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Expert Analysis

• Breaking Down Ill. Bellwether Case For Bank Preemption

  

  The banking industry's pending lawsuit against the state of Illinois stands to permanently enjoin state regulation of bank card processing, as well as clarify the outstanding and consequential issue of whether conflict preemption continues to cover third parties in certain circumstances, says Tom Witherspoon at Stinson.

• J&J's Failed 3rd Try Casts Doubt On Use Of 'Texas Two-Step'

  

  A Texas bankruptcy court recently rejected Johnson & Johnson's third attempt to use Chapter 11 to resolve liabilities from allegations of injuries from using talcum powder, suggesting that the U.S. Supreme Court's limitations on nondebtor releases, from 2024's Purdue Pharma ruling, may prove difficult to evade, say attorneys at Cadwalader.

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  Teaching College Students Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Serving as an adjunct college professor has taught me the importance of building rapport, communicating effectively, and persuading individuals to critically analyze the difference between what they think and what they know — principles that have helped to improve my practice of law, says Sheria Clarke at Nelson Mullins.

• Charging A Separate Tariff Fee May Backfire For Retailers

  

  In the wake of the Trump administration's newly imposed tariffs, retailers facing significant supply chain cost increases may be considering adding a tariff fee to offset these costs, but doing so risks violating state drip pricing bans, say attorneys at Benesch.

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  Adapting To Private Practice: From DOJ Enviro To Mid-Law

  

  Practitioners leaving a longtime government role for private practice — as when I departed the U.S. Department of Justice’s environmental enforcement division — should prioritize finding a firm that shares their principles, values their experience and will invest in their transition, says John Cruden at Beveridge & Diamond.

• Why Trade Cases May Put Maple Leaf Deference On Review

  

  When litigation challenging the president’s trade actions reaches the Federal Circuit, the court will have to reevaluate the Maple Leaf standard in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2024 Loper Bright decision limiting Chevron-like deference to cases involving statutory provisions in which Congress delegated discretionary authority to the executive branch, say attorneys at Wiley.

• CRE Challenges Demand New Lease And Development Plans

  

  As developers and landlords face declining occupancy of commercial, industrial and office space post-pandemic, a combination of business and lease considerations may better position stakeholders to protect the value and profitability of their commercial real estate, says Geoffrey Leskie at Segal McCambridge.

• Legal Ethics Considerations For Law Firm Pro Bono Deals

  

  If a law firm enters into a pro bono deal with the Trump administration in exchange for avoiding or removing an executive order, it has an ethical obligation to create a written settlement agreement with specific terms, which would mitigate some potential conflict of interest problems, says Andrew Altschul at Buchanan Angeli.

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  Playing Football Made Me A Better Lawyer

  

  While my football career ended over 15 years ago, the lessons the sport taught me about grit, accountability and resilience have stayed with me and will continue to help me succeed as an attorney, says Bert McBride at Trenam.

• 10 Arbitrations And A 5th Circ. Ruling Flag Arb. Clause Risks

  

  The ongoing arbitral saga of Sullivan v. Feldman, which has engendered proceedings before 10 different arbitrators in Texas and Louisiana along with last month's Fifth Circuit opinion, showcases both the risks and limitations of arbitration clauses in retainer agreements for resolving attorney-client disputes, says Christopher Blazejewski at Sherin and Lodgen.

• Electronic Shelf Labels Pose Myriad Risks For Retailers

  

  While electronic shelf labels offer retailers a new way to convey pricing and other product information to consumers, the technology has attracted the attention of U.S. policymakers and consumer advocates, so businesses must assess antitrust, data privacy and discrimination risks before implementation, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

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  Power To The Paralegals: The Value Of Unified State Licensing

  

  Texas' proposal to become the latest state to license paraprofessional providers of limited legal services could help firms expand their reach and improve access to justice, but consumers, attorneys and allied legal professionals would benefit even more if similar programs across the country become more uniform, says Michael Houlberg at the University of Denver.

• What Greenwashing Looks Like, And How To Navigate Claims

  

  Recent cases show that consumers seeking to challenge sustainability claims as greenwashing face significant legal hurdles, and that companies can avoid liability by emphasizing context, says Felicia Boyd at Norton Rose.

• GC Nominee Likely Has Employer-Friendly NLRB Priorities

  

  President Donald Trump’s nomination of Crystal Carey as general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board indicates the administration's intent to revive precedents favorable to employers, including expansion of permissible employer speech and reinstatement of procedural steps needed for employees to achieve unionization, say attorneys at Vorys.

• 10 Soft Skills Every GC Should Master

  

  As businesses face shifting regulatory and technological uncertainty, general counsel will need to strengthen certain soft skills to succeed, from admitting when they make a mistake to maintaining a healthy dose of dispassion, says Douglas Brown at Manatt.