Expert Analysis

• How BigLaw Executive Orders May Affect Smaller Firms

  

  Because of the types of cases they take on, solo practitioners, small law firms and public interest attorneys may find themselves more dramatically affected by the collective impact of recent government action involving the legal industry than even the BigLaw firms named in the executive orders, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

• Opinion

  Lawsuits Shouldn't Be Shadow Assets For Foreign Capital

  

  Third-party litigation financing amplifies inefficiencies from litigation and facilitates national exposure to foreign influence in the U.S. justice system, so full disclosure of financing arrangements should be required as a matter of institutional integrity, says Roland Eisenhuth at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.

• How To Accelerate Your Post-Attorney Career Transition

  

  Professionals seeking to transition to nonattorney careers may encounter skepticism as nontraditional candidates, but there are opportunities for thought leadership and to leverage speaking and writing to accelerate a post-attorney career transition, say Janet Falk at Falk Communications and Evgeny Efremkin at Toronto Metropolitan University.

• 3 Action Items For Innovators Amid Fintech Regulatory Pivot

  

  As the federal banking agencies seek to smooth the way for banks to engage in crypto-related activities, banks and technology companies should take note of this new chapter in payments services, especially as leadership in digital financial technology becomes a national priority, says Jess Cheng at Wilson Sonsini.

• Opinion

  GENIUS Act Can Bring Harmony To Crypto-Banking Discord

  

  ​​​​​​​By embracing crypto innovation while establishing appropriate guardrails, the so-called GENIUS Act charts a path forward that promotes financial inclusion and technological advancement without compromising stability or constitutional rights, says J.W. Verret at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School.

• Series

  Law School's Missed Lessons: Be An Indispensable Associate

  

  While law school teaches you to research, write and think critically, it often overlooks the professional skills you will need to make yourself an essential team player when transitioning from a summer to full-time associate, say attorneys at Stinson.

• Mass. AG Emerges As Key Player In Consumer Protection

  

  Through enforcement actions and collaborations with other states — including joining a recent amicus brief decrying the defunding of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell has established herself as a thought leader for consumer protection and corporate accountability, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

• Series

  Birding Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Observing and documenting birds in their natural habitats fosters patience, sharpens observational skills and provides moments of pure wonder — qualities that foster personal growth and enrich my legal career, says Allison Raley at Arnall Golden.

• Series

  Calif. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1

  

  Among the most notable developments in California banking in the first quarter of the year, regulators and legislators issued regulations interpreting debt collection laws, stepped up enforcement actions, and expanded consumer protections for those affected by wildfires, says Stephen Britt at Severson & Werson.

• Inside State AGs' Arguments Defending The CFPB

  

  Recent amicus briefs filed by a coalition of 23 attorneys general argue that the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will irreparably harm consumers in several key areas, making clear that states are preparing to fill in any enforcement gaps, say attorneys at Kelley Drye.

• Series

  Adapting To Private Practice: From DOJ Leadership To BigLaw

  

  The move from government service to private practice can feel like changing one’s identity, but as someone who has left the U.S. Department of Justice twice, I’ve learned that a successful transition requires patience, effort and the realization that the rewards of practicing law don’t come from one particular position, says Richard Donoghue at Pillsbury.

• Series

  NY Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1

  

  The most noteworthy developments from the first quarter of the year in New York financial services include newly proposed regulations on overdraft fees, a groundbreaking settlement by the state attorney general, and a potentially precedent-setting opinion regarding the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, say attorneys at Quinn Emanuel.

• SEC Crypto Mining Statement Delivers Regulatory Clarity

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's March 20 statement clarifying that certain crypto mining activities do not constitute the offer and sale of securities marks the end of the SEC's enforcement-first approach and ushers in a more predictable environment for blockchain innovation and investment, says Jeonghoon Ha at Ha Law.

• Law Firm Executive Orders Create A Legal Ethics Minefield

  

  Recent executive orders targeting BigLaw firms create ethical dilemmas — and raise the specter of civil or criminal liability — for the government attorneys tasked with implementing them and for the law firms that choose to make agreements with the administration, say attorneys at Buchalter.

• The OCC's Newly Relaxed Approach To Bank Crypto Activity

  

  With the early March rescission of Biden-era interpretive guidance, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has loosened its approach to regulating national banks and federal savings associations' crypto-asset activities, possibly removing one barrier to banks engaging in such activities, say attorneys at Debevoise.