Expert Analysis

• Avoiding The Ethical Pitfalls Of Crowdfunded Legal Fees

  

  The crowdfunding of legal fees has become increasingly common, providing a new way for people to afford legal services, but attorneys who accept crowdsourced funds must remember several key ethical obligations to mitigate their risks, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Julienne Pasichow at HWG.

• Issues Ahead As Psychedelic Medicine Faces Pivotal Moment

  

  Recent regulatory changes and decriminalization efforts have opened doors for research and development in psychedelic medicine, but challenges like stigma, access and funding persist, meaning companies will need to address these issues to support the industry’s credibility, say consultants at FTI Consulting.

• How Investors Can Seize Renewables Opportunities In RE

  

  As governments and stakeholders increasingly focus on sustainability in the real estate sector, investors could capture significant upside by implementing an operational real estate strategy focused on renewable energy sources, say attorneys at Goodwin.

• 2 Cases May Expand CFPB's Reach On Deceptive Practices

  

  In two separate cases, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is asserting a broad interpretation of who is subject to the Consumer Financial Protection Act's prohibition on unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts and practices, raising questions about what an expansion of its authority might mean for consumer credit markets, say John Coleman and Leslie Meredith at Orrick.

• What Large Language Models Mean For Document Review

  

  Courts often subject parties using technology assisted review to greater scrutiny than parties conducting linear, manual document review, so parties using large language models for document review should expect even more attention, along with a corresponding need for quality control and validation, say attorneys at Sidley.

• Participating In Living History Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  My role as a baron in a living history group, and my work as volunteer corporate counsel for a book series fan association, has provided me several opportunities to practice in unexpected areas of law — opening doors to experiences that have nurtured invaluable personal and professional skills, says Matthew Parker at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

• Opinion

  Private Equity Owners Can Remedy Law Firms' Agency Issues

  

  Nonlawyer, private-equity ownership of law firms can benefit shareholders and others vulnerable to governance issues such as disparate interests, and can in turn help resolve agency problems, says Michael Di Gennaro at The Law Practice Exchange.

• Mass. Robinhood Ruling Will Affect Broker-Dealers Nationwide

  

  Following the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's recent ruling in Robinhood v. Galvin, which upheld the state's rule imposing a fiduciary duty standard on broker-dealers, the Massachusetts Securities Division will likely target in-state and out-of-state firms under the rule, say attorneys at Mintz.

• How To Protect Atty-Client Privilege While Using Generative AI

  

  When using generative artificial intelligence tools, attorneys should consider several safeguards to avoid breaches or complications in attorney-client privilege, say Antonious Sadek and Christopher Campbell at DLA Piper.

• What FERC-PJM Negotiations Mean For The Energy Industry

  

  Following the aftermath of Winter Storm Elliot, disputes associated with the PJM Interconnection settlement negotiations taking place at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission have brought to the fore a potential legal minefield arising out of extreme weather events that could lead to commercial risks for power generating companies, say attorneys at Hogan Lovells.

• How New Lawyers Can Leverage Feedback For Growth

  

  Embracing constructive criticism as a tool for success can help new lawyers accelerate their professional growth and law firms build a culture of continuous improvement, says Katie Aldrich at Fringe Professional Development.

• How Reps And Warranties Insurance Can Aid Sellers In M&A

  

  Amid the current slowdown in the M&A climate, representation and warranty insurance offers sellers a number of advantages, including protection against fraud and possible leverage to insist on a no-seller-indemnity deal, say Alex Leibowitz and Eric Jesse at Lowenstein Sandler.

• Series

  ESG Around The World: Australia

  

  Clive Cachia and Cathy Ma at K&L Gates detail ESG-reporting policies in Australia and explain how the country is starting to introduce mandatory requirements as ESG performance is increasingly seen as a key investment and corporate differentiator in the fight for global capital.

• Del. Corporate Law Overhaul Delivers On Flexibility For Cos.

  

  Recent amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law provide needed flexibility to public companies, including by making it easier to effect stock splits or changes to authorized shares, and by streamlining the process to ratify defective corporate acts, say attorneys at Venable.

• Restructuring Concerns For Distressed De-SPACs

  

  Distressed companies struggling to remain viable following a de-SPAC transaction can reduce uncertainty by deleveraging balance sheets, reconfiguring contractual and operational relationships, and creating new opportunities for investors via the pursuit of a prepackaged Chapter 11 reorganization plan, say attorneys at Pillsbury.