White Collar

Expert Analysis

• What DOJ Memo Means For Defense Attys Tackling Wiretaps

  

  Defense attorneys should be able to exploit recent findings in a U.S. Department of Justice report — of widespread deficiencies in foreign intelligence surveillance — in connection with motions to suppress wiretap evidence and in challenging post-trial convictions based on such evidence, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

• Don't Forget Firm Culture When Adapting To Remote Work

  

  While law firms suddenly pivoting to remote work due to coronavirus restrictions are busy dealing with logistical challenges, an equally pressing and perhaps more difficult task may be adjusting a long-standing brick-and-mortar culture to working remotely for the first time, say Heather Clauson Haughian and Grant Walsh at Culhane Meadows.

• Ghosn Flight Shows Need For Extradition Treaty Cooperation

  

  Ex-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn's escape from financial misconduct charges in Japan demonstrates the importance of governments working together to shore up extradition treaties, provide resources to Interpol, and support cross-border enforcement, say Tai-Heng Cheng and Ariel Atlas at Sidley.

• Beware Intense Insider Trading Scrutiny In Current Climate

  

  Ongoing investigations into several senators' stock transactions following confidential COVID-19 briefings should serve as a cautionary tale for companies — insider trading is now an area of heightened scrutiny by both public and private actors, say Haimavathi Marlier and David Newman at MoFo.

• How To Prepare Clients For Ponzi Schemes Amid COVID-19

  

  As the major market indexes free-fall because of pandemic fears, practitioners should be on alert for Ponzi schemes and up to speed on how to manage their fallout in coordination with various federal agencies, say attorneys Dennis Cohen and Marianne Recher.

• How State Price-Gouging Laws Apply To Wholesalers

  

  In the current emergency climate caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, wholesale distributors must carefully consider state-level price-gouging statutes and should keep records of increased supplier, labor and material costs when charging more for certain goods, say Lawrence Silverman and Carmen Ortega at Akerman.

• CARES Act And The Future Of Remote Criminal Proceedings

  

  In light of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act's authorizing videoconferencing for a variety of criminal proceedings, it may be time to revisit the physical presence requirement in criminal law, says Steven Gordon at Holland & Knight.

• Conducting Court Hearings Remotely: 12 Considerations

  

  As more courts begin to explore remote hearings during the COVID-19 crisis, attorneys and courts should be aware of some of the common concerns accompanying video- and teleconferencing technology and make allowances to avoid these issues, say Attison Barnes III and Krystal Swendsboe at Wiley Rein.

• An Early Look At DOJ's Increased Focus On COVID-19 Fraud

  

  As the U.S. Department of Justice shapes its ongoing criminal fraud investigations to focus on any COVID-19 components, defense attorneys will need to address the increased risks of unfair prejudice to defendants resulting from the government's public statements, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

• What Cos. Must Know About EPA's COVID-19 Policy

  

  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recently issued temporary policy on the implications of COVID-19 for environmental enforcement and compliance activities provides some comfort to companies trying to reconcile pandemic control measures with environmental obligations, say Joel Gross and Jonathan Martel at Arnold & Porter.

• The Era Of Video Mediation Is Here — Or Is It?

  

  Mediator Jeff Kichaven has heard from several first-chair trial lawyers and senior claims executives that they are reluctant to adopt online video mediation even during the COVID-19 crisis, and says this reluctance is grounded in reality.

• COVID-19 Highlights BigLaw Need For Emotional Intelligence

  

  The formula for making decisions at BigLaw firms has historically been rooted in IQ-based factors, but with the ongoing pandemic, lawyers and firm leaders are increasingly dealing with issues that require emotional intelligence — from establishing effective virtual offices to retaining firm morale and client confidence, say Jolie Balido and Tina van der Ven at NewStar Media.

• An Asset Manager's Guide To Recent Fintech Developments

  

  In this brief video, Jamie Cain and Ben Marzouk at Eversheds Sutherland discuss the essential fintech issues affecting asset managers' business models, including developments related to digital asset securities, cryptocurrency-based exchange-traded funds and blockchain.

• Opinion

  Judicial Shaming Of Attys Is Troubling Even During Pandemic

  

  Judges have recently rebuked attorneys for wasting judicial resources to resolve minor issues during the COVID-19 crisis, including in a trademark lawsuit over unicorn drawings. But it is unfair to publicly flog lawyers for doing what they are trained to do, says Ronald Minkoff, chairman of Frankfurt Kurnit's professional responsibility group.

• 2nd Circ. Dismissal Affirms The Limits Of Civil RICO Claims

  

  The Second Circuit's recent decision in Halvorssen v. Simpson makes clear that, while courts have permitted the use of civil Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act suits in disputes involving legitimate businesses rather than crime syndicates, there are real limits to these claims, say attorneys at Dechert.