Expert Analysis

• How And Why Your Firm Should Implement Fixed-Fee Billing

  

  Amid rising burnout in the legal industry and client efforts to curtail spending, pivoting to a fixed-fee billing model may improve client-attorney relationships and offer lawyers financial, logistical and stress relief — while still maintaining profit margins, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.

• Opinion

  Judicial Independence Needs Defense Amid Political Threats

  

  Amid recent and historic challenges to the judiciary from political forces, safeguarding judicial independence and maintaining the integrity of the legal system is increasingly urgent, says Robert Peck at the Center for Constitutional Litigation.

• How Law Firms Can Use Account-Based Marketing Strategies

  

  Amid several evolving legal industry trends, account-based marketing can help law firms uncover additional revenue-generating opportunities with existing clients, with key considerations ranging from data analytics to relationship building, say Jennifer Ramsey at stage LLC and consultant Gina Sponzilli.

• A Reminder For Drug Cos. To Confirm Orange Book Listings

  

  A recent policy statement from the Federal Trade Commission highlights the legal danger that pharmaceutical companies can face for improperly listing patents in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Orange Book, which is also an issue in the context of Hatch-Waxman litigation, say attorneys at Kirkland.

• Strategic Succession Planning At Law Firms Is Crucial

  

  Senior partners' reluctance to retire, the rise of the nonequity partner tier and generational differences in expectations are all contributing to an increasing number of departures from BigLaw, making it imperative for firms to encourage retirement among senior ranks and provide clearer leadership pathways to junior attorneys, says Laura Leopard at Leopard Solutions.

• The Impact Of Proposed HSR Form Changes On Agency Staff

  

  The Federal Trade Commission's recent proposed changes to the Hart-Scott-Rodino Notification and Report Form will have the unintended effect of drastically increasing the burden on agency staff without an appreciable increase in their ability to detect potentially anti-competitive transactions, say Amanda Wait and Andrew Eklund at Norton Rose.

• FTC's Health Co. Suit Indicates Agency's Private Equity Focus

  

  The Federal Trade Commission's latest lawsuit against an anesthesia company and its private equity investor highlights the agency's willingness to regulate the health care industry even when relevant acquisitions are relatively dated or when the controlling entity's economic interest is under 50%, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

• Top 4 Antitrust Enforcement Issues In Health Care Today

  

  The Federal Trade Commission's recent lawsuit against U.S. Anesthesia Partners exemplifies antitrust enforcement authorities' efforts to aggressively reshape the health care industry, ranging from new proposed rules to withdrawals of previous guidance, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

• 6 Lessons From Direct Selling Industry's Win Over FTC

  

  A Texas federal court’s recent decision in favor of a direct selling company in Federal Trade Commission v. Neora offers long-awaited clarity on what constitutes a pyramid scheme, and lessons for companies seeking to prove their sales are consistent with genuine demand, say Monica Zhong and Branko Jovanovic at Edgeworth.

• Maximizing Law Firm Profitability In Uncertain Times

  

  As threats of an economic downturn loom, firms can boost profits by embracing the power of bottom-line management and creating an ecosystem where strategic financial oversight and robust timekeeping practices meet evolved client relations, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.

• OECD Gender Inclusive Toolkit May Inform Competition Policy

  

  A toolkit recently released by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development offers a potential framework for guiding competition regulators and practitioners to better understand how market dynamics affect different gender groups, and could potentially be applied to other demographic lenses as well, say analysts at Analysis Group.

• Insights From The NAD Annual Law Conference

  

  Discussions at the National Advertising Division's recent annual conference featured emerging areas of focus in ad law, NAD process and procedure, and a bullish summary of Federal Trade Commission activity that revealed industry outlooks on investigations and demands, says Christopher Cole at Katten.

• Calif. Law Tests Noncompete Prohibitions' Potential Reach

  

  California’s newly enacted law, which voids employee restrictive covenants, whether signed in or out of the state, has the potential to upend typical agreement negotiations, and highlights ongoing questions concerning how California's worker protections fare in other jurisdictions, says Sarah Tishler at Beck Reed.

• 5 DOJ Enforcement Priorities To Note From Recent Remarks

  

  Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Marshall Miller’s recent speech provided a glimpse into the U.S. Department of Justice’s corporate criminal enforcement priorities — from national security concerns to mergers and acquisitions — with takeaways for companies’ compliance programs, say Joseph Jay and Jennifer Le at Sheppard Mullin.

• 5th Circ. Ruling Reminds Attys That CBP Can Search Devices

  

  The Fifth Circuit’s recent Malik v. Department of Homeland Security decision adds to the chorus of federal courts holding that border agents don’t need a warrant to search travelers’ electronic devices, so attorneys should consider certain special precautions to secure privileged information when reentering the U.S., says Jennifer Freel at Jackson Walker.