Expert Analysis

• Rethinking In-Office Attendance For Associate Retention

  

  The hybrid office attendance model doesn't work for all employees, but it does for many — and balancing these two groups is important for associate retention and maintaining a BigLaw firm culture that supports all attorneys, says Summer Eberhard at Major Lindsey.

• 4 Paths To Defending Calif. Unfair Competition Claims

  

  In its recent Epic Games v. Apple decision, the Ninth Circuit fairly underscored the broad scope of California's unfair competition law, but at the pleading stage and beyond, defendants should give particular consideration to the applicability of four nuanced and UCL-specific paths to resolution, say attorneys at Munger Tolles.

• Fintiv Discretionary Denials Seem To Be Back At PTAB

  

  The significance of discretionary denials in inter partes reviews since the 2020 Fintiv decision has surged and ebbed, but recent Patent Trial and Appeal Board decisions signal a potential comeback — requiring patent litigators to recalibrate their strategies, say Josepher Li and Michelle Armond at Armond Wilson.

• 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.

• Cos. Should Stay Alert After Florida's Mini-TCPA Amendment

  

  Despite an amendment narrowing the scope of the Florida Telephone Solicitation Act to curtail frivolous litigation, businesses that advertise using telephone calls and text messages should still maintain robust compliance, as the law could lead to challenges regarding its meaning and application, says Alexis Buese at Gunster.

• How To Navigate Class Incentive Awards After Justices' Denial

  

  Despite a growing circuit split on the permissibility of incentive awards, the U.S. Supreme Court recently declined to hear cases on the issue, meaning class action defendants must consider whether to agree to incentive awards as part of a classwide settlement and how to best structure the agreement, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

• 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.

• Prepping Your Business Ahead Of Affirmative Action Ruling

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court's upcoming ruling on whether race should play a role in college admissions could potentially end affirmative action, and companies will need a considered approach to these circumstances that protects their brand power and future profits, and be prepared to answer tough questions, say Nadine Blackburn at United Minds and Eric Blankenbaker at Weber Shandwick.

• 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.

• How Fla. Amendment Changes The State's Mini-TCPA

  

  Gov. Ron Desantis recently signed amendments that will roll back Florida's mini-Telephone Consumer Protection Act by getting rid of the capacious definition of an autodialer, leaving the courts to sort out where the lines fall in Florida Telephone Solicitation Act litigation, says Aaron Weiss at Carlton Fields.

• 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.

• 5 Insider-Threat Reminders After Recent DOJ Prosecutions

  

  Three recent U.S. Department of Justice actions may well lead to much greater scrutiny of companies in which insiders engage in a variety of corporate misconduct, including conducting or enabling cybercrimes, which will likely fall not just on government contractors, but across industries and geographies, say attorneys at Paul Weiss.

• 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.

• Section 214 Order Solidifies FCC's Role In National Security

  

  In its recent approval of an order to collect foreign ownership information from international Section 214 authorization holders, the Federal Communications Commission demonstrates its formal commitment to improving efforts to protect national security and international telecommunications services, say attorneys at Mayer Brown.