Raymond Atkins, Matt Warren, Allison Davis, Tobias Loss-Eaton, Morgan Lindsay, Stephen Laudone, David Kinnaird
January 23, 2026
Sidley Secures Appellate Decision Vacating Surface Transportation Board’s Reciprocal Switching Rule

1 min
AI-made summary
- On July 8, 2025, the U.S
- Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit vacated a Surface Transportation Board (STB) rule that would have enabled shippers to obtain STB orders for forced reciprocal switching
- The court found that the rule exceeded the STB’s statutory authority, as it would have permitted reciprocal switching agreements without a determination that the shipper was receiving inadequate service
- Sidley represented three railroads in challenging the rule.
On July 8, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued a decision vacating a Surface Transportation Board (STB) rule that would have created a new avenue for shippers to obtain STB orders for forced reciprocal switching. Sidley represented a coalition of three railroads who challenged the lawfulness of the final rule. The Sidley team argued, and the Court held, that the final rule exceeded the STB’s statutory authority because the rule would have allowed the STB to impose a reciprocal switching agreement without making a threshold, finding that the shipper is receiving inadequate service. The Sidley team was led by Raymond Atkins, who argued the case, and included Matt Warren, Allison Davis, Tobias Loss-Eaton, Morgan Lindsay, Stephen Laudone, and David Kinnaird.~~On July 8, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued a decision vacating a Surface Transportation Board (STB) rule that would have created a new avenue for shippers to obtain STB orders for forced reciprocal switching. Sidley represented a coalition of three railroads who challenged the lawfulness of the final rule. The Sidley team argued, and the Court held, that the final rule exceeded the STB’s statutory authority because the rule would have allowed the STB to impose a reciprocal switching agreement without making a threshold, finding that the shipper is receiving inadequate service. The Sidley team was led by Raymond Atkins, who argued the case, and included Matt Warren, Allison Davis, Tobias Loss-Eaton, Morgan Lindsay, Stephen Laudone, and David Kinnaird.
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Raymond Atkins, Matt Warren, Allison Davis, Tobias Loss-Eaton, Morgan Lindsay, Stephen Laudone, David Kinnaird
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