Delaware

Expert Analysis

• Attorneys Beware: Zoom Depositions Are Likely Inadmissible

  

  As legal proceedings have moved online in light of the pandemic, lawyers may mistakenly believe that recorded Zoom video depositions can be entered as evidence, but without certain safeguards, the testimony is unlikely to be accepted by courts, says Phillip Zisook at Schoenberg Finkel.

• Contract Rights Vs. Patent Invalidity: 2 Key Cases To Watch

  

  Depending on how the Federal Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court balance private contractual rights and public policy to void invalid patents in two pending cases, practitioners may have to test new ways of protecting patents from challengers who already received contractual benefits, say Howard Susser and Eric Kaviar at Burns & Levinson.

• Law Firm Talent Must Reflect Shifting US Demographics

  

  Stephanie Scharf at Scharf Banks and Roberta Liebenberg at Fine Kaplan analyze and project U.S. demographic trends to show that law firms that hope to succeed long-term must recruit, retain and advance female lawyers and lawyers of color, and they outline six steps for meeting these goals.

• Opinion

  Judges Should Foster Diversity In MDL Leader Appointments

  

  Through their powerful function as gatekeepers, judges should open the gate to minority practitioners when appointing leadership positions in widely influential multidistrict litigation and begin to correct the disparities that have long plagued the legal industry, say Majed Nachawati and Michael Gorwitz at Fears Nachawati.

• 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.

• How Trade Dress Law Has Evolved During COVID

  

  As consumers return to in-store shopping and retailers shift strategies to boost products' shelf appeal, it's important to note that trade dress case law developments during the pandemic have emphasized a fine line between identity of brand and that of function, say Howard Hogan and Laura Mumm at Gibson Dunn.

• NextEra Ruling Could Support Initial-Bidder Expense Claims

  

  The Third Circuit’s recent broad decision that NextEra's unsuccessful merger bid for Energy Future Holdings could nevertheless benefit EFH's bankruptcy estate provides future stalking horse bidders substantial leverage and may establish an alternative way for them to recover transactional expenses, says Ronit Berkovich at Weil.

• Expedited Bankruptcies Are Cause For Concern

  

  The Office of the U.S. Trustee's recent concerns over the increase in so-called shotgun bankruptcies are legitimate: These expedited processes limit oversight by the bankruptcy court to the detriment of smaller stakeholders, say Brian Shaw and David Doyle at Cozen O'Connor.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Opinion

  It's Time For States To Enact Effective Marijuana DUI Laws

  

  The increasing legalization of recreational marijuana spotlights the need for states to safeguard the public by developing laws to curb driving under the influence of drugs with uniform bright-line rules, along with more accurate testing and increased law enforcement training, say Laura Sedrish at Jacoby & Meyers and Victor Schwartz at Shook Hardy.