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Stephen C. Piepgrass

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Stephen leads the firm’s Regulatory Investigations, Strategy + Enforcement (RISE) Practice Group. He focuses his practice on enforcement actions, investigations, and litigation. Stephen primarily represents clients engaging with, or being investigated by, state attorneys general and other state or local governmental enforcement bodies, including the CFPB and FTC, as well as clients involved with litigation, with a particular focus on heavily regulated industries. He also has experience advising clients on data and privacy issues, including handling complex investigations into data incidents by state attorneys general other state and federal regulators. Additionally, Stephen provides strategic counsel to Troutman Pepper’s Strategies clients who need assistance with public policy, advocacy, and government relations strategies.

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Introduction

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2025 includes a mandate that contractors furnish information and documentation to enable the military to modify and repair equipment and systems. Not surprisingly, industry is pushing back on that mandate. On September 25, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) sent a letter to various industry associations, questioning their motives to prevent a right-to-repair requirement that the Senate included in its proposed defense budget for fiscal year (FY) 2025. Warren also sent a separate letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, expressing concern about contractual restrictions that void contractor warranties when third parties perform repairs and that prevent access to operations, maintenance, integration, and training data.

In this episode of Regulatory Oversight, Clay Friedman, co-leader of the firm’s State Attorneys General team, welcomes Kate Donoven, consumer counsel at the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG). The conversation highlights Kate’s extensive career in consumer protection, her transition to NAAG, and the emerging trends and initiatives in consumer protection.

Published in Law360 on September 27, 2024. © Copyright 2024, Portfolio Media, Inc., publisher of Law360. Reprinted here with permission.

On Sept. 18, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a settlement with healthcare technology company Pieces Technology pursuant to the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act.

In the first of a two-part series focused on the complexities of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, Troutman Pepper Partner Mike Yaghi is joined by Brooke Hopkins and Rob Sayegh from Alvarez & Marsal. They dive into the growing importance of ESG, particularly in Europe, where stringent regulations like the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) are being implemented. The discussion contrasts this with the ongoing political debate in the U.S., highlighting the need for companies to prepare for upcoming ESG requirements by 2026.

A gambling compact between the state of Florida and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which allows for sports betting off tribal lands, will remain in place after the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition for review filed by Florida casino operators. This decision will have a significant impact on states’ authority to regulate gambling, especially gambling facilitated by Indian Tribes, moving forward.

In the latest episode of Regulatory Oversight, Troutman Pepper Partner David Dove welcomes Georgia Attorney General (AG) Chris Carr to discuss AG Carr’s unique approach to his role. His work is shaped by his experience in the legislative side and economic development, emphasizing the importance of problem-solving and fostering a pro-business environment in Georgia.

On Tuesday, Texas Attorney General (AG) Ken Paxton announced the creation of a team dedicated solely to the prosecution and enforcement of Texas’ privacy laws. The team will focus on handling cases under at least seven different laws, including the state’s relatively new comprehensive consumer privacy law, and will be part of the office’s Consumer Protection Division. In his announcement, the AG touts the team as the largest such unit in the U.S., and one that will aggressively enforce the state’s privacy laws.