Expert Analysis

• Twitter Legal Fees Suit Offers Crash Course In Billing Ethics

  

  X Corp.'s suit alleging that Wachtell grossly inflated its fees in the final days of Elon Musk’s Twitter acquisition provides a case study in how firms should protect their reputations by hewing to ethical billing practices and the high standards for professional conduct that govern attorney-client relationships, says Lourdes Fuentes at Karta Legal.

• Ore. Warranty Ruling Complicates Insurance Classification

  

  The Oregon Court of Appeals' recent TruNorth v. Department of Consumer and Business Services holding that a service contract — commonly referred to as an extended warranty — covering commercial property is subject to the state's consumer service contract laws raises regulatory questions for contract obligors, sellers and administrators, say attorneys at Locke Lord.

• ABA's Money-Laundering Resolution Is A Balancing Act

  

  While the American Bar Association’s recently passed resolution recognizes a lawyer's duty to discontinue representation that could facilitate money laundering and other fraudulent activity, it preserves, at least for now, the delicate balance of judicial, state-based regulation of the legal profession and the sanctity of the attorney-client relationship, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.

• 1st Circ. Harvard Ruling Provides Primer On Policy Provisions

  

  In its recent finding of no coverage for Harvard due to the school's failure to give Zurich American Insurance timely notice of its claim, the First Circuit provides a good analysis of the distinctions between occurrence and claims-made policies, including the rationale for differences in notice provisions, says Andrew Paliotta at Cozen O'Connor.

• A Festival Of Litigation Could Arise From 'Electric Zoo' Fiasco

  

  Over Labor Day weekend, thousands of electronic dance music fans were displeased with the organization of the New York City-based Electric Zoo festival, which quickly elicited comparisons to the 2017 Fyre Festival — and three kinds of litigation could ensue from the debacle, say attorneys at Seiden Law.

• Law Firm Professional Development Steps To Thrive In AI Era

  

  As generative artificial intelligence tools rapidly evolve, professional development leaders are instrumental in preparing law firms for the paradigm shifts ahead, and should consider three strategies to help empower legal talent with the skills required to succeed in an increasingly complex technological landscape, say Steve Gluckman and Anusia Gillespie at SkillBurst Interactive.

• Opinion

  9th Circ.'s Latest UBH Ruling Ignores Case's Core Issue

  

  The Ninth Circuit’s recent decision to vacate its earlier opinion in Wit v. United Behavioral Health frustratingly disregards the case’s key issue of benefits coverage for mental health treatment, and illogically elevates an insurer's discretionary authority over the medically necessary needs of patients, says Mark DeBofsky at DeBofsky Law.

• Nev. Insurance Law May Mean Turmoil In Liability Market

  

  Nevada's new law prohibiting insurers from issuing or renewing defense-within-limits liability policies in the state could cause professional liability insurers to withdraw certain products or prohibitively increase premiums — and while an emergency regulation allows for exceptions, the situation remains fluid, says Joshua Leach at Atheria Law.

• SEC's New Rules Likely Will Affect Cyber, D&O Insurance

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission recently adopted cybersecurity incident disclosure rules that could create new challenges that affect how public companies assess the risk of securities, corporate governance and cyber-related lawsuits, which may implicate novel insurance coverage issues, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

• Potential Marijuana Status Change Would Shift Industry Risks

  

  Cannabis companies and their insurers should pay close attention to how the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' move toward marijuana reclassification plays out, and the potential for a shakeup in the landscape for cannabis regulation at the state and federal levels, says Ian Stewart at Wilson Elser.

• Key Provisions In Florida's New Insurer Accountability Act

  

  Florida's recent bipartisan Insurer Accountability Act introduces a range of new obligations for insurance companies and regulatory bodies to strengthen consumer protection, and other states may follow suit should it prove successful at ensuring a reliable insurance market, say Jan Larson and Benjamin Malings at Jenner & Block.

• The Basics Of Being A Knowledge Management Attorney

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  Michael Lehet at Ogletree Deakins discusses the role of knowledge management attorneys at law firms, the common tasks they perform and practical tips for lawyers who may be considering becoming one.

• Texas Storms Drive Coverage Litigation And Key Rulings

  

  Given the frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events across Texas, first-party coverage claims continue to dominate high-profile litigation in the state, bringing significant recent decisions on attorney fees, appraisal, allocation and other important insurance topics, says Laura Grabouski at Holden Litigation.

• To Hire And Keep Top Talent, Think Beyond Compensation

  

  Firms seeking to appeal to sophisticated clients and top-level partners should promote mentorship, ensure that attorneys from diverse backgrounds feel valued, and clarify policies about at-home work, says Patrick Moya at Quaero Group.

• Next Steps For Insurers After Ky. OKs Early 3rd-Party Claims

  

  While insurers in Kentucky may face more statutory bad faith claims after a recent state Supreme Court decision clarified that third parties may bring these torts even before determination of coverage is finalized, insurers can adopt a variety of approaches to reduce their exposure, says Jason Reichlyn at Dykema Gossett.