Expert Analysis

• How Partial Invalidation Of ERISA Guidance Affects Advisers

  

  A Florida federal court's recent invalidation of the U.S. Department of Labor's policy on rollovers from Employee Retirement Income Security Act plans to individual retirement accounts significantly narrows the agency's attempt to regulate this area, but there are still situations where an adviser may need to rely on the partially vacated guidance, say Robert Daily and Sterling Perkinson at Kilpatrick.

• 8 Steps To Improve The Perception Of In-House Legal Counsel

  

  With the pandemic paving the way for a reputational shift in favor of in-house corporate legal teams, there are proactive steps that legal departments can take to fully rebrand themselves as strong allies and generators of value, says Allison Rosner at Major Lindsey.

• Procedure Rule 7.1 Can Simplify Litigators' Diversity Analysis

  

  A recent amendment to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 7.1 will help trial courts determine whether the parties to a case are diverse, and may also allow litigators to more quickly determine whether they can remove certain cases to federal court, says Steve Shapiro at Schnader Harrison.

• Reviewing Exec Separation Filings After McDonald's SEC Deal

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission recently charged McDonald's and its former CEO Stephen Easterbrook with disclosure violations related to his separation from the company in 2019, offering a cautionary tale for public issuers making disclosures regarding internal investigations and executive separations, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

• Atty Conflict Discussions In Idaho Murder Case And Beyond

  

  A public defender's representation of the accused University of Idaho murderer after prior representation of a victim's parent doesn't constitute a violation of conflict of interest rules, but the case prompts ethical questions about navigating client conflicts in small-town criminal defense and big-city corporate law alike, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Charles Loeser at HWG.

• Why The Original 'Rocket Docket' Will Likely Resume Its Pace

  

  Though the Eastern District of Virginia, for decades the fastest federal trial court in the country, experienced significant pandemic-related slowdowns, several factors unique to the district suggest that it will soon return to its speedy pace, say Dabney Carr and Robert Angle at Troutman Pepper.

• What To Expect This Proxy Season With New Exec Pay Rules

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's newly mandated measures over performance-based pay disclosures will give shareholders and their advocates new data to better align executive compensation with long-term performance goals, including for environmental, social and governance priorities, say Michael Dark and Nicole Lavallee at Berman Tabacco.

• The Discipline George Santos Would Face If He Were A Lawyer

  

  Rep. George Santos, who has become a national punchline for his alleged lies, hasn't faced many consequences yet, but if he were a lawyer, even his nonwork behavior would be regulated by the American Bar Association's Model Rules of Professional Conduct, and violations in the past have led to sanctions and even disbarment, says Mark Hinderks at Stinson.

• Reimagining Benefits For A World Without Noncompetes

  

  Though the Federal Trade Commission's recently proposed noncompete ban is still in its infancy, companies should begin considering whether they would need to retool their payment and benefits packages to comply, while still protecting their competitive edge, say Melissa Ostrower and Alec Nealon at Jackson Lewis.

• A Litigation Move That Could Conserve Discovery Resources

  

  Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben proposes the preliminary legal opinion procedure — seeking a court's opinion on a disputed legal standard at the outset, rather than the close, of discovery — as a useful resource-preservation tool for legally complex, discovery-intensive litigation.

• Litigators Should Approach AI Tools With Caution

  

  Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT hold potential to streamline various aspects of the litigation process, resulting in improved efficiency and outcomes, but should be carefully double-checked for confidentiality, plagiarism and accuracy concerns, say Zachary Foster and Melanie Kalmanson at Quarles & Brady.

• High Court Veteran Benefits Ruling Hints At Canon Skepticism

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court's recent Arellano v. McDonough decision — limiting the retroactivity of disability benefits for some veterans — broadly suggests the court is increasingly skeptical of substantive canons of interpretation, and offers guidance on how the pro-veteran canon should be applied going forward, says Kian Hudson at Barnes & Thornburg.

• Opinion

  9th Circ. Should Rethink Inadequate UBH Ruling

  

  The Ninth Circuit should seriously consider rehearing Wit v. United Behavioral Health en banc because its recent claims reprocessing decision in the case raises troubling questions about the future of Employee Retirement Income Security Act's class actions, says Mark DeBofsky at DeBofsky Law.

• 5th Circ. Confidential Witness Ruling Is A Big Change

  

  The Fifth Circuit's recent ruling in Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System v. Six Flags that confidential witness claims can be sufficient to establish scienter is a significant message that anonymous witness allegations should be credited, and plaintiffs should feel more confident including these claims in their securities fraud complaints, say James Christie and David Saldamando at Labaton Sucharow.

• 5 Ways Attorneys Can Use Emotion In Client Pitches

  

  Lawyers are skilled at using their high emotional intelligence to build rapport with clients, so when planning your next pitch, consider how you can create some emotional peaks, personal connections and moments of magic that might help you stick in prospective clients' minds and seal the deal, says consultant Diana Kander.