Construction

Expert Analysis

• A Gov't Contractor's Road Map To Biden Cybersecurity Order

  

  Following President Joe Biden's recent executive order to improve U.S. cybersecurity, Justin Chiarodo and Sharon Klein at Blank Rome highlight how four key elements will particularly affect government contractors and their suppliers, and what contractors should expect as they prepare to operate in a new compliance environment.

• A Biz Strategy Model To Improve Lateral Atty Hiring Diversity

  

  Quantitative comparison tools commonly used by companies in evaluating merger targets will allow law firms to assess lateral hire candidates in a demographically neutral manner, help remove bias from the hiring process and bring real diversity to the legal profession, says Thomas Latino at Florida State University.

• Smaller Firms Need Employee Wellness Programs, Too

  

  As we emerge from the pandemic, small and midsize firms — which offer an ideal setting for companywide connection — should follow in the footsteps of larger organizations and heed the American Bar Association’s recommendations by adopting well-being initiatives and appointing a chief wellness officer, says Janine Pollack at Calcaterra Pollack.

• How COVID Could Worsen The US Construction Defect Crisis

  

  The COVID-19 pandemic has created market conditions that may aggravate the decadeslong construction defect crisis in the American housing market due to supply chain disruptions, skilled labor shortages and time crunches, say attorneys at Ball Janik.

• Stop Networking, Start Relationship Marketing

  

  USA 500 Clubs' Joe Chatham offers four tips for lawyers to get started with relationship marketing — an approach to business development that prioritizes authentic connections — and explains why it may be more helpful than traditional networking post-pandemic.

• What Attorneys Should Know About Fee Deferral

  

  Milestone Consulting’s John Bair explores contingency-fee structuring considerations for attorneys, laying out the advantages — such as tax benefits and income control — as well as caveats and investment options.

• Insurers Have Cause For Optimism In Labor Cost Rulings

  

  Recent decisions from the high courts of South Carolina and North Carolina — holding that embedded labor costs can be depreciated from the replacement cost of property — bolster insurers’ moderate edge in these disputes and point to important implications for both insureds and insurers, says Richard Mason at MasonADR.

• Predictions On Pandemic's Lasting Impact On Legal Education

  

  The pandemic accelerated the pace of technological change for legal education, and some of the changes to how law school courses are taught and on-campus interviews are conducted may be here to stay, says Leonard Baynes at the University of Houston.

• Opinion

  Ill. Noncompete Reform Balances Employee And Biz Interests

  

  The noncompete bill recently passed by the Illinois Legislature protects due process for workers while preserving employers' ability to guard business assets — a rare political compromise that may reduce noncompete litigation but increase the chances of enforceability in court, say Peter Steinmeyer and Brian Spang at Epstein Becker.

• Opinion

  Biden's Clean Energy Goals Require Big Hydrogen Push

  

  To realize its ambitious renewable energy goals, the Biden administration, along with Congress, must promote the growth of the hydrogen industry using every available tool, including regulations, grants, tax incentives and direct purchases, say Abdon Rangel at Andersen Tax and John Taylor at King & Spalding.

• Lawyer Perfectionism Is A Disease We Can Control

  

  The pursuit of perfection that is prevalent among lawyers can lead to depression, anxiety and other mental health impacts, but new attorneys and industry leaders alike can take four steps to treat this malady, says Liam Montgomery at Williams & Connolly.

• Siting Authority Is Missing Link In Biden Power Line Initiative

  

  The Biden administration's recent proposals to promote high-voltage power line development may aid renewable energy adoption, but the lack of legislation providing national siting authority could mean that transmission projects crossing multiple states may still be difficult to develop, say James Cromley and Katherine Walton at Schiff Hardin.

• 5 Tips To Help Your 2021 Summer Associates Succeed

  

  Despite pandemic-related challenges this year, law firms can effectively train summer associates on writing and communicating — without investing more time than they ordinarily would, says Julie Schrager at Schiff Hardin.

• What EPA's Environmental Justice Push Means For Cos.

  

  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's increased focus on environmental justice, which will give historically disadvantaged communities more influence over federal environmental policy, means that regulated companies should stay closely engaged with agency policymaking, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

• Weighing Ability To Pay Criminal Fines Amid FCPA Crackdown

  

  As Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement is expected to increase under the Biden administration, companies facing scrutiny should assess the reasonableness of fines in the context of their capacity to continue operations, and the potential impacts of filing an inability-to-pay claim, say analysts at Charles River Associates.