Expert Analysis

• Series

  The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Elrod On 'Jury Duty'

  

  Though the mockumentary series “Jury Duty” features purposely outrageous characters, it offers a solemn lesson about the simple but brilliant design of the right to trial by jury, with an unwitting protagonist who even John Adams may have welcomed as an impartial foreperson, says Fifth Circuit Judge Jennifer Elrod.

• Aviation Watch: Osprey Aircraft May Face Tort Claims

  

  A recent U.S. Marine Corps Command report found that the cause of a 2022 Osprey crash was a problem known to the manufacturer and the military for over 10 years — and the aircraft may now be on its way to a day of reckoning in the tort liability arena, says Alan Hoffman, a retired attorney and aviation expert.

• 4 Business-Building Strategies For Introvert Attorneys

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  Introverted lawyers can build client bases to rival their extroverted peers’ by adapting time-tested strategies for business development that can work for any personality — such as claiming a niche, networking for maximum impact, drawing on existing contacts and more, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.

• DC Circ. Ruling Puts Issue Class Cert. Under Microscope

  

  The D.C. Circuit's recent Harris v. Medical Transportation Management decision, which pushed back against lax application of Rule 23(c)(4) to certify issue classes as an end-run around the predominance requirement, provides potentially persuasive fodder for seeking to limit the scope of issue classes in other circuits, say attorneys at Skadden.

• Opinion

  3 Ways Justices' Disclosure Defenses Miss The Ethical Point

  

  The rule-bound interpretation of financial disclosures preferred by U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas — demonstrated in their respective statements defending their failure to disclose gifts from billionaires — show that they do not understand the ethical aspects of the public's concern, says Jim Moliterno at the Washington and Lee University School of Law.

• Despite Fears, American Axle Is Rarely Used To Nix Patents

  

  When the Federal Circuit decided American Axle v. Neapco, invalidating claims as being directed to ineligible subject matter under Section 101, practitioners feared the decision would affect the eligibility and validity of mechanical patents under the section, a fear that recent research shows hasn't been borne out, say Ryan Schermerhorn, Christopher Zahn and Daniela Dulworth at Marshall Gerstein.

• 5 Ways To Improve Commercial Arbitration Clauses

  

  Arbitration clauses have become ubiquitous as parties hope to streamline disputes, but with boilerplate language leading to the same downsides as conventional litigation, commercial contract drafters should opt for custom-written terms, say Lauren Zimmerman and Jeff Zalesin at Selendy Gay.

• FAA Drone Guidance Clears Air On Scope Of Authority

  

  The Federal Aviation Administration's new guidance outlines robust federal preemption in aviation safety and airspace efficiency, including drones, while delineating roles for state and local governments, and this fact sheet will likely be a helpful resource for state and local lawmakers, industry, courts and others, say attorneys at Wiley.

• What 11th Circ. Revival Of Deaf Employee's Bias Suit Portends

  

  The Eleventh Circuit's recent Beasley v. O'Reilly Auto Parts decision, which created a circuit split involving the issue of linking accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act to essential job functions, is a curiosity about the court's analysis at least and a potential game changer for employer duties at most, says John Doran at Sherman & Howard.

• How Cos. Can Comply With China's Cybersecurity Rules

  

  The Chinese cybersecurity regulator’s recently imposed restrictions on Micron and newly effective enforcement procedures mark a new era of privacy regulation in the country, so multinational companies with operations there should ensure their compliance programs are updated accordingly, say Lorna Chen and Jieni Ji at Shearman.

• Caregiver Flexibility Is Crucial For Atty Engagement, Retention

  

  As the battle for top talent continues post-pandemic, many firms are attempting to attract employees with progressive hybrid working environments — and supporting caregivers before, during and after an extended leave is a critically important way to retain top talent, says Manar Morales at The Diversity & Flexibility Alliance.

• How A Union Fight Played A Key Role In Yellow's Bankruptcy

  

  Finger-pointing between company and union representatives appears to be front and center at the early stages of trucking company Yellow’s bankruptcy case, highlighting the failed contract negotiations' role in the company's demise, says George Singer at Holland & Hart.

• Hot OSHA Summer: Regulatory Activity In Full Swing

  

  Recent actions by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration — including changes to its injury and illness reporting rule, its proposal to allow nonemployee union reps to accompany OSHA inspectors, and a hazard alert on extreme heat — show that the agency's regulatory and enforcement regime remains vigorous, says Heather MacDougall at Morgan Lewis.

• Strike Force Actions Underscore Foreign Risks For Tech Cos.

  

  As recent prosecutions demonstrate, a multiagency strike force is ramping up enforcement of trade secret theft and export control violations, and companies will need to be proactive in protecting their sensitive technologies from foreign adversaries, say attorneys at McGuireWoods.

• Ga. Mirror-Image Rule Makes Settlements Fraught For Insurers

  

  The Georgia Court of Appeals' recent decision in Pierce v. Banks shows how strictly Georgia courts will enforce the rule that an insurer's response to a settlement demand must be a mirror image of the demand — and is a reminder that parties must exercise caution when accepting such a demand, says Seth Friedman at Lewis Brisbois.