Expert Analysis

• Ensuring An Agreement's Arbitration Clause Is Enforceable

  

  Several recent U.K. cases show that failure to include arbitration clauses in agreements between entities, or failure to properly word and strengthen such clauses, can give rise to manifold problems when either side attempts to force the other into arbitration, says Henna Elahi at Zaiwalla.

• 8 Steps To Improve The Perception Of In-House Legal Counsel

  

  With the pandemic paving the way for a reputational shift in favor of in-house corporate legal teams, there are proactive steps that legal departments can take to fully rebrand themselves as strong allies and generators of value, says Allison Rosner at Major Lindsey.

• Procedure Rule 7.1 Can Simplify Litigators' Diversity Analysis

  

  A recent amendment to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 7.1 will help trial courts determine whether the parties to a case are diverse, and may also allow litigators to more quickly determine whether they can remove certain cases to federal court, says Steve Shapiro at Schnader Harrison.

• Abu Dhabi's Puzzling Choice To Send ICC Arbitration Offshore

  

  The Abu Dhabi Court of Cassation's perplexing ruling that an arbitration using International Chamber of Commerce rules must proceed in the Abu Dhabi Global Market, despite both parties preferring the onshore Abu Dhabi court, shows the importance of unambiguously identifying one's desired seat of arbitration before disputes arise, say Sam Song and Dara Sahab at Squire Patton.

• Atty Conflict Discussions In Idaho Murder Case And Beyond

  

  A public defender's representation of the accused University of Idaho murderer after prior representation of a victim's parent doesn't constitute a violation of conflict of interest rules, but the case prompts ethical questions about navigating client conflicts in small-town criminal defense and big-city corporate law alike, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Charles Loeser at HWG.

• Lessons From Ex-FBI Agent's Sanctions Violation Indictment

  

  The Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office recently charged former FBI agent Charles McGonigal with violating U.S. sanctions that were placed prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which could help dispel the assumption that sanctions enforcement is focused only on recent measures, says Angelika Hellweger at Rahman Ravelli.

• Why The Original 'Rocket Docket' Will Likely Resume Its Pace

  

  Though the Eastern District of Virginia, for decades the fastest federal trial court in the country, experienced significant pandemic-related slowdowns, several factors unique to the district suggest that it will soon return to its speedy pace, say Dabney Carr and Robert Angle at Troutman Pepper.

• The Discipline George Santos Would Face If He Were A Lawyer

  

  Rep. George Santos, who has become a national punchline for his alleged lies, hasn't faced many consequences yet, but if he were a lawyer, even his nonwork behavior would be regulated by the American Bar Association's Model Rules of Professional Conduct, and violations in the past have led to sanctions and even disbarment, says Mark Hinderks at Stinson.

• A Litigation Move That Could Conserve Discovery Resources

  

  Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben proposes the preliminary legal opinion procedure — seeking a court's opinion on a disputed legal standard at the outset, rather than the close, of discovery — as a useful resource-preservation tool for legally complex, discovery-intensive litigation.

• Navigating DOJ's Fresh Focus On Criminal Monopoly Charges

  

  For the first time in nearly 45 years, the U.S. Department of Justice has brought criminal charges for violations of Section 2 of the Sherman Act in two very different cases, displaying a renewed willingness to level criminal charges for price-fixing or other coordination under both Sections 1 and 2, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

• Litigators Should Approach AI Tools With Caution

  

  Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT hold potential to streamline various aspects of the litigation process, resulting in improved efficiency and outcomes, but should be carefully double-checked for confidentiality, plagiarism and accuracy concerns, say Zachary Foster and Melanie Kalmanson at Quarles & Brady.

• 5 Ways Attorneys Can Use Emotion In Client Pitches

  

  Lawyers are skilled at using their high emotional intelligence to build rapport with clients, so when planning your next pitch, consider how you can create some emotional peaks, personal connections and moments of magic that might help you stick in prospective clients' minds and seal the deal, says consultant Diana Kander.

• 5 Keys To A Productive Mediation

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  Cortney Young at ADR Partners discusses factors that can help to foster success in mediation, including scheduling, preparation, managing client expectations and more.

• Why A Bankruptcy Court OK'd Rare Subpoena Via Twitter

  

  Identifying and taking possession of estate assets can be disrupted when a debtor's previous owners are obstructionist and live outside the U.S., but a liquidator may be able to creatively serve a subpoena via email or even social media in such a situation, as authorized by a New York bankruptcy court in the recent Three Arrows Capital case, says Kyle Arendsen at Squire Patton.

• Evaluating The Legal Ethics Of A ChatGPT-Authored Motion

  

  Aimee Furness and Sam Mallick at Haynes Boone asked ChatGPT to draft a motion to dismiss, and then scrutinized the resulting work product in light of attorneys' ethical and professional responsibility obligations.