Energy

Expert Analysis

• Opinion

  The Case For A Nonpolitical Federal Judiciary

  

  For the last 20 years, at the insistence of both parties, U.S. Supreme Court nominations have been fierce ideological battles — which is bad for the country and bad for the public's perception of the legitimacy of the court, say Judge Eric Moyé, Judge Craig Smith and Winston & Strawn partner Tom Melsheimer.

• The Keys To A Better Privilege Logging Paradigm

  

  Current privilege logging practices to identify what information is being withheld from discovery often lead to costly disputes, so practitioners should adopt a system based on trust and good faith, similar to the presumptions embedded in the business judgment rule for corporate directors and officers, say Kevin Brady at Volkswagen and Charles Ragan and Ted Hiser at Redgrave.

• Equator Principles Update: What Energy Cos. Should Know

  

  An Oct. 1 update to the Equator Principles will bring significant changes to the environmental, social and governance framework, and energy projects receiving loans of as little as $50 million must now prepare for compliance, says Jillian Kirn at Greenberg Traurig.

• White House Due Process Memo Could Reform Enforcement

  

  A little-noticed memo recently issued by the Trump administration in response to the pandemic, directing federal agencies to provide greater due process to individuals and companies under regulatory investigation, represents a long-overdue sea change in the way justice is carried out in enforcement proceedings, say Joan Meyer and Norman Bloch at Thompson Hine.

• Law Firm Hiring Considerations In A COVID-19 Economy

  

  Financially robust law firms are entering the recruiting market aggressively knowing that dislocations like the COVID-19 crisis present rare competitive opportunities, and firms that remain on the sidelines when it comes to strategic hiring will be especially vulnerable to having their best talent poached, says Brian Burlant at Major Lindsey.

• How DOE Compliance May Change For Certain Equipment

  

  Manufacturers of certain consumer products and commercial and industrial equipment should review a recent proposal from the U.S. Department of Energy very carefully, as it may increase a company's liability exposure during enforcement investigations, say Jean-Cyril Walker and Alexa Pecht at Keller and Heckman.

• Streamlining Power Transmission Siting To Help Renewables

  

  It can take years and cost millions of dollars to secure state regulatory approval for electric transmission system upgrades needed to facilitate clean energy development, so it is important for states to create abbreviated siting processes for projects with limited anticipated impacts, says Andy Flavin at Troutman Pepper.

• Opinion

  Lawyers Must Act To Preserve Democracy This Election

  

  COVID-19 concerns and glaring gaps in registration threaten to dampen voter turnout in the 2020 election, so attorneys should take on the problem by leveraging their knowledge and resources in seven ways, says Laura Brill at Kendall Brill.

• New FCPA Guide Signals Laxer Successor Liability Approach

  

  Recent updates by the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act resource guide focus on timeliness and thoroughness of post-acquisition due diligence, indicating a potential relaxation of stringent requirements for M&A successor liability, say Paige Ammons and Bree Murphy at Buckley.

• M&A In The Energy Industry: 6 Current Trends

  

  The COVID-19 pandemic and the oil price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia sent demand for oil plunging this year — but an abundance of distressed assets means that ample opportunities for mergers and acquisitions in the energy sector still exist, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

• How To Effectively Defend Witnesses In Remote Depositions

  

  When a witness is isolated from the defending lawyer during a remote deposition, carefully planning the logistics and building witness confidence are critical to avoiding damaging admissions, say Jessica Staiger at Archer Daniels and Alec Solotorovsky at Eimer Stahl.

• Chancery Ruling Highlights Fraud Claim Risk For PE Sellers

  

  The Delaware Chancery Court recently declined to dismiss fraud claims against private equity firm NGP Energy Capital in its sale of Agspring, reminding private equity sellers that they may be liable for a portfolio company's fraudulent representations, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

• Whether And How To Compel Remote Arbitration

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  As the pandemic delays in-person arbitration hearings, mediator and arbitrator Theodore Cheng provides arbitrators with a checklist to examine the rationale and authority for compelling parties to participate in remote hearings.

• What NY Tax Ruling Means For Solar Power Developers

  

  While a New York state appeals court recently ruled in Cornell University v. Board of Assessment Review that a solar photovoltaic system is taxable real property, solar developers may be able to mitigate this tax burden with careful planning, says Kaitlin Vigars at Phillips Lytle.

• The Unique Challenges Of Protecting A Law Firm Brand

  

  Recent law firm trademark disputes highlight how the tension between legal ethics rules and trademark law can make it difficult for firms to select brands that are distinctive and entitled to protection, say Kimberly Maynard and Tyler Maulsby at Frankfurt Kurnit.