Expert Analysis

• Series

  ESG Around The World: Australia

  

  Clive Cachia and Cathy Ma at K&L Gates detail ESG-reporting policies in Australia and explain how the country is starting to introduce mandatory requirements as ESG performance is increasingly seen as a key investment and corporate differentiator in the fight for global capital.

• 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.

• Self-Disclosure Lessons From Exemplary Corp. Resolutions

  

  With scant examples of corporate resolutions in the wake of U.S. Department of Justice self-disclosure policy changes last fall, companies may glean helpful insights from three recent declination letters, as well as other governmental self-reporting regimes, say Lindsey Collins and Kate Rumsey at Sheppard Mullin.

• 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.

• Bid Protest Spotlight: Unfair Advantage, Buy American Waiver

  

  In this month's bid protest roundup, James Tucker at MoFo offers takeaways on one decision that considers unfair proposal development advantages in the context of an employee's access to nonpublic information in a prior federal government position, and another decision that reconsiders a contract award based on an inadequately supported waiver of Buy American Act restrictions.

• 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

  Russia Ruling Should Lead UK To Review Sanctions Policy

  

  The High Court's recent dismissal of the first-ever court challenge to Russian sanctions in Shvidler v. Secretary of State sets a demanding standard for overturning designation decisions, highlighting the need for an independent review of the Russia sanctions regime, says Helen Taylor at Spotlight on Corruption.

• Schumer Framework May Forge US Model On AI Governance

  

  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's proposed SAFE Innovation Framework may have the potential to generate thoughtful understanding and governance of artificial intelligence within a meaningful time frame, say Alan Charles Raul and Rimsha Syeda at Sidley.

• Covington Ruling Strengthens SEC's Enforcement Powers

  

  A Washington, D.C., federal court’s recent order that Covington & Burling provide the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission with the identities of its clients in response to a subpoena reinforces the agency’s broad authority to investigate cybersecurity violations, and suggests law firms must take steps to strengthen data privacy, say Elisha Kobre and Ryan Dean at Bradley Arant.

• The Self-Disclosure Calculus After Tri-Seal Compliance Note

  

  With the recent note from three government agencies emphasizing the incentives for voluntarily self-disclosing potential violations of sanctions, export control and other national security laws, companies’ risk-based analyses of whether to disclose even minor, technical offenses may shift, say attorneys at Akin.

• 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.

• The Pros And Cons Of The Senate's DOD Data Rights Plan

  

  The Senate's latest defense spending bill stands to benefit big business by clarifying that the government should not automatically obtain unlimited rights in certain contractor data, but the reduction of other protections elsewhere may put small businesses at risk, say Tyler Evans and Anna Menzel at Steptoe & Johnson.

• SBA 8(a) Contractors Must Prepare To Reestablish Eligibility

  

  A Tennessee federal court's recent decision in Ultima Services v. U.S. Department of Agriculture has massive implications for the Small Business Administration's 8(a) Business Development Program, whose participants will soon need to reestablish their status as socially disadvantaged, say Edward DeLisle and Andrés Vera at Thompson Hine.

• 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.

• Gov't Contract Billing Lessons From Booz Allen Settlement

  

  Allegations that contractor Booz Allen spent a decade improperly billing indirect costs to the government, recently highlighted in a $377 million settlement, offer pointed lessons for businesses on how to address False Claims Act concerns, and for federal investigators on how to identify highly technical accounting discrepancies in real time, says Denise Barnes at Honigman.