Expert Analysis

• In The World Of Legal Ethics, 10 Trends To Note From 2023

  

  Lucian Pera at Adams and Reese and Trisha Rich at Holland & Knight identify the top legal ethics trends from 2023 — including issues related to hot documents, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity — that lawyers should be aware of to put their best foot forward.

• Opinion

  Why Challenges To FTC Authority Are Needed

  

  In spite of skepticism from courts, the Federal Trade Commission continues to advance novel legal theories — and Meta's recent federal suit against the agency over its alleged "structurally unconstitutional" administrative proceedings is arguably an expression of backlash to regulatory overreach, says Daniel Gilman at the International Center for Law & Economics.

• The Key Laws Retailers Should Pay Attention To In 2024

  

  2024 promises to be another transformative year for retailers as they navigate the evolving regulatory landscape, particularly surrounding data privacy and sustainability laws, meaning companies should make it a practice to keep track of new legislation and invest in compliance efforts early on, say attorneys at Benesch.

• Strategies For Wire Fraud Prevention As Risk Is On The Rise

  

  Wire transfer fraud is increasingly affecting investment managers, nonbank fintech companies and their clients, but there are steps financial institutions can take to mitigate this increasing risk, like testing cybersecurity effectiveness and sending fake phishing emails, says Casey Jennings at Seward & Kissel.

• SEC, NY Cybersecurity Rules Create Complexity For Insurers

  

  Two separate cybersecurity rules recently adopted by the New York Department of Financial Services and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission pose distinct challenges for insurance industry participants, with important interactions, and potential tensions, for those required to comply with both frameworks, say attorneys at Debevoise.

• How Attorneys Can Be More Efficient This Holiday Season

  

  Attorneys should consider a few key tips to speed up their work during the holidays so they can join the festivities — from streamlining the document review process to creating similar folder structures, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.

• A Look At FedNow Liability Allocation And A 4th Circ. Toss-Up

  

  Dsu-Wei Yuen and Andrew Lorentz at Davis Wright break down the current legal requirements that are directly applicable to common electronic payment systems like FedNow and Automated Clearing House and how they could be affected by a decision in Studco v. 1st Advantage Credit Union, currently on appeal in the Fourth Circuit.

• A Former Bankruptcy Judge Talks 2023 High Court Rulings

  

  In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court issued four bankruptcy law opinions — an extraordinary number — and a close look at these cases signals that changes to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code will have to come from Congress, not the courts, says Phillip Shefferly at the University of Michigan Law School.

• 3 Defense Takeaways From The Bankman-Fried Trial

  

  FTX founder and former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried’s recent fraud conviction offers several key lessons for future white collar defendants, from the changing nature of cross-examination to the continued risks of taking the stand, say Jonathan Porter and Gregg Sofer at Husch Blackwell.

• Series

  Children's Book Writing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Becoming a children's book author has opened doors to incredible new experiences of which I barely dared to dream, but the process has also changed my life by serving as a reminder that strong writing, networking and public speaking skills are hugely beneficial to a legal career, says Shaunna Bailey at Sheppard Mullin.

• Inside New Classified Contract Guidance For Joint Ventures

  

  A recent Information Security Oversight Office notice clarifies the interplay between small business joint-venture rules and eligibility determinations for U.S. Department of Defense classified contracts, but it's still unclear how this should be interpreted for non-DOD procurements, says Todd Overman at Bass Berry.

• The State Of CFPB Focus On Credit Reporting Of Medical Debt

  

  An increase in credit reporting complaints and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's recent annual report on the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act — which focuses on medical debt in credit reporting — are both evidence of the fact that the bureau will continue to prioritize oversight of credit reporting of medical debt, says Kristen Watson at Burr & Forman.

• FDA's Recent Litigation Records Are Strong, But Imperfect

  

  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has notched its share of litigation wins in recent years thanks to a number of key advantages, but the FDA has been less successful in certain highly visible arenas, Jonathan Berman and Colleen Heisey at Jones Day.

• 5 Steps For Healthcare Companies After Biden's AI Order

  

  Rather than simply monitoring for the issuance of agency guidelines on artificial intelligence in the wake of President Joe Biden's October executive order, health and life sciences companies should take action now and begin building internal operational and technical infrastructures designed to govern the use of AI, says Joy Sharp at Faegre Drinker.

• 7 Ways To Address Unknowns In Outsourcing Contracts

  

  Amid rising business uncertainty, companies outsourcing critical functions should build flexibility into their contracts and adopt several contracting approaches to be prepared for a large range of unknown conditions, say Brad Peterson and Laura Buchanan at Mayer Brown.