Expert Analysis

• Texas Banking Dept. Memo Demystifies Crypto Classifications

  

  A recent memorandum from the Texas Department of Banking provides clarity with respect to the classification of both stablecoins and nonstablecoin virtual currencies under the state's Money Services Modernization Act, flagging for firms that stablecoins may be scrutinized more closely as money transmission, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

• How Law Firms Can Counteract The Loneliness Epidemic

  

  The legal industry is facing an urgent epidemic of loneliness, affecting lawyer well-being, productivity, retention and profitability, and law firm leaders should take concrete steps to encourage the development of genuine workplace connections, says Michelle Gomez at Littler and Gwen Mellor Romans at Herald Talent.

• How Citizen Petitions Have Affected Drug Competition

  

  In light of recent citizen petitions and proposed legislation regulating such petitions, Omar Robles at Managing Health analyzes the statistics of the extent to which citizen petitions have been filed, and to what extent they have delayed competition in prescription pharmaceuticals.

• Texas Fraud Case Shows Dangers Of Faulty Crypto Reporting

  

  The recent sentencing of a man who failed to properly report capital gains from bitcoin sales is a reminder that special attention must be given to the IRS' reporting requirements in order to stay out of the government's crosshairs, says Saverio Romeo at Fox Rothschild.

• Potential Impacts Of IRS' $1M Affiliate Pay Deduction Cap

  

  If finalized, a recent Internal Revenue Service proposal expanding Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code to include the highly compensated employees of affiliates would make tracking which executives may be subject to the limit from year to year far more complex, say attorneys at Debevoise.

• 5 Keys To Building Stronger Attorney-Client Relationships

  

  Attorneys are often focused on being seen as the expert, but bonding with clients and prospects by sharing a few key personal details provides the basis for a caring, trusted and profoundly deeper business relationship, says Deb Feder at Feder Development.

• Justices' TikTok Ruling May Pose Threat To Online Expression

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court's recent landmark ruling upholding a federal law mandating TikTok's forced divestiture in the name of data security may embolden digital censorship agendas worldwide, says IP lawyer Bahram Jafari.

• Suggestions For CFTC Enforcement's New Leadership

  

  The recent change in leadership at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission presents an opportunity to reflect on past practices and consider opportunities for improvement at the commission's Enforcement Division, including in observing precedent and providing greater enforcement transparency, say attorneys at Clifford Chance.

• What SDNY Judge Can And Can't Do In Adams Case

  

  The federal judge in the Southern District of New York overseeing the criminal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams deferred making a decision on the government's motion to dismiss the indictment, and while he does have limited authority to deny the motion, that would ultimately be a futile gesture, says Ethan Greenberg at Anderson Kill.

• Assessing PE Risk After Mass. False Claims Act Amendments

  

  A law recently passed in Massachusetts amends the commonwealth's False Claims Act by dramatically expanding potential liability for private equity firms and investors, underscoring the importance of robust diligence and risk assessments for private equity firms conducting transactions in the commonwealth, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

• How Crypto Firms Should Approach Patchwork Of State Laws

  

  The Money Transmission Modernization Act was designed to create uniformity across state digital regulations, but the reality remains far from consistent — as demonstrated by the patchwork of laws in states like Texas, Vermont, New York and California — so as state legislatures convene in the coming weeks, crypto firms should watch closely for developments that could shape the regulatory landscape, say attorneys at Paul Hastings.

• A Path Forward For Cos. Amid Trump's Anti-DEIA Efforts

  

  Given the Trump administration’s recent efforts targeting corporate diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility programs — including threatening possible criminal prosecution — companies should carefully tailor their DEIA initiatives to comply with both the letter and the spirit of antidiscrimination law, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

• The Current And Future State Of Bank-Fintech Partnerships

  

  Though the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under President Donald Trump seems likely to cultivate an environment friendlier to the financial services industry, bank-fintech partnerships should stay devoted to proactive compliance and be ready to adapt to regulatory shifts that may intensify scrutiny from enforcers, say attorneys at Greenberg Traurig.

• Chancery Ruling Holds Authorized Share Takeaways For Cos.

  

  The Delaware Chancery Court’s recent ruling in Salama v. Simon resolved statutory ambiguity in favor of boards seeking authorized share increases, and has important implications for litigators presenting extrinsic evidence in support of contract or statutory interpretation arguments, says Robin Wechkin at Sidley.

• What Trump Actions Mean For Federal Research Funding

  

  New guidance from the National Institutes of Health represents a massive policy shift regarding federal funding for researchers at institutions of higher education, contributing to a perfect storm of significant resource shortfalls in upcoming years, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.