Compliance

Expert Analysis

• Avoiding Inadvertent Privilege Waivers In E-Communications

  

  Attorneys at WilmerHale highlight recent developments in privilege law, the significant challenges raised by nontraditional working arrangements popularized during the pandemic, and ways to avoid waiving attorney-client privilege when using electronic communications.

• Incentives And Risks From OTC Drug Monograph Revamp

  

  A provision in the CARES Act that overhauls the over-the-counter drug monograph system should be a welcome development for certain drug manufacturers and developers but may also result in increased federal scrutiny and enforcement activity, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

• 5 Tips For Drafting Effective Legal Billing Guidelines

  

  To properly manage outside counsel, it's imperative for a company's legal department to implement and maintain rules on what they will and won't pay for, on staffing cases and requesting rate increases, and on how matters will be handled, says Chris Seezen at Quovant.

• Limiting Employer Liability For Secondhand Virus Exposure

  

  While the law on secondhand exposure to workplace hazards like COVID-19 varies from state to state, employers can make educated guesses about the scope of liability and the steps needed to protect workers and limit claims from third parties, say attorneys at McGuireWoods.

• How Energy Co. Buyers Can Limit Environmental Liability Risk

  

  As potential buyers look to purchase assets of energy companies driven into bankruptcy by the coronavirus pandemic, there are a number of precautionary steps they should take to reduce the risk of liability for the seller's environmental obligations, say Jacob Hollinger and Darren Azman of McDermott.

• Opinion

  Keystone XL Ruling Paralyzes Infrastructure Permit Process

  

  A Montana federal judge's recent ruling revoking water permits for the Keystone XL pipeline and imposing a nationwide moratorium on dredging and filling operations by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seriously undermines a tried and true regulatory process, say Tom Magness at Grow America's Infrastructure Now and Patrice Douglas at Spencer Fane.

• When Unclear Retail Rent-To-Own Terms Draw FTC Ire

  

  The Federal Trade Commission's recent settlement with Progressive Leasing over its failure to clearly disclose rent-to-own prices illustrates the FTC's propensity to seek equitable monetary relief from national advertisers, as well as policy differences between Republicans and Democrats, say John Feldman and Gerry Stegmaier at Reed Smith.

• Opinion

  Medicare Secondary Payer Proposal Should Set Fair Penalties

  

  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' proposed rule establishing penalties for Medicare secondary payer late reporting unduly punishes entities for making good faith efforts to disclose claims, says Re Knack at the Medicare Advocacy Recovery Coalition.

• Opinion

  Don't Cancel Your Summer Associate Programs

  

  While pulling off an effective summer associate program this year will be no easy feat, law firms' investments in their future attorneys should be considered necessary even during this difficult time, says Summer Eberhard at Major Lindsey.

• A Bankruptcy Probe Primer For White Collar Attorneys

  

  As white collar attorneys are increasingly asked to assist with bankruptcy-related investigations by unsecured creditors due to the current economic environment, they should follow best practices concerning discovery, appointment of independent board members, and malpractice claims, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

• Top 5 Wage And Hour Risks To Avoid As Businesses Reopen

  

  Employers should use extra caution to sidestep several key wage and hour mistakes as businesses prepare to reopen following the coronavirus crisis and worker classification and Fair Labor Standards Act compliance comes under increased scrutiny, say Kathleen Caminiti and Eric Baginski at Fisher Phillips.

• Pandemic Elevates Cos.' Compliance Risks In Latin America

  

  While Latin American governments respond to pandemic-related financial needs, multinational companies face elevated compliance risks from increased interaction with government officials, and new enforcement policies related to the misappropriation of funds, expedited government contracting, increased transparency and monitoring, and international cooperation, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

• The Legal Risks Of Bias In Artificial Intelligence

  

  Bias in artificial intelligence algorithms is inevitable, so companies that use AI should take proactive steps to avoid disparate impact on legally protected classes and minimize the risk of lawsuits, say Brig. Gen. Patrick Huston at the Army JAG Corps and Lourdes Fuentes-Slater at Karta Legal.

• 5 Ways To Reduce Post-Pandemic Legal Malpractice Exposure

  

  History suggests that legal malpractice claims will rise following the current economic downturn, and while a certain percentage of the claims will be unavoidable, there are prophylactic steps that law firms can take, says John Johnson at Cozen O'Connor.

• Risk Management Concepts For Public-Private Crisis Projects

  

  As businesses new to public-private partnerships consider coronavirus-related disaster relief contracts, there are a number of issues general counsel and chief risk officers for these companies should consider that need not be a serious burden on operations, says Jordan Strauss at Kroll.