Expert Analysis

• 2026 Int'l Arbitration Trends: Next Steps In Age Of AI, Crypto

  

  Parties' use of artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies will continue in 2026, and international arbitrators will be called upon to evolve by building expertise in blockchain functionality, cryptography and decentralized finance protocols, and understanding the power and limitations of large language models, say attorneys at Cleary.

• Presidential Pardon Brokering Can Create Risks For Attys

  

  The emergence of an apparent “pardon shopping” marketplace, in which attorneys treat presidential pardons as a market product, may invite investigative scrutiny of counsel and potential criminal charges grounded in bribery, wire fraud and other statutes, says David Klasing at The Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing.

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  Adapting To Private Practice: 5 Tips From Ex-SEC Unit Chief

  

  My move to private practice has reaffirmed my belief in the value of adaptability, collaboration and strategic thinking — qualities that are essential not only for successful client outcomes, but also for sustained professional satisfaction, says Dabney O’Riordan at Fried Frank.

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  Law School's Missed Lessons: How To Start A Law Firm

  

  Launching and sustaining a law firm requires skills most law schools don't teach, but every lawyer should understand a few core principles that can make the leap calculated rather than reckless, says Sam Katz at Athlaw.

• 5 Compliance Takeaways From FINRA's Oversight Report

  

  The priorities outlined in the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's recently released annual oversight report focus on the organization's core mission of protecting investors, with AI being the sole new topic area, but financial firms can expect further reforms aimed at efficiency and modernization, say attorneys at Armstrong Teasdale.

• How Payments Law Landscape Will Evolve In 2026

  

  After a year of change across the payments landscape, financial services providers should expect more innovation and the pushing of regulatory boundaries, but should stay mindful that state regulators and litigation will continue to challenge the status quo, say attorneys at Troutman.

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  Hosting Exchange Students Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Opening my home to foreign exchange students makes me a better lawyer not just because prioritizing visiting high schoolers forces me to hone my organization and time management skills but also because sharing the study-abroad experience with newcomers and locals reconnects me to my community, says Alison Lippa at Nicolaides Fink.

• OCC's New Fee Clearance Shows Further Ease Around Crypto

  

  The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's recent holding that banks can use crypto-assets to pay certain blockchain network fees shows that the OCC is further warming to the idea that organizations are using new methods to do "the very old business of banking," say attorneys at Jones Day.

• How A 1947 Tugboat Ruling May Shape Work Product In AI Era

  

  Rapid advances in generative artificial intelligence test work-product principles first articulated in the U.S. Supreme Court’s nearly 80-year-old Hickman v. Taylor decision, as courts and ethics bodies confront whether disclosure of attorneys’ AI prompts and outputs would reveal their thought processes, say Larry Silver and Sasha Burton at Langsam Stevens.

• Navigating Privilege Law Patchwork In Dual-Purpose Comms

  

  Three years after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to resolve a circuit split in In re: Grand Jury, federal courts remain split as to when attorney-client privilege applies to dual-purpose legal and business communications, and understanding the fragmented landscape is essential for managing risks, say attorneys at Covington.

• AG Watch: Calif. Fills Federal Consumer Protection Void

  

  California's consumer protection efforts seem to be intensifying as federal oversight wanes, with Attorney General Rob Bonta recently taking actions related to buy now, pay later products, credit reporting and medical debt, consumer credit discrimination, and the use of artificial intelligence in consumer services, say attorneys at Cooley.

• Key Changes In World Bank's New Compliance Updates

  

  Recent updates to integrity guidelines for companies that bid and work on World Bank-financed projects are sufficiently extensive and unique that covered businesses must take proactive steps to map the changes against their existing compliance programs or risk severe business consequences, say attorneys at Steptoe.

• 7 Ways In-House Counsel May Unearth Red Flags In AI M&A

  

  In-house counsel and executives conducting M&A due diligence in the artificial intelligence arena can surface hidden liabilities and avoid problems or divestitures by adopting strategies in key areas, including intellectual property provenance and postclose risk management, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

• Decoding The SEC's Plans To Revitalize The US IPO Market

  

  Chairman Paul Atkins' recent speech showcased the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's plans to ease certain disclosure burdens, rein in politicized shareholder voting and mitigate litigation risk, which could encourage more U.S. companies to seek public listings stateside and make U.S. stock exchanges more competitive for foreign companies, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

• Banking Regulation Themes To Anticipate In 2026

  

  The banking enforcement and rulemaking agenda for this year is likely to reflect a mix of targeted reform, deregulatory recalibration and new priorities aligned with supervisory modernization, says Kim Prior at King & Spalding.