Expert Analysis

• The Hidden Pitfalls Of Letters Of Credit In Lease Negotiations

  

  Amid a surge in commercial office leasing driven by artificial intelligence firms, it's crucial for landlords to be aware of the potential downside of accepting letters of credit — in particular, for amounts of security that are less than the statutory bankruptcy claim cap, say attorneys at Allen Matkins.

• California Vapor Intrusion Policy Should Focus On Site Risks

  

  As California environmental regulators consider whether to change the attenuation factor used in screenings for vapor intrusion, the most prudent path forward is to keep the current value for screening purposes, while using site-specific, risk-based numbers for cleanup and closure targets, says Thierry Montoya at Frost Brown.

• What To Watch As NY LLC Transparency Act Is Stuck In Limbo

  

  Just about a month before it's set to take effect, the status of the New York LLC Transparency Act remains murky because of a pending amendment and the lack of recent regulatory attention in New York, but business owners should at least prepare for the possibility of having to comply, says Jonathan Wilson at Buchalter.

• Power Market Reforms Push Data Center Lease Rates Higher

  

  Rising demand, constrained supply and ongoing reforms, amid a rush for reliable, near-term computing capacity, are putting pressure on data center leasing renewal rates in large markets such as the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and PJM Interconnection Inc., say attorneys at Weil.

• Courts Stay Consistent In 'Period Of Restoration' Rulings

  

  Three recent rulings centering on the period of restoration in lost business income claims followed the same themes in interpreting this infrequently litigated, but highly consequential, provision of first-party property and time element insurance coverage, say attorneys at Zelle.

• The Emerging Issues Shaping Real Estate Project Insurance

  

  As real estate faces increasingly complex considerations — such as climate losses, "nuclear verdicts" and regulatory changes — insurance is evolving into a strategic function that should be discussed early in the planning stages of a project, says Jason Adams at Cox Castle.

• CFIUS Trends May Shift Under 'America First' Policy

  

  The arrival of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States' latest annual report suggests that the Trump administration's "America First" policy will have a measurable effect on foreign investment, including improved trendlines for investments from allied sources and increasingly negative trendlines for those from foreign adversary sources, say attorneys at Debevoise.

• New Conn. Real Estate Laws Will Reshape Housing Landscape

  

  With new legislation tackling Connecticut's real estate landscape, introducing critical new requirements and legal ambiguities that demand careful interpretation, legal counsel will have to navigate a significantly altered and more complex regulatory environment, say attorneys at Harris Beach.

• Trump Tax Law Has Mixed Impacts On Commercial Real Estate

  

  The One Big Beautiful Bill Act brings sweeping changes to the real estate industry — and while the permanency of opportunity zones and bonus depreciation creates predictability for some taxpayers, sunsetting incentives for renewable energy projects will leave others with hard choices, says Jordan Metzger at Cole Schotz.

• Contractor Considerations As Construction Costs Rebound

  

  The U.S. construction industry is navigating rising costs driven by energy and trade policy, which should prompt contractors to review contract structuring, supply chain management and market diversification, among other factors, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.

• 2 Rulings Highlight IRS' Uncertain Civil Fraud Penalty Powers

  

  Conflicting decisions from the U.S. Tax Court and the Northern District of Texas that hinge on whether the IRS can administratively assert civil fraud penalties since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024 decision in SEC v. Jarkesy provide both opportunities and potential pitfalls for taxpayers, says Michael Landman at Bird Marella.

• Expect DOJ To Repeat 4 Themes From 2024's FCPA Trials

  

  As two upcoming Foreign Corrupt Practice Act trials approach, defense counsel should anticipate the U.S. Department of Justice to revive several of the same themes prosecutors leaned on in trials last year to motivate jurors to convict, and build counternarratives to neutralize these arguments, says James Koukios at MoFo.

• 5 Real Estate Takeaways From Trump's Sweeping Tax Law

  

  Changes to the Internal Revenue Code included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will have a range of effects on real estate sponsors, investors and real estate investment trusts — from more compliance flexibility around taxable REIT subsidiary limits to new considerations raised by a key retaliatory tax provision that was left out, say attorneys at DLA Piper.