissions standards.  On December 3, 2019, the administration moved to dismiss on procedural grounds, arguing that the D.C. District Court was the wrong venue, and that the case should have been brought before the D.C. Circuit for its direct review…
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ABOUT

Foley Hoag’s State Attorney General Investigations lawyers have the experience, the insight and the skill to guide your business through the considerable challenges of an AG investigation or enforcement action.

Our team knows firsthand how the AG and her line assistants approach investigations. Our legal team includes a former Massachusetts Attorney General, a former chief deputy attorney general, a former first assistant attorney general, a former deputy attorney general, a former chief of the business and labor bureau, a former deputy chief of the criminal bureau, and four partners who served as assistant United States attorneys.

Foley Hoag will work closely with you to develop and implement winning strategies to achieve your objectives and successfully resolve the investigation. And if there is no reasonable alternative but to litigate, our lawyers, including American College of Trial Lawyers fellows, have a record of substantial courtroom success. Whatever the path, we will fight to protect the reputation of your business and neutralize any adverse public relations implications arising from the AG action.