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.

• The Year In FRAND: What To Know Heading Into 2024

  

  In 2023, there were eight significant developments concerning the fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory patent licensing regime that undergirds technical standardization, say Tom Millikan and Kevin Zeck at Perkins Coie.

• NCAA Proposal Points To A New NIL Compensation Frontier

  

  Although NCAA President Charlie Baker's recent proposal for Division I institutions to pay student-athletes for name, image and likeness licensing deals is unlikely to pass in its current form, it shows that direct compensation for student-athletes is a looming reality — and member institutions should begin preparing in earnest, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

• 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.

• How Int'l Student-Athlete Law Would Change The NIL Game

  

  Recently proposed legislation to allow international student-athletes the opportunity to profit from their name, image and likeness without violating their F-1 nonimmigrant student visa status represents a pivotal step in NIL policy, and universities must assess and adapt their approaches to accommodate unique immigration concerns, say attorneys at Phelps Dunbar.

• 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.

• How The PTAB Landscape Shifted In 2023

  

  Attorneys at Finnegan consider the impact of noteworthy Patent Trial and Appeal Board developments in 2023, including rulemaking, litigation, precedential decisions and director reviews that affected PTAB practice, and offer a reference for examining future proceedings and strategies.

• 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.

• Coming To Terms With Means-Plus-Function Patent Claims

  

  Made-up patent claim terms can open arguments that means-plus-function claim interpretation applies under the Patent Act, but a series of practice tips, including the use of structural language immediately after introducing a claim element, can help avoid such perceptions, says Brad Luchsinger at Harness IP.

• 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.

• Opinion

  Giving The Gov't Drug Patent March-In Authority Is Bad Policy

  

  The Biden administration's recent proposal to allow government seizure of certain taxpayer-funded drug patents is a terrible idea that would negate the benefits of government-funded research, to the detriment of patients and the wider economy, says Wayne Winegarden at Pacific Research Institute.

• How Clients May Use AI To Monitor Attorneys

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  Artificial intelligence tools will increasingly enable clients to monitor and evaluate their counsel’s activities, so attorneys must clearly define the terms of engagement and likewise take advantage of the efficiencies offered by AI, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.

• 7 Enforcement Predictions For US Export Controls, Sanctions

  

  Federal agencies' assertions of coming increases in export-control and sanctions-violations enforcement are not new, but recent improvements in resources and inter-agency cooperation allow for certain predictions about how the administration’s latest approach to enforcement may be applied going forward, say attorneys at Akin.

• Key Takeaways From 2023 Trade Secret Developments

  

  Attorneys at Faegre Drinker parse the past year's most significant trade secret rulings for practice tips, including the importance of establishing a confidential relationship when sharing trade secrets with third parties.

• Energy Sector Takeaways From Biden's AI Executive Order

  

  While the U.S. Department of Energy begins to establish rules in accordance with President Joe Biden's recent executive order on artificial intelligence, in-house counsel can work with business lines and executive teams to consider implementing their own AI governance process, say Joel Meister and James De Vellis at Foley & Lardner.