Expert Analysis

• Beware Arbitration Clauses That May Bar Inter Partes Review

  

  Recent decisions show that the Federal Circuit and district courts are moving toward recognizing that standard arbitration clauses can bar inter partes review at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, a new landscape that will require careful consideration for parties negotiating patent-related contracts, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

• Opinion

  Now's The Time To Address Archaic Law School Curricula

  

  With law school enrollments jumping significantly ahead of a potential recession and more students graduating than the market can absorb, law schools should turn to creative solutions to teach students how to negotiate, work with clients, specialize and use technology to practice their craft more efficiently, says University of Colorado adjunct professor Jason Mendelson.

• Deploying US Discovery In Brazil Following High Court Ruling

  

  While the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in ZF Automotive v. Luxshare may be seen as a limitation on the use of discovery in foreign proceedings, there are still many options for litigants deploying U.S. discovery abroad, which is particularly valuable in Brazil, say attorneys at Kobre & Kim.

• Lessons From Lawyer Fee-Sharing Agreements Gone Wrong

  

  The recent fee-sharing dispute between Edelson and Girardi Keese is a reminder that lawyers who do not strictly follow the applicable rules may risk a disciplinary complaint, lose their share of the fee, or wind up in costly litigation with co-counsel, says David Grossbaum at Hinshaw.

• LeClairRyan Bankruptcy Highlights Pass-Through Tax Issue

  

  A Virginia bankruptcy court's recent ruling in the case of defunct law firm LeClairRyan shows there may be serious tax consequences for pass-through entity partners who give up their ownership interest without following operating agreement exit provisions and updating bankruptcy court filings, say Edward Schnitzer and Hannah Travaglini at Montgomery McCracken.

• 8 Steps To Creating A Legal Ops Technology Road Map

  

  Legal departments struggling to find and implement the right technologies for their operations should consider creating a road map that summarizes their approach to technology changes, provides clearly defined metrics for success, and serves as the single source of truth for stakeholders, says Melanie Shafer at SimpleLegal.

• The Importance Of Data And Data Analysis In Litigation

  

  Understanding, analyzing and effectively presenting large data sets is an increasingly important skill in litigation as it allows plaintiffs to dramatically scale up the scope of cases and is often critical to defeating motions to dismiss and motions for summary judgment, says David Burnett at Motley Rice.

• High Court Discovery Ruling Will Transform Int'l Arbitration

  

  A U.S. Supreme Court decision this week slams the door on Section 1782 discovery in private international arbitration, leaving the status of other arbitral bodies involving treaties or intergovernmental elements in flux, and increasing the importance of selecting the forum and adjudicative body to resolve potential disputes, say attorneys at Hogan Lovells.

• Steps Companies Can Take To Mitigate Privilege Labeling Risk

  

  Although Google prevailed on a recent privilege labeling sanctions motion, an important takeaway from the decision is that companies should assess their in-house procedures and employee training programs regarding privileged communications to mitigate risks of the potential appearance of bad faith privilege claims, say Gareth Evans at Redgrave and e-discovery attorney James Hertsch.

• What Litigation Funding Disclosure In Delaware May Look Like

  

  A standing order issued by Delaware's chief federal judge requiring litigants to disclose whether their cases or defenses are being financed by third parties is unlikely to have onerous effects but may raise questions regarding potential conflicts of interest and access to justice, say Cayse Llorens and Matthew Oxman at LexShares.

• Scope Of Russia's New Blocking Sanctions Is Unclear

  

  Russia's recently introduced measures to block transactions with 31 energy companies may substantially extend the purview of its existing economic sanctions, but until the federation issues official guidance about how the measures apply to existing contracts, the practical consequences must be determined on a case-by-case basis, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

• How In-House Legal Leaders Can Drive Corporate Growth

  

  Today, more executives are seeking legal leaders who are strategic, adaptable thinkers, making it essential that in-house counsel get out of their comfort zone of legal advice and take several steps to contribute toward revenue growth and raise their profile, says Tim Parilla at LinkSquares.

• Attorneys Should Tread Carefully On Job Counteroffers

  

  Promises of more compensation to keep attorneys from leaving their jobs have become commonplace in today's hot job market, but lawyers should weigh their options carefully as accepting a counteroffer can negatively affect their reputation, says Leeron Molloy at VOYlegal.

• Series

  The Future Of Legal Ops: Time To Get Serious About Data

  

  Most corporate legal departments collect surface-level data around their operations, such as costs and time to resolution, but legal leaders should explore more in-depth data gathering to assess how effective an attorney was, how efficiently legal work was performed, and more, says Andy Krebs at Intel.

• Court Decisions Render Paris Less Appealing For Arbitration

  

  The Paris Court of Appeal recently set aside two arbitral awards on the grounds that the tribunals lacked jurisdiction due to incompatibility with EU law, so investors seeking to minimize obstacles in the recognition or enforcement of awards may not choose Paris as their seat for investor-state arbitration, says Tomas Vail at Vail Dispute Resolution.