Expert Analysis

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  Calif. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q3

  

  The third quarter of 2025 brought legislative changes to state money transmission certification requirements and securities law obligations, as well as high-profile accounting and anti-money laundering compliance enforcement actions by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

• 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.

• Kimmel 2nd Circ. Victory Holds Novel Copyright Lessons

  

  The Second Circuit's recent decision in Santos v. Kimmel, dismissing a copyright infringement claim against Kimmel for airing Cameo videos recorded by former U.S. Rep George Santos, examines the unusual situation of copyrighted works created at the request of the alleged infringer, say attorneys at Venable.

• 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.

• 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.

• How The SEC Has Subtly Changed Its Injunction Approach

  

  For decades, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has relied on the obey-the-law injunction, but judicial deference to the SEC's desired language has fractured since 2012 — with the commission itself this year utilizing a more tailored approach to injunctions, albeit inconsistently, say attorneys at Hilgers Graben.

• Demystifying Generative AI For The Modern Juror

  

  In cases alleging that the training of artificial intelligence tools violated copyright laws, successful outcomes may hinge in part on the litigator's ability to clearly present AI concepts through a persuasive narrative that connects with ordinary jurors, say Liz Babbitt at IMS Legal Strategies and Devon Madon at GlobalLogic.

• Digital Asset Report Opens Doors For Banks, But Risks Linger

  

  A recent report from a White House working group discussing digital asset market structure signals how banks may elect to expand into digital asset custody, trading and related services in the years ahead, but the road remains layered with challenges, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

• Utilizing 6th Circ.'s Expanded Internal Investigation Protection

  

  A recent Sixth Circuit decision in In re: FirstEnergy demonstrates one way that businesses can use a very limited showing to protect internal investigations from discovery in commercial litigation, while those looking to force production will need to employ a carefully calibrated approach, say attorneys at Brownstein Hyatt.

• 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.

• Series

  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.

• 5 Years In, COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Landscape Is Shifting

  

  As the government moves pandemic fraud enforcement from small-dollar individual prosecutions to high-value corporate cases, and billions of dollars remain unaccounted for, companies and defense attorneys must take steps now to prepare for the next five years of scrutiny, says attorney David Tarras.

• How New Rule On Illustrative Aids Is Faring In Federal Courts

  

  In the 10 months since new standards were codified for illustrative aids in federal trials, courts have already begun to clarify the rule's application in different contexts and the rule's boundaries, say attorneys at Bernstein Litowitz.