Expert Analysis

• Examining Privilege In Dual-Purpose Workplace Investigations

  

  The Sixth Circuit's recent holding in FirstEnergy's bribery probe ruling that attorney-client privilege applied to a dual-purpose workplace investigation because its primary purpose was obtaining legal advice highlights the uncertainty companies face as federal circuit courts remain split on the appropriate test, say attorneys at Proskauer.

• Opinion

  The Case For Emulating, Not Dividing, The Ninth Circuit

  

  Champions for improved judicial administration should reject the unfounded criticisms driving recent Senate proposals to divide the Ninth Circuit and instead seek to replicate the court's unique strengths and successes, says Ninth Circuit Judge J. Clifford Wallace.

• Why 'Baby Shark' Floundered In Foreign Service Waters

  

  The Second Circuit recently ruled that the "Baby Shark" company couldn’t use email to serve alleged infringers based in China under an international agreement prohibiting such service, providing several important lessons for parties in actions involving defendants in jurisdictions unwilling or unable to effectuate efficient service, say attorneys at Greenspoon Marder.

• ERISA Litigation Trends To Watch With 2025 In The Rearview

  

  There were significant developments in Employee Retirement Income Security Act litigation in 2025, including plaintiffs pushing the bounds of sponsor and fiduciary liability and defendants scoring district court wins, and although the types of claims might change, ERISA litigation will likely be just as active in 2026, say attorneys at Groom Law.

• Targeted Action, Rule Tweaks Reflect 2025 AML Priority Shifts

  

  Though 2025’s anti-money-laundering landscape was characterized not by volume of penalties but by the strategic recalibration of how illicit finance risk is handled, a series of targeted enforcement actions signaled that regulators aren't easing off the accelerator, even as they refine the rules of the road, say attorneys at MoFo.

• What To Know About NY's Drastic 3rd-Party Practice Changes

  

  Last month, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a law establishing new time limits for the commencement of third-party actions, which will have dramatic effects on insurance defense practice, particularly cases involving construction site accidents or claims of premises liability, says Shawn Schatzle at Lewis Brisbois.

• Series

  Muay Thai Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Muay Thai kickboxing has taught me that in order to win, one must stick to one's game plan and adapt under pressure, just as when facing challenges by opposing counsel or judges, says Mark Schork at Feldman Shepherd.

• Series

  Law School's Missed Lessons: Intentional Career-Building

  

  A successful legal career is built through intention: understanding expectations, assessing strengths honestly and proactively seeking opportunities to grow and cultivating relationships that support your development, say Erika Drous and Hillary Mann at Morrison Foerster.

• Navigating Workplace AI When Federal, State Policies Clash

  

  Two recent federal bills and various state laws concerning employers' artificial intelligence use may clash with an executive order calling for minimal regulation, so employers should proactively monitor their AI usage and stay apprised of legislative updates while awaiting further direction from the federal government, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

• State AG Enforcement During CFPB Gap Predicts 2026 Trends

  

  State attorneys general responded to the decrease in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau enforcement in 2025 by stepping in to regulate consumer finance more than ever before, and the trends in rebooting CFPB investigations, cracking down on ESG and DEI initiatives, and fighting financial exploitation of homeowners will likely extend into 2026, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.

• Reviewing 2025's Artificial Intelligence Disputes Over IP

  

  2025 brought the first major fair use rulings involving generative artificial intelligence, and in 2026 courts will weigh in on more discovery disputes, renewed motions to dismiss, class certification challenges and fair use defenses that could shape the course of future AI litigation, say attorneys at Debevoise.

• 2nd Circ. Ruling Shows Procedural Perils Of Civil Forfeiture

  

  The Second Circuit’s recent U.S. v. Ross decision, partially denying the return of an attorney's seized funds based on rigid standing requirements, underscores the unforgiving technical complexities of civil asset forfeiture law, and provides several lessons for practitioners, says Elisha Kobre at Sheppard Mullin.

• Key Trends Shaping ESG And Sustainability Law In 2026

  

  2025 saw a chaotic regulatory landscape and novel litigation around environmental, social and governance issues and sustainability — and 2026, while perhaps more predictable, will likely be no less challenging, with more lawsuits and a regulatory tug-of-war complicating compliance for global companies, say attorneys at Crowell.

• 3 Securities Litigation Trends To Watch In 2026

  

  Pending federal appellate cases suggest that 2026 will be a significant year for securities litigation, with long-standing debates about class certification, new questions about the risks and value of artificial intelligence features, and private plaintiffs' growing role in cryptocurrency enforcement likely to be major themes, say attorneys at Willkie.

• 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.