Expert Analysis

• 'Occurrence' Lessons From Policyholder's COVID Ruling Win

  

  The Minnesota Court of Appeals recently handed policyholders an important win in Life Time v. Zurich American Insurance, reversing a trial court ruling that had capped coverage under a communicable disease endorsement at a single occurrence, showing the importance of fact-specific inquiry, say attorneys at Hunton.

• 9th Circ. Ruling Leaves SEC Gag Rule Open To Future Attacks

  

  Though the Ninth Circuit's recent ruling in Powell v. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission leaves the SEC's no-admit, no-deny rule intact, it could provide some fodder for litigants who wish to criticize the commission's activities either before or after settling with the commission, says Jonathan Richman at Brown Rudnick.

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  Writing Musicals Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  My experiences with writing musicals and practicing law have shown that the building blocks for both endeavors are one and the same, because drama is necessary for the law to exist, says Addison O’Donnell at LOIS Law.

• Diverging FAA Preemption Rulings Underscore Role Of Venue

  

  Two recent rulings evaluating Federal Arbitration Act preemption of state laws — one from the California Supreme Court, upholding the state law, and another from a New York federal court, upholding the arbitration agreement — demonstrate why venue should be a key consideration when seeking to enforce arbitration clauses, say attorneys at Hollingsworth.

• A Reminder Of The Limits Of The SEC's Crypto Thaw

  

  As the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's regulatory thaw has opened up new possibilities for tokenization projects, the Ninth Circuit's recent decision in SEC v. Barry that certain fractional interests are investment contracts, and thus securities, illustrates that guardrails remain via the Howey test, say attorneys at Skadden.

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  Adapting To Private Practice: From Va. AUSA To Mid-Law

  

  Returning to the firm where I began my career after seven years as an assistant U.S. attorney in Virginia has been complex, nuanced and rewarding, and I’ve learned that the pursuit of justice remains the constant, even as the mindset and client change, says Kristin Johnson at Woods Rogers.

• 2 Fed. Circ. Rulings Underscore Patent Prosecution Pitfalls

  

  Two recent patent decisions from the Federal Circuit, overturning significant judgments, serve as reminders that claim modifications and cancellations may have substantive effects on the scope of other claims, and that arguments distinguishing prior art and characterizing claims may also limit claim scope, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

• Conn. Ruling May Help Prevent Abuse Of Anti-SLAPP Statute

  

  If the decision in Aguilar v. Eick, where the Connecticut Appellate Court held that the state's anti-SLAPP statute does not authorize the court to conduct an evidentiary hearing, is reconsidered by the state Supreme Court, it could provide an important mechanism for defendants to prevent plaintiffs from pleading around the reach of the statute, say attorneys at McCarter & English.

• How 5th Circ.'s NLRB Ruling May Reshape Federal Labor Law

  

  The Fifth Circuit's recent SpaceX National Labor Relations Board decision undermines the agency's authority, but it does not immediately shut down NLRB enforcement, so employers and labor organizations should expect more litigation, more uncertainty and a possible U.S. Supreme Court showdown, say attorneys at Goldberg Segalla.

• Rebutting Price Impact In Securities Class Actions

  

  Defendants litigating securities cases historically faced long odds in defeating class certification, but that paradigm has recently begun to shift, with recent cases ushering in a more searching analysis of price impact and changing the evidence courts can consider at the class certification stage, say attorneys at Katten.

• 7 Document Review Concepts New Attorneys Need To Know

  

  For new associates joining firms this fall, stepping into the world of e-discovery can feel like learning a new language, but understanding a handful of fundamentals — from coding layouts to metadata — can help attorneys become fluent in document review, says Ann Motl at Bowman and Brooke.

• FTC Actions Highlight New Noncompete Enforcement Strategy

  

  Several recent noncompete-related actions from the Federal Trade Commission — including its recent dismissal of cases appealing the vacatur of a Biden-era noncompete ban — reflect the commission's shift toward case-by-case enforcement, while confirming that the agency intends to remain active in policing such agreements, say attorneys at Debevoise.

• NY Laundering Ruling Leans On Jurisdictional Fundamentals

  

  A New York appeals court’s recent dismissal of Zhakiyanov v. Ogai, a civil money laundering dispute between Kazakh citizens involving New York real estate, points toward limitations on the jurisdictional reach of state courts and suggests that similar claims will be subject to a searching forum analysis, say attorneys at Curtis Mallet-Prevost.

• Ruling On Labor Peace Law Marks Shift For Cannabis Cos.

  

  Currently on appeal to the Ninth Circuit, an Oregon federal court’s novel decision in Casala v. Kotek, invalidating a state law that requires labor peace agreements as a condition of cannabis business licensure, marks the potential for compliance uncertainty for all cannabis employers in states with labor peace mandates, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

• Fed. Circ. Rulings Refine Patent Claim Construction Standards

  

  Four Federal Circuit patent decisions this year clarify several crucial principles governing patent claim construction, including the importance of prosecution history, and the need for error-free, precise language from claims drafters, say attorneys at Taft.