Appellate

How Wayfair Decision Benefits New Jersey

The U.S. Supreme Court decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair will have a significant impact on commerce in many ways. Gary Botwinick of Einhorn Harris Ascher Barbarito & Frost PC discusses its specific impacts on and benefits to the state of New Jersey.

When Will The ITC Honor A PTAB Finding Of Invalidity?

As a general rule, the U.S. International Trade Commission has given little to no deference to Patent Trial and Appeal Board decisions. However, recent decisions seem to throw a wrinkle into this lack of deference, say Bryan J. Vogel and Derrick J. Carman of Robins Kaplan LLP.

Opinion

BigLaw's Associate Salary Model Is A Relic Of A Bygone Era

Legal industry compensation practices are once again in the news as BigLaw firms continue to match the new high watermark of $190,000 for first-year associate salaries. The typical model of increasing associate salaries uniformly fails star associates, the firms they work for and, ultimately, the clients they serve, says William Brewer, managing partner of Brewer Attorneys & Counselors.

High Court Addresses Reality Of Modern Criminal Sentencing

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in Rosales-Mireles v. United States. Read together with the court’s 2016 decision in Molina-Martinez v. United States, this opinion establishes a presumption that a defendant is entitled to resentencing whenever a district court makes a clear error in calculating a defendant’s U.S. Sentencing Guidelines range, says Taylor Crabtree of Ellis & Winters LLP.

Kaepernick Case Raises Arbitrator Subpoena Power Issues

It has been widely reported that lawyers representing Colin Kaepernick in collective bargaining arbitration proceedings with the NFL may ask the arbitrator to compel President Donald Trump to appear for deposition. The case presents interesting issues about the power of an arbitrator to compel testimony of a nonparty, say attorneys with White and Williams LLP​​​​​​​.

China Agritech: More Than Meets The Eye

There is no doubt that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in China Agritech v. Resh squarely precludes the viability of untimely successive class actions. But what impact might it have on the viability of timely filed successive class actions? Erica Rutner of Lash & Goldberg LLP explores the question.

#MeToo At Law Firms And What We Can Do About It

While some may say it’s ironic, it’s also embarrassing and enraging that the very industry that offers anti-harassment training, policies and counsel now finds itself the subject of #MeToo headlines. The American Bar Association recommendation that will bring about the greatest change is the call to provide alternative methods for reporting violations, says Beth Schroeder, chair of Raines Feldman LLP's labor and employment group.

Scrutinizing Noncash Settlements In Consumer Class Actions

In consumer class action settlements, cash provides the class and the court evaluating a proposed settlement with a quantitatively measurable benefit. Noncash settlements require heightened scrutiny by the court, since they are generally worth less to consumers than cash, and may benefit defendants and class counsel more than class members, says retired judge Thomas Dickerson.

Knowledge Lawyers Can Help Firms Stay Ahead Of The Curve

In a profession notoriously averse to change, it should come as no surprise that there is skepticism about the value of having attorneys perform nonbillable tasks. But U.S. law firms have slowly begun to incorporate knowledge lawyers into their operations — and the trend is likely to continue, says Vanessa Pinto Villa of Hogan Lovells.

An Anti-SLAPP Motion In Name Only

The Ninth Circuit’s decision last month in Planned Parenthood v. Center for Medical Progress has effectively turned the anti-SLAPP motion into a hybrid of typical motions to dismiss and motions for summary judgment. As a result, defendants have lost the primary benefit of the anti-SLAPP process, says Joseph Gjonola of Roxborough Pomerance Nye & Adreani LLP.