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Expert Analysis

• Series

  Birding Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Observing and documenting birds in their natural habitats fosters patience, sharpens observational skills and provides moments of pure wonder — qualities that foster personal growth and enrich my legal career, says Allison Raley at Arnall Golden.

• How Del. Law Rework Limits Corporate Records Requests

  

  Newly enacted amendments to a section of the Delaware General Corporation Law that allows stockholders and beneficial owners to demand inspection of Delaware corporations' books and records likely curtails the scope of such inspections and aids defendants in framing motions to dismiss at the pleading stage, says Jonathan Richman at Brown Rudnick.

• Series

  Calif. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1

  

  Among the most notable developments in California banking in the first quarter of the year, regulators and legislators issued regulations interpreting debt collection laws, stepped up enforcement actions, and expanded consumer protections for those affected by wildfires, says Stephen Britt at Severson & Werson.

• How The ESG Investing Rule Survived Loper Bright, For Now

  

  A Texas federal court's recent decision in Utah v. Micone upholding the U.S. Department of Labor's 2022 ESG investing rule highlights how regulations can withstand the post-Loper Bright landscape when an agency's interpretation of its statutorily determined boundaries is not granted deference, say attorneys at Miller & Chevalier.

• Series

  Adapting To Private Practice: From DOJ Leadership To BigLaw

  

  The move from government service to private practice can feel like changing one’s identity, but as someone who has left the U.S. Department of Justice twice, I’ve learned that a successful transition requires patience, effort and the realization that the rewards of practicing law don’t come from one particular position, says Richard Donoghue at Pillsbury.

• SEC Crypto Mining Statement Delivers Regulatory Clarity

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's March 20 statement clarifying that certain crypto mining activities do not constitute the offer and sale of securities marks the end of the SEC's enforcement-first approach and ushers in a more predictable environment for blockchain innovation and investment, says Jeonghoon Ha at Ha Law.

• Nev. Fraud Ruling Raises Stakes For Proxy Battles

  

  Though a Nevada federal court’s recent U.S. v. Boruchowitz decision involved unusual facts, the court's ruling that board members can be defrauded of their seat through misrepresentations increases fraud risks in more typical circumstances involving board elections, especially proxy fights, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff.

• Law Firm Executive Orders Create A Legal Ethics Minefield

  

  Recent executive orders targeting BigLaw firms create ethical dilemmas — and raise the specter of civil or criminal liability — for the government attorneys tasked with implementing them and for the law firms that choose to make agreements with the administration, say attorneys at Buchalter.

• The OCC's Newly Relaxed Approach To Bank Crypto Activity

  

  With the early March rescission of Biden-era interpretive guidance, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has loosened its approach to regulating national banks and federal savings associations' crypto-asset activities, possibly removing one barrier to banks engaging in such activities, say attorneys at Debevoise.

• Firms Must Embrace Alternative Billing Models Or Fall Behind

  

  As artificial intelligence tools eliminate inefficiencies and the Big Four accounting firms enter the legal market, law firms that pivot from the entrenched billable hour model to outcomes-based pricing will see a distinct competitive advantage, says attorney William Brewer.

• Opinion

  7 Ways CFTC Should Nix Unnecessary Regulatory Burdens

  

  Several U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission regulations do not work efficiently in practice, all of which can be abolished or improved in order to comply with a recent executive order requiring the elimination of 10 regulations for every new one implemented, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

• How Attorneys Can Master The Art Of On-Camera Presence

  

  As attorneys are increasingly presented with on-camera opportunities, they can adapt their traditional legal skills for video contexts — such as virtual client meetings, marketing content or media interviews — by understanding the medium and making intentional adjustments, says Kerry Barrett.

• What Del. Corporate Law Rework Means For Founder-Led Cos.

  

  Although the amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law have proven somewhat divisive, they will provide greater clarity and predictability in the rules that apply to founder-led companies navigating transactions concerning controlling stockholders and responding to books-and-records requests, say attorneys at Munger Tolles.

• Series

  Baseball Fantasy Camp Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  With six baseball fantasy experiences under my belt, I've learned time and again that I didn't make the wrong career choice, but I've also learned that baseball lessons are life lessons, and I'm a better lawyer for my time at St. Louis Cardinals fantasy camp, says Scott Felder at Wiley.

• Paul Atkins' Past Speeches Offer A Glimpse Into SEC's Future

  

  Following Paul Atkins' Thursday Senate confirmation hearing, a look at his public remarks while serving as a commissioner at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission between 2002 and 2008 reveals eight possible structural and procedural changes the SEC may see once he likely takes over as chair, say attorneys at Covington.