Property

Expert Analysis

• Insurers Have Cause For Optimism In Labor Cost Rulings

  

  Recent decisions from the high courts of South Carolina and North Carolina — holding that embedded labor costs can be depreciated from the replacement cost of property — bolster insurers’ moderate edge in these disputes and point to important implications for both insureds and insurers, says Richard Mason at MasonADR.

• Predictions On Pandemic's Lasting Impact On Legal Education

  

  The pandemic accelerated the pace of technological change for legal education, and some of the changes to how law school courses are taught and on-campus interviews are conducted may be here to stay, says Leonard Baynes at the University of Houston.

• Firms Should Use Surveys To Make Smart Legal Tech Choices

  

  The utility of legal technology innovations may be limited without clear data and objectives from the outset, but targeted surveys can provide specific insights that enable law firms to adopt the most appropriate and efficient tech solutions, says Tim Scott at Frogslayer.

• Don't Forget Due Diligence In Race For Lateral Associate Hires

  

  Amid high demand for associates and aggressive competition to attract talent, law firms should take three key steps to conduct meaningful prehire due diligence and safeguard against lateral hiring mistakes that can hurt their revenue and reputation, says Michael Ellenhorn at Decipher.

• Insurance Could Be A Solution To Microchip Shortage Losses

  

  To the extent that companies experiencing lost income from the global microchip shortage have contingent business interruption or dependent property coverage and can trace their impaired revenues to physical loss or damage to a supplier, there may be some potential for insurance recovery, says Micah Skidmore at Haynes and Boone.

• 5 Steps For Law Firms Rethinking Flexible Work Post-COVID

  

  A flexible work environment will be key to recruiting and retention efforts post-pandemic, so law firms must develop comprehensive policies that solidify expectations and boundaries on accommodations such as flextime, remote work and reduced hours, says Manar Morales at the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance.

• NY Bad Faith Bill Would Tip The Scales Against Insurers

  

  A recently introduced New York bill proposes a statutory cause of action for insurance company bad faith when legal remedies already exist, which may dangerously upset the balance between insurers and policyholders, say attorneys at Hurwitz & Fine.

• Judge's Rebuke Of Mass. AG Has Lessons For All Attorneys

  

  A Massachusetts federal judge’s recent rebuke of the state Attorney General’s Office for refusing to respond to discovery requests in Alliance for Automotive Innovation v. Healey highlights six important considerations for attorneys who want to avoid the dreaded benchslap, say Alison Eggers and Dallin Wilson at Seyfarth.  

• Make Profitability Management Part Of Your Law Firm Culture

  

  As the legal industry continues to change in the post-pandemic world, law firms should adapt to client demands by constantly measuring and managing the profitability of their services, says Joseph Altonji at LawVision.

• The Pandemic's Bright Spots For Lawyers Who Are Parents

  

  The COVID-19 crisis has allowed lawyers to hone remote advocacy strategies and effectively represent clients with minimal travel — abilities that have benefited working parents and should be utilized long after the pandemic is over, says Chelsea Loughran at Wolf Greenfield.

• Why The Future Law Firm Model Is Industry-Based Offerings

  

  Multidisciplinary, industry-based groups at law firms allow for more holistic legal advice, lead to sustainable client relationships, and are likely to replace practice group monoliths at many firms, say Jennifer Simpson Carr at Furia Rubel, Timothy Corcoran at Corcoran Consulting and Mike Mellor at Pryor Cashman.

• Outliers Offer False Hope For Virus Biz Interruption Claims

  

  A few recent policyholder wins have caused some to overstate the potential for recovery in commercial property claims over COVID-19 prevention efforts, but in reality business interruption decisions are consistently and overwhelmingly favoring insurers, say Erin Bradham and Keith Moskowitz at Dentons.

• Thought Leadership's Critical Role In Law Firm Diversity

  

  Minority attorneys are often underrepresented in conferences, media interviews and other law firm thought leadership campaigns, which affects their visibility with potential clients and their ability to advance at their firms, says John Hellerman at Hellerman Communications.