Expert Analysis

• Breaking Down The SEC's 2024 Examination Priorities

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s recently released examination priorities for the year ahead signal a steady course from prior years, but they also include some specific new concerns and important twists on perennial risk areas, say Kurt Gottschall and Kit Addleman at Haynes Boone.

• Preparing Law Students For A New, AI-Assisted Legal World

  

  As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the legal landscape, law schools must integrate technology and curricula that address AI’s innate challenges — from ethics to data security — to help students stay ahead of the curve, say Daniel Garrie at Law & Forensics, Ryan Abbott at JAMS and Karen Silverman at Cantellus Group.

• SolarWinds Ushers In New Era Of SEC Cyber Enforcement

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent lawsuit against software company SolarWinds Corp. and its chief information security officer is the first time the SEC has ever filed suit over scienter-based fraud involving cybersecurity failures, illustrating that both companies and CISOs need to be extra cautious in how they describe their cybersecurity practices, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

• General Counsel Need Data Literacy To Keep Up With AI

  

  With the rise of accessible and powerful generative artificial intelligence solutions, it is imperative for general counsel to understand the use and application of data for myriad important activities, from evaluating the e-discovery process to monitoring compliance analytics and more, says Colin Levy at Malbek.

• A Tale Of 2 SVB Reports: Where The Fed's Barr And OIG Differ

  

  Some have said the recent report on Silicon Valley Bank's failure prepared by the Federal Reserve Board's Office of Inspector General is nearly identical to one conducted by Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr earlier in the year, but in reality, the OIG report is far more critical and less forgiving of the Fed supervisory staff, say attorneys at Davis Polk.

• Navigating Discovery Of Generative AI Information

  

  As generative artificial intelligence tools become increasingly ubiquitous, companies must make sure to preserve generative AI data when there is reasonable expectation of litigation, and to include transcripts in litigation hold notices, as they may be relevant to discovery requests, say Nick Peterson and Corey Hauser at Wiley.

• Finding Focus: Strategies For Attorneys With ADHD

  

  Given the prevalence of ADHD among attorneys, it is imperative that the legal community gain a better understanding of how ADHD affects well-being, and that resources and strategies exist for attorneys with this disability to manage their symptoms and achieve success, say Casey Dixon at Dixon Life Coaching and Krista Larson at Stinson.

• A Look At DOJ's New Nationwide Investment Fraud Approach

  

  Investment fraud charges are increasingly being brought in unlikely venues across the country, and the rationale behind the U.S. Department of Justice's approach could well be the heightened legal standards in connection with prosecuting investment fraud, says Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.

• Decoding The Digital Asset Landscape In Bankruptcy

  

  Recent cases show the explosion of cryptocurrency as an asset class has created new challenges for debtors-in-possession, bankruptcy trustees, and federal and state receivers, and fiduciaries will have to consider a number of legal and practical considerations when determining how to manage these assets in insolvency, say David Castleman at Otterbourg and Anthony Facciano at Stretto.

• AI Use May Trigger False Claims Act's Public Disclosure Bar

  

  The likely use of publicly available artificial intelligence tools to detect government fraud by combing through large data sets will raise complex questions about a False Claims Act provision that prohibits the filing of claims based on previously disclosed information, say Nick Peterson and Spencer Brooks at Wiley Rein.

• Keeping Tabs On Fight Over Board Diversity Rule At 5th Circ.

  

  Attorneys at Mintz dissect why the Fifth Circuit rejected a constitutional challenge to Nasdaq’s new requirement that listed companies disclose board diversity data, assess how a petition calling the decision pro-discrimination may fare, and discuss where companies that have yet to meet the exchange's diversity goals go next.

• What To Expect From California's Digital Assets Regime

  

  California’s recent passage of two new laws that create a broad licensing, oversight and enforcement framework for the virtual currency arena will likely affect most digital asset companies doing business in the U.S. when it goes into effect in January 2025, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

• Why SEC Is Worried AI Could Lead To Recession, Racial Bias

  

  U.S. Securities Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler recently indicated he believes the agency should have a seat at the artificial intelligence regulatory table, which he said, if left unchecked, could lead to systemic racial bias, IP issues and even a recession, says Nancy Wojtas at Cooley.

• New CFTC Enforcement Policy May Finally Deter Recidivists

  

  The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s recently announced policies designed to crack down on market misconduct recidivists may finally raise the stakes enough to motivate institutions to improve their compliance infrastructure, say Dan Chirlin and Marc Armas at Walden Macht.

• Libor Fallback To Prime May Increase Corporate Loan Costs

  

  Despite preparations and legislative actions related to the transition away from Libor earlier this year, there remains a contingent of corporate borrowers that have fallen through the cracks and could face increased costs if their loans default to prime rates, say Nathan Moore and Dana Bradley at WilmerHale.