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ARTICLE · 27 NOVEMBER 2025

Quick Guide: Independent Regulatory Agencies

K&L Gates
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The US Supreme Court will soon decide the fate of Humphrey's Executor v. United States and with it the president's power to remove the heads of independent agencies.

United StatesGovernment, Public Sector
Varu Chilakamarri
Varu Chilakamarri
Timothy Hobbs
Timothy Hobbs
Craig E. Leen
Craig E. Leen
Timothy Furdyna
Timothy Furdyna
Neeki Memarzadeh
Neeki Memarzadeh

The US Supreme Court will soon decide the fate of Humphrey's Executor v. United States and with it the president's power to remove the heads of independent agencies.As the legal community awaits this ruling, there has been heightened attention on independent agencies, including their varying leadership structures and removal protections.

Our quick guide to independent regulatory agencies identifies 30 such agencies and provides a top-line summary of their composition, the statutory "for cause" removal protections Congress has put in place for their leaders, and the current status of those protections. This guide is a resource for understanding how the Court's upcoming decisions in this area may affect the independent agencies that most directly regulate your industry.

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