Expert Analysis

• Why Feds' Criminal Vehicle Tampering Theory Falls Short

  

  In recent years, federal regulators have advanced a novel theory that reprogramming a vehicle's onboard diagnostics system is a crime under the Clean Air Act — but a case now pending in the Ninth Circuit shows that the government's position is questionable for a host of reasons, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

• New Calif. Chatbot Bill May Make AI Assistants Into Liabilities

  

  While a pending California bill aims to regulate emotionally engaging chatbots that target children, its definition of "companion chatbot" may cover more ground — potentially capturing virtual assistants used for customer service or tech support, and creating serious legal exposure for businesses, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

• Training AI On Books: A Tale Of 2 Fair Use Rulings

  

  Though two recent decisions from the Northern District of California concluded that training artificial intelligence with copyrighted books counts as fair use, certain meaningful differences in reasoning could affect pending and future cases, says Brett Carmody at Atheria Law.

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  Judging Figure Skating Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Judging figure skating competitions helps me hone the focus, decisiveness and ability to process complex real-time information I need in court, but more importantly, it makes me reengage with a community and my identity outside of law, which, paradoxically, always brings me back to work feeling restored, says Megan Raymond at Groombridge Wu.

• $100K H-1B Fee May Disrupt Rural Healthcare Needs

  

  The Trump administration's newly imposed $100,000 supplemental fee on new H-1B petitions may disproportionately affect healthcare employers' ability to recruit international medical graduates, and the fee's national interest exceptions will not adequately solve ensuing problems for healthcare employers or medically underserved areas, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

• Looking Beyond Property Damages For Wildfire Survivors

  

  Personal injury attorneys seeking compensation for victims of wildfires like those in Los Angeles County must carefully apply a multidisciplinary approach that looks beyond obvious property loss to the full spectrum of damages, considering factors like emotional distress, disruption of community and the psychological toll of displacement, says Farid Yaghoubtil at Downtown L.A. Law Group.

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  Calif. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q3

  

  The third quarter of 2025 brought legislative changes to state money transmission certification requirements and securities law obligations, as well as high-profile accounting and anti-money laundering compliance enforcement actions by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

• Female Athletes' NIL Deal Challenge Could Be Game Changer

  

  A challenge by eight female athletes to the NCAA’s $2.8 billion name, image and likeness settlement shows that women in sports are still fighting for their share — not just of money, but of respect, resources and representation, says Madilynne Lee at Anderson Kill.

• What Ethics Rules Say On Atty Discipline For Online Speech

  

  Though law firms are free to discipline employees for their online commentary about Charlie Kirk or other social media activity, saying crude or insensitive things on the internet generally doesn’t subject attorneys to professional discipline under the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, says Stacie H. Rosenzweig at Halling & Cayo.

• Junior Attys Must Beware Of 5 Common Legal Brief Mistakes

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  Junior law firm associates must be careful to avoid five common pitfalls when drafting legal briefs — from including every possible argument to not developing a theme — to build the reputation of a sought-after litigator, says James Argionis at Cozen O'Connor.

• Assessing Legal, Regulatory Hurdles Of Healthcare Offshoring

  

  The offshoring of administrative, nonclinical functions has emerged as an increasingly attractive option for healthcare companies seeking to reduce costs, but this presents challenges in navigating the web of state restrictions on the access or storage of patient data outside the U.S., say attorneys at McDermott.

• Keys To Extended Producer Responsibility Compliance

  

  As states' extended producer responsibility laws come into effect, reshaping packaging obligations for businesses, regulated entities should ensure they register with a producer responsibility organization, understand state-specific deadlines and obligations, and review packaging to improve recyclability and reduce compliance costs, say attorneys at Baker Donelson.

• Lessons As Joint Employer Suits Shift From Rare To Routine

  

  Joint employer allegations now appear so frequently that employers should treat them as part of the ordinary risk landscape, and several recent decisions demonstrate how fluid the liability doctrine has become, says Thomas O’Connell at Buchalter.

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  Power To The Paralegals: How And Why Training Must Evolve

  

  Empowering paralegals through new models of education that emphasize digital fluency, interdisciplinary collaboration and human-centered lawyering could help solve workforce challenges and the justice gap — if firms, educators and policymakers get on board, say Kristine Custodio Suero and Kelli Radnothy.

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  Playing Softball Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  My time on the softball field has taught me lessons that also apply to success in legal work — on effective preparation, flexibility, communication and teamwork, says Sarah Abrams at Baleen Specialty.