Expert Analysis

• And Now A Word From The Panel: MDL Year In Review

  

  2025 was a roller coaster for the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, with the panel canceling one hearing session due to the absence of new MDL petitions, yet also issuing rulings on more new MDL petitions than in 2024 — making it clear that MDLs are still thriving, says Alan Rothman at Sidley Austin.

• Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: January Lessons

  

  In this month's review of class action appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy discusses five rulings from October and November, and identifies practice tips from cases involving consumer fraud, oil and gas leases, toxic torts, and wage and hour issues.

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  Judges On AI: How Judicial Use Informs Guardrails

  

  U.S. Magistrate Judge Maritza Dominguez Braswell at the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado discusses why having a sense of how generative AI tools behave, where they add value, where they introduce risk and how they are reshaping the practice of law is key for today's judges.

• Lessons From EdTech Provider's Data Breach Settlements

  

  Education technology company Illuminate Education's recent settlements with three states and the Federal Trade Commission over state privacy law claims following a student data breach are some of the first of their kind, suggesting a shift in enforcement focus to how companies handle student data and highlighting the potential for coordinated enforcement actions, say attorneys at Wilson Sonsini.

• Key Sectors, Antitrust Risks In Pricing Algorithm Litigation

  

  Algorithmic pricing lawsuits have proliferated in rental housing, hotels, health insurance and equipment rental industries, and companies should consider emerging risk factors when implementing business strategies this year, say attorneys at Hunton.

• What A Calif. Mileage Tax Would Mean For Employers

  

  California is considering implementing a mileage tax that would likely trigger existing state laws requiring employers to reimburse employees for work-related driving, creating a new mandatory business expense with significant bottom-line implications for employers, says Eric Fox at Ogletree.

• Cybersecurity Must Remain Financial Sector's Focus In 2026

  

  In 2026, financial institutions face a wave of more prescriptive cybersecurity legal requirements demanding clearer governance, faster incident reporting, and stronger oversight of third-party and AI-driven risks, making it crucial to understand these issues before they materialize into crises, say attorneys at Sidley.

• How 2025 Recalibrated Fair Use For The AI Era

  

  Although the Second Circuit's decision last year in Romanova v. Amilus Inc. did not involve artificial intelligence, its formulation of relevant fair use factors provides a useful guide for lower courts examining AI cases in 2026, demanding close attention from legal practitioners on both sides of these disputes, say attorneys at Cleary.

• 2026 Int'l Arbitration Trends: Next Steps In Age Of AI, Crypto

  

  Parties' use of artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies will continue in 2026, and international arbitrators will be called upon to evolve by building expertise in blockchain functionality, cryptography and decentralized finance protocols, and understanding the power and limitations of large language models, say attorneys at Cleary.

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  Adapting To Private Practice: 5 Tips From Ex-SEC Unit Chief

  

  My move to private practice has reaffirmed my belief in the value of adaptability, collaboration and strategic thinking — qualities that are essential not only for successful client outcomes, but also for sustained professional satisfaction, says Dabney O’Riordan at Fried Frank.

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  Law School's Missed Lessons: How To Start A Law Firm

  

  Launching and sustaining a law firm requires skills most law schools don't teach, but every lawyer should understand a few core principles that can make the leap calculated rather than reckless, says Sam Katz at Athlaw.

• Justices' Med Mal Ruling May Hurt Federal Anti-SLAPP Suits

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Berk v. Choy restricts the application of certain state laws in diversity actions in federal court — and while the ruling concerned affidavit requirements in medical malpractice suits, it may also affect the use of anti-SLAPP statutes in federal litigation, says Travis Chance at Brownstein Hyatt.

• Fed. Circ. Patent Decisions In 2025: An Empirical Review

  

  In 2025, the Federal Circuit's increased output was not enough to keep up with its ever-growing patent case load, and patent owners and applicants fared poorly overall as the court's affirmance rate fell, says Dan Bagatell at Perkins Coie.

• Key False Claims Act Trends From The Last Year

  

  The False Claims Act remains a powerful enforcement tool after some record verdicts and settlements in 2025, and while traditional fraud areas remain a priority, new initiatives are raising questions about its expanding application, says Veronica Nannis at Joseph Greenwald.

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  Hosting Exchange Students Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Opening my home to foreign exchange students makes me a better lawyer not just because prioritizing visiting high schoolers forces me to hone my organization and time management skills but also because sharing the study-abroad experience with newcomers and locals reconnects me to my community, says Alison Lippa at Nicolaides Fink.