Expert Analysis

• Series

  Watching Hallmark Movies Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  I realize you may be judging me for watching, and actually enjoying, Hallmark Channel movies, but the escapism and storylines actually demonstrate qualities and actions that lead to an efficient, productive and positive legal practice, says Karen Ross at Tucker Ellis.

• 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.

• Nippon Case Illustrates Challenges Of Proving Antitrust Injury

  

  A recent California federal court decision dismissing challenges to Nippon Steel's purchase of U.S. Steel underscores the longtime antitrust precedent that while the limitations of injury are critical for defendants sued under U.S. antitrust laws, showing that the harm is real is the key, says Cameron Regnery at Freeman Mathis.

• New Orphan Drug Law Provides A Key Fix For Pharma Cos.

  

  The Consolidated Appropriations Act enacted last month restores the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's long-standing interpretation of "same disease or condition," related to orphan drug exclusivity, resolving years of regulatory uncertainty and litigation that have discouraged rare disease research, say attorneys at Spencer Fane.

• Stablecoin Yield Reform Raises Stakes For Community Banks

  

  Risks for community banks are heightened by the Clarity and Genius Acts, which establish stablecoin market parameters and may lead to traditional bank fund withdrawals in the long term, but a recent Senate amendment to the former bill could prevent deposit runoff, says Thomas Walker at Jones Walker.

• How Iran War Might Reshape Proxy Contests This Year

  

  The Iran war may function as a short-term poison pill for proxy contests, not because it strengthens corporate defenses, but because it increases the risks associated with activist commitments, say attorneys at Sidley.

• Opinion

  PTAB Needs Reform To Protect Inventors From Larger Cos.

  

  The Promoting and Respecting Economically Vital American Innovation Leadership Act is necessary because it will impose additional requirements on patent validity challenges and prevent large corporations from taking advantage of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board to overwhelm small inventors with repeated litigation, says Eb Bright at ExploraMed Development.

• What To Watch At The 2026 ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting

  

  Attorneys at Freshfields consider the future of antitrust law and competition among developments likely to dominate discussion at the American Bar Association's Antitrust Spring Meeting this week.

• FDA User Fee Talks Offer Clues On Upcoming Reforms

  

  As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration undergoes the User Fee Act reauthorization process and renegotiates its user fee agreements over the next several months, the agency's consultation meetings with relevant industries can shed light on the FDA's priorities, and provides stakeholders an opportunity to participate in the reform process, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

• Changes Coming To The SBIR And STTR Programs

  

  Legislation recently approved by Congress to reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs includes changes focused on national security that would improve transparency but also increase applicants' administrative burdens, slow the awards process and likely increase litigation, say attorneys at Fluet & Associates.

• What FINRA Enforcement Changes Mean For Investigations

  

  It is essential for in-house counsel and compliance officers to familiarize themselves with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's recently announced changes to its enforcement program, which offer both clearer visibility into FINRA's expectations and a valuable opportunity to strengthen regulatory readiness, say attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland.

• One Idea To Fix The SEC's Risk Factor Disclosure Rules

  

  U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Paul Atkins recently invited the industry to suggest ways to reform the current risk factor disclosure framework, and amending Rule 10b-5 is one potential option to consider, say attorneys at A&O Shearman.

• Navigating Venezuelan Oil And Gas Sanctions Rollbacks

  

  The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a series of general licenses representing the broadest easing of Venezuela-related sanctions in years, and creating significant new opportunities — but only for entities prepared to meet the rigorous conditions attached to OFAC's phased sanctions relief, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

• 7 Employer Tips For Handling Calif. Privacy Risk Assessments

  

  Recent changes to the California Consumer Privacy Act require certain employers to complete detailed risk assessments before handling workforce data in many routine ways, so employers should assess whether previous risk assessments can be reused or combined, assemble a team, and create a plan of action, among other steps, say attorneys at Littler.