Banking

Expert Analysis

• Crypto Set To Drive Demand For Traditional Services: Part 1

  

  The widespread adoption and increasing regulation of virtual currencies and related technologies will give rise to the need for individuals with expertise in traditional fields, such as financial services and tax, say Collin Starkweather, a principal at Charles River Associates, and Izzy Nelken, a member of the Chicago Board Options Exchange's product development committee.

• If Lucia Wins On SEC Judges, What Comes Next?

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court is set to consider in Raymond J. Lucia v. SEC whether the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s previous hiring of administrative law judges violated the Constitution. Let's look at two issues on the horizon if the answer is yes, says Daniel Walfish of Walfish & Fissell LLP.

• Rule 23 Changes: Avoid Delays In Class Settlement Approval

  

  Among the proposed amendments to Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which are scheduled to take effect Dec. 1, are specific requirements related to “front-loading.” They outline the process for seeking preliminary court approval of class action settlements and related notice plans, say Shandarese Garr and Niki Mendoza of Garden City Group LLC.

• How Companies Can Foster Internal Whistleblowing

  

  Despite the powerful incentives to engage in external whistleblowing after Digital Realty, companies should know that their compliance programs can contribute in meaningful ways to whether employees decide to report possible misconduct internally or to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, say attorneys with Paul Hastings LLP.

• Best Practices For Building A Better Meeting

  

  How can we improve meetings in the legal industry, which tends to evolve with the speed of a tranquilized water buffalo mired in quicksand? Breaking it down to three phases can yield significant benefits, says Nicholas Cheolas of Zelle LLP.

• 5 Ways Law Firms Are Becoming More Like Hotels

  

  One way law firms differentiate themselves from the competition to attract and retain top talent is through their real estate and workplace strategies. Taking a lead from the hospitality industry can help create a more inviting, welcoming and collaborative workspace environment, says Bella Schiro of Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.

• A Road Map For Protecting Secured Lender Interests Post-Liu

  

  After the D.C. Court of Appeals' recent decision in Andrea Liu v. U.S. Bank, secured lenders may find themselves fighting for the validity of their security interests as a result of condo association foreclosures. However, the court has provided some guidance that should give secured lenders some solace, say attorneys with Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP.

• Opinion

  Gorsuch's 1st Year Shows He Is A Conservative Activist

  

  In his first year on the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Neil Gorsuch has proven to be a narrow-minded elitist who consistently votes in favor of corporations and the powerful, acting to roll back protections for workers, consumers, LGBTQ individuals and other marginalized communities, says Elliot Mincberg of People for the American Way.

• The Many Challenges Facing Venezuela Bribery Suit: Part 2

  

  Resolution of the standing issues raised in the U.S. bribery suit brought by Venezuela’s state-owned oil company PDVSA may have implications not just for this case, but for whether PDVSA may be bound by the Venezuelan government to any future debt restructuring, say Richard Cooper and Boaz Morag of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP.

• A Primer On Valuing Cryptocurrencies

  

  Not all cryptocurrencies are created equal from an economic standpoint, and understanding their differences has crucial implications on their valuation, say economists Simona Mola and An Wang of Bates White LLC.