Expert Analysis

• Tips For In-House Legal Leaders In A Challenging Economy

  

  Amid today's economic and geopolitical uncertainty, in-house legal teams are running lean and facing increased scrutiny and unique issues, but can step up and find innovative ways to manage outcomes and capitalize on good business opportunities, says Tim Parilla at LinkSquares.

• PFAS Coverage Litigation Strategy Lessons For Policyholders

  

  While policyholders' efforts to recover insurance proceeds for PFAS-related costs are in the early stages, it appears from litigation so far that substantial coverage should be available for PFAS-related liabilities, including both defense costs and indemnity payments in connection with those liabilities, say Benedict Lenhart and Alexis Dyschkant at Covington.

• Unique Issues To Look Out For In Generative AI Transactions

  

  With the rapidly evolving legal landscape surrounding generative artificial intelligence models, both model providers and model customers are faced with navigating certain challenging issues associated with these transactions, such as training data, user prompts and generative model outputs, say Aaron Rubin and Heather Whitney at MoFo.

• When Are Cos. Liable For Building Customers' Designs?

  

  The Sixth Circuit's recent decision in Cash-Darling v. Recycling Equipment serves as a warning to manufacturers regarding the extent to which they may become involved in customers' design decisions without exposing themselves to liability, and highlights the fact-sensitive nature of such cases, says Timothy Freeman at Tanenbaum Keale.

• What Associates Need To Know Before Switching Law Firms

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  The days of staying at the same firm for the duration of one's career are mostly a thing of the past as lateral moves by lawyers are commonplace, but there are several obstacles that associates should consider before making a move, say attorneys at HWG.

• The Latest Legal Trends In The Food And Beverage Industry

  

  The food and beverage-related litigation and legislation introduced in the first months of 2023, which centered on questions of product labeling and allegations of chemical contamination, illustrate why manufacturers should stay abreast of regulatory developments and trends in consumer concerns, say attorneys at Harris Beach.

• A Case For Sharing Mediation Statements With Counterparties

  

  In light of a potential growing mediation trend of only submitting statements to the mediator, litigants should think critically about the pros and cons of exchanging statements with opposing parties as it could boost the chances of reaching a settlement, says Arthur Eidelhoch at Eidelhoch Mediation.

• Tackling Long-Tail Legacy Liability Risk: A Defendant's Toolkit

  

  Johnson & Johnson was recently rebuffed in its efforts to employ the "Texas Two-Step," which is likely to affect this increasingly popular method to isolate and spin off large asbestos and talc liabilities, but companies have multiple options to reduce long-tail legacy liability risk, says Stephen Hoke at Hoke LLC.

• Preparing For Legal Scrutiny Of Data Retention Policies

  

  Two recent cases involving Google and Meta should serve as a call to action for companies to ensure their data retention policies are updated and properly implemented to the degree of being able to withstand judicial scrutiny, especially as more data is generated by emerging technologies, say Jack Kallus and Labeed Choudhry at Kaufman Dolowich.

• Opinion

  Attorneys Should Have An Ethical Duty To Advance DEI

  

  National and state bar associations are encouraging attorneys to apply diversity, equity and inclusion practices in the legal profession and beyond, and these associations should take it one step further by formally recognizing ethical duties for attorneys to promote DEI, which could better the legal profession and society, says Elena Mitchell at Moore & Van Allen.

• Data-Driven Insights Are Key To Attracting Today's Clients

  

  As law firm growth slows and competition for clients increases, modern firms must rely on robust data analytics to develop the sector-based expertise and industry insights that clients increasingly prioritize in relationships with counsel, says Lavinia Calvert at Intapp.

• Ruling Shows Hurdles To Defending Consumer PFAS Claims

  

  A California federal court's recent refusal to dismiss Hamman v. Cava Group demonstrates the perils consumer product companies face when defending claims concerning per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and may open the door to additional class action filings in the state, say attorneys at Akerman.

• The Rise Of 'Safetyism' Has Entered The Courtroom

  

  A new survey sheds light on the growing prevalence of safetyism — a fixation with minimizing all risk of harm — in litigation, as jurors have increased expectations for product and corporate safety standards, though attorneys can use several strategies to reduce the impact of these fallacious decision-making patterns, say Jill Leibold and Nick Polavin at IMS Consulting.

• Ghosting In BigLaw: Why Better Feedback Habits Are Needed

  

  Not giving assignments or constructive criticism to junior associates can significantly affect their performance and hours, potentially leading them to leave the firm, but partners can prevent this by asking the right questions and creating a culture of feedback, says Rachel Patterson at Orrick.

• Proposed PFAS Water Standards Will Likely Face Pushback

  

  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recently proposed rule for enforceable national drinking water standards for several per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances is broad and complex, with major implications for water systems and businesses — but challenges to the EPA's sweeping approach are likely, say Stephanie Feingold and Drew Jordan at Morgan Lewis.