Expert Analysis

• Overcommunicate With Your Summer Associates This Year

  

  2022 summer associates have had limited opportunities for professional interactions due to the pandemic, so supervising attorneys should prioritize intentional overcommunication by emphasizing importance of tone and content of emails, sharing feedback immediately, and more, says Julie Schrager at Faegre Drinker.

• Nev. Case Highlights Settlement Authority Dilemmas For Cos.

  

  A Nevada federal court's recent decision in Ceja v. The Vons Companies illustrates the pitfalls of misinterpreting a court order requiring a representative with full settlement authority to be present at negotiations, and is a reminder to consider that courts differ as to what full settlement authority means in practice, says Richard Mason at MasonADR.

• From Baseball To Blockchain: The Right Of Publicity In NFTs

  

  Much like baseball trading cards, nonfungible tokens derive value from the right of publicity that creates a collectible product, and these rights may provide a valuable alternative to copyrights in addressing the problem of counterfeit NFTs, says Daniel Lifschitz at Johnson & Johnson.

• The Fastest Federal Trial Courts: A Look At Virginia, Florida

  

  The Eastern District of Virginia rocket docket and the Northern District of Florida were last year’s fastest civil trial courts in the nation, and interviews with two of their judges reveal they have some of the same practices to keep litigation moving efficiently, says Robert Tata at Hunton.

• Tips For Evaluating Machine Learning For Contracts Review

  

  Law firms considering machine learning and natural language processing to aid in contract reviews should keep several best practices in mind when procuring and deploying this nascent technology, starting with identifying their organization's needs and key requirements, says Ned Gannon at eBrevia.

• Calif. College Athlete Pay Bill May Lead To Employment Issues

  

  While California’s College Athlete Race and Gender Equity Act may have a difficult time passing, it could open the door for an argument that players at academic institutions should be deemed employees, and schools must examine and prepare for the potential challenges that could be triggered by compensating college athletes, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

• How To Efficiently Deploy Your Professional Growth Strategy

  

  Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners discusses how time-strapped legal professionals can efficiently implement a professional growth framework by focusing on only the most effective actions to build the reputation and relationships key to their ideal practice.

• A 6-Step Framework For Legal Industry Professional Growth

  

  Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners discusses how implementing a professional growth framework will help legal professionals gain expertise in a relevant niche to build credibility, focus marketing efforts and build an ideal practice.

• Why Contempt May Be Apt Punishment For High Court Leaker

  

  Contempt of court is an overlooked but potentially effective tool to punish whoever leaked the draft opinion overruling Roe v. Wade and protect the integrity of the U.S. Supreme Court, says Michael Zuckerman at Zuckerman Dispute Resolution.

• The Growing Complexity Of Commercial Rights Issues In NFTs

  

  Purchase rights solutions lag the rapid growth of nonfungible tokens as investments, and until this issue is resolved, issuers and purchasers of NFTs will need to grapple with the challenges of applying traditional contract law principles to a technology based on decentralization, say attorneys at Skadden.

• Opinion

  Clients' Diversity Mandates For Law Firms Are Necessary

  

  Coca-Cola recently scrapped its proposed diversity staffing requirements for outside counsel, and other companies may be reassessing their mandates due to external pressures, but it is important to remember the myriad factors supporting these policies and why they are more important now than ever before, says David Hopkins at Benesch Friedlander.

• 5 Questions That Can Help Law Firms Win RFPs

  

  As the volume of matter-specific requests for proposals continues to increase in the legal market, law firms can take some new steps to fine-tune their RFP response-drafting process and strategy, says Matthew Prinn at RFP Advisory Group.

• How Law Firms Can Employ More Veterans

  

  Hiring attorneys who are veterans is often overlooked in law firm diversity, equity and inclusion plans, even though it generates substantial benefits, but partnering with like-minded organizations and having a robust and active veterans group will go a long way in boosting a firm's ability to recruit and retain veterans, say Daniel Sylvester and Nicholas Hasenfus at Holland & Knight.

• Associates, Look Beyond Money In Assessing Lateral Offers

  

  In the face of high demand for corporate legal work and persistent staffing constraints, many law firms continue to offer sizable signing bonuses to new associates, but lateral candidates should remember that money is just one component of what should be a much broader assessment, says Stephanie Ruiter at Lateral Link.

• Preventing Impermissible Client Solicitation After ABA Opinion

  

  Following the American Bar Association's recent opinion on the limitations on client solicitation, attorneys at Harris Wiltshire examine the principal rules that govern a lawyer's ethical duties with respect to solicitation, explain how those rules vary by jurisdiction, and provide some practical tips for ensuring compliance.