Illinois

Expert Analysis

• How COVID-19 Impact Analysis May Shape MAE Disputes

  

  Emerging disputes over whether the COVID-19 crisis has triggered a merger transaction’s material adverse effect clause shine a spotlight on the importance of showing whether the pandemic has disproportionately impacted particular industries and companies, say David Tabak and Edward Flores at NERA.

• EPA Limits On States' Project Reviews Likely To Face Lawsuits

  

  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recently announced rule limiting the scope of states' reviews of planned energy infrastructure projects will likely mean more litigation between states and the federal government — and more uncertainty for businesses and other stakeholders, says Philip Sholtz at Goldberg Segalla.

• 10 Tips For A Successful Remote Arbitration Hearing

  

  As I learned after completing a recent international arbitration remotely, with advance planning a video hearing can replicate the in-person experience surprisingly well, and may actually be superior in certain respects, says Kate Shih at Quinn Emanuel.

• Opinion

  To Achieve Diversity, Law Firms Must Reinvent Hiring Process

  

  If law firms are truly serious about making meaningful change in terms of diversity, they must adopt a demographically neutral, unbiased hiring equation that looks at personality traits with greater import than grades and class rank, says Thomas Latino at Florida State University College of Law.

• Virus, Regs Highlight Need For Model State Whistleblower Law

  

  The North American Securities Administrators Association's recently proposed model state whistleblower law could be a timely weapon against securities misconduct in light of the new and unique opportunities COVID-19 presents for fraudsters, and certain federal registration exemptions that may soon be relaxed, says attorney Patrick McCloskey.

• A New Antitrust Approach After Humira 'Patent Thicket' Ruling

  

  In light of an Illinois federal court's recent holding that AbbVie's Humira "patent thicket" did not violate antitrust laws, parties concerned with the potential anti-competitive conduct of a biologic reference product sponsor should focus on conduct and look beyond patent obtainment, says Kevin Nelson at Schiff Hardin.

• Cybersecurity Steps For Law Firms Amid Heightened Risks

  

  With large swaths of the population indoors and primarily online, cybercriminals will be able to exploit law firms more easily now than ever before, but some basic precautions can help, says Joel Wallenstrom at Wickr.

• Ill. Force Majeure Ruling Could Be Problematic For Landlords

  

  Businesses considered nonessential during the pandemic may be able to look to an Illinois bankruptcy court's recent ruling in Hitz Restaurant Group to invoke a force majeure defense and get excused for rental obligations during the time they were unable to operate, say attorneys at Saul Ewing.

• Opinion

  It's Time For Law Firms To Support Work-From-Home Culture

  

  Now that law firms are on board with fully remote work environments, they must develop policies that match in-office culture and align partner and associate expectations, says Summer Eberhard at Major Lindsey.

• Opinion

  Republicans Keep Confirming Unqualified Judicial Nominees

  

  What emerges from the group of 200 federal judges confirmed by the Senate under President Donald Trump is a judiciary stacked with young conservative ideologues, many of whom lack basic judicial qualifications, says Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

• Tips For Crafting The Perfect Law Firm Alert

  

  As lawyers have had more time to write in recent weeks, the number of law firm alerts has increased massively, but a lot of them fail to capture readers and deliver new business, says Richard Torrenzano at The Torrenzano Group.

• Series

  Judging A Book: Elrod Reviews 'Shortlisted'

  

  Renee Knake Jefferson and Hannah Brenner Johnson's new book, "Shortlisted: Women in the Shadows of the Supreme Court," is a service to an overlooked group of nine women who were considered for the U.S. Supreme Court before Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was confirmed, and offers constructive tips for women looking to break through the glass ceiling, says Fifth Circuit Judge Jennifer Elrod.

• Mandatory State Bars Likely To Remain Intact, For Now

  

  A Texas federal judge’s recent holding in McDonald v. Sorrels that mandatory bar memberships do not violate members' constitutional rights indicates that such requirements survive the U.S. Supreme Court's 2018 decision in Janus, but it may mean that the Supreme Court will address the issue in the not-too-distant future, say Majed Nachawati and Misty Farris at Fears Nachawati.

• 11 Keys To Success At Remote Mediation

  

  Attorneys should accept that remote mediation may be their only current option for resolving a dispute and take steps to obtain a fantastic outcome for their clients, including making sure the right people attend the remote mediation and beginning the session with an apology, says Eric Meyer at FisherBroyles.

• Property Coverage For Riot-Related Claims Is Not Automatic

  

  Property damage claims related to recent civil unrest are not categorically covered, but require careful consideration of insurance policy language, claim-specific facts under controlling law and any applicable exclusions, such as vacancy, insurrection or terrorism laws, that may preclude or limit coverage, say attorneys at Hinshaw & Culbertson.