Expert Analysis

• NYC Bar Opinion Warns Attys On Use Of AI Recording Tools

  

  Attorneys who use artificial intelligence tools to record, transcribe and summarize conversations with clients should heed the New York City Bar Association’s recent opinion addressing the legal and ethical risks posed by such tools, and follow several best practices to avoid violating the Rules of Professional Conduct, say attorneys at Smith Gambrell.

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  The Biz Court Digest: Dispatches From Utah's Newest Court

  

  While a robust body of law hasn't yet developed since the Utah Business and Chancery Court's founding in October 2024, the number of cases filed there has recently picked up, and its existence illustrates Utah's desire to be top of mind for businesses across the country, says Evan Strassberg at Michael Best.

• Checking In On Biologics-Related Patent Review Trends

  

  Comprehensive analysis of Patent Trial and Appeal Board data since the PTAB's creation indicates that while inter partes review and post-grant review are potent weapons for challenging biologics-related patents, recent policy changes may reduce their effectiveness, say attorneys at Steptoe.

• 4 Quick Emotional Resets For Lawyers With Conflict Fatigue

  

  Though the emotional wear and tear of legal work can trap attorneys in conflict fatigue — leaving them unable to shake off tense interactions or return to a calm baseline — simple therapeutic techniques for resetting the nervous system can help break the cycle, says Chantel Cohen at CWC Coaching & Therapy.

• Patent Eligibility Faces Widening Gap Between USPTO, Courts

  

  The year 2026 opened with a profoundly altered Patent Act Section 101 ecosystem — the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has pushed eligibility as far open as it can for artificial intelligence technologies, but the courts are not on the same page, say attorneys at Skadden.

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  Playing Tennis Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  An instinct to turn pain into purpose meant frequent trips to the tennis court, where learning to move ahead one point at a time was a lesson that also applied to the steep learning curve of patent prosecution law, says Daniel Henry at Marshall Gerstein.

• Expect Major Shifts In Patent And Trademark Policy This Year

  

  New leadership and initiatives promise to bring consequential changes to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's practices in 2026, likely favoring patent allowance and issuance, as well as streamlining trademark processes, say attorneys at Knobbe Martens.

• And Now A Word From The Panel: MDL Year In Review

  

  2025 was a roller coaster for the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, with the panel canceling one hearing session due to the absence of new MDL petitions, yet also issuing rulings on more new MDL petitions than in 2024 — making it clear that MDLs are still thriving, says Alan Rothman at Sidley Austin.

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  Judges On AI: How Judicial Use Informs Guardrails

  

  U.S. Magistrate Judge Maritza Dominguez Braswell at the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado discusses why having a sense of how generative AI tools behave, where they add value, where they introduce risk and how they are reshaping the practice of law is key for today's judges.

• Evenflo IP Ruling Shows Evidence Is Still Key For Injunctions

  

  Notwithstanding renewed policy and doctrinal attention to patent injunctions, the Federal Circuit's December decision in Wonderland v. Evenflo signals that the era of easily obtained patent injunctions has not yet arrived, say attorneys at King & Wood.

• What US Cos. Must Know To Comply With Italy's AI Law

  

  Italy's newly effective artificial intelligence law means U.S. companies operating in Italy or serving Italian customers must now meet EU AI Act obligations as well as Italy-specific requirements, including immediately enforceable criminal penalties, designated national authorities and sector-specific mandates, say attorneys at Portolano Cavallo.

• Navigating Battery Validation Risk In The EV Supply Chain

  

  Vehicle electrification has moved battery system supply chains from a background component into the center of the automotive universe — and for legal teams, battery validation is now a driver of contractual disputes, regulatory exposure and even shareholder litigation, say Samuel Madden at Secretariat Advisors and Vanessa Miller at Foley & Lardner.

• Fed. Circ. In 2025: A Look At Continued USPTO Tensions

  

  Unanticipated developments in 2025 included a tug-of-war between the Federal Circuit and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office over inter partes review decisions, and this continued disparity looks set to contribute to another packed year for the court, say attorneys at Knobbe Martens.

• How 2025 Recalibrated Fair Use For The AI Era

  

  Although the Second Circuit's decision last year in Romanova v. Amilus Inc. did not involve artificial intelligence, its formulation of relevant fair use factors provides a useful guide for lower courts examining AI cases in 2026, demanding close attention from legal practitioners on both sides of these disputes, say attorneys at Cleary.

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  Adapting To Private Practice: 5 Tips From Ex-SEC Unit Chief

  

  My move to private practice has reaffirmed my belief in the value of adaptability, collaboration and strategic thinking — qualities that are essential not only for successful client outcomes, but also for sustained professional satisfaction, says Dabney O’Riordan at Fried Frank.