Construction

Expert Analysis

• Q&A

  A Chat With Gilead Sciences Legal Ops Leader Gary Tully

  

  In this monthly series, legal recruiting experts from Major Lindsey & Africa interview legal industry leaders about the increasingly competitive business environment. Here, Rod Osborne talks with Gary Tully, head of legal operations at Gilead Sciences.

• Series

  Why I Became A Lawyer: Completing The Journey Home

  

  My mother's connection to her Native American heritage had a major influence on my career — my decision to enter the legal profession was driven by the desire to return to my tribal community and help it in any way I could, says Jason Hauter of Akin Gump.

• Understanding The Nuts And Bolts Of Bridge Lending

  

  Bridge lending, a hybrid form of financing that is generally safer than construction loans but offers higher yields than permanent loans, is growing in popularity. But commercial real estate lenders should consider several key factors before entering the field, says Kamao Shaw of Bryan Cave.

• Series

  Judging A Book: Wood Reviews 'The Making Of A Justice'

  

  Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens' new book, "The Making of a Justice," is required reading for anyone interested in 20th and 21st century America, says Seventh Circuit Chief Judge Diane Wood.

• Activist Investors And The Evolving Role Of Directors

  

  Recent developments between Arconic and activist investor Elliott exemplify the need for directors to be more informed and involved on the day-to-day operations of a company — and less reliant on, and more skeptical of, management, say Morton Pierce and Michelle Rutta of White & Case.

• Getting Out Of Legal Project Management Debt

  

  If a client does not demand the application of project management techniques at the start of a matter, or a law firm does not routinely apply them, it is highly likely that additional, avoidable work — legal project management debt — will materialize throughout the matter, says Anthony Widdop of Shearman & Sterling.

• Fla. Assignment Of Benefits Law Is Good News For Insurers

  

  Last month, the Florida Senate passed legislation that will reform the litigious practice of assignment of benefits in first-party property insurance claims. Significantly, the bill's restriction of attorney fees will likely encourage assignees to make more reasonable presuit demands, says Mac Griffin of Holland & Knight.

• 6 Ways To Keep Your Jury From Zoning Out

  

  Science suggests that at least some jurors pay attention to less than 65% of the evidence during a trial due to "task-unrelated thoughts," but there are steps attorneys can take to present information in a more engaging, cognition-friendly fashion, say Dennis Stolle and Dennis Devine of Barnes & Thornburg.

• No-Match Letters Raise 4 Areas Of Concern For Employers

  

  Recently, the Social Security Administration has resumed mailing "no-match" letters informing employers of mismatches between their employees' names and Social Security numbers. When responding to such letters, employers must walk the fine line between good faith compliance and discrimination, says Becki Young of Grossman Young.

• 5 Myths In Legal Crisis Communications

  

  Having worked at a boutique law firm, a crisis communications agency and in BigLaw, I have identified a number of common misconceptions across these disparate business models when it comes to crisis and litigation communications, says Robert Gemmill of Hogan Lovells.