Expert Analysis

• US Sanctions Targeting Russia's Oil Giants Heighten Biz Risks

  

  Businesses operating in the energy sector, both in and outside the U.S., should review their operations for any links to Russian oil companies and their subsidiaries recently targeted by U.S. sanctions, to avoid unexpected reputational and financial risk, and even secondary sanctions, say authors at Blank Rome.

• 4 Developments That Defined The 2025 Ethics Landscape

  

  The legal profession spent 2025 at the edge of its ethical comfort zone as courts, firms and regulators confronted how fast-moving technologies and new business models collide with long-standing professional duties, signaling that the profession is entering a period of sustained disruption that will continue into 2026, says Hilary Gerzhoy at HWG Law.

• Navigating AI In The Legal Industry

  

  As artificial intelligence becomes an increasingly integral part of legal practice, Law360 guest commentary this year examined evolving ethical obligations, how the plaintiffs bar is using AI to level the playing field against corporate defense teams, and the attendant risks of adoption.

• How Fractional GCs Can Manage Risks Of Engagement

  

  As more organizations eliminate their in-house legal departments in favor of outsourcing legal work, fractional general counsel roles offer practitioners an engaging and flexible way to practice at a high level, but they can also present legal, ethical and operational risks that must be proactively managed, say attorneys at Boies Schiller.

• Ruling Upholds $11M Arbitration Award, Offers D&O Lessons

  

  A New York federal court's recent decision in Flextronics v. Allianz, sustaining an $11 million arbitration award against the insurer, represents a significant affirmation of core policyholder protections in directors and officers insurance, specifically those dealing with allocation, insurability and best-efforts obligations, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

• Series

  Nature Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Nature photography reminds me to focus on what is in front of me and to slow down to achieve success, and, in embracing the value of viewing situations through different lenses, offers skills transferable to the practice of law, says Brian Willett at Saul Ewing.

• Series

  Law School's Missed Lessons: Practical Problem Solving

  

  Issue-spotting skills are well honed in law school, but practicing attorneys must also identify clients’ problems and true goals, and then be able to provide solutions, says Mary Kate Hogan at Quarles & Brady.

• Decoding Arbitral Disputes: A Paris Ruling Defines Key Limits

  

  Though French arbitration law is highly supportive of arbitral autonomy, last week's Paris Court of Appeal judgment annulling a $14.9 billion arbitral award against Malaysia reaffirms that such support is neither unqualified nor blind to defects striking at the very legitimacy of the arbitral process, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn.

• Opinion

  A Uniform Federal Rule Would Curb Gen AI Missteps In Court

  

  To address the patchwork of courts’ standing orders on generative artificial intelligence, curbing abuses and relieving the burden on judges, the federal judiciary should consider amending its civil procedure rules to require litigants to certify they’ve reviewed legal filings for accuracy, say attorneys at Shook Hardy.

• The AI Arbitrator: What It Is, What It Isn't And Where It's Going

  

  Though not a silver bullet, the American Arbitration Association-International Centre for Dispute Resolution's recently launched artificial intelligence arbitrator for construction disputes offers a pragmatic template that heralds several near-term shifts in the use of generative AI in arbitration, say attorneys at Troutman.

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  The Law Firm Merger Diaries: Integrating Practice Groups

  

  Enacting unified leadership and consistent client service standards ensures law firm practice groups connect and collaborate around shared goals, turning a law firm merger into a platform for growth rather than a period of disruption, says Brian Catlett at Fennemore Craig.

• Opinion

  Supreme Court Term Limits Would Carry Hidden Risk

  

  While proposals for limiting the terms of U.S. Supreme Court justices are popular, a steady stream of relatively young, highly marketable ex-justices with unique knowledge and influence entering the marketplace of law and politics could create new problems, say Michael Broyde at Emory University and Hayden Hall at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

• New Russia Energy Sanctions Add Compliance Complexity

  

  Recent U.S. and U.K. designations of Russian oil companies and related entities, as well as a new sanctions package from EU, mark a significant escalation in restrictions on the Russian energy industry and add a new layer of regulatory complications for companies operating in the global energy sector, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

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  Knitting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Stretching my skills as a knitter makes me a better antitrust attorney by challenging me to recalibrate after wrong turns, not rush outcomes, and trust that I can teach myself the skills to tackle new and difficult projects — even when I don’t have a pattern to work from, says Kara Kuritz at V&E.

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  The Biz Court Digest: Welcome To Miami

  

  After nearly 20 years in operation, the Miami Complex Business Litigation Division is a pioneer upon which other jurisdictions in the state have been modeled, adopting many innovations to keep its cases running more efficiently and staffing experienced judges who are accustomed to hearing business disputes, say attorneys at King & Spalding.