Environmental

Expert Analysis

• Rebuttal

  Jury Trials, Though In Decline, Are Well Worth Preserving

  

  In a recent Law360 guest article, the author applauded the disappearance of jury trials as an inefficient, costly mechanism, but in doing so he overlooked the greater value of jury trials for our justice system, says Stephen Susman, executive director of the Civil Jury Project at NYU School of Law.

• A Broader View Of The US Supreme Court Bar

  

  During the past 15 years, three widely read articles bolstered by starstruck media have promulgated the incorrect perception — sorely in need of revision — that the U.S. Supreme Court bar is limited to a handful of elite lawyers, says Lawrence Ebner of Capital Appellate Advocacy.

• Calif. Chemical Reg Changes Could Affect Many Products

  

  Following the introduction of a bill that would significantly expand California's decade-old framework for regulating chemicals in consumer products, businesses should assess their product inventory for chemicals that may soon be regulated, and monitor the state's regulatory process, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

• How Treaties Protect Investors When Clean Energy Regs Shift

  

  When changes in clean energy regulations lead to investor disputes, domestic companies may be limited to challenging regulatory changes in local courts, but investors from abroad can often seek remedies under international law, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

• In Virtual Teams For Mass Torts, The 'Law Team' Is Critical

  

  A critical component of any virtual law team assembled for mass tort litigation is a dedicated "law team," which tackles the legal strategy and drafts the many necessary pleadings, motions and other submissions, say attorneys at Pepper Hamilton and Faegre.

• Opinion

  Jury Trials Are In Decline For Good Reason

  

  A recent Law360 article reported on federal judges bemoaning jury trials' nationwide decline, but these laments are unfounded as jury trials have been replaced by better alternatives, says J.B. Heaton of J.B. Heaton Research.

• Series

  Why I Became A Lawyer: A Circuitous Path To The Law

  

  Instead of going to college after high school, I followed in my father’s footsteps and became an electrician. Later I became an electrical engineer, and then an IP attorney. Every twist and turn along the way has made me a better lawyer, says Joseph Maraia of Burns & Levinson.

• Series

  Judging A Book: Conrad Reviews 'The Jury Crisis'

  

  In "The Jury Crisis," jury consultant and social psychologist Drury Sherrod spotlights the vanishing jury trial, providing a fascinating canary-in-the-coal-mine warning for lawyers, litigants and society at large, says U.S. District Judge Robert Conrad of the Western District of North Carolina.

• Revamping Your Approach To Client Development

  

  As a former general counsel for both public and private companies, my advice to law firm attorneys who want to attract and keep clients is simple — provide certain legal services for free, says Noel Elfant, founder of General Counsel Practice.

• Considerations When Using CEQA To Fight Land Use Projects

  

  Two California appellate decisions demonstrate some of the legal missteps parties must be wary of when using the California Environmental Quality Act to challenge a land use project, says Stephanie Smith of Grid Legal.