Expert Analysis

• Blunders That Made 'Bakked' Cannabis TM Go Up In Smoke

  

  The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s recent denial of National Concessions Group’s application to register the mark “BAKKED” illustrates mistakes that cannabis companies must be wary of in pursuing federal registration as examiners may look beyond the four corners of an application, say attorneys at Seyfarth.

• Level Up Lawyers' Business Development With Gamification

  

  With employee engagement at a 10-year low in the U.S., there are several gamification techniques marketing and business development teams at law firms can use to make generating new clients and matters more appealing to lawyers, says Heather McCullough at Society 54.

• Mallory Ruling Leaves Personal Jurisdiction Deeply Unsettled

  

  In Mallory v. Norfolk Southern Railway, a closely divided U.S. Supreme Court recently rolled back key aspects of its 2017 opinion in Daimler AG v. Bauman that limited personal jurisdiction, leaving as many questions for businesses as it answers, say John Cerreta and James Rotondo at Day Pitney.

• 4 Legal Issues Grant-Funded Broadband Projects May Face

  

  The Biden administration's recently announced funding allocations represent the largest ever government investment in broadband internet infrastructure, but these new development opportunities will require navigation of complicated and sometimes arcane legal environments, says Casey Lide at Keller & Heckman.

• 5 Ways Firms Can Rethink Office Design In A Hybrid World

  

  As workplaces across the country adapt to flexible work, law firms must prioritize individuality, amenities and technology in office design, says Kristin Cerutti at Nelson Worldwide.

• A Midyear Look At How AI Is Affecting Lawyers

  

  The past six months have been a notable period for advancements in artificial intelligence and generative AI, and as we head into the second half of the year, we must review the implications that AI has for the legal industry, including how lawyers will be advising clients on use of AI technology, says Natasha Allen at Foley & Lardner.

• New Law Will Upend Washington's CBD Industry

  

  Though many questions remain on a Washington law set to go into effect this month that will require retailers to obtain licensure to sell federally legal CBD, the statute’s economic impacts are sure to be enormous, says Jack Scrantom at Harris Bricken.

• False Ad Snapshot Shows Risks Of Geographic Origin Claims

  

  A look at recent and historical cases involving deceptive use of geographic origin descriptors show that companies proclaiming they are American, but that sell products originating from outside the U.S., could be at risk under unfair competition laws or Federal Trade Commission enforcement, say attorneys at Carlson Gaskey.

• Opinion

  Bar Score Is Best Hiring Metric Post-Affirmative Action

  

  After the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling striking down affirmative action admissions policies, law firms looking to foster diversity in hiring should view an applicant's Multistate Bar Examination score as the best metric of legal ability — over law school name or GPA, says attorney Alice Griffin.

• Review Of Repatriation Tax Sets Justices On Slippery Slope

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision to review the constitutionality of the repatriation tax in Moore v. U.S. has implications for many tax rules involving unrealized amounts and could leave the court on the brink of invalidating large swaths of the Internal Revenue Code, say attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland.

• 'Equal Harassment' Is No Shield Against Title VII Claims

  

  The Ninth Circuit’s decision in Sharp v. S&S Activewear, rejecting an employer's claim that it did not create a sexually hostile work environment because the misogynist music it played offended all workers equally, reminds companies that they can face Title VII liability even when misconduct does not target a specific group, says Laura Lawless at Squire Patton.

• As Biometric Privacy Laws Grow, Cos. Must Up Transparency

  

  As more states begin to introduce biometric privacy legislation, it's imperative for businesses collecting biometric data to proactively address prior notice, disclosure, collection and deletion directives, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

• RICO Ruling Makes US More Attractive Foreign Creditor Forum

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Yegiazaryan v. Smagin, allowing a foreign plaintiff to use the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act to enforce a foreign arbitral award, will make judgment creditors more likely to seek out U.S. courts to remedy efforts to frustrate the enforcement of international arbitration awards, say attorneys at Paul Hastings.

• An Evil Bear May Provide High Court TM Ruling Clarification

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Jack Daniel's v. VIP Products leaves unanswered questions about the intersection of the First Amendment and trademark rights, which may be answered by the reconsideration of a dismissed case involving Disney and Lotso the bear from “Toy Story 3," say attorneys at Bracewell.

• Piecing Together The Blockchain Evidentiary Hurdles

  

  There are common challenges to introducing blockchain evidence at trial and a lack of uniformity in evidentiary codes at the state and federal levels means litigants must carefully navigate the uncertain blockchain puzzle, says Brett Sager at Ehrenstein Sager.