Expert Analysis

• Pepperdine Case Highlights Shift In Collegiate IP Landscape

  

  A complaint filed by Pepperdine University against Netflix and Warner Bros. two weeks ago alleges that a comedy series unlawfully copies the school's trademarks, and the decision could reshape the portrayal of collegiate athletics on screen and the legal tools schools use to defend their emblems, says Mindy Lewis at Michelman & Robinson.

• 7 Tips For Associates To Thrive In Hybrid Work Environments

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  As the vast majority of law firms have embraced some type of hybrid work policy, associates should consider a few strategies to get the most out of both their in-person and remote workdays, says James Argionis at Cozen O’Connor.

• White Collar Archetypes: Wrangling The Shape-Shifter

  

  In white collar criminal trials, certain pieces of evidence can shape-shift in the jury’s eyes, presenting both challenges and opportunities for defense counsel, says Jack Sharman at Lightfoot Franklin.

• Series

  Playing Beach Volleyball Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  My commitment to beach volleyball has become integral to my performance as an attorney, with the sport continually reminding me that teamwork, perseverance, professionalism and stress management are essential to both undertakings, says Amy Drushal at Trenam.

• US Soccer Win Shows Value Of Defining 'Relevant Market'

  

  Despite U.S. Soccer's successful defense against North American Soccer League's antitrust allegations, sports leagues should continue to be mindful of risks posed by hierarchical structures since the New York federal judge in that suit found a triable issue of fact on the relevant markets issue, say attorneys at Debevoise.

• If Elphaba Had Signed A Restrictive Covenant In 'Wicked'

  

  Following the recent big-screen release of "Wicked," employers should consider how the tale might have ended if the Wizard of Oz had made Elphaba sign a restrictive covenant agreement, which would have placed clear limitations on her ability to challenge his regime, says Emily Wajert at Sidley.

• How Law Firms Can Counteract The Loneliness Epidemic

  

  The legal industry is facing an urgent epidemic of loneliness, affecting lawyer well-being, productivity, retention and profitability, and law firm leaders should take concrete steps to encourage the development of genuine workplace connections, says Michelle Gomez at Littler and Gwen Mellor Romans at Herald Talent.

• 5 Keys To Building Stronger Attorney-Client Relationships

  

  Attorneys are often focused on being seen as the expert, but bonding with clients and prospects by sharing a few key personal details provides the basis for a caring, trusted and profoundly deeper business relationship, says Deb Feder at Feder Development.

• Justices' TikTok Ruling May Pose Threat To Online Expression

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court's recent landmark ruling upholding a federal law mandating TikTok's forced divestiture in the name of data security may embolden digital censorship agendas worldwide, says IP lawyer Bahram Jafari.

• What SDNY Judge Can And Can't Do In Adams Case

  

  The federal judge in the Southern District of New York overseeing the criminal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams deferred making a decision on the government's motion to dismiss the indictment, and while he does have limited authority to deny the motion, that would ultimately be a futile gesture, says Ethan Greenberg at Anderson Kill.

• What Reuters Ruling Means For AI Fair Use And Copyright

  

  A Delaware federal court's recent decision in Thomson Reuters v. ROSS Intelligence is not likely to have lasting effect in view of the avalanche of artificial intelligence decisions to come, but the court made two points that will resonate with copyright owners who are disputing technology companies' unlicensed use of copyright-protected materials to train generative AI models, says David Ben-Meir at Ben-Meir Law Group.

• Opinion

  NFT Bill Needs Refining To Effectively Regulate Digital Assets

  

  A recent bill in the U.S. House proposing to regulate nonfungible tokens as digital assets would leave key concepts undefined until the U.S. comptroller general completes an after-the-fact study of NFTs, showing it needs more work before it is comprehensive enough to meaningfully protect the market, say attorneys at Duane Morris.

• McMahon SEC Settlement Warns Of Nondisclosure's Price

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent financial nondisclosure settlement with former WWE CEO Vince McMahon illustrates the breadth of executives' reimbursement obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and highlights the importance of building robust internal corporate reporting processes, say attorneys at BCLP.

• Series

  Racing Corvettes Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  The skills I use when racing Corvettes have enhanced my legal practice in several ways, because driving, like practicing law, requires precision, awareness and a good set of brakes — complete with the wisdom to know how and when to use them, says Kat Mateo at Olshan Frome.

• Questions Remain After Justices' Narrow E-Rate FCA Ruling

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Wisconsin Bell, holding that requests for reimbursement from the Federal Communications Commission's E-Rate program are subject to False Claims Act liability, resolves one important question but leaves several others open, says Jason Neal at HWG.