International Trade

Expert Analysis

• A Gov't Contractor's Road Map To Biden Cybersecurity Order

  

  Following President Joe Biden's recent executive order to improve U.S. cybersecurity, Justin Chiarodo and Sharon Klein at Blank Rome highlight how four key elements will particularly affect government contractors and their suppliers, and what contractors should expect as they prepare to operate in a new compliance environment.

• A Biz Strategy Model To Improve Lateral Atty Hiring Diversity

  

  Quantitative comparison tools commonly used by companies in evaluating merger targets will allow law firms to assess lateral hire candidates in a demographically neutral manner, help remove bias from the hiring process and bring real diversity to the legal profession, says Thomas Latino at Florida State University.

• El Salvador's Use Of Bitcoin Complicates US Commercial Law

  

  El Salvador recently became the first country to recognize Bitcoin as currency, presenting significant implications for U.S. commercial law as the development will likely trigger the cryptocurrency to now fall within the definition of "money" under the Uniform Commercial Code, say Joe Carlasare and Eric Fogel at SmithAmundsen.

• Why Legacy Insurance May Not Protect Adopters Of Bitcoin

  

  Evidenced by El Salvador's adoption of the Bitcoin standard this week, there is an emerging need for insurance products to cover the risk of owning and holding the digital asset, as it may not fall into the protected categories in legacy insurance products, say attorneys at Mound Cotton.

• How Curbs On Russia And Belarus Trade Will Affect Tech Cos.

  

  Attorneys at Kirkland examine how the Biden administration's newly authorized Russian sanctions, restrictions on dealings with companies in Belarus and other likely measures will affect the technology sector and how companies should respond to the changes.

• Smaller Firms Need Employee Wellness Programs, Too

  

  As we emerge from the pandemic, small and midsize firms — which offer an ideal setting for companywide connection — should follow in the footsteps of larger organizations and heed the American Bar Association’s recommendations by adopting well-being initiatives and appointing a chief wellness officer, says Janine Pollack at Calcaterra Pollack.

• China Trade Secret Developments Bring Certainty For US Cos.

  

  U.S. companies should welcome recent reforms to Chinese trade secret legislation and case law that make the litigation landscape more plaintiff-friendly and provide clarity on what business information is protectable and what confidentiality measures the law requires, say attorneys at Jones Day.

• Warnings And Guideposts From EU Sanctions Blocking Case

  

  An advocate general's recent opinion in Bank Melli Iran v. Telekom Deutschland, a European Union sanctions blocking case, highlights serious new international regulatory compliance risks but also presents helpful guidance for navigating conflicting EU and U.S. rules, say Thomas Grant at Cambridge University and Scott Kieff at George Washington University.

• CBP Rulings Offer Lessons On Overcoming Import Detentions

  

  Two recent U.S. Customs and Border Protection rulings over allegations a U.S. apparel importer violated forced labor restrictions provide importers with insight for documenting supply chain compliance to obtain release of detained merchandise, say Dana Watts and Manuel Levitt at Miller & Chevalier.

• Stop Networking, Start Relationship Marketing

  

  USA 500 Clubs' Joe Chatham offers four tips for lawyers to get started with relationship marketing — an approach to business development that prioritizes authentic connections — and explains why it may be more helpful than traditional networking post-pandemic.

• What Attorneys Should Know About Fee Deferral

  

  Milestone Consulting’s John Bair explores contingency-fee structuring considerations for attorneys, laying out the advantages — such as tax benefits and income control — as well as caveats and investment options.

• Predictions On Pandemic's Lasting Impact On Legal Education

  

  The pandemic accelerated the pace of technological change for legal education, and some of the changes to how law school courses are taught and on-campus interviews are conducted may be here to stay, says Leonard Baynes at the University of Houston.

• Lawyer Perfectionism Is A Disease We Can Control

  

  The pursuit of perfection that is prevalent among lawyers can lead to depression, anxiety and other mental health impacts, but new attorneys and industry leaders alike can take four steps to treat this malady, says Liam Montgomery at Williams & Connolly.

• Collaborative Contracting Can Help Combat Bias In AI

  

  To mitigate bias in artificial intelligence technology amid pending EU and U.S. regulations, contracting companies should consider each party's role in controlling for bias, rather than applying binary liability allocations, say Boris Segalis and Joshua Fattal at Goodwin and independent attorney Neal Dittersdorf.

• 5 Tips To Help Your 2021 Summer Associates Succeed

  

  Despite pandemic-related challenges this year, law firms can effectively train summer associates on writing and communicating — without investing more time than they ordinarily would, says Julie Schrager at Schiff Hardin.