Expert Analysis

• Series

  The Law Firm Merger Diaries: Forming Measurable Ties

  

  Relationship-building should begin as early as possible in a law firm merger, as intentional pathways to bringing people together drive collaboration, positive client response, engagements and growth, says Amie Colby at Troutman.

• How 2025 Executive Orders Are Reshaping Consumer Finance

  

  In 2025, President Donald Trump used executive orders to initiate a reversal of policies on fair lending, urge agencies to use enforcement and supervisory tools to police debanking, and reduce consumer financial regulation — and the resulting flurry of deregulatory activity will likely continue in 2026, says Elizabeth Tucci at Goodwin.

• OFAC Sanctions Will Intensify Amid Global Tensions In 2026

  

  The Office of Foreign Assets Control will ramp up its targeting of companies in the private equity, venture capital, real estate and legal markets in 2026, in keeping with the aggressive foreign policy approach embraced by the Trump administration in 2025, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

• 5 E-Discovery Predictions For 2026 And Beyond

  

  2026 will likely be shaped by issues ranging from artificial intelligence regulatory turbulence to potential evidence rule changes, and e-discovery professionals will need to understand how to effectively guide the responsible and defensible adoption of emerging tools, while also ensuring effective safeguards, say attorneys at Littler.

• How Developers Can Harness New Texas Zoning Framework

  

  A Texas law introducing a new zoning framework has the potential to unlock meaningful multifamily development opportunities, but developers and their project teams should follow four steps to help identify how affected cities are interpreting and implementing the new law, says Angela Hunt at Munsch Hardt.

• 2026 State AI Bills That Could Expand Liability, Insurance Risk

  

  State bills legislating artificial intelligence that are expected to pass in 2026 will reshape the liability landscape for all companies incorporating AI solutions into their business operations, as any novel private rights of action authorized under AI-related statutes signal expanding exposures, say attorneys at Wiley.

• Series

  Judges On AI: How Courts Can Boost Access To Justice

  

  Arizona Court of Appeals Judge Samuel A. Thumma writes that generative artificial intelligence tools offer a profound opportunity to enhance access to justice and engender public confidence in courts’ use of technology, and judges can seize this opportunity in five key ways.

• 2025's Most Notable State AG Activity By The Numbers

  

  State attorneys general were active in 2025, working across party lines to address federal regulatory gaps in artificial intelligence, take action on consumer protection issues, continue antitrust enforcement and announce large settlements on behalf of their citizens, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

• Opinion

  The Case For Emulating, Not Dividing, The Ninth Circuit

  

  Champions for improved judicial administration should reject the unfounded criticisms driving recent Senate proposals to divide the Ninth Circuit and instead seek to replicate the court's unique strengths and successes, says Ninth Circuit Judge J. Clifford Wallace.

• Targeted Action, Rule Tweaks Reflect 2025 AML Priority Shifts

  

  Though 2025’s anti-money-laundering landscape was characterized not by volume of penalties but by the strategic recalibration of how illicit finance risk is handled, a series of targeted enforcement actions signaled that regulators aren't easing off the accelerator, even as they refine the rules of the road, say attorneys at MoFo.

• What To Know About NY's Drastic 3rd-Party Practice Changes

  

  Last month, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a law establishing new time limits for the commencement of third-party actions, which will have dramatic effects on insurance defense practice, particularly cases involving construction site accidents or claims of premises liability, says Shawn Schatzle at Lewis Brisbois.

• Series

  Muay Thai Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Muay Thai kickboxing has taught me that in order to win, one must stick to one's game plan and adapt under pressure, just as when facing challenges by opposing counsel or judges, says Mark Schork at Feldman Shepherd.

• Series

  Law School's Missed Lessons: Intentional Career-Building

  

  A successful legal career is built through intention: understanding expectations, assessing strengths honestly and proactively seeking opportunities to grow and cultivating relationships that support your development, say Erika Drous and Hillary Mann at Morrison Foerster.

• How Shareholder Activism Fared In 2025

  

  2025 was a turbulent yet transformative year in shareholder activism, and there are several key takeaways to help companies prepare for a 2026 that is shaping up to be even more lively, including increased focus on retail investors and the use of social media as a tool, say attorneys at Sidley.

• Expect A New Normal In Commercial Real Estate This Year

  

  Even amid office vacancies and a wave of loan maturities, the commercial real estate market isn't as volatile as one might expect heading into 2026, but market stress is still uniquely intersecting with broader business challenges, creating new opportunities for corporate counsel and other practitioners beyond real estate, says Mark Bell at Stinson.