Expert Analysis

• Firms Must Embrace Alternative Billing Models Or Fall Behind

  

  As artificial intelligence tools eliminate inefficiencies and the Big Four accounting firms enter the legal market, law firms that pivot from the entrenched billable hour model to outcomes-based pricing will see a distinct competitive advantage, says attorney William Brewer.

• Risks Of Today's Proffer Agreements May Outweigh Benefits

  

  Modern-day proffer agreements offer fewer protections to individuals as U.S. attorney's offices take different approaches to information-sharing, so counsel must consider pushing for provisions in such agreements that bar the prosecuting office from sharing information with nonparty government agencies, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert & Wohl.

• Key Insurance Issues Likely To Arise From NY Superfund Law

  

  The recently enacted New York Climate Change Superfund Act imposes a massive $75 billion in liabilities on energy companies in the fossil fuel industry, which can be expected to look to their insurers for coverage, raising a slew of coverage issues both old and new, say attorneys at Wiley.

• SDNY Sentencing Ruling Is Boon For White Collar Defendants

  

  Defense attorneys should consider how to maximize the impact of a New York federal court’s recent groundbreaking ruling in U.S. v. Tavberidze, which held that a sentencing guidelines provision unconstitutionally penalizes the right to a jury trial, says Sarah Sulkowski at Gelber & Santillo.

• How Attorneys Can Master The Art Of On-Camera Presence

  

  As attorneys are increasingly presented with on-camera opportunities, they can adapt their traditional legal skills for video contexts — such as virtual client meetings, marketing content or media interviews — by understanding the medium and making intentional adjustments, says Kerry Barrett.

• Series

  Baseball Fantasy Camp Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  With six baseball fantasy experiences under my belt, I've learned time and again that I didn't make the wrong career choice, but I've also learned that baseball lessons are life lessons, and I'm a better lawyer for my time at St. Louis Cardinals fantasy camp, says Scott Felder at Wiley.

• 2 Recent Federal Decisions Affecting State CIPA Cases

  

  Two recent cases may help stem the tide of the ever-increasing number of California Invasion of Privacy Act complaints filed in federal court, but won't prevent plaintiffs from filing in state courts, so companies need to shift their focus from Article III standing to statutory standing, says Matthew Pearson at Womble Bond.

• Series

  Adapting To Private Practice: From Fed. Prosecutor To BigLaw

  

  Making the jump from government to private practice is no small feat, but, based on my experience transitioning to a business-driven environment after 15 years as an assistant U.S. attorney, it can be incredibly rewarding and help you become a more versatile lawyer, says Michael Beckwith at Dickinson Wright.

• And Now A Word From The Panel: MDL Hubs

  

  The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation showed a willingness in 2024 to establish new multidistrict litigation proceedings in cities with both less MDL and air traffic, including states that had no other pending MDL proceedings, but the overall number of pending MDL proceedings has dwindled down, says Alan Rothman at Sidley.

• Service By Token Is Transforming Crypto Litigation Landscape

  

  As the Trump administration advocates a new course of cryptocurrency regulation, courts in the U.S. and abroad are authorizing innovative methods of process service, including via nonfungible tokens and blockchain messaging, offering practical solutions for litigators grappling with the anonymity of cyber defendants, says Jose Ceide at Salazar Law.

• Opinion

  SEC Shouldn't Complicate Broker-Dealers' AML Compliance

  

  Recent U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission anti-money laundering enforcement actions show that regulators should not second-guess broker-dealers' reasonable judgment, or stretch the law or their jurisdiction to regulate through enforcement, lest they expect broker-dealers to vigorously defend their AML programs, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

• Retirement Plan Suits Show Value Of Cybersecurity Policies

  

  Several data breach class actions that were recently filed against retirement plan administrator The Pension Specialists in Illinois federal court are a reminder that developing and following a good written cybersecurity policy provides a blueprint for compliance and may prevent lawsuits, says Carol Buckmann at Cohen & Buckmann.

• How Importers Can Minimize FCA Risks Of Tariff Mitigation

  

  False Claims Act risks are inherent in many tariff mitigation strategies, making it important for importers to implement best practices to identify and report potential violations of import regulations before they escalate, says Samuel Finkelstein at LMD Trade Law.

• State Securities Enforcers May Fill A Federal Enforcement Gap

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission appears poised to take a lighter touch under the new administration, but state enforcement efforts are likely to continue unabated, and potentially even increase, particularly with regard to digital assets and ESG disclosures, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

• Firms Still Have Lateral Market Advantage, But Risks Persist

  

  Partner and associate mobility data from the fourth quarter of 2024 shows that we’re in a new, stable era of lateral hiring where firms have the edge, but leaders should proceed cautiously, looking beyond expected revenue and compensation analyses for potential risks, say Julie Henson and Greg Hamman at Decipher Investigative Intelligence.