Expert Analysis

• 'A-C-T' Agenda Signals New Regulatory Era At SEC Speaks

  

  At this year's SEC Speaks, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Paul Atkins unveiled his ambitious A-C-T agenda — advance, clarify and transform — to align the federal securities regulatory regime with modern markets, illustrating that the conference was not merely a status update but an action plan, say attorneys at Perkins Coie.

• Opinion

  AI Presents A Make-Or-Break Moment For Outside Counsel

  

  The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence by corporate legal departments is forcing a long-overdue reset of the relationship between inside and outside counsel, and introducing a significant opportunity to shed frustrating inefficiencies and strengthen collaboration for firms willing to embrace the shift, says Intel Chief Legal Officer April Miller Boise.

• 1st AI Acquisition Regulation Raises Contractor Concerns

  

  The General Services Administration’s recently published contract clause addressing artificial intelligence systems is problematic in a number of ways, underscoring the complex legal and practical issues that will need to be addressed as AI becomes more widely deployed in federal contracting, say attorneys at Haynes Boone.

• State Carbon Cost Disparities Are Pivotal In Data Center Siting

  

  When choosing U.S. data center locations, developers must carefully consider the patchwork of state and regional carbon emission pricing regimes that are layered on top of the federal permitting framework, creating compliance cost differentials that could add up to billions of dollars, say attorneys at Davis Graham.

• 8 Tariff Refund Questions For Restructuring Professionals

  

  For restructuring and turnaround professionals, seeking refunds following the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision invalidating tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act raises several questions about how to capture legitimate recoveries while protecting an enterprise from the consequences of its own history, says Jonny Frank and Laura Greenman at StoneTurn, and Andrew Popescu at Province.

• Grammarly Suit Flags Right Of Publicity As Key AI Issue

  

  Angwin v. Superhuman Platform, filed recently in New York federal court against the parent company of Grammarly, highlights an overlooked question for any company using artificial intelligence — whether someone's identity has been used for commercial purposes without consent, possibly violating rapidly shifting state right-of-publicity laws, says Nicholas Schneider at Eckert Seamans.

• Defense Deals Can Trigger Extra HSR Filing With The DOD

  

  Certain aerospace, defense and national security M&A transactions will require a concurrent Hart-Scott-Rodino Act filing to the U.S. Department of Defense, and practice tips for navigating this extra filing include early analysis of competitive implications of sector deals and planning for concurrent filings, say attorneys at White & Case.

• Navigating Life Sciences Deals Amid Heightened Scrutiny

  

  With pricing reform initiatives, national security legislation and evolving trade policy currently contributing to meaningful uncertainty for life sciences companies, it is important to proactively structure deals to avoid downstream complications, say attorneys at Cooley.

• Series

  Watching Hallmark Movies Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  I realize you may be judging me for watching, and actually enjoying, Hallmark Channel movies, but the escapism and storylines actually demonstrate qualities and actions that lead to an efficient, productive and positive legal practice, says Karen Ross at Tucker Ellis.

• Keys To Federal Carbon Compliance In Data Center Siting

  

  Recent statements from the White House and state governors about making data centers pay for their own power infrastructure have underlined the importance of choosing locations, generation technologies and deal structures to optimize carbon, permitting and compliance costs, say attorneys at Davis Graham.

• NY Bill Elevates Criminal Risk For 'Shadow' Crypto Firms

  

  New York's proposed CRYPTO Act would expose unlicensed digital asset operators to criminal penalties ranging from state misdemeanor charges to felony convictions, potentially marking a significant shift in how New York — already among the most aggressive crypto regulators — oversees virtual currency businesses, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

• Opinion

  AI Doc Ruling Got Privilege Analysis Wrong

  

  Broad reasoning used by a New York federal judge in U.S. v. Heppner — to determine the criminal defendant's interactions with a generative artificial intelligence platform were not protected — mistakenly treats AI use as dispositive disclosure to a third party and adopts an unduly narrow conception of work product, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert.

• AG Watch: New York's Heightened Enforcement In Real Estate

  

  Over the past several months, New York Attorney General Letitia James has brought a rapid succession of enforcement actions targeting rent stabilization abuse, unsafe housing conditions and fraudulent securities practices, signaling that the office views these problems as systemic issues warranting aggressive intervention, say attorneys at Quinn Emanuel.

• Contract Disputes Recap: Estimates, Value, Gov't Causation

  

  Three recent decisions provide helpful insights about the risk of relying on estimated quantities in blanket purchase agreements, the impact of valuation methodologies and the proof needed to overcome an agency's sovereign acts defense, say attorneys at Seyfarth.

• Stablecoin Yield Reform Raises Stakes For Community Banks

  

  Risks for community banks are heightened by the Clarity and Genius Acts, which establish stablecoin market parameters and may lead to traditional bank fund withdrawals in the long term, but a recent Senate amendment to the former bill could prevent deposit runoff, says Thomas Walker at Jones Walker.