Expert Analysis

• Black-Led VC Fund Case Could Hinge On Nature Of Grants

  

  Organizations whose missions involve any manner of race-conscious funding should closely monitor arguments this week in American Alliance v. Fearless Fund, a case filed against a grant program that seeks to address the gap in venture capital funding for Black women-led businesses, which will examine whether grants are charitable under Civil Rights Act Section 1981 liability, say Kali Schellenberg and John Stapleton at LeVan Stapleton, and Kenneth Trujillo at Chamberlain Hrdlicka.

• Takeaways From SEC's Aggressive Cybersecurity Moves

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's intensifying policy on cybersecurity and securities violations in the wake of a data breach — like its enforcement action against SolarWinds and its security officer — has emboldened shareholders to file related suits, creating a heightened threat to public companies, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

• What R&W Insurance Access Means For Small-Cap M&A

  

  As a slowdown in mergers and acquisitions has increased insurer appetite for underwriting small-cap transactions, buyers of small and midsize enterprises stand to benefit from easier access to representations and warranties insurance, which can add protection and reassurance for all parties involved in a deal, say Caroline Thee and Ewelina Mikocewicz at Taft Stettinius.

• Considerations For Lawyer Witnesses After FTX Trial

  

  Sam Bankman-Fried's recent trial testimony about his lawyers' involvement in FTX's business highlights the need for attorney-witnesses to understand privilege issues in order to avoid costly discovery disputes and, potentially, uncover critical evidence an adversary might seek to conceal, says Lawrence Bluestone at Genova Burns.

• Changes To Note In New AAA Mass Arbitration Rules

  

  The American Arbitration Association updated its mass arbitration rules earlier this month — clarifying issues that were previously being litigated in front of the AAA, and significantly streamlining the process of getting to a merits arbitration for claimants who have suffered similar wrongs and are bound by mandatory arbitration clauses, say attorneys at Labaton Keller.

• 9 Tools To Manage PAGA Claims After Calif. High Court Ruling

  

  In Estrada v. Royalty Carpet Mills, the California Supreme Court recently dealt a blow to employers by ruling that courts cannot dismiss Private Attorneys General Act claims on manageability grounds, but defendants and courts can still use arbitration agreements, due process challenges and other methods when dealing with unmanageable claims, says Ryan Krueger at Sheppard Mullin.

• Del. Dispatch: Efforts Clause Trumps Contractual Right

  

  The Delaware Court of Chancery's Chordia v. Lee ruling this month — that the efforts clause set forth in a stockholders' agreement overrode the acquired company's right to fire its officers and employees — highlights key considerations for parties in such agreements to avoid post-acquisition disputes, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

• Employee Experience Strategy Can Boost Law Firm Success

  

  Amid continuing business uncertainty, law firms should consider adopting a holistic employee experience strategy — prioritizing consistency, targeting signature moments and leveraging measurement tools — to maximize productivity and profitability, says Haley Revel at Calibrate Consulting.

• Opinion

  CFPB Must Clarify When Anti-Fraud Benefits Offset Harms

  

  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's ill-explained orders against two banks, concerning legitimate unemployment accounts that were frozen in attempts to control COVID-era fraud, illustrate an urgent need for bureau guidance on when the systemwide benefits of a potentially unfair practice outweigh the risk of harming a minority of consumers, says Jonathan Joshua at Joshua Law Firm.

• What Cos. Can Learn From 2023 Export Enforcement Report

  

  A January report summarizing key actions and policy changes undertaken at the Office of Export Enforcement in 2023 is a valuable indicator of future government priorities and the factors companies should consider as they conduct export operations amid what may be a turbulent international trading environment in 2024, says Thaddeus McBride at Bass Berry.

• What EU And UK Corp. Corruption Reform Means For US Cos.

  

  Legislative developments in the U.K. and European Union have signaled that the prosecution of fraud and corruption is becoming a greater priority, and large U.S. companies with a global presence should view them as an opportunity to create and revise their global compliance programs, say attorneys at DLA Piper.

• How Consumer Product Cos. Can Keep Up With Class Actions

  

  Recent cases show California's federal courts and the Ninth Circuit remain the preferred arena for consumers pursuing false advertising and trade deception claims against companies — so manufacturers, distributors and retailers of consumer products should continue to watch these courts for guidance on how to fight class actions, say attorneys at Dechert.

• Series

  Competing In Triathlons Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  While practicing law and competing in long-distance triathlons can make work and life feel unbalanced at times, participating in the sport has revealed important lessons about versatility, self-care and perseverance that apply to the office as much as they do the racecourse, says Laura Heusel at Butler Snow.

• Series

  In Focus At The EEOC: Preserving Legal System Access

  

  The track records of and public commentary from U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission leaders — including two recently confirmed Democratic appointees — can provide insight into how the agency may approach access to justice priorities, as identified in its latest strategic enforcement plan, says Aniko Schwarcz at Cohen Milstein.

• Notes Of Interest From 5th Circ. Illumina-Grail Merger Ruling

  

  Attorneys at Simpson Thacher consider the Fifth Circuit's recent decision upholding the Federal Trade Commission's challenge of the Illumina merger with Grail, its much-needed boost to the Biden administration's antitrust agenda, and some silver linings the decision offers to merging parties.