Corporate

Expert Analysis

• Rule 23 Changes: Avoid Delays In Class Settlement Approval

  

  Among the proposed amendments to Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which are scheduled to take effect Dec. 1, are specific requirements related to “front-loading.” They outline the process for seeking preliminary court approval of class action settlements and related notice plans, say Shandarese Garr and Niki Mendoza of Garden City Group LLC.

• How Companies Can Foster Internal Whistleblowing

  

  Despite the powerful incentives to engage in external whistleblowing after Digital Realty, companies should know that their compliance programs can contribute in meaningful ways to whether employees decide to report possible misconduct internally or to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, say attorneys with Paul Hastings LLP.

• Best Practices For Building A Better Meeting

  

  How can we improve meetings in the legal industry, which tends to evolve with the speed of a tranquilized water buffalo mired in quicksand? Breaking it down to three phases can yield significant benefits, says Nicholas Cheolas of Zelle LLP.

• At Wayfair Args, Justices Seem Hesitant To Overturn Quill

  

  While the justices' comments during oral argument in South Dakota v. Wayfair Tuesday indicate that the U.S. Supreme Court is divided about the appropriate response to the South Dakota law at the heart of this matter, a ruling to affirm the status quo and hold for the taxpayers would not be surprising, say attorneys with Alston & Bird LLP.

• Tips For Defending PCAOB Investigations

  

  It is important for auditors and their counsel to understand the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board's investigatory and decision-making process. In addition, recent developments like the D.C. Circuit's ruling in Laccetti may impact how an attorney defends an investigation, says Robert Cox of Briglia Hundley PC.

• 5 Ways Law Firms Are Becoming More Like Hotels

  

  One way law firms differentiate themselves from the competition to attract and retain top talent is through their real estate and workplace strategies. Taking a lead from the hospitality industry can help create a more inviting, welcoming and collaborative workspace environment, says Bella Schiro of Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.

• What's New In NIST’s Updated Cybersecurity Framework

  

  On Tuesday, the National Institute for Standards and Technology released a revised version of its standard-setting Cybersecurity Framework, once again producing a useful, flexible document that can be applied or adapted by a wide range of companies, says Alan Raul, leader of Sidley Austin LLP's cybersecurity practice.

• Opinion

  Gorsuch's 1st Year Shows He Is A Conservative Activist

  

  In his first year on the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Neil Gorsuch has proven to be a narrow-minded elitist who consistently votes in favor of corporations and the powerful, acting to roll back protections for workers, consumers, LGBTQ individuals and other marginalized communities, says Elliot Mincberg of People for the American Way.

• Opinion

  There Is Middle Ground For US Lawyers On AML Regimes

  

  The American Bar Association continues to oppose legislation that would impose certain European Union and U.K. anti-money laundering requirements on U.S. lawyers. The ABA should further consider its approach to this issue as there is a viable middle ground that protects privileged communications and confidential information while advancing the interests of the legal profession, says Matthew O’Hara of Freeborn & Peters LLP.

• GDPR And HR: 8 Steps To Compliance For US Companies

  

  American organizations with a European workforce, or presence, should not assume that they can ignore the General Data Protection Regulation in favor of a self-regulatory approach to employee privacy, as is often favored across the U.S., say Sam Rayner and Tom Mintern of Bird & Bird LLP.