Expert Analysis

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  Power To The Paralegals: An Untapped Source For Biz Roles

  

  Law firms looking to recruit legal business talent should consider turning to paralegals, who practice several key skills every day that prepare them to thrive in marketing and client development roles, says Vanessa Torres at Lowenstein Sandler.

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  Playing Poker Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Poker is a master class in psychology, risk management and strategic thinking, and I’m a better attorney because it has taught me to read my opponents, adapt when I’m dealt the unexpected and stay patient until I'm ready to reveal my hand, says Casey Kingsley at McCreadyLaw.

• Does R-Squared Have A Role In Event Study Analysis?

  

  With 2024 marking the second consecutive year to experience an increase in securities class action filings, determining the reliability of event study models is of utmost importance, but it's time to reconsider the traditional method of doing so, say analysts at StoneTurn Group.

• Avoiding The Risk Of Continued AI-Washing Enforcement

  

  A recent action brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Department of Justice, alleging a software developer defrauded investors by lying about his app’s artificial intelligence capabilities, suggests this administration will continue to target AI washing, so companies should adopt practices to mitigate enforcement risk, say attorneys at Debevoise.

• What EU 'Killer Acquisition' Study Means For Pharma Deals

  

  The European Commission’s recent study of pharmaceutical companies' acquisitions of emerging competitive threats, the first of its kind globally, has important implications for the industry, and may lead to increased awareness of merger control risks in collaborative agreements, say lawyers at Paul Weiss.

• As Tariffs Hit The Radar, PE Counsel Should Review Strategies

  

  As tariffs compound existing challenges in the private equity sector, counsel should consider existing headwinds such as interest rates and industry-specific impacts like supply chains and pricing power, which may help mitigate risks and capture opportunity, says Nathan Viehl at Thompson Coburn.

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  Law School's Missed Lessons: Becoming A Firmwide MVP

  

  Though lawyers don't have a neat metric like baseball players for measuring the value they contribute to their organizations, the sooner new attorneys learn skills frequently skipped in law school — like networking, marketing, client development and case evaluation — the more valuable, and less replaceable, they will be, says Alex Barnett at DiCello Levitt.

• 9th Circ. Ruling Clarifies Derivative Suit Representation Test

  

  The Ninth Circuit's recent ruling in Bigfoot Ventures v. Knighton clarifies the test used to assess the adequacy of a plaintiff's representation in a shareholder derivative action, and will likely prove useful to litigants by ensuring that courts can fully examine all relevant circumstances, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

• What We Lost After SEC Eliminated Regional Director Role

  

  Former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Regional Director Marc Fagel discusses the recent wholesale elimination of the regional director position, the responsibilities of the job itself and why discarding this role highlights how the appearance of creating a more efficient agency may limit the SEC's effectiveness.

• $38M Law Firm Settlement Highlights 'Unworthy Client' Perils

  

  A recent settlement of claims against law firm Eckert Seamans for allegedly abetting a Ponzi scheme underscores the continuing threat of clients who seek to exploit their lawyers in perpetrating fraud, and the critical importance of preemptive measures to avoid these clients, say attorneys at Lockton Companies.

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  Teaching Business Law Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Teaching business law to college students has rekindled my sense of purpose as a lawyer — I am more mindful of the importance of the rule of law and the benefits of our common law system, which helps me maintain a clearer perspective on work, says David Feldman at Feldman Legal Advisors.

• Navigating The Expanding Frontier Of Premerger Notice Laws

  

  Washington's newly enacted law requiring premerger notification to state enforcers builds upon a growing trend of state scrutiny into transactions in the healthcare sector and beyond, and may inspire other states to enact similar legislation, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

• Deregulation Memo Presents Risks, Opportunities For Cos.

  

  A recent Trump administration memo providing direction to agencies tasked with rescinding regulations under an earlier executive order — without undergoing the typical notice-and-review process — will likely create much uncertainty for businesses, though they may be able to engage with agencies to shape the regulatory agenda, say attorneys at Blank Rome.

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  Law School's Missed Lessons: Mastering Discovery

  

  The discovery process and the rules that govern it are often absent from law school curricula, but developing a solid grasp of the particulars can give any new attorney a leg up in their practice, says Jordan Davies at Knowles Gallant.

• Opinion

  Proposals Against Phillips 66 Threaten Corporate Law

  

  Activist investor Elliott Investment Management's latest attempted tactic — initiating a high-stakes proxy contest against Phillips 66 — goes too far and would cause the company to both violate Delaware law and avoid the legal exception to the shareholder proposal process, says J.W. Verret at George Mason University.