Expert Analysis

• Opinion

  Law Firm Reactions To Campus Protests May Chill DEI Efforts

  

  Law firm decisions to rescind or withhold job offers based on candidates' pro-Palestine activism could negatively affect diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the legal profession, compounding existing hiring and retention challenges, say Noor Shater at Penn Carey Law School, and Peter Farah and Jalal Shehadeh at the Palestinian American Bar Association.

• 6 Tips For Trying Cases Away From Home

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  A truly national litigation practice, by definition, often requires trying cases in jurisdictions across the country, which presents unique challenges that require methodical preparation and coordination both within the trial team and externally, say Edward Bennett and Suzanne Salgado at Williams & Connolly.

• Kubient Case Shows SEC's Willingness To Charge Directors

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent fraud charges against Kubient's former CEO, chief financial officer and audit committee chair signal a willingness to be more aggressive against officers and directors, underscoring the need for companies to ensure that they have appropriate channels to gather, investigate and document employee concerns, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

• $200M RTX Deal Underscores Need For M&A Due Diligence

  

  RTX's settlement with regulators for violating defense export regulations offers valuable compliance lessons, showcasing the perils of insufficient due diligence during mergers and acquisitions transactions along with the need to ensure remediation measures are fully implemented following noncompliance, say Thad McBride and Faith Dibble at Bass Berry.

• A Blueprint For Structuring An Effective Plaintiff Case Story

  

  The number and size of nuclear verdicts continue to rise, in part because plaintiffs attorneys have become more adept at crafting compelling trial stories — and an analysis of these success stories reveals a 10-part framework for structuring an effective case narrative, says Jonathan Ross at Decision Analysis.

• Series

  Round-Canopy Parachuting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Similar to the practice of law, jumping from an in-flight airplane with nothing but training and a few yards of parachute silk is a demanding and stressful endeavor, and the experience has bolstered my legal practice by enhancing my focus, teamwork skills and sense of perspective, says Thomas Salerno at Stinson.

• 7 Takeaways For Companies After Justices' Bribery Ruling

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court’s Snyder v. U.S. decision this summer, holding that a federal law does not criminalize after-the-fact gratuities made to public officials, raises some key considerations for companies that engage with state, local and tribal governments, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.

• Why Now Is The Time For Law Firms To Hire Lateral Partners

  

  Partner and associate mobility data from the second quarter of this year suggest that there's never been a better time in recent years for law firms to hire lateral candidates, particularly experienced partners — though this necessitates an understanding of potential red flags, say Julie Henson and Greg Hamman at Decipher Investigative Intelligence.

• Considering Possible PR Risks Of Certain Legal Tactics

  

  Disney and American Airlines recently abandoned certain litigation tactics in two lawsuits after fierce public backlash, illustrating why corporate counsel should consider the reputational implications of any legal strategy and partner with their communications teams to preempt public relations concerns, says Chris Gidez at G7 Reputation Advisory.

• DC Circ. Seizure Ruling Deepens 4th Amendment Circuit Split

  

  The D.C. Circuit’s recent Asinor v. District of Columbia decision, holding that the government’s continued possession of seized property must be reasonable, furthers a split among circuit courts and portends how the text, history and tradition method might influence Fourth Amendment cases, say Ty Howard and Wayne Beckermann at Bradley Arant.

• Integrating ESG Into Risk Management Programs

  

  Amid increasing regulations and reporting requirements for corporate sustainability in the European Union and the U.S., companies might consider how to incorporate environmental, social and governance factors into more formalized risk management, say directors at Alvarez & Marsal.

• It's No Longer Enough For Firms To Be Trusted Advisers

  

  Amid fierce competition for business, the transactional “trusted adviser” paradigm from which most firms operate is no longer sufficient — they should instead aim to become trusted partners with their most valuable clients, says Stuart Maister at Strategic Narrative.

• Vertex Suit Highlights Issues For Pharma Fertility Support

  

  Vertex Pharmaceuticals' recent lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' interpretation of the Anti-Kickback Statute is influenced by a number of reproductive rights and health equity issues that the Office of Inspector General should address more concretely, including in vitro fertilization and fertility preservation programs, says Mary Kohler at Kohler Health Law.

• 5 Lessons From Consulting Firm's Successful DOJ Disclosure

  

  The Boston Consulting Group recently received a rare declination of prosecution from the U.S. Department of Justice after self-disclosing a foreign bribery scheme, and the firm’s series of savvy steps after discovering the misconduct provides useful data points for white collar defense attorneys, says Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.

• 5 Credibility Lessons Trial Attys Can Learn From Harris' Run

  

  In launching a late-stage campaign for president, Vice President Kamala Harris must seize upon fresh attention from voters to establish, or reestablish, credibility — a challenge that parallels and provides takeaways for trial attorneys, says Ken Broda-Bahm at Persuasion Strategies.