Health

Expert Analysis

• An Ethics And Compliance Punch List For Gov't Contractors

  

  The U.S. Department of Justice recently reiterated that it will not tolerate government contractors that lack a required business and ethics compliance program. With consequences so high, now is the time for companies that have fallen behind to catch up, say Robert Tompkins and Rodney Perry at Holland & Knight.

• Key Differences In Nev. And Calif. Data Privacy Laws

  

  Nevada’s recently enacted Senate Bill 220 gives state residents a broad right to opt out of the sale of their personal information. Companies currently preparing for the California Consumer Privacy Act cannot assume that CCPA compliance equates to compliance with S.B. 220, say Sadia Mirza and Yanni Lin at Troutman Sanders.

• A Look At China's New Cybersecurity Guidance

  

  Businesses providing services over the internet are likely to face continued challenges to comply with the expanding implementation of China's cybersecurity law, especially with respect to broadening definitions of personal information holders under new guidance, say Xiaoyan Zhang and Vincent James Barbuto of Reed Smith.

• How Purdue Opioid Win Could Bolster J&J In Okla. Trial

  

  North Dakota's consumer fraud and public nuisance claims against opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma were recently dismissed by a state court. The decision provides a framework for opioid defendants to challenge similar allegations in other jurisdictions, and may prove timely for Johnson & Johnson in its current Oklahoma trial, says Cameron Turner of Segal McCambridge.

• Government Contractor Compliance: 1 Size Can’t Fit All

  

  Contractors that do business with federal, state and local government entities face an interesting — and intensifying — predicament: How to develop a comprehensive yet straightforward compliance program that satisfies varying laws in varying jurisdictions, say Jeniffer Roberts and Katherine Veeder at Alston & Bird.

• 5 Ways Law Firms Can Improve Their Job Interviews

  

  When evaluating potential new hires, law firms should utilize structured interviews in order to create a consistent rating system that accurately and effectively assesses candidates' skills and competencies, says Jennifer Henderson of Major Lindsey.

• Employer Options For White Collar Contractors After Dynamex

  

  Though multiple worker classification questions still swirl around the California Supreme Court's Dynamex decision, many have wondered what it means for white collar independent contractors. The law is still murky on this point, but there are several steps that might help hiring companies rebut a misclassification claim, say Raymond Bertrand and James de Haan at Paul Hastings.

• State Net

  State Efforts To Rein In Drug Costs Have Mixed Success

  

  Reducing the soaring costs of commonly used prescription drugs has become a political priority in the nation’s statehouses. But thus far, states have done better at increasing transparency around drug pricing than at actually lowering prices, says Lou Cannon of State Net Capitol Journal.

• How To Streamline Virtual Law Team Mass Tort Defense

  

  A primary benefit of the virtual law team in mass tort litigation is creative collaboration. A "company case" approach is essential to breaking down the silos between team members, say attorneys at FaegreBD and Reed Smith.

• Opinion

  Calif. 'Surprise Billing' Law Could Jeopardize Access To Care

  

  Currently pending legislation in California, aiming to prevent patients from receiving surprise bills from out-of-network hospitals, could jeopardize the financial viability of hospitals while benefiting insurance companies that are already very profitable, say Daron Tooch of King & Spalding and Chris Fritz and Michael Heil of HealthWorks.

• What's Ahead For LGBTQ Rights Legislation

  

  The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Equality Act to amend various civil rights laws for explicit inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics. However, critics have raised several concerns and the bill faces tougher odds in the Senate, say Jason Brown and Robert Quackenboss at Hunton.

• The SEC Is Cracking Down On Insider Trading By Lawyers

  

  A recent series of actions brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission suggests that insider trading by lawyers may be on the rise. Legal departments and law firms should understand the four types of cases the SEC is pursuing in this area, says Daniel Hawke of Arnold & Porter.

• Series

  Why I Became A Lawyer: A Fateful Phone Call

  

  When I was growing up, my mother was always the more mild-mannered parent. But during a trans-Atlantic phone call in 1991, when I told her I wanted to go to culinary school instead of law school, she started yelling — at a volume I had never heard from her, says Jason Brookner of Gray Reed.

• Law Firms Can Do Better With Their Mentoring Programs

  

  There are a few practical, proactive steps law firms can take to create a mentoring program that pays dividends — instead of creating a mediocre program that both parties see as an obligation, says Kate Sheikh of Major Lindsey & Africa.

• IP's Developing Role In Cannabis Business Strategy

  

  Several recent cannabis-related legal developments suggest that properly secured, federally protected intellectual property is both available and enforceable for the industry, say attorneys at Sterne Kessler.