Expert Analysis

• Opinion

  Despite Its Plan Objections, UST Also Won In Purdue Ch. 11

  

  The Second Circuit’s recent decision approving Purdue Pharma’s reorganization plan is a win even for the dissenting Office of the U.S. Trustee because the decision sets extremely stringent guidelines for future use of nonconsensual third-party releases, say Edward Neiger and Jennifer Christian at Ask.

• Murdaugh Trials Offer Law Firms Fraud Prevention Reminders

  

  As the fraud case against Alex Murdaugh continues to play out, the evidence and narrative presented at his murder trial earlier this year may provide lessons for law firms on implementing robust internal controls that can detect and prevent similar kinds of fraud, say Travis Casner and Helga Zauner at Weaver and Tidwell.

• 2nd Circ. Reinsurance Ruling Misconstrues English Law

  

  The Second Circuit's finding in Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania v. Equitas Insurance, that London-based reinsurer Equitas owed coverage for losses outside the policy period, stems from that court's misinterpretation of English law on reinsurance policy construction, says Christopher Foster at Holman Fenwick.

• Maine PFAS Law Is A Lesson In Legislative Flexibility

  

  Nearly two years after enacting its PFAS in Products law, the Maine Legislature shows a willingness to revisit its prior legislative action to balance competing stakeholder concerns, ​and is modeling the necessary flexibility needed to address PFAS, say Mathew Todaro and Maye Emlein at Verrill Dana.

• Firm Tips For Helping New Lawyers Succeed Post-Pandemic

  

  Ten steps can help firms significantly enhance the experience of attorneys who started their careers in the coronavirus pandemic era, including facilitating opportunities for cross-firm connection, which can ultimately help build momentum for business development, says Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners.

• A Brief Primer On Using Web-Archived Evidence

  

  Because the temporal dimensions of web content — i.e., what appeared online, and when — are increasingly critical to all kinds of claims, attorneys should understand how web archives can be used to furnish key evidence, as well as strategies for admitting and authenticating such evidence in court, says Nicholas Taylor at the Los Alamos National Laboratory Research Library.

• 4 Emerging Risks For US Insurance Markets

  

  Both insureds and insurers in the U.S. must be aware of significant inbound exposures — including the issues arising from opioids, climate change and artificial intelligence — that could lead to continued volatility in insurance markets, say Aidan McCormack and Wes Reichart at DLA Piper.

• Tackling Judge-Shopping Concerns While Honoring Localism

  

  As the debate continues over judge-shopping and case assignments in federal court, policymakers should look to a hybrid model that preserves the benefits of localism for those cases that warrant it, while preventing the appearance of judge-shopping for cases of a more national or widespread character, says Joshua Sohn at the U.S. Department of Justice.

• Potential Risks And Benefits Of NY Cannabis Crop Rescue Act

  

  Though proposed legislation in New York would help struggling cannabis farmers by allowing them to sell their crops directly to consumers, it poses numerous challenges for retailers and the state’s regulatory framework — and striking the right balance here will be crucial to shaping a sustainable, equitable industry, say Meaghan Feenan and William Wolfe at Harris Beach.

• Perspectives

  How Attorneys Can Help Combat Anti-Asian Hate

  

  Amid an exponential increase in violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, unique obstacles stand in the way of accountability and justice — but lawyers can effect powerful change by raising awareness, offering legal representation, advocating for victims’ rights and more, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

• Opinion

  Congress Needs To Enact A Federal Anti-SLAPP Statute

  

  Although many states have passed statutes meant to prevent individuals or entities from filing strategic lawsuits against public participation, other states have not, so it's time for Congress to enact a federal statute to ensure that free speech and petitioning rights are uniformly protected nationwide in federal court, say attorneys at Skadden.

• Dealing With Dogmatic Jurors: Voir Dire And Trial Strategies

  

  Dogmatic jurors — whose rigid reliance on external authority can inhibit accurate, objective decision making — may be both good and bad for plaintiffs and defense counsel, so attorneys should understand how to identify such jurors in voir dire and how to meet them where they are during trial, say consultants at Courtroom Sciences.

• Opinion

  Federal Restrictions On Phthalates Are Long Overdue

  

  The health risks of phthalates — chemicals used to increase the durability and flexibility of plastics, and found in hundreds of household products — have been known for decades, so the lack of comprehensive federal policies restricting their use is a problem, given the compelling warnings of their hazards, says Vineet Dubey at Custodio & Dubey.

• USDA Salmonella Proposal Propels New Food Safety Journey

  

  The U.S. Department of Agriculture's recent proposed policy to declare salmonella an adulterant in breaded stuffed raw chicken products could have major implications not only for the specialized products at issue, but also the entire poultry industry and beyond, say Bob Hibbert and Amaru Sanchez at Wiley.

• Some Client Speculations On AI And The Law Firm Biz Model

  

  Generative artificial intelligence technologies will put pressure on the business of law as it is structured currently, but clients may end up with more price certainty for legal services, and lawyers may spend more time being lawyers, says Jonathan Cole at Melody Capital.