Expert Analysis

• Va.'s Altered Surcharge Law Poses Constitutional Questions

  

  Virginia's recently amended consumer protection law requiring sellers to display the total price rather than expressly prohibiting surcharges follows New York's recent revision of its antisurcharge statute and may raise similar First Amendment questions, says attorneys at Stinson.

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  Volunteering At Schools Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Speaking to elementary school students about the importance of college and other opportunities after high school — especially students who may not see those paths reflected in their daily lives — not only taught me the importance of giving back, but also helped to sharpen several skills essential to a successful legal practice, says Guillermo Escobedo at Constangy.

• Fed's Crypto Guidance Yank Could Drive Innovation

  

  The Federal Reserve Board's recent withdrawal of guidance letters brings regulatory consistency and broadens banks' ability to innovate in the crypto-asset space, but key distinctions remain between the Fed's policy on crypto liquidity and that of the other banking regulators, says Dan Hartman at Nutter.

• GM Case Highlights New Trends In AI-Related Securities Suits

  

  Bold company statements about artificial intelligence have resulted in a rise in AI-related securities litigation, and a recent Michigan federal court decision in In Re: General Motors Co. Securities Litigation illustrates how courts are analyzing these AI-based claims and applying traditional securities concepts to new technologies, say attorneys at Cooley.

• Attacks On Judicial Independence Tend To Manifest In 3 Ways

  

  Attacks on judicial independence now run the gamut from gross (bald-faced interference) to systemic (structural changes) to insidious (efforts to undermine public trust), so lawyers, judges and the public must recognize the fateful moment in which we live and defend the rule of law every day, says Jim Moliterno at Washington and Lee University.

• Statistics Tools Chart A Path For AI Use In Expert Testimony

  

  To avoid the fate of numerous expert witnesses whose testimony was recently deemed inadmissible by courts, experts relying on artificial intelligence and machine learning should learn from statistical tools’ road to judicial acceptance, say directors at Secretariat.

• Compliance Refresher For 'Made In USA' Labeling Claims

  

  As tariffs reshape the trade landscape, companies hoping to invoke the powerful consumer appeal of “Made in USA” labels must understand the strict rules for making acceptable claims so they avoid the costly legal ramifications and brand damage possible from misrepresenting products as 100% American, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

• 4 Strategies For De-Escalating Hospitality Industry Disputes

  

  As recent uncertainty in the travel business exacerbates the risk of conflict in the hospitality sector, industry in-house counsel and their outside partners should consider proactive strategies aimed at de-escalating disputes, including preserving the record, avoiding boilerplate clauses and considering arbitration, say Randa Adra at Crowell and Stephanie Jean-Jacques at Hyatt.

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  Law School's Missed Lessons: Appreciating Civil Procedure

  

  If you’re like me, law school’s often complex and theoretical approach to teaching civil procedure may have contributed to an early struggle with the topic, but when seen from a practical perspective, new lawyers may find they enjoy mastering these rules, says Chloe Villagomez at Foster Garvey.

• Appellate Guidance Needed On California Chatbot Litigation

  

  There is wide variation in how courts are applying the California Invasion of Privacy Act against website owners that allegedly help third parties spy on visitors via chatbots — and the lack of appellate rulings creates uncertainty, especially as these cases move toward the summary judgment stage, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

• Calif. Bar Exam Fiasco Shows Why Attys Must Disclose AI Use

  

  The recent revelation that a handful of questions from the controversial California bar exam administered in February were drafted using generative artificial intelligence demonstrates the continued importance of disclosure for attorneys who use AI tools, say attorneys at Troutman.

• Platforms Face Section 230 Shift From Take It Down Act

  

  The federal Take It Down Act, signed into law last month, aims to combat deepfake pornography with criminal penalties for individual wrongdoers, but the notice and takedown provisions change the broad protections provided by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act in ways that directly affect platform providers, say attorneys at Troutman.

• CFPB's Guidance Withdrawal Deepens Industry Uncertainty

  

  Following the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's recent withdrawal of dozens of guidance documents in a post-Chevron world, financial services providers are left to make their own determinations about the complex issues addressed in the now-revoked materials, presenting a significant compliance burden, say attorneys at Bradley Arant.

• In 2nd Place, Va. 'Rocket Docket' Remains Old Reliable

  

  The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia was again one of the fastest civil trial courts in the nation last year, and an interview with the court’s newest judge provides insights into why it continues to soar, says Robert Tata at Hunton.

• How Attorneys Can Become Change Agents For Racial Equity

  

  As the administration targets diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and law firms consider pulling back from their programs, lawyers who care about racial equity and justice can employ four strategies to create microspaces of justice, which can then be parlayed into drivers of transformational change, says Susan Sturm at Columbia Law School.