Expert Analysis

• Opinion

  FinCEN Regs Must Recognize Int'l Whistleblower Realities

  

  In drafting regulations to implement an anti-money laundering whistleblower program, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network must follow the mandates laid out in the White House’s global anti-corruption strategy to protect and compensate whistleblowers in extreme danger worldwide, says Stephen Kohn at Kohn Kohn.

• Chinese Investment In Latin America Raises Corruption Risks

  

  A wave of Chinese investments in Latin America has increased an already elevated risk profile, so U.S. companies that operate in the region would be wise to bolster their compliance programs as more bribery and corruption-related enforcement activity is sure to come, say Drew Costello, Brian Ross and Jordan Basich at Forensic Risk Alliance.

• Opinion

  3 Ways Justices' Disclosure Defenses Miss The Ethical Point

  

  The rule-bound interpretation of financial disclosures preferred by U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas — demonstrated in their respective statements defending their failure to disclose gifts from billionaires — show that they do not understand the ethical aspects of the public's concern, says Jim Moliterno at the Washington and Lee University School of Law.

• Reputation Management Lessons From Spacey Case

  

  While a U.K. jury recently acquitted actor Kevin Spacey of sexual assault charges, his reputation has been harmed, illustrating the importance for lawyers to balance a client's right to privacy with media engagement throughout the criminal process, says Jessica Welch at Simkins.

• Pending 6th Circ. Ruling Has Broad Class Action Implications

  

  If the Sixth Circuit decides in FirstEnergy Corp. Securities Litigation to treat alleged half-truths as omissions for the purposes of class certification, public companies would be exposed to near-automatic class certification in nearly every securities case and would face steeper evidentiary hurdles at the merits stages, say attorneys at Willkie.

• 5 Compliance Mistakes To Avoid When Entering A New Market

  

  As many companies move their value chains out of China or expand to new markets for other reasons, they should beware several common compliance pitfalls — such as insufficient due diligence and one-size-fits-all training — to avoid reputational, financial and legal damage, says Alexandra Wrage at TRACE International.

• Ohio Rulings Are Cautionary Tales For Attorneys In Crisis

  

  Two recent decisions from Ohio state courts provide a sobering reminder that a counsel’s personal emergencies will not always suffice to alter court deadlines or excuse procedural missteps, and that prompt communication and documentation are crucial in the Buckeye State and beyond, says L. Bradfield Hughes at Porter Wright.

• What Courts' Deference Preference Can Mean For Sentencing

  

  The Fifth Circuit’s recent U.S. v. Vargas decision deepens the split among federal appeals courts on the level of deference afforded to commentary in the U.S. sentencing guidelines — an issue that has major real-life ramifications for defendants, and is likely bound for the U.S. Supreme Court, say Jennifer Freel and Michael Murtha at Jackson Walker.

• Trump's 'I Thought I Won' Jan. 6 Defense Is Unlikely To Prevail

  

  Since being indicted for his alleged attempts to overthrow the 2020 presidential election, former President Donald Trump’s legal team has argued that because he genuinely believed he won, his actions were not fraudulent — but this so-called mistake of fact defense will face a steep uphill battle for several key reasons, says Elizabeth Roper at Baker McKenzie.

• Caregiver Flexibility Is Crucial For Atty Engagement, Retention

  

  As the battle for top talent continues post-pandemic, many firms are attempting to attract employees with progressive hybrid working environments — and supporting caregivers before, during and after an extended leave is a critically important way to retain top talent, says Manar Morales at The Diversity & Flexibility Alliance.

• No End In Sight For Pandemic Relief Fraud Enforcement

  

  Congress' recent decision to extend the statute of limitations to 10 years for fraud related to pandemic relief means the era of enforcement actions brought under the False Claims Act and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act has only just begun, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

• The FTC May Be Expanding Its Monetary Relief Toolbox

  

  The Federal Trade Commission's recent settlement with crypto exchange Celsius — which resolved a Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act pretexting count — reveals an attempt to significantly expand the FTC's authority to obtain monetary relief in ordinary matters regarding unfair or deceptive acts or practices, says Nikhil Singhvi at Covington.

• Strike Force Actions Underscore Foreign Risks For Tech Cos.

  

  As recent prosecutions demonstrate, a multiagency strike force is ramping up enforcement of trade secret theft and export control violations, and companies will need to be proactive in protecting their sensitive technologies from foreign adversaries, say attorneys at McGuireWoods.

• Strategies To Help Clients When BOP Ignores Medical Needs

  

  Defense attorneys should cite recent case law and the expanded compassionate release guidelines, effective Nov. 1, when making any post-sentence application to aid incarcerated clients whose medical needs have been neglected by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, says Marissa Kingman at Fox Rothschild.

• In-Office Engagement Is Essential To Associate Development

  

  As law firms develop return-to-office policies that allow hybrid work arrangements, they should incorporate the specific types of in-person engagement likely to help associates develop attributes common among successful firm leaders, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.