Expert Analysis

• Opinion

  Newman Suspension Shows Need For Judicial Reform

  

  The recent suspension of U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman following her alleged refusal to participate in a disability inquiry reveals the need for judicial misconduct reforms to ensure that judges step down when they can no longer serve effectively, says Aliza Shatzman at The Legal Accountability Project.

• Practicing Under DOJ 'Safe Harbor' Policy For M&As

  

  The U.S. Justice Department's recently announced safe harbor policy for mergers and acquisitions offers greater specificity and predictability for acquiring companies that need time to self-report violations, but it's important to remember that the new window is not endless, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

• SEC's Life Sciences Actions Utilize Novel Tools And Theories

  

  Recent enforcement actions show that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is employing new forms of data analytics and noteworthy applications of insider trading laws in its scrutiny of fraud within the life sciences and health industries, say Edward Imperatore and Jina Choi at MoFo.

• How And Why Your Firm Should Implement Fixed-Fee Billing

  

  Amid rising burnout in the legal industry and client efforts to curtail spending, pivoting to a fixed-fee billing model may improve client-attorney relationships and offer lawyers financial, logistical and stress relief — while still maintaining profit margins, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.

• Opinion

  SEC Actions Against Musk Are Constitutionally Defective

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent subpoena enforcement action against Elon Musk may be constitutionally and statutorily deficient — and the commission staff who issued the subpoenas and the action may have been unconstitutionally appointed, say Alex Lipman at Lipman Law and Justin Weddle at Weddle Law.

• Series

  Conn. Banking Brief: The Notable Compliance Updates In Q3

  

  The most notable legal changes affecting Connecticut financial institutions in the third quarter of 2023 included increased regulatory protections for consumers, an expansion of state financial assistance for underserved communities, and a panoply of tweaks to existing laws, says Brian Rich at Barclay Damon.

• Opinion

  Judicial Independence Needs Defense Amid Political Threats

  

  Amid recent and historic challenges to the judiciary from political forces, safeguarding judicial independence and maintaining the integrity of the legal system is increasingly urgent, says Robert Peck at the Center for Constitutional Litigation.

• How Law Firms Can Use Account-Based Marketing Strategies

  

  Amid several evolving legal industry trends, account-based marketing can help law firms uncover additional revenue-generating opportunities with existing clients, with key considerations ranging from data analytics to relationship building, say Jennifer Ramsey at stage LLC and consultant Gina Sponzilli.

• Strategic Succession Planning At Law Firms Is Crucial

  

  Senior partners' reluctance to retire, the rise of the nonequity partner tier and generational differences in expectations are all contributing to an increasing number of departures from BigLaw, making it imperative for firms to encourage retirement among senior ranks and provide clearer leadership pathways to junior attorneys, says Laura Leopard at Leopard Solutions.

• The Impact Of Proposed HSR Form Changes On Agency Staff

  

  The Federal Trade Commission's recent proposed changes to the Hart-Scott-Rodino Notification and Report Form will have the unintended effect of drastically increasing the burden on agency staff without an appreciable increase in their ability to detect potentially anti-competitive transactions, say Amanda Wait and Andrew Eklund at Norton Rose.

• FTC's Health Co. Suit Indicates Agency's Private Equity Focus

  

  The Federal Trade Commission's latest lawsuit against an anesthesia company and its private equity investor highlights the agency's willingness to regulate the health care industry even when relevant acquisitions are relatively dated or when the controlling entity's economic interest is under 50%, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

• Top 4 Antitrust Enforcement Issues In Health Care Today

  

  The Federal Trade Commission's recent lawsuit against U.S. Anesthesia Partners exemplifies antitrust enforcement authorities' efforts to aggressively reshape the health care industry, ranging from new proposed rules to withdrawals of previous guidance, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

• Maximizing Law Firm Profitability In Uncertain Times

  

  As threats of an economic downturn loom, firms can boost profits by embracing the power of bottom-line management and creating an ecosystem where strategic financial oversight and robust timekeeping practices meet evolved client relations, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.

• OECD Gender Inclusive Toolkit May Inform Competition Policy

  

  A toolkit recently released by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development offers a potential framework for guiding competition regulators and practitioners to better understand how market dynamics affect different gender groups, and could potentially be applied to other demographic lenses as well, say analysts at Analysis Group.

• Alleged $636M Deal Error Highlights Ethics Considerations

  

  Adelman v. Proskauer, a malpractice suit that allegedly arose from a cut-and-paste error resulting in potential damages of $636 million, presents an intriguing juxtaposition of facts and legal issues — and practical ethical considerations for transactions attorneys, says Richard Leisner at Trenam Law.