Expert Analysis

• NY Bill Elevates Criminal Risk For 'Shadow' Crypto Firms

  

  New York's proposed CRYPTO Act would expose unlicensed digital asset operators to criminal penalties ranging from state misdemeanor charges to felony convictions, potentially marking a significant shift in how New York — already among the most aggressive crypto regulators — oversees virtual currency businesses, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

• Opinion

  AVOID Act Creates 3rd-Party Litigation Risks For Transpo Cos.

  

  New York's Avoiding Vexatious Overuse of Impleading to Delay Act, which takes effect next month, will require new risk management strategies from transportation companies as it attempts to drastically change the scope of third-party litigation while failing to address practical realities of civil disputes, says Steven Saal at Lucosky Brookman.

• Opinion

  AI Doc Ruling Got Privilege Analysis Wrong

  

  Broad reasoning used by a New York federal judge in U.S. v. Heppner — to determine the criminal defendant's interactions with a generative artificial intelligence platform were not protected — mistakenly treats AI use as dispositive disclosure to a third party and adopts an unduly narrow conception of work product, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert.

• AG Watch: New York's Heightened Enforcement In Real Estate

  

  Over the past several months, New York Attorney General Letitia James has brought a rapid succession of enforcement actions targeting rent stabilization abuse, unsafe housing conditions and fraudulent securities practices, signaling that the office views these problems as systemic issues warranting aggressive intervention, say attorneys at Quinn Emanuel.

• Assessing Potential Legal Claims From Private Credit Turmoil

  

  Amid the downturn in the private credit markets spurred by multiple high-profile bankruptcies, a New York lawsuit stemming from the collapse of First Brands provides an important case study for investors to help minimize future losses and maximize any potential recovery in the event of a private credit default, say attorneys at Bleichmar Fonti.

• What 2nd Circ. Discovery Stay Means For Sovereign Litigation

  

  The Second Circuit’s recent stay of a postjudgment discovery order against Argentine officials in an oil investment dispute is worth examining in its full doctrinal and practical context, as limiting enforcement efforts that pry into foreign governments' internal workings could quietly reshape the trajectory of sovereign litigation in the U.S., says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn.

• Employment Cases Offer Arbitration Clause Drafting Lessons

  

  Two recent federal court decisions granting employers' motions to compel arbitration highlight that companies can improve their chances of avoiding court by approaching arbitration clauses as a series of related drafting choices, anticipating disputes on the arbitral seat, hearing location and governing law, say attorneys at Krevolin Horst.

• 5 Tips For Navigating Your Firm's All-Attorney Summit

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  Law firm retreats should be approached strategically, as they present valuable opportunities to advance both the firm's objectives and attorneys' professional development through meaningful participation, building and strengthening internal relationships, and proactive follow-up, says James Argionis at Cozen O’Connor.

• NYC Leave Law Expands Compliance Beyond Written Policies

  

  Following recent amendments to New York City's Earned Safe and Sick Time Act that expand its uses, give employees 32 hours of immediately available time off and create a right to request schedule changes, compliance now turns on whether employees can use time off without facing barriers or discipline, say attorneys at Polsinelli.

• Series

  Coaching Soccer Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Coaching youth soccer for my 7-year-old son's team has sharpened how I communicate with clients, prepare witnesses, work within teams and think about leadership, making me a more thoughtful and effective lawyer in many ways, says Joshua Holt at Smith Currie.

• Series

  Law School's Missed Lessons: The Human Element

  

  Law school teaches you to quickly apply intellect and logic when handling a legal issue, but every fact pattern also involves a person, making the ability to balance expertise with empathy critical to the growth of relationships with clients, colleagues and adversaries, says Rachel Adcox at Adcox Strategies.

• How High Court Recast State Sovereign Immunity In Galette

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court's unanimous ruling in Galette v. New Jersey Transit, asserting that the state-chartered transit agency has independent corporate personhood and sole obligation to pay judgments against it, turned on substance rather than form — and its analysis should be carefully reviewed in courthouses and statehouses, say attorneys at McCarter & English.

• Why Prediction Market Regulation Is At Major Inflection Point

  

  As prediction markets experience tremendous growth and rapid mainstream adoption, regulators have begun to exercise enforcement authority to ensure market integrity and protect participants, though forthcoming guidance will shed light on how aggressively the agencies will police the fast-changing landscape, say attorneys at Latham.

• How Cos. Should Prepare For NY RAISE Act Compliance

  

  With the New York Responsible AI Safety and Education Act taking effect March 19, state regulators will expect subject artificial intelligence governance policies to understand whether appropriate safeguards and protocols are in place to prevent or mitigate discriminatory or adverse outcomes by frontier models, says Michael Paulino at Gordon Rees.

• The Benefits Of Choosing A Niche Practice In The AI Age

  

  As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly accessible, lawyers with a niche practice may stand out as clients seek specialized judgment that automation cannot replicate, but it is important to choose a niche that is durable, engaging and a good personal fit, says Daniel Borneman at Lowenstein Sandler.