Expert Analysis

• 5 Crisis Lawyering Skills For An Age Of Uncertainty

  

  As attorneys increasingly face unprecedented and pervasive situations — from prosecutions of law enforcement officials to executive orders targeting law firms — they must develop several essential competencies of effective crisis lawyering, says Ray Brescia at Albany Law School.

• Opinion

  It's Time For The Judiciary To Fix Its Cybersecurity Problem

  

  After recent reports that hackers have once again infiltrated federal courts’ electronic case management systems, the judiciary should strengthen its cybersecurity practices in line with executive branch standards, outlining clear roles and responsibilities for execution, says Ilona Cohen at HackerOne.

• Why This Popular Class Cert. Approach Doesn't Measure Up

  

  In recent class certification decisions, plaintiffs experts have used the in-sample prediction approach to show that challenged conduct harmed all, or almost all, proposed class members — but this approach is unreliable because it fails two fundamental tests of reliable econometric methods, say consultants at Cornerstone Research.

• Series

  Writing Novels Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Writing my debut novel taught me to appreciate the value of critique and to never give up, no matter how long or tedious the journey, providing me with valuable skills that I now emphasize in my practice, says Daniel Buzzetta at BakerHostetler.

• SDNY OpenAI Order Clarifies Preservation Standards For AI

  

  The Southern District of New York’s recent order in the OpenAI copyright infringement litigation, denying discovery of The New York Times' artificial intelligence technology use, clarifies that traditional preservation benchmarks apply to AI content, relieving organizations from using a “keep everything” approach, says Philip Favro at Favro Law.

• Addressing Legal Risks Of AI In The Homebuilding Industry

  

  Artificial intelligence is transforming the homebuilding industry, but the legal challenges posed by its adoption spread across many areas, including contractual liability and intellectual property issues, so builders should adopt strategies to mitigate the risks and position themselves for success, says Philip Stein at Bilzin Sumberg.

• Transource Ruling Affirms FERC's Grid Planning Authority

  

  The Third Circuit's recent decision in Transource Pennsylvania v. DeFrank, reversing a state agency's denial of an electric transmission facility permit, provides a check on states' ability to veto needed power projects, and is a resounding endorsement of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's regional transmission planning authority, say attorneys at Wilson Sonsini.

• New Conn. Real Estate Laws Will Reshape Housing Landscape

  

  With new legislation tackling Connecticut's real estate landscape, introducing critical new requirements and legal ambiguities that demand careful interpretation, legal counsel will have to navigate a significantly altered and more complex regulatory environment, say attorneys at Harris Beach.

• Opinion

  High Court, Not A Single Justice, Should Decide On Recusal

  

  As public trust in the U.S. Supreme Court continues to decline, the court should adopt a collegial framework in which all justices decide questions of recusal together — a reform that respects both judicial independence and due process for litigants, say Michael Broyde at Emory University and Hayden Hall at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

• How Gov't Reversals Are Flummoxing Renewable Developers

  

  The Trump administration has reversed numerous environmental and energy policies, some of which have then been reinstated by the courts, making it difficult for renewable energy project developers to navigate the current regulatory environment, says John Watson at Spencer Fane.

• Series

  Traveling Solo Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Traveling by myself has taught me to assess risk, understand tone and stay calm in high-pressure situations, which are not only useful life skills, but the foundation of how I support my clients, says Lacey Gutierrez at Group Five Legal.

• Series

  Law School's Missed Lessons: Client Service

  

  Law school teaches you how to interpret the law, but it doesn't teach you some of the key ways to keeping clients satisfied, lessons that I've learned in the most unexpected of places: a book on how to be a butler, says Gregory Ramos at Armstrong Teasdale.

• Colo. Law Brings Some Equilibrium To Condo Defect Reform

  

  Colorado's American Dream Act, effective next year, does not eliminate litigation risk for developers entirely, but it does introduce a process, some predictability and a more holistic means for parties to resolve condominium construction defect claims, and may improve the state's housing shortage, says Bob Burton at Winstead.

• Importers Face Uncertainty As Court Stays Solar Tariff Ruling

  

  The overturning of a Commerce Department rule that allowed duty-free entry of solar cells between 2022 and 2024, now on appeal to the Federal Circuit, means the landscape for imported solar cells and modules is still in flux, while U.S. producers continue to rely on imports, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

• Series

  Adapting To Private Practice: 3 Tips On Finding The Right Job

  

  After 23 years as a state and federal prosecutor, when I contemplated moving to a law firm, practicing solo or going in-house, I found there's a critical first step — deep self-reflection on what you truly want to do and where your strengths lie, says Rachael Jones at McKool Smith.