June 16, 2026

Far offshore lie critical minerals that are essential components of lithium batteries and other technologies. A Canadian company that wants to be first to harvest deep sea minerals is seeking U.S. permits to mine beyond national jurisdiction, but ocean law expert Coalter G. Lathrop says granting those permits could cause the U.S. to run afoul of international laws on which other U.S. rights depend.

People are increasingly using AI agents to complete multi-step tasks, such as calendar scheduling and travel planning. But what happens when an agent exceeds its scope of authority and divulges private information, such as your salary or data about your children, to a human or AI agent on the other end? In this Legal Brief video, Duke Law Professor Nita Farahany discusses the problem of AI agent accountability and why we need to update current laws.

The working poor are often told to save more so they can be comfortable in their senior years. But Duke poverty law expert Sara Sternberg Greene says some laws and government policies make that goal virtually impossible by limiting how much income people can make to keep the public benefits they need to make ends meet. Greene tells how changing the law can better help low-income Americans secure a dignified retirement.

Enron’s 2001 collapse cost shareholders tens of billions of dollars after company accountants exploited regulatory loopholes to hide deep liabilities. Duke professor Steven L. Schwarcz traces that failure to private ordering by the SEC — its full delegation of authority over corporate accounting standards to the private sector — and suggests ways to limit that power to protect investors.

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