Expert Analysis

• Series

  Mich. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1

  

  Michigan's financial services sector saw several significant developments in 2026's first quarter, including the state Department of Insurance and Financial Services' issuance of a bulletin on the use of artificial intelligence and the Michigan House's introduction of a bill based on the Model Money Transmission Modernization Act, say attorneys at Dykema.

• The Road Ahead For Drug Development In The US

  

  Against the backdrop of drug manufacturers potentially looking to move development efforts overseas, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's latest guidance on new approach methodologies signals the FDA is likely to be receptive to industry innovation that makes U.S.-based drug development faster or less expensive, creating opportunities and compliance risks for tech companies, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

• Apple Verdict May Inform Jury Instruction In Patent Suits

  

  A Texas federal jury's recent verdict in Optis v. Apple provides an important example of how juries must be instructed when Step 2 of the Alice framework is submitted to them, with important implications for both litigators and courts in patent cases, says Joshua Reisberg at Blank Rome.

• How Cos. Can Navigate The Patchwork Of AI Safety Bills

  

  In the first few months of 2026, state and federal lawmakers introduced hundreds of bills to address the perceived safety risks of artificial intelligence, so companies should assess whether existing or planned services could be scoped into AI safety legislation across jurisdictions, say attorneys at Hogan Lovells.

• Unpacking FCC's Proposed Rules For Offshore Call Centers

  

  The Federal Communications Commission recently proposed rules that would restrict the use of offshore customer service operations, citing consumer frustration, data security risks and fraud as core reasons for the sweeping regulatory move, say attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland.

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  Calif. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1

  

  As usual, California remained a hub for financial services activity in the first quarter of 2026, with key developments including the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation's eye on consumer issues, a bill targeting "pig butchering" schemes, and jam-packed courts, say attorneys at Joseph Cohen.

• Justices May Hesitate To Limit Courts' Arbitration Review

  

  Based on Monday's argument in Jules v. Andre Balazs, the U.S. Supreme Court seems poised to preserve federal jurisdiction over arbitral award enforcement stemming from actions originated in federal court, a holding that would markedly limit the court's 2022 Walters v. Badgerow decision, says Ashwini Jayaratnam at DarrowEverett.

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  Ultramarathons Make Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Completing a 100-mile ultramarathon was tougher, more humbling and more rewarding than I ever imagined, and the experience highlighted how long-distance running has sharpened my ability to adapt to the evolving nature of antitrust law and strengthened my resolve to handle demanding, unforeseen challenges, says Dan Oakes at Axinn.

• When AI Puffery Becomes Actionable Securities Fraud

  

  Though courts usually hold that vague but optimistic corporate statements don’t constitute securities fraud, signs suggest that investors may give enough economic weight to references to artificial intelligence in public company disclosures that broad feel-good statements could cross into actionable misrepresentation, says Christine Polek at Keystone Strategy.

• Key Takeaways From The 2026 ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting

  

  Last week's American Bar Association Spring Meeting revealed an antitrust landscape defined by heightened friction and tension — between federal and state enforcers, domestic and international regimes, competing political visions, and traditional enforcement tools and novel challenges, say attorneys at Skadden.

• Motorola Case Shows Reach Of NLRA Dishonesty Protections

  

  A recent National Labor Relations Board case, involving a Motorola employee who was terminated for lying about discussing wages, illustrates the broad reach of National Labor Relations Act protections for concerted activity, which may take on new significance as the agency shifts toward more restrained enforcement, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.

• In First For DOJ, Action Signals New CFIUS Enforcement Era

  

  The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking judicial enforcement of a divestment order, an unprecedented action for the agency that ushers in a new phase for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, one in which judicial proceedings complement administrative oversight and presidential divestment orders may be enforced through litigation, says attorney Sohan Dasgupta.

• Verdicts Signal Product Liability's Expansion To Digital Realm

  

  Last week's landmark verdict in K.G.M. v. Meta Platforms Inc., along with other recent verdicts that apply product liability theories to online services that rely on algorithmic design and user engagement features, make it clear that companies must evaluate digital product design through a litigation lens, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

• Getting The Most Out Of Learning And Development Programs

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  Junior associates can better develop the legal, business and interpersonal skills they need for long-term success by approaching their firms’ learning and development programs armed with five tips for getting the most out of these resources, says Lauren Hakala at Reed Smith.

• OCC Rule Tests Nonfiduciary Powers Of Trust Banks

  

  The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's updates to its final rule on national bank chartering, effective April 1, may augur a showdown between the OCC, states and traditional banking institutions over both the authority of national trust banks to engage in nonfiduciary activities under the National Bank Act, and the scope of federal preemption, says Audrey Carroll at Stinson.