Commercial

Expert Analysis

• ABA Opinion Should Help Clarify Which Ethics Rules Apply

  

  A recent American Bar Association opinion provides key guidance on interpreting ABA Model Rule 8.5's notoriously complex choice-of-law analysis — and should help lawyers authorized to practice in multiple jurisdictions determine which jurisdiction's ethics rules govern their conduct, say attorneys at HWG.

• How Crypto-Friendly Bank Failures Will Change Tech Industry

  

  The recent failures of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and Silvergate Capital are likely to result in significant shifts in how the global tech industry and its financial partners address legal, compliance, regulatory and business risks, says Erin Bryan at Dorsey & Whitney.

• 4 Ways To Reboot Your Firm's Stalled Diversity Program

  

  Law firms that have failed to see real progress despite years of diversity initiatives can move forward by committing to tackle four often-taboo obstacles that hinder diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, says Steph Maher at Jaffe.

• Top Questions, And Lessons, After Banking's Wild Weekend

  

  While regulators alleviated some immediate concerns related to Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, even companies with minimal exposure to the failed institutions should monitor unfolding policy changes, cash management issues and increasing scrutiny on risk disclosures for public companies, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

• DOJ's Google Sanctions Motion Shows Risks Of Auto-Deletion

  

  The U.S. Department of Justice recently hit Google with a sanctions motion over its alleged failure to preserve relevant instant-messaging communications, a predicament that should be a wake-up call for counsel concerning the danger associated with automatic-deletion features and how it's been handled by the courts, say Oscar Shine and Emma Ashe at Selendy Gay.

• Everyrealm Case Spurs Big Workplace Arbitration Questions

  

  If a New York federal judge's recent textualist ruling in Johnson v. Everyrealm denying arbitration of an entire employment lawsuit is appealed and upheld, it could set the stage for significant impairment of the enforcement of arbitration agreements, says Rex Berry at Signature Resolution.

• What To Expect From A Litigation Finance Industry Recession

  

  There's little data on how litigation finance would fare in a recession, but a look at stakeholders' incentives suggests corporate demand for litigation finance would increase in a recessionary environment, while the number of funders could shrink, says Matthew Oxman at LexShares.

• A Look At The Feds' Extraordinary Reaction To SVB Collapse

  

  With the receiverships of two banks in almost as many days, the emerging pattern of regulatory response holds the banking sector as a whole responsible for losses at individual institutions, a scenario that may not end with special assessments to cover Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

• Insureds Must Prep For Drought-Related Service Interruptions

  

  Amid the ongoing U.S. water crisis, corporate policyholders must prepare for the emerging risk of service interruption property damage and time element loss, including through careful examination of their current and renewal property policies, says Micah Skidmore at Haynes Boone.

• How To Select The Right Arbitrator For A Construction Dispute

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  In construction disputes, selecting an arbitrator is a critical decision with many nuances to consider, as different types of potential panelists all come with their own experiences, views and possible biases, says Edward Gentilcore at Blank Rome.

• Combating Russia's Evolving Sanctions Evasion Efforts

  

  As the war in Ukraine enters its second year, Russia and its oligarch class will continue their attempts to elude sanctions, and regulators from the U.S. and allied nations will keep searching for ways to beat them back, say Ian Herbert at Miller & Chevalier and Brad Dragoon at Charles River.

• Justices Leave Questions Open On Dual-Purpose Atty Advice

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court's recent dismissal of In re: Grand Jury on grounds that certiorari was improvidently granted leaves unresolved a circuit split over the proper test for deciding when attorney-client privilege protects a lawyer's advice that has multiple purposes, say Susan Combs and Richard Kiely at Holland & Hart.

• Lessons In Chancery Toss Of Claims Against CoreLogic CEO

  

  Attorneys at Fried Frank discuss key takeaways for boards, including justifications for accepting a lower takeover offer, following the Delaware Chancery Court's recent dismissal of claims that the ex-CEO of CoreLogic breached fiduciary duty during his $6 billion take-private sale of the company.