Expert Analysis

• 6 Shifts In Trump Tax Law May Lend A Hand To M&A Strategy

  

  Changes in the Trump administration's recent One Big Beautiful Bill Act stand to create a more favorable environment for mergers and acquisitions, including full bonus depreciation and an expanded code section, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

• How Calif. Law Cracks Down On Algorithmic Price-Fixing

  

  Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two laws this month significantly expanding state antitrust enforcement and civil and criminal penalties for the use or distribution of shared pricing algorithms, as the U.S. Department of Justice has recently wielded the Sherman Act to challenge algorithmic pricing, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

• Opinion

  Expert Reports Can't Replace Facts In Securities Fraud Cases

  

  The Ninth Circuit's 2023 decision in Nvidia v. Ohman Fonder — and the U.S. Supreme Court's punt on the case in 2024 — could invite the meritless securities litigation the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act was designed to prevent by substituting expert opinions for facts to substantiate complaint assertions, say attorneys at A&O Shearman.

• Hermes Bags Antitrust Win That Clarifies Luxury Tying Claims

  

  A California federal court recently found that absent actual harm to competition in the market for ancillary products, Hermes may make access to the Birkin bag contingent on other purchases, establishing that selective sales tactics and scarcity do not automatically violate U.S. antitrust law, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

• Glimmers Of Clarity Appear Amid Open Banking Disarray

  

  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's vacillation over data rights rules has created uncertainty, but a recent proposal is a strong signal that open banking regulations are here to stay, making now the ideal time for entities to take action to decrease compliance risk, says Adam Maarec at McGlinchey Stafford.

• Opinion

  High Court, Not A Single Justice, Should Decide On Recusal

  

  As public trust in the U.S. Supreme Court continues to decline, the court should adopt a collegial framework in which all justices decide questions of recusal together — a reform that respects both judicial independence and due process for litigants, say Michael Broyde at Emory University and Hayden Hall at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

• FTC's Consumer Finance Pivot Brings Industry Pros And Cons

  

  An active Federal Trade Commission against the backdrop of a leashed Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will be welcomed by most in the consumer finance industry, but the incremental expansion of the FTC's authority via enforcement actions remains a risk, say attorneys at Hudson Cook.

• Amazon Ruling Marks New Era Of Personal Liability For Execs

  

  A Washington federal court's recent decision in FTC v. Amazon extended personal liability to senior executives for design-driven violations of broad consumer protection statutes, signaling a fundamental shift in how consumer protection laws may be enforced against large public companies, say attorneys at Orrick.

• What Cross-Border Task Force Says About SEC's Priorities

  

  The formation of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's cross-border task force, focused on investigating U.S. federal securities law violations overseas, underscores Chairman Paul Atkins' prioritization of classic fraud schemes, particularly involving foreign entities, say attorneys at Cleary.

• Series

  Traveling Solo Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Traveling by myself has taught me to assess risk, understand tone and stay calm in high-pressure situations, which are not only useful life skills, but the foundation of how I support my clients, says Lacey Gutierrez at Group Five Legal.

• NY Zelle Suit Highlights Fraud Risks Of Electronic Payments

  

  The New York attorney general's recent action against Zelle's parent company, filed several months after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau abandoned a similar suit, demonstrates the fraud risks that electronic payment platforms can present and the need for providers to carefully balance accessibility and consumer protection, say attorneys at Weiner Brodsky.

• Series

  Law School's Missed Lessons: Client Service

  

  Law school teaches you how to interpret the law, but it doesn't teach you some of the key ways to keeping clients satisfied, lessons that I've learned in the most unexpected of places: a book on how to be a butler, says Gregory Ramos at Armstrong Teasdale.

• How The FTC Is Stepping Up Subscription Enforcement

  

  Despite the demise of the Federal Trade Commission's click-to-cancel rule in July, the commission has not only maintained its regulatory momentum, but also set new compliance benchmarks through recent high-profile settlements with Match.com, Chegg and Amazon, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

• Colo. Law Brings Some Equilibrium To Condo Defect Reform

  

  Colorado's American Dream Act, effective next year, does not eliminate litigation risk for developers entirely, but it does introduce a process, some predictability and a more holistic means for parties to resolve condominium construction defect claims, and may improve the state's housing shortage, says Bob Burton at Winstead.

• What To Expect After FDA Warnings To GLP-1 Compounders

  

  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recent warning letters to companies advertising compounded versions of GLP-1 medications raise questions not just about the enforcement outlook for marketing such products, but also about the future of drug compounding as a whole, say attorneys at Spencer Fane.