Expert Analysis

• Tide May Be Turning On Texas Two-Step Bankruptcy Strategy

  

  Recent developments in several high-profile bankruptcy cases suggest that the use of the Texas Two-Step to shield solvent companies from tort claims may be falling out of favor, but until the U.S. Supreme Court hears one of these cases the strategy will remain divisive and the subject of increased scrutiny, say attorneys at Rivkin Radler.

• Vice Bankruptcy Ruling Shows Contract Assignment Issues

  

  A New York bankruptcy court’s recent ruling in Vice Media’s Chapter 11 case is likely to have implications for other cases involving the assignment of contracts by corporate entities, and may signal that Showtime will still face an uphill battle in trying to prove that its contract constituted personal services, says Debra Dandeneau at Baker McKenzie.

• Level Up Lawyers' Business Development With Gamification

  

  With employee engagement at a 10-year low in the U.S., there are several gamification techniques marketing and business development teams at law firms can use to make generating new clients and matters more appealing to lawyers, says Heather McCullough at Society 54.

• Mallory Ruling Leaves Personal Jurisdiction Deeply Unsettled

  

  In Mallory v. Norfolk Southern Railway, a closely divided U.S. Supreme Court recently rolled back key aspects of its 2017 opinion in Daimler AG v. Bauman that limited personal jurisdiction, leaving as many questions for businesses as it answers, say John Cerreta and James Rotondo at Day Pitney.

• Despite Economic Ambiguity, Restructuring Still Strong In '23

  

  Although the economy refuses to conform to any predictable script and public perception is middling at best, there's nothing confusing about restructuring activity in 2023, and it seems that restructurings will remain elevated at least through the end of the year and likely longer, says Michael Eisenband at FTI Consulting.

• 5 Ways Firms Can Rethink Office Design In A Hybrid World

  

  As workplaces across the country adapt to flexible work, law firms must prioritize individuality, amenities and technology in office design, says Kristin Cerutti at Nelson Worldwide.

• Opinion

  Bar Score Is Best Hiring Metric Post-Affirmative Action

  

  After the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling striking down affirmative action admissions policies, law firms looking to foster diversity in hiring should view an applicant's Multistate Bar Examination score as the best metric of legal ability — over law school name or GPA, says attorney Alice Griffin.

• 5 Strategies For Restructuring Underperforming CRE Loans

  

  With commercial real estate industry conditions expected to deteriorate further in the coming months, market participants should consider a number of strategies to help resolve challenged investments, ranging from financial restructurings to project phasing, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.

• Ghosting In BigLaw: How To Come Back From Lack Of Feedback

  

  Junior associates can feel powerless when senior colleagues cut off contact instead of providing useful feedback, but young attorneys can get back on track by focusing on practical professional development and reexamining their career priorities, says Rachel Patterson at Orrick.

• The Redemption Of 'Too Big To Fail' After SVB Collapse

  

  With many depositors moving their money to banks deemed "too big to fail" in the wake of the recent failure of Silicon Valley Bank, a term seen as a stigma after the Great Recession has become a sign of stability — but granting some banks too-big-to-fail status, and not others, comes with risks, says Christine Docherty at Goodwin.

• Texas Bankruptcy Ruling May Create Uncertainty For Sureties

  

  A Texas federal court’s recent ruling in Markel Insurance v. Origin Bancorp casts uncertainty on the utility of commonly used contractual trust language, and highlights that sureties should not be put to the task of negotiating intercreditor agreements to protect their rights, says Lisa Tancredi at Womble Bond.

• Steps To Success For Senior Associates

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  Adriana Paris at Rissman Barrett discusses the increased responsibilities and opportunities that becoming a senior associate brings and what attorneys in this role should prioritize to flourish in this stressful but rewarding next level in their careers.

• Opinion

  SEC Crypto Settlements Run Contrary To Public Interest

  

  Cryptocurrency stakeholders await a Southern District of New York ruling poised to break the harmful trend of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission no-admit, no-deny settlements, which come at the expense of the public interest and have the potential to create catastrophic consequences in the crypto space, say Samidh Guha, Sophia Weinstock Kielar and David Rosa at Guha.

• Georgia-Pacific Ruling Furthers Texas Two-Step Challenges

  

  With its recent ruling in the case of Bestwall, barring asbestos injury litigation against nondebtor Georgia-Pacific, the Fourth Circuit joins a growing body of courts addressing the Texas Two-Step's legality, fueled by concerns over the proper use of bankruptcy as a tool for addressing such claims, says George Singer at Holland & Hart.

• Legal Profession Must Do More For Lawyers With Disabilities

  

  At the start of Disability Pride month, Rosalyn Richter at Arnold & Porter looks at why lawyers with disabilities are significantly underrepresented in private practice, asserting that law firms and other employers must do more to conquer the implicit bias that deters attorneys from seeking accommodations.