Pennsylvania

Expert Analysis

• Opinion

  IRS Should Use Tax Law To Combat The Opioid Epidemic

  

  The IRS, which enforces anti-trafficking tax laws against state-regulated cannabis businesses, should be fair and apply the same policy against pharmaceutical companies that illegally market their opioids, says Kat Allen at Wykowski Law.

• State Net

  Why States And Cities Are Concerned About Census Accuracy

  

  The 2020 census will impact every state, city and county in the United States, because population is a major factor in how the federal government distributes funds. Despite apprehensions about an undercount, there are reasons for optimism about the accuracy of the census, says Lou Cannon of State Net Capitol Journal.

• The Evolution Of Software As A Service Taxes Post-Wayfair

  

  Due to the expanded nexus provisions following South Dakota v. Wayfair, software as a service providers need to be especially aware of the recent — and, at times, divergent — state law developments in SaaS taxation, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

• Q&A

  A Chat With Gilead Sciences Legal Ops Leader Gary Tully

  

  In this monthly series, legal recruiting experts from Major Lindsey & Africa interview legal industry leaders about the increasingly competitive business environment. Here, Rod Osborne talks with Gary Tully, head of legal operations at Gilead Sciences.

• Series

  Why I Became A Lawyer: Completing The Journey Home

  

  My mother's connection to her Native American heritage had a major influence on my career — my decision to enter the legal profession was driven by the desire to return to my tribal community and help it in any way I could, says Jason Hauter of Akin Gump.

• Don't Let License Rules Snuff Out Your Fire Expert

  

  Lawsuits involving property damage due to fire often require the retention of an expert to investigate the fire, but testimony can be excluded if the expert lacks the required licenses. Attorneys at Tucker Ellis break down the different licensing requirements for fire scene inspection in all 50 states.

• Series

  Judging A Book: Wood Reviews 'The Making Of A Justice'

  

  Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens' new book, "The Making of a Justice," is required reading for anyone interested in 20th and 21st century America, says Seventh Circuit Chief Judge Diane Wood.

• State Net

  State Lawmakers Stepping Up Fight Against Insurance Fraud

  

  Insurance fraud costs insurers and their policyholders tens of billions of dollars a year. With insurance fraud-related bills introduced in 40 states and enacted in 14 so far this year, state lawmakers seem to agree with the industry that fraud is a major problem, says Korey Clark of State Net Capitol Journal.

• Maritime Opinion Offers Hope For 'Bare Metal' Defense

  

  In Air and Liquid Systems v. DeVries, the U.S. Supreme Court recently cast doubt on the "bare metal" defense against manufacturer liability in a maritime tort context. But both the majority and dissenting opinions provide a road map to using this defense in other situations, say John Vales and Stephen Turner of Dentons.

• Getting Out Of Legal Project Management Debt

  

  If a client does not demand the application of project management techniques at the start of a matter, or a law firm does not routinely apply them, it is highly likely that additional, avoidable work — legal project management debt — will materialize throughout the matter, says Anthony Widdop of Shearman & Sterling.