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Expert Analysis

• How Calif., NY Could Fill Consumer Finance Regulatory Void

  

  California and New York have historically taken the lead in consumer financial protection, and both show signs of becoming even more active in this area during the second Trump administration amid an enforcement pullback at the federal level, say attorneys at Sidley.

• Series

  Volunteer Firefighting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  While practicing corporate law and firefighting may appear incongruous, the latter benefits my legal career by reminding me of the importance of humility, perspective and education, says Nicholas Passaro at Ford.

• Calif. Antitrust Laws May Turn More Zealous Than US Regs

  

  California is poised in the next 18 months to significantly expand its antitrust laws, broadening the scope of liability and creating a premerger review process that could be more expansive than review under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, say attorneys at Munger Tolles.

• As SEC, CFTC Retreat, Who Will Police The Crypto Markets?

  

  As the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission pull back from policing the crypto markets, the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have the authority to pick up the slack — although recent events raise doubts that they will do so, say attorneys at Skadden.

• Digesting A 2nd Circ. Ruling On Food Delivery App Arbitration

  

  The Second Circuit recently rejected Grubhub's attempt to arbitrate price-fixing claims, while allowing Uber Eats to do so, reinforcing that even broad arbitration clauses must connect to the underlying dispute and suggesting that terms of service litigation may center on websites' design and content, say attorneys at Greenspoon Marder.

• 5 Ways Banking Has Changed In 5 Years Since COVID

  

  Since the start of the pandemic five years ago, technology, convenience and shifting expectations have transformed compliance for the financial services industry in several key ways, from the shrinking role of the traditional bank branch to the rise of fintech and mobile payments, says Christopher Pippett at Fox Rothschild.

• E-Discovery Quarterly: The Perils Of Digital Data Protocols

  

  Though stipulated protocols governing the treatment of electronically stored information in litigation are meant to streamline discovery, recent disputes demonstrate that certain missteps in the process can lead to significant inefficiencies, say attorneys at Sidley.

• Making Sense Of Small Biz Fair Lending Compliance

  

  Despite the uncertainty brought on by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's recent efforts to revise fair lending data collection requirements under Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act, the compliance dates have not yet been stayed, so covered institutions should still start to monitor any disparities now, say attorneys at Frost Brown Todd.

• Defense Strategies After Justices' Personal Injury RICO Ruling

  

  In Medical Marijuana v. Horn, the U.S. Supreme Court recently held that the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act can be invoked by some plaintiffs with claims arising from personal injuries — but defense counsel can use the limitations on civil RICO claims to seek early dismissal in such cases, say attorneys at Debevoise.

• Opinion

  Ripple Settlement Offers Hope For Better Regulatory Future

  

  The recent settlement between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Ripple — in which the agency agreed to return $75 million of a $125 million fine — vindicates criticisms of the SEC and highlights the urgent need for a complete overhaul of its crypto regulation, says J.W. Verret at George Mason University.

• Series

  Law School's Missed Lessons: Preparing For Corporate Work

  

  Law school often doesn't cover the business strategy, financial fluency and negotiation skills needed for a successful corporate or transactional law practice, but there are practical ways to gain relevant experience and achieve the mindset shifts critical to a thriving career in this space, says Dakota Forsyth at Olshan Frome.

• Strategies To Help Witnesses Manage Deposition Anxiety

  

  During and leading up to deposition, witnesses may experience anxiety stemming from numerous sources and manifesting in a variety of ways, but attorneys can help them mitigate their stress using a few key methods, say consultants at Courtroom Sciences.

• FDIC Shift On ALJs May Show Agencies Meeting New Norms

  

  The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.’s recent reversal, deciding to not fight a Kansas bank’s claim that the FDIC's administrative law judge removal process is unconstitutional, shows that independent agencies may be preemptively reconsidering their enforcement and adjudication authority amid executive and judicial actions curtailing their operations, say attorneys at Snell & Wilmer.

• How Cos. Can Mitigate Increasing Microplastics Liability Risk

  

  Amid rising scrutiny in the U.S. and Europe of microplastics' impact on health and the growing threat of litigation against consumer product and food and beverage manufacturers, companies can limit liability through compliance with labeling laws, careful contract management and other practices, say attorneys at Rogers Joseph.

• Meta Case Brings Customer-Facing Statements Issue To Fore

  

  Now that Facebook v. Amalgamated Bank has returned to California federal court after the U.S. Supreme Court in November found it improvidently granted certiorari, it will be worth watching whether customer-facing communications, such as Facebook's privacy policies, are found to be made in connection with the sale of a security, says Samuel Groner at Fried Frank.