Expert Analysis

• DOJ Chemical Seizure Shows Broad Civil Forfeiture Authority

  

  The U.S. Department of Justice’s recent seizure of meth precursor chemicals en route from China to Mexico illustrates the U.S. government's powerful jurisdictional reach to seek forfeiture of cartel-related assets, and company compliance programs must take note, say attorneys at White & Case.

• Unleashing LNG And Oil Exports With The Deepwater Port Act

  

  The U.S. Department of Transportation and its Maritime Administration are now poised to use the streamlined licensing process of an existing statutory framework — the Deepwater Port Act — to approve proposed offshore terminals for exporting oil and liquefied natural gas, thus advancing the Trump administration's energy agenda, says Joanne Rotondi at Hogan Lovells.

• High Court Right-To-Counsel Case Could Have Seismic Impact

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments next week in Villarreal v. Texas about whether prohibiting testimony discussions between defendants and their counsel during an overnight recess violates the Sixth Amendment, and the eventual decision could impose a barrier in the attorney-client relationship, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

• Gauging SEC Short-Sale Rules' Future After 5th Circ. Remand

  

  Though the Fifth Circuit recently remanded to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission two Biden-era rules requiring disclosure of securities lending and short-sale activity in order to consider the rules' cumulative economic impact, it's possible they will get reproposed, meaning compliance timelines could change, says Scott Budlong at Barnes & Thornburg.

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  Judging Figure Skating Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Judging figure skating competitions helps me hone the focus, decisiveness and ability to process complex real-time information I need in court, but more importantly, it makes me reengage with a community and my identity outside of law, which, paradoxically, always brings me back to work feeling restored, says Megan Raymond at Groombridge Wu.

• $100K H-1B Fee May Disrupt Rural Healthcare Needs

  

  The Trump administration's newly imposed $100,000 supplemental fee on new H-1B petitions may disproportionately affect healthcare employers' ability to recruit international medical graduates, and the fee's national interest exceptions will not adequately solve ensuing problems for healthcare employers or medically underserved areas, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

• What Ethics Rules Say On Atty Discipline For Online Speech

  

  Though law firms are free to discipline employees for their online commentary about Charlie Kirk or other social media activity, saying crude or insensitive things on the internet generally doesn’t subject attorneys to professional discipline under the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, says Stacie H. Rosenzweig at Halling & Cayo.

• What's At Stake In High Court's Ill. Ballot Deadline Case

  

  In Bost v. Illinois State Board of Elections, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments next week on whether and when candidates for office have standing to bring prospective challenges to election laws, raising broader issues about the proper timing of federal court election litigation, say Richard Pildes and Samuel Ozer-Staton at NYU School of Law.

• 2 Rulings Highlight IRS' Uncertain Civil Fraud Penalty Powers

  

  Conflicting decisions from the U.S. Tax Court and the Northern District of Texas that hinge on whether the IRS can administratively assert civil fraud penalties since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024 decision in SEC v. Jarkesy provide both opportunities and potential pitfalls for taxpayers, says Michael Landman at Bird Marella.

• Junior Attys Must Beware Of 5 Common Legal Brief Mistakes

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  Junior law firm associates must be careful to avoid five common pitfalls when drafting legal briefs — from including every possible argument to not developing a theme — to build the reputation of a sought-after litigator, says James Argionis at Cozen O'Connor.

• Assessing Legal, Regulatory Hurdles Of Healthcare Offshoring

  

  The offshoring of administrative, nonclinical functions has emerged as an increasingly attractive option for healthcare companies seeking to reduce costs, but this presents challenges in navigating the web of state restrictions on the access or storage of patient data outside the U.S., say attorneys at McDermott.

• Expect DOJ To Repeat 4 Themes From 2024's FCPA Trials

  

  As two upcoming Foreign Corrupt Practice Act trials approach, defense counsel should anticipate the U.S. Department of Justice to revive several of the same themes prosecutors leaned on in trials last year to motivate jurors to convict, and build counternarratives to neutralize these arguments, says James Koukios at MoFo.

• Texas Suit Marks Renewed Focus On Service Kickback Theory

  

  After a dormant period at the federal level, a theory of kickback enforcement surrounding nurse educator programs and patient support services resurfaced with a recent state court complaint filed by Texas against Eli Lilly, highlighting for drugmakers the ever-changing nature of enforcement priorities and industry landscapes, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

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  Power To The Paralegals: How And Why Training Must Evolve

  

  Empowering paralegals through new models of education that emphasize digital fluency, interdisciplinary collaboration and human-centered lawyering could help solve workforce challenges and the justice gap — if firms, educators and policymakers get on board, say Kristine Custodio Suero and Kelli Radnothy.

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  Playing Softball Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  My time on the softball field has taught me lessons that also apply to success in legal work — on effective preparation, flexibility, communication and teamwork, says Sarah Abrams at Baleen Specialty.