Expert Analysis

• How DC Circ. Ruling Permits Playacting Bribery Defense

  

  The D.C. Circuit’s recent U.S. v. Burke decision appears to create a circuit split on whether prosecutors must prove public officials’ intent in bribery cases, and opens a gap between what appears to be corrupt conduct and what the law can reach, says Liz Aloi at MoFo.

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  Being In The Peace Corps Made Me A Better Lawyer

  

  When I served in the Peace Corps, the people of the West African village where I was stationed helped me acclimate to my new surroundings and enabled me to develop problem-solving, teamwork and empathy skills that have bolstered my legal practice far beyond the ability to offer technical advice, says Brian Bewley at McGuireWoods.

• Immunity May Not Protect Gov't-Backed Cyber Operators

  

  Companies considering participation in a National Coordination Center program that authorizes private actors to conduct offensive cyber operations on the government’s behalf should understand the limits of sovereign immunity and the operational and legal risks lurking in the details and undefined parameters of the program, say attorneys at Steptoe.

• Where DOJ's Fraud Directive May Actually Affect Enforcement

  

  The U.S. Department of Justice’s recent directive outlining corporate fraud enforcement priorities is mostly a management document instead of a policy, but one part may actually undermine the directive's goals by leading to worse outcomes for organizational defendants and less corporate self-disclosure, says Zachary Warren at Williams & Connolly.

• When Indemnity, Purchase Price Adjustment Claims Overlap

  

  The Delaware Court of Chancery's recent decision in WSP v. Versar highlights that courts are willing to enable a buyer to select either indemnity or purchase price adjustment mechanisms, even if the parties did not envision that when negotiating the purchase agreement, says Claire Frost at Arnold & Porter.

• Why The SEC Proposed Rescinding Its 'Pay-To-Play' Rule

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent proposal to nix its pay-to-play rule governing political contributions by investment advisers follows years of industry advocacy and commissioner criticism that it suppresses political speech and affects hiring, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

• Transfer Pricing Analyses May Apply To Tariff Refunds Claims

  

  Both plaintiffs and defendants in consumer class actions over tariff refunds should examine transfer pricing analyses, which can offer contemporaneous evidence as to how much of a tariff was borne in the U.S. by the importer or consumers rather than absorbed earlier in the supply chain, say economists at The Brattle Group.

• Importer Risk Rises As AI Enters Trade Fraud Enforcement

  

  The Trump administration's new data-driven and artificial intelligence-enabled push against tariff evasion raises the stakes for companies with global supply chains, making it crucial that they consider strengthening response protocols, documentation and internal reporting mechanisms, say attorneys at Cooley.

• What Lawyers Should Know Before Accepting Crypto Payment

  

  As clients increasingly request to pay legal fees, retainers and escrow funds using cryptocurrency, lawyers should consider how only a handful of state bar authorities have addressed the issue with varying ethics opinions, as well as the related questions that no authority has yet answered, says attorney Felix Shipkevich.

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  Mentalism Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Convincing strangers I can read their minds may seem like an unusual second career for a legal practitioner, but both disciplines share several important requirements, including trust and preparation, says Warren Biro at Manatt.

• FCA Deal Shows Conflict Review Must Go Beyond Bid Stage

  

  A defense contractor’s recent settlement over False Claims Act allegations stemming from its employment of a U.S. Department of Defense official illustrates that conflict of interest assessment should be an ongoing compliance function, not just a proposal-stage checklist, say attorneys at Fluet.

• Why And How To Build A Neurodiversity-Informed Practice

  

  By better understanding neurodiversity and implementing simple accommodations for clients with autism, ADHD or learning differences, attorneys can build stronger relationships with those who may otherwise struggle to obtain and benefit from legal services, while developing good habits that will benefit everyone they represent, says Ting Cheung at Sanford Heisler.

• Abbott FCA Deal Shows Enforcement Adequacy Quandaries

  

  Abbott Laboratories’ recent False Claims Act resolution illustrates several tricky questions that both prosecutors and defense counsel must address when weighing whether a civil enforcement action alone adequately addresses allegedly wrongful conduct, says James Koukios at MoFo.

• New DNA Screening Standard Has No Clear Playbook

  

  Although the government has not yet released promised guidance intended to support its new standards for screening mail-order DNA, companies should not read this as a reprieve from the Oct. 13 compliance deadline because the delay shifts enforcement risk to statutes that need no new authority, including false statements, the False Claims Act and fraud, says Ashwin Ram at Buchalter.

• Texas Medicaid Fraud Decision Leaves 2 Open Questions

  

  The Texas Supreme Court's decision in Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings v. Texas and NPT Associates, holding that the Texas Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act's omissions provision requires proof of materiality, creates ambiguity about the materiality requirement and about how Texas courts will treat federal precedent going forward, say attorneys at Sidley.