Expert Analysis

• How The Fla. AG Is Impeding Recreational Marijuana

  

  Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has again vowed to stand in the way of a measure on a ballot proposal to legalize the adult use of recreational marijuana, which followed guidance from a previous Florida Supreme Court decision — and if the court sides with her, proponents will be left at an impasse, say Daniel Russell and Daniel McGinn at Dean Mead.

• Fla. Foreign Real Estate Law Brings Broad Investment Risks

  

  Last month, Florida became the latest state to enact legislation prohibiting Chinese investors from acquiring certain interests in real property, introducing significant legal uncertainty and consequences for real estate stakeholders and the private equity industry, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

• Prepping Your Business Ahead Of Affirmative Action Ruling

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court's upcoming ruling on whether race should play a role in college admissions could potentially end affirmative action, and companies will need a considered approach to these circumstances that protects their brand power and future profits, and be prepared to answer tough questions, say Nadine Blackburn at United Minds and Eric Blankenbaker at Weber Shandwick.

• Tackling Judge-Shopping Concerns While Honoring Localism

  

  As the debate continues over judge-shopping and case assignments in federal court, policymakers should look to a hybrid model that preserves the benefits of localism for those cases that warrant it, while preventing the appearance of judge-shopping for cases of a more national or widespread character, says Joshua Sohn at the U.S. Department of Justice.

• State Laws Could Complicate Employer Pandemic Protocols

  

  If the recent wave of state bills that would prevent employers from implementing certain safety protocols in a future pandemic is signed into law, companies — especially those that operate across state lines — will be forced to completely rewrite their pandemic playbooks to avoid compliance issues and discrimination claims, says Karla Grossenbacher at Seyfarth Shaw.

• After Warhol, The High Court Must Clarify Copyright Damages

  

  Following the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Warhol v. Goldsmith, a circuit split over the Copyright Act's statute of limitations provision demonstrates a clear need for the court to decide whether the act imposes a lookback period on copyright infringement claims brought under the discovery rule, say Hugh Marbury and Molly Shaffer at Cozen O'Connor.

• How Fla. Amendment Changes The State's Mini-TCPA

  

  Gov. Ron Desantis recently signed amendments that will roll back Florida's mini-Telephone Consumer Protection Act by getting rid of the capacious definition of an autodialer, leaving the courts to sort out where the lines fall in Florida Telephone Solicitation Act litigation, says Aaron Weiss at Carlton Fields.

• Perspectives

  How Attorneys Can Help Combat Anti-Asian Hate

  

  Amid an exponential increase in violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, unique obstacles stand in the way of accountability and justice — but lawyers can effect powerful change by raising awareness, offering legal representation, advocating for victims’ rights and more, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

• Opinion

  Congress Needs To Enact A Federal Anti-SLAPP Statute

  

  Although many states have passed statutes meant to prevent individuals or entities from filing strategic lawsuits against public participation, other states have not, so it's time for Congress to enact a federal statute to ensure that free speech and petitioning rights are uniformly protected nationwide in federal court, say attorneys at Skadden.

• As Subchapter V's Popularity Rises, So Do Its Boundaries

  

  Recent data and bankruptcy court rulings give greater context to Subchapter V’s popularity, but also show how courts continue to interpret its provisions to establish limits and contours, such as the sequence of filing for affiliate debtors, say Jack O’Connor and Heidi Hockberger at Levenfeld Pearlstein.

• Takeaways From New Fla. Pharmacy Benefit Manager Rules

  

  A recently passed Florida law imposes several new requirements on pharmacy benefit managers, necessitating practical considerations that range from potential license application delays to possible trade secret exposure, say Thomas Range and Bruce Platt at Akerman.

• Some Client Speculations On AI And The Law Firm Biz Model

  

  Generative artificial intelligence technologies will put pressure on the business of law as it is structured currently, but clients may end up with more price certainty for legal services, and lawyers may spend more time being lawyers, says Jonathan Cole at Melody Capital.

• Trafficking Ruling Offers Liability Lessons For Hospitality Cos.

  

  A California federal court recently dismissed a lawsuit accusing several national hotel chains of knowingly benefiting from sex trafficking at their premises, highlighting how hospitality leaders can protect their guests and staff, and shield their companies from liability and reputational damage, says Danielle Dudai at Hall Booth.

• Dissecting The Case Law On Automaker Arbitration Provisions

  

  As automakers increasingly turn to arbitration agreements for trimming and defending putative class action lawsuits, there are five factors driving courts' disparate outcomes when resolving an automaker's motion to compel arbitration, say Ellisse Thompson and Brandon Boxler at Klein Thomas.

• How Fla. Tort Reform Will Shift Construction Defect Suits

  

  Recent modifications to Florida's private statutory action rules for building code violations and to the statute of limitations and repose for defect claims significantly clarify ambiguity that had existed under previous rules, and both claimants and defendants should consider new legal arguments that may become possible, say Ryan Soohoo and George Truitt at Cole Scott.