Expert Analysis

• COVID Insurance Cases Highlight Federal-State Court Tension

  

  COVID-19 insurance coverage litigation has resulted in an unprecedented number of federal courts preemptively ruling on an area of law in which state courts have final say — a problematic trend with likely undesirable results for litigants unless federal courts consider certain proactive solutions, says John Koch at Flaster Greenberg.

• A Real-World Guide To Staying Discovery In Federal Court

  

  Pleas for stay of discovery under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are often rejected when motions to dismiss are pending due to a tenacious tangle of case law, imposing financial and administrative burdens on parties, but some unambiguous rules of thumb can be gleaned to maximize the chances of a discovery stay, says Amir Shachmurove at Reed Smith.

• Heed These Rules, Or Risk Your Argument On Appeal

  

  Failing to meet the scattered requirements for appellate preservation can have dire consequences, so litigants must understand the relevant briefing rules, the differences between waiver and forfeiture, and the four components of a pressed argument in order to get their case fully considered on appeal and avoid sanctions or dismissal, says Michael Soyfer at Quinn Emanuel.

• What To Include In Orders Governing Remote Arbitration

  

  When conducting remote arbitration, attorneys should negotiate written orders that spell out clear rules on technology accommodations, document handling, witness readiness and other key considerations to ensure parties' rights are protected and the neutral's time is not wasted, say Matthew Williams and Christina Sarchio at Dechert.

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  Embracing ESG: CBRE GC Talks Effective Compliance Emails

  

  Good corporate governance requires communicating expectations for ethical conduct, but compliance emails need not be overly technical — a relatable story told in simple language with humility and respect can create internal communications that drive home the message, says Laurence Midler at CBRE.

• The Hazards Of Female Lawyers Being 'Office Moms'

  

  Female attorneys are frequently credited with being the "office moms" who do critical but undervalued work — from bringing birthday cakes to serving on diversity committees — but as lawyers return to offices, now is a good time for employers to rectify the gender imbalance that disadvantages women, say Ninth Circuit Judge Margaret McKeown and Fine Kaplan partner Roberta Liebenberg.

• Discovery Immunity For Draft Expert Reports Lacks Clarity

  

  Court rulings on whether — and when — drafts of expert reports are immune from discovery have been inconsistent, so the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure should be amended to better distinguish between draft and final expert reports, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

• FCA Ruling Deepens Circuit Split Over Qui Tam Dismissals

  

  The recent Third Circuit ruling in Polansky v. Executive Health Resources Inc. further widens a split over the standard for government-initiated motions to dismiss qui tam actions under the False Claims Act, and evinces increased scrutiny for motions filed after a defendant has entered the fray, say Kenneth Abell and Katherine Kulkarni at Abell Eskew.

• A Phased Approach To In-House Legal Tech Adoption

  

  In-house legal departments that adopt new technologies too quickly often face frustration or failure, so to help ensure a smooth transition, companies should consider a multistep approach, depending on where they stand with respect to modernizing legal processes, says Tariq Hafeez at LegalEase Solutions.

• Resolving Asbestos Suits Faster In The Pandemic And Beyond

  

  Trial delays due to COVID-19 are an incentive for asbestos plaintiffs and defendants to adopt litigation reforms that can help bring cases to verdicts or settlements faster — changes that will be valuable even after the pandemic ends, says Lisa Oberg at Husch Blackwell.

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  Confronting Origination Credit: How Firms Can Redo Policies

  

  To promote a more diverse and equitable workforce — not to mention better teamwork and higher profits — law firms must tackle common misconceptions about origination credit and design compensation systems that reflect four critical concepts about client relationships, says Blane Prescott at MesaFive.

• How To Comply With ABA's New Language Access Guidance

  

  Considering the American Bar Association's recent language access guidance for lawyers working with clients with whom communication is impeded, attorneys should carefully navigate social and cultural differences and take steps to maintain professional obligations, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Deepika Ravi at Harris Wiltshire.

• Best Practices For Hiring And Integrating Freelance Lawyers

  

  Law firms and legal departments that hire temporary attorneys for certain projects can make the most of their contract talent by ensuring the right fit at the time of recruitment, setting expectations among in-house team members, and being strategic about work distribution, says Leslie Firtell at Tower Legal Solutions.

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  Insurance Commissioner's Agenda: NY On Industry Diversity

  

  My Chi To, executive deputy superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services Insurance Division, discusses steps her agency is taking to promote diversity, equity and inclusion within the insurance industry and suggests practices for companies to consider adopting.

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  Embracing ESG: Cognizant Counsel, CSO Talk Collaboration

  

  Leveraging the general counsel's nuanced view of a company’s strengths and weaknesses, and aligning it with the chief sustainability officer’s focus on long-term environmental and social macro trends, can help shape the values and direction of a company, say John Kim and Sophia Mendelsohn at Cognizant.