Expert Analysis

• What's Potentially In Store For CFTC Under New Leadership

  

  Under the leadership of acting U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Caroline Pham, and with the nomination of former commissioner Brian Quintenz to serve as permanent chair, the commission is set to widely embrace digital assets and event contracts, say attorneys at Davis Wright.

• Revived Executive Order Is A Deregulatory Boon To Banks

  

  A recently reinstated 2019 executive order reveals the Trump administration’s willingness to provide unprecedented protections for regulated parties — including financial institutions — but to claim them, banks and other entities must adopt a forward-leaning posture to work with the regulators, say attorneys at Davis Wright.

• 2 Practical Ways For Banks To Battle Elder Financial Abuse

  

  Federal regulators' recent statement raising awareness of elder financial exploitation provides a useful catalog of techniques that banks can employ to fight fraud, particularly encouraging older account holders to establish trusted contacts and sharing timely warnings about the latest scams with customers, say attorneys at Nutter.

• Opinion

  SEC Defense Bar Should Pursue Sanctions Flexibility Now

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission defense bar has an opening under the new administration to propose flexible, tailored sanctions that can substantially remediate misconduct and prevent future wrongdoing instead of onerous penalties, which could set sanctions precedent for years to come, says Josh Hess at BCLP.

• 7 Tips For Associates To Thrive In Hybrid Work Environments

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  As the vast majority of law firms have embraced some type of hybrid work policy, associates should consider a few strategies to get the most out of both their in-person and remote workdays, says James Argionis at Cozen O’Connor.

• Series

  Playing Beach Volleyball Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  My commitment to beach volleyball has become integral to my performance as an attorney, with the sport continually reminding me that teamwork, perseverance, professionalism and stress management are essential to both undertakings, says Amy Drushal at Trenam.

• 30 Years Later: How PSLRA Has Improved Securities Litigation

  

  In the 30 years since the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act's passage, the statute has achieved its purpose of shifting securities class actions to investors most capable of monitoring the litigation, selecting competent counsel at competitive rates and maximizing recoveries for the investor classes they represent, say attorneys at Bernstein Litowitz.

• Terraform Case May Be Bellwether For Crypto Enforcement

  

  The prosecution of crypto company Terraform Labs and its CEO, Do Kwon, offers a unique test of the line between lawful and unlawful conduct in digital transactions, and the Trump administration’s posture toward the case will provide clues about its cryptocurrency enforcement agenda in the years to come, say attorneys at Brooks Pierce.

• 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.

• What Remedies Under New Admin's SEC Could Look Like

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is likely to substantially narrow the remedies it pursues over the next few years, driven by the mounting challenges it faces in court, as well as the views of its incoming chair and fellow Republican commissioners on injunctions, penalties and disgorgement, say attorneys at Milbank.

• 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.

• BlackRock Suit Highlights Antitrust Risks Of ESG

  

  In Texas v. BlackRock, pending in Texas federal court, 13 state attorneys general are suing large institutional investors in the coal business, underscoring key reasons companies may want to alter their approach to developing and implementing policies related to environmental, social, and governance factors, especially if coordination with competitors is involved, say attorneys at Manatt.

• 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.

• Series

  Racing Corvettes Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  The skills I use when racing Corvettes have enhanced my legal practice in several ways, because driving, like practicing law, requires precision, awareness and a good set of brakes — complete with the wisdom to know how and when to use them, says Kat Mateo at Olshan Frome.

• Opinion

  Attorneys Must Act Now To Protect Judicial Independence

  

  Given the Trump administration's recent moves threatening the independence of the judiciary, including efforts to impeach judges who ruled against executive actions, lawyers must protect the rule of law and resist attempts to dilute the judicial branch’s authority, says attorney Bhavleen Sabharwal.