Expert Analysis

• Maximizing Law Firm Profitability In Uncertain Times

  

  As threats of an economic downturn loom, firms can boost profits by embracing the power of bottom-line management and creating an ecosystem where strategic financial oversight and robust timekeeping practices meet evolved client relations, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.

• FLSA Ruling Highlights Time Compensability Under State Law

  

  While the Third Circuit's August decision in Tyger v. Precision Drilling endorsed the prevailing standard among federal courts regarding time compensability under the Fair Labor Standards Act, it also serves as a reminder that state laws will often find a broader range of activities to be compensable, say Ryan Warden and Craig Long at White and Williams.

• What UCC Article 12 Adoption Means For Digital Assets

  

  Until it is widely adopted, both owners of digital assets and their secured lenders will need to exercise caution in jurisdictions that have adopted Uniform Commercial Code Article 12, and care will need to be taken when creating, transferring and managing digital assets to comply with its requirements, say Margo Tank and David Whitaker at DLA Piper.

• USW Ruling Highlights Successor Liability In Bankruptcy Sale

  

  A Delaware federal court's recent decision in United Steelworkers v. Braeburn is important for potential asset purchasers in Section 363 bankruptcy sales as it found the purchaser was subject to obligations under the National Labor Relations Act notwithstanding language in the sale approval order transferring the debtor's assets free and clear of successor liability, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

• 5th Circ. Ruling Reminds Attys That CBP Can Search Devices

  

  The Fifth Circuit’s recent Malik v. Department of Homeland Security decision adds to the chorus of federal courts holding that border agents don’t need a warrant to search travelers’ electronic devices, so attorneys should consider certain special precautions to secure privileged information when reentering the U.S., says Jennifer Freel at Jackson Walker.

• 5 Takeaways From Bellwether AI Copyright Case

  

  A Delaware federal court's ruling last week in Thomson Reuters v. ROSS is the first summary judgment ruling regarding fair use of copyrighted material to train generative artificial intelligence models and provides an early glimpse of how an appeals court judge views key generative AI copyright issues, says Michael Justus at Katten.

• Avoiding The Ethical Pitfalls Of Crowdfunded Legal Fees

  

  The crowdfunding of legal fees has become increasingly common, providing a new way for people to afford legal services, but attorneys who accept crowdsourced funds must remember several key ethical obligations to mitigate their risks, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Julienne Pasichow at HWG.

• Appellate Rulings Highlight Telecom Standard Uncertainties

  

  Two recent contrasting appellate opinions in Cellco v. White Deer Township and NMSurf v. Webber — interpreting Sections 332 and 253 of the Communications Act, respectively — demonstrate the continuing uncertainty carriers face when challenging state and local requirements that may impede their provision of telecommunications services, say attorneys at Davis Wright.

• 2 Cases May Expand CFPB's Reach On Deceptive Practices

  

  In two separate cases, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is asserting a broad interpretation of who is subject to the Consumer Financial Protection Act's prohibition on unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts and practices, raising questions about what an expansion of its authority might mean for consumer credit markets, say John Coleman and Leslie Meredith at Orrick.

• Why Calif. Applying Del. Caremark Standard Is A Big Deal

  

  A California court of appeal’s recent Kanter v. Reed ruling, which found for the first time that Delaware's Caremark standard is consistent with California law, demonstrates the importance of creating and using board-level reporting mechanisms that fulfill oversight duties, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

• Exclusivity Loss Holds Power In Trade Secret Damages Claims

  

  A Pennsylvania federal court's recent decision in Elite Transit v. Cunningham adds to a growing body of case law that illustrates how the loss of trade secret exclusivity alone may be sufficient for claiming damages, even when commercialization of a trade secret has not occurred, say Christopher DeBaere and Julia Bloch at Archway Research.

• Section 363 Ruling Lines Up With Avoidance Action Precedent

  

  While it is safe to say that avoidance actions in bankruptcy cases are the exception, not the rule, when selling assets in a Section 363 sale, the Eighth Circuit’s recent ruling in Simply Essentials’ Chapter 5 case reveals uniformity among courts that have considered the issue, says Daniel Lowenthal at Patterson Belknap.

• What Large Language Models Mean For Document Review

  

  Courts often subject parties using technology assisted review to greater scrutiny than parties conducting linear, manual document review, so parties using large language models for document review should expect even more attention, along with a corresponding need for quality control and validation, say attorneys at Sidley.

• Series

  Participating In Living History Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  My role as a baron in a living history group, and my work as volunteer corporate counsel for a book series fan association, has provided me several opportunities to practice in unexpected areas of law — opening doors to experiences that have nurtured invaluable personal and professional skills, says Matthew Parker at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

• Opinion

  Private Equity Owners Can Remedy Law Firms' Agency Issues

  

  Nonlawyer, private-equity ownership of law firms can benefit shareholders and others vulnerable to governance issues such as disparate interests, and can in turn help resolve agency problems, says Michael Di Gennaro at The Law Practice Exchange.