Expert Analysis

• 5th Circ. Ruling Is Latest Signal Of Shaky Qui Tam Landscape

  

  In his recent concurring opinion in U.S. v. Peripheral Vascular Associates, a Fifth Circuit judge joined a growing list of jurists suggesting that the False Claims Act's whistleblower provisions are unconstitutional, underscoring that acceptance of qui tam relators can no longer be taken for granted, say attorneys at Miller & Chevalier.

• How Attys Can Use A Therapy Model To Help Triggered Clients

  

  Attorneys can lean on key principles from a psychotherapeutic paradigm known as the "Internal Family Systems" model to help manage triggered clients and get settlement negotiations back on track, says Jennifer Gibbs at Zelle.

• Medicare Advantage Enforcement Strong Amid Agency Cuts

  

  The second Trump administration's actions thus far suggest that Medicare Advantage enforcement remains a bipartisan focus despite challenges presented by evolving trends in federal agency staffing and resources, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

• 3 Steps For In-House Counsel To Assess Litigation Claims

  

  Before a potential economic downturn, in-house attorneys should investigate whether their company is sitting on hidden litigation claims that could unlock large recoveries to help the business withstand tough times, says Will Burgess at Hilgers Graben.

• A Look At AI Benefits And Risks In Global Development Efforts

  

  In areas like healthcare and law, artificial intelligence can play a transformative role in achieving the U.N.'s 2030 agenda for creating a more equitable, prosperous and sustainable world, but if not properly managed, AI could hinder global development efforts and widen existing gaps within society, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

• J&J's Failed 3rd Try Casts Doubt On Use Of 'Texas Two-Step'

  

  A Texas bankruptcy court recently rejected Johnson & Johnson's third attempt to use Chapter 11 to resolve liabilities from allegations of injuries from using talcum powder, suggesting that the U.S. Supreme Court's limitations on nondebtor releases, from 2024's Purdue Pharma ruling, may prove difficult to evade, say attorneys at Cadwalader.

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  Teaching College Students Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Serving as an adjunct college professor has taught me the importance of building rapport, communicating effectively, and persuading individuals to critically analyze the difference between what they think and what they know — principles that have helped to improve my practice of law, says Sheria Clarke at Nelson Mullins.

• 5 Areas Contractors Should Watch After 1st 100 Days

  

  Federal agencies and contractors face challenges from staff reductions, contract terminations, pending regulatory reform and other actions from the second Trump administration's first 100 days, but other areas stand to become more efficient and cost-effective, say attorneys at Thompson Hine.

• A New Tool For Assessing Kickback Risks In Health Marketing

  

  The Seventh Circuit's recent decision in U.S. v. Sorensen, reversing a conviction after trial of a durable medical equipment distributor, highlights two principle considerations for determining whether payments to marketers in healthcare are unlawful under the Anti-Kickback Statute, says Elisha Kobre at Sheppard Mullin.

• Why Attys Should Get Familiar With Quantum Computing

  

  Quantum computing is projected to pose significant updates to current practices in cryptography, making the issue relevant to policymakers and the legal profession generally, particularly when it comes to data storage, privacy regulations and pharmaceutical industry market changes, say professors at the University of San Francisco.

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  Adapting To Private Practice: From DOJ Enviro To Mid-Law

  

  Practitioners leaving a longtime government role for private practice — as when I departed the U.S. Department of Justice’s environmental enforcement division — should prioritize finding a firm that shares their principles, values their experience and will invest in their transition, says John Cruden at Beveridge & Diamond.

• AG Watch: Letitia James' Major Influence On Federal Litigation

  

  While the multistate cases brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James appear to be based upon her interpretation of the effect of the Trump administration's policies on New York state and its residents, most also have a decidedly political tone to them, says Dennis Vacco at Lippes Mathias.

• How Trump Orders Affect Health Orgs.' Care For Trans Minors

  

  Two recent executive orders issued by President Donald Trump regarding gender-affirming care for minors have put healthcare organizations in a precarious situation, and these institutions should prepare for various implications and potential scenarios, say attorneys at ArentFox.

• Legal Ethics Considerations For Law Firm Pro Bono Deals

  

  If a law firm enters into a pro bono deal with the Trump administration in exchange for avoiding or removing an executive order, it has an ethical obligation to create a written settlement agreement with specific terms, which would mitigate some potential conflict of interest problems, says Andrew Altschul at Buchanan Angeli.

• Reproductive Health Under Trump So Far, And What's Next

  

  Based on priorities stated so far, the Trump administration will likely continue to weaken Biden-era policies that protect reproductive health, with abortion, in vitro fertilization and contraception all being issues to watch closely amid a post-Dobbs shift, say attorneys at McDermott.