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Expert Analysis

• Opinion

  The Fallout Of Drake's Defamation Suit Against UMG

  

  Hip-hop duo Clipse's recent comeback was caught in the undertow of the ongoing Drake v. Universal Music Group defamation litigation, which points to the troubling possibility that if labels can be held liable for promoting allegedly defamatory lyrics, they may preemptively sanitize content to avoid lawsuits, says Henry Williams IV at Gordon Rees.

• Biosolid Contaminants Spawn Litigation, Regulation Risks

  

  While nutrient-rich biosolids — aka sewage sludge — can be an attractive fertilizer, pending legislation and litigation spurred by the risk of contamination with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and other pollutants should put stakeholders in this industry on guard, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

• Lessons From 7th Circ.'s Deleted Chat Sanctions Ruling

  

  The Seventh Circuit’s recent decision in Pable v. Chicago Transit Authority, affirming the dismissal of an ex-employee’s retaliation claims, highlights the importance of properly handling the preservation of ephemeral messages and clarifies key sanctions issues, says Philip Favro at Favro Law.

• 4 Questions For Insureds To Overcome Flood Exclusions

  

  In a year of record flash flooding in the U.S., affected policyholders, who may assume that their policy's flood exclusion precludes recovery for losses, should look to the many factually and legally nuanced cases presenting pathways to coverage, says Micah Skidmore at Haynes Boone.

• Breaking Down The Proposed Hemp Bill

  

  A proposed bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, recently approved by the House Appropriations Committee, contains a rider that would significantly change the definition of hemp and dramatically reshape the current hemp-derived product market, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

• NY Tax Talk: ALJ Vacancy, Online Sales, Budget

  

  Among the most notable developments in New York tax law last quarter, an administrative law judge vacancy continued affecting taxpayers, a state court decision tested the scope of the Interstate Income Act, and Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the 2025-2026 fiscal budget containing key tax-related provisions, say attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland.

• Series

  Quilting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Turning intricate patterns of fabric and thread into quilts has taught me that craftsmanship, creative problem-solving and dedication to incremental progress are essential to creating something lasting that will help another person — just like in law, says Veronica McMillan at Kramon & Graham.

• SDNY Ruling Reinforces Joint Steering Committee Obligations

  

  The recent Southern District of New York decision in ChemImage v. Johnson & Johnson makes joint steering committees a valuable tool in strategic relationships, as provisions for such committees can now be wielded to demand attention to core issues, say Lisa Bernstein at the University of Chicago Law School, and Reginald Goeke and Brad Peterson at Mayer Brown.

• Fleeing Or Just Leaving Quickly? 2nd Circ. Says It Depends

  

  The Second Circuit’s recent U.S. v. Bardakova decision adopted a new approach for determining whether a defendant who commits a crime in the U.S., and then leaves and remains abroad, intends to avoid prosecution — making it more difficult to argue against the fugitive disentitlement doctrine in most cases, say attorneys at MoloLamken.

• What 2 Profs Noticed As Transactional Law Students Used AI

  

  After a semester using generative artificial intelligence tools with students in an entrepreneurship law clinic, we came away with numerous observations about the opportunities and challenges such tools present to new transactional lawyers, say professors at Cornell Law School.

• Despite SEC Reset, Private Crypto Securities Cases Continue

  

  While the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the Trump administration has charted a new approach to crypto regulation, the industry still lacks comprehensive rules of the road, meaning private plaintiffs continue to pursue litigation, and application of securities laws to crypto-assets will be determined by the courts, say attorneys at Skadden.

• It Ends With Us Having No Coverage?

  

  A recent suit filed by Harco National Insurance disclaiming coverage for Wayfarer and Justin Baldoni's defense against Blake Lively's claims in the "It Ends With Us" legal saga demonstrates that policyholders should be particularly cautious when negotiating prior knowledge exclusions in their claims-made policies, says Meagan Cyrus at Shumaker.

• Rebuttal

  BigLaw Settlements Should Not Spur Ethics Deregulation

  

  A recent Law360 op-ed argued that loosening law firm funding restrictions would make BigLaw firms less inclined to settle with the Trump administration, but deregulating legal financing ethics may well prove to be not merely ineffective, but counterproductive, says Laurel Kilgour at the American Economic Liberties Project.

• Environmental Justice Is Alive And Well At The State Level

  

  Even as the Trump administration has rolled back federal environmental justice policies, many states continue to prioritize it, with new regulations, strengthened enforcement of existing rules and ongoing private litigation — so companies must stay alert to how state-level EJ enforcement may affect their operations, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

• Liquidity Rule Compliance Still Vital Even After SEC Dismissal

  

  Despite its recent dismissal of a novel case against Pinnacle Advisors over liquidity rule violations, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has continued to bring enforcement actions involving investment advisers, making compliance with the rule important for registrants, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.