Expert Analysis

• Series

  Participating In Living History Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  My role as a baron in a living history group, and my work as volunteer corporate counsel for a book series fan association, has provided me several opportunities to practice in unexpected areas of law — opening doors to experiences that have nurtured invaluable personal and professional skills, says Matthew Parker at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

• How Attys Can Weather The Next Disaster Litigation Crisis

  

  On the heels of a number of damage catastrophes and ensuing litigation this summer alone, attorneys must recognize that it’s a matter of when, not if, the next disaster — whether natural or artificial — will strike, and formulate plans to minimize risks, including consolidating significant claims and taking remedial measures, says Mark Goldberg at Cosmich Simmons.

• Master Service Agreements Can Mitigate Manufacturing Risks

  

  Terms and conditions of standard contracts between manufacturers and their suppliers may not cover the numerous geopolitical, legal and technical issues that can arise in the manufacturing process in 2023 — so a master service agreement covering everything from payment terms to dispute resolution can be an excellent alternative, says Bryan Rose at Stinson.

• 7 Ways Telco Operators Can Approach Lead Cable Claims

  

  A recent spotlight on the telecommunication industry shows that companies in the field have known for decades that lead-wrapped cables proliferate in their vast networks, which is likely to provoke prolonged and costly legal battles — but seven best practices can efficiently resolve claims and minimize damage, say consultants at AlixPartners.

• Opinion

  Private Equity Owners Can Remedy Law Firms' Agency Issues

  

  Nonlawyer, private-equity ownership of law firms can benefit shareholders and others vulnerable to governance issues such as disparate interests, and can in turn help resolve agency problems, says Michael Di Gennaro at The Law Practice Exchange.

• Opinion

  Proving Causation Is Key To Fairness And Justice

  

  Ongoing litigation over talc and acetaminophen highlights the important legal distinction between correlation and causation — and is a reminder that, while individuals should be compensated for injuries, blameless parties should be protected from unjust claims, say Drew Kershen at the University of Oklahoma College of Law, and Henry Miller at the American Council on Science and Health.

• Opinion

  Calif. Ruling Got It Wrong On Trial Courts' Gatekeeping Role

  

  Ten years after the California Supreme Court reshaped trial judges’ role in admitting expert opinion testimony, a state appeals court's Bader v. Johnson & Johnson ruling appears to undermine this precedent and will likely create confusion about the scope of trial courts’ gatekeeping responsibility, say Robert Wright and Nicole Hood at Horvitz & Levy.

• Navigating PFAS Compliance With FDA, Emerging State Laws

  

  As PFAS food packaging regulation intensifies at the state level, businesses should consider how federal action and possible preemption from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration may affect their compliance plans, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

• How To Protect Atty-Client Privilege While Using Generative AI

  

  When using generative artificial intelligence tools, attorneys should consider several safeguards to avoid breaches or complications in attorney-client privilege, say Antonious Sadek and Christopher Campbell at DLA Piper.

• Opinion

  HIV Drug Case Against Gilead Threatens Medical Innovation

  

  The California Court of Appeals should dismiss claims alleging that Gilead should be held liable for not bringing an HIV treatment to market sooner, or else the biopharmaceutical industry could be disincentivized from important development and innovation, says James Stansel at Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

• How New Lawyers Can Leverage Feedback For Growth

  

  Embracing constructive criticism as a tool for success can help new lawyers accelerate their professional growth and law firms build a culture of continuous improvement, says Katie Aldrich at Fringe Professional Development.

• Bracing For Rising Cyber-Related False Claims Act Scrutiny

  

  Two recent cyber-related False Claims Act cases illustrate the vulnerability of government contractors, including universities, obliged to self-attest compliance with multiple controls, signal the importance of accurate internal controls and underline the benefits of self-disclosure, say Townsend Bourne and Nikole Snyder at Sheppard Mullin.

• What New EPA Enforcement Initiatives Mean For Industry

  

  With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recent announcement that climate change, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and coal ash will be major investigation and enforcement targets in the coming years, the oil and gas, chemical, and waste management sectors should anticipate increased scrutiny, say Jonathan Brightbill and Madalyn Feiger at Winston & Strawn.

• Concerns For 510(k) Sponsors After FDA Proposes Major Shift

  

  While there may be public health benefits from modernizing the 510(k) process for clearing medical devices, recent draft guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Devices and Radiological Health leaves meaningful open questions about the legal and regulatory implications of the new approach, and potential practical challenges, say attorneys at Covington.

• Minn. Product Case Highlights Challenges Of Misuse Defense

  

  The recent decision by a Minnesota federal court in McDougall v. CRC Industries illustrates that even where a product that is clearly being misused results in personal injuries, manufacturers cannot necessarily rely on the misuse defense to absolve them of liability exposure, says Timothy Freeman at Tanenbaum Keale.