Expert Analysis

• ERISA Litigation Faces New Frontiers In 2024

  

  As plaintiffs firms explore novel theories for recovery and the Department of Labor attempts to broaden the definition of an investment advice fiduciary, 2024 could see new types of Employee Retirement Income Security Act litigation after just 100 class actions were filed last year, say attorneys at Groom Law.

• 5 Trade Secret Developments To Follow In 2024

  

  Recent cases and trends in trade secret law indicate that significant developments are likely this year, and practitioners should be anticipating their impact on the business and legal landscape, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.

• Opinion

  Why Justices Should Protect Public From Bump Stocks

  

  In Garland v. Cargill, the U.S. Supreme Court has the opportunity to restore the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' rule banning bump stocks — thus preserving Congress' original intent to protect the American people from particularly dangerous firearms, says Douglas Letter at Brady United Against Gun Violence.

• What's On Tap For Public Corruption Prosecutions In 2024

  

  All signs point toward another year of blockbuster public corruption prosecutions in 2024, revealing broader trends in enforcement and jurisprudence, and promising valuable lessons for defense strategy, says Kenneth Notter at MoloLamken.

• Series

  Baking Bread Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  After many years practicing law, and a few years baking bread, I have learned that there are a few keys to success in both endeavors, including the assembly of a nourishing and resilient culture, and the ability to learn from failure and exercise patience, says Rick Robinson at Reed Smith.

• Supreme Court Amgen Ruling's Major Effect On Enablement

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court's Amgen v. Sanofi invalidity holding continues to significantly affect technologies and all aspects of the patent system by providing confidence in the Federal Circuit's approach and a clearer understanding on enforceability and the disclosure needed for compliance, say Irena Royzman and Daniel Williams at Kramer Levin.

• Federal Courts And AI Standing Orders: Safety Or Overkill?

  

  Several district court judges have issued standing orders regulating the use of artificial intelligence in their courts, but courts should consider following ordinary notice and comment procedures before implementing sweeping mandates that could be unnecessarily burdensome and counterproductive, say attorneys at Curtis.

• The 5 Most Important Bid Protest Decisions Of 2023

  

  Attorneys at Bradley Arant discuss noteworthy 2023 bid protest decisions from the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and U.S. Government Accountability Office, offering perspectives on standing, document production, agency deference, System for Award Management registration requirements and mentor-protégé joint venture proposal evaluations.

• Fed. Circ. Cellect Ruling Triggers Significant Patent Risk

  

  A recent data analysis shows that the Federal Circuit's decision of patent invalidity in Cellect presents a significant risk to patent holders with subsequent child applications, which may be unpatentable under the judicially created doctrine of obvious-type double patenting, says Curtis Altmann at Hoffmann & Baron.

• 7 E-Discovery Predictions For 2024 And Beyond

  

  The legal and technical issues of e-discovery now affect virtually every lawsuit, and in the year to come, practitioners can expect practices and policies to evolve in a number of ways, from the expanded use of relevancy redactions to mandated information security provisions in protective orders, say attorneys at Littler.

• Securities Class Actions Show No Signs of Slowing In 2024

  

  Plaintiffs asserted securities class actions at elevated levels in 2023 — a sign that filings will remain high in the year ahead — as they switched gears to target companies that allegedly have failed to anticipate supply chain disruptions, persistent inflation, rising interest rates and other macroeconomic headwinds, say attorneys at Skadden.

• Workplace Challenges Amid Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

  

  Recent tension over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has caused challenges in the employment sphere, sparking the question of whether employees can be legally disciplined for speaking out on issues related to the conflict, which depends on various circumstances, says Alok Nadig at Sanford Heisler.

• Justice O'Connor Was Architect of ERISA's Lasting Success

  

  U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor laid the foundations of Employee Retirement Income Security Act jurisprudence, defining a default standard of review, preemption rules and the act's interplay with employment law, through opinions that are still instructive as ERISA approaches its 50th anniversary, says José Jara at Fox Rothschild.

• Opinion

  Anti-Kickback Statute Does Not Require But-For Causation

  

  A proper interpretation of the Anti-Kickback Statute clearly indicates that but-for causation is not required for False Claims Act Liability, and courts that hold otherwise will make it significantly easier for fraudsters to avoid accountability, says Kenneth Capesius at Baron & Budd.

• 5 Litigation Funding Trends To Note In 2024

  

  Over the next year and beyond, litigation funding will continue to evolve in ways that affect attorneys and the larger litigation landscape, from the growth of a secondary market for funded claims, to rising interest rates restricting the availability of capital, says Jeffery Lula at GLS Capital.