Expert Analysis

• How Lease Obligations Can Affect Subchapter V Debt Cap

  

  Two recent bankruptcy rulings in the Eastern District of Virginia and the Southern District of New York take opposite positions on whether unmatured lease obligations are considered noncontingent debt for the purposes of calculating debtors' Subchapter V eligibility, say Joseph Orbach and Henry Thomas at Thompson Coburn.

• NY CRE Lenders Need Clarity On Foreclosure Standing

  

  Recent contradictory New York case law regarding issues of standing in commercial real estate litigation creates confusion for borrowers and lenders alike, and should be addressed by courts in advance of the anticipated onslaught of commercial mortgage-backed securities foreclosures, say Christopher Gorman and John Muldoon at Rosenberg & Estis.

• Series

  Baking Bread Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  After many years practicing law, and a few years baking bread, I have learned that there are a few keys to success in both endeavors, including the assembly of a nourishing and resilient culture, and the ability to learn from failure and exercise patience, says Rick Robinson at Reed Smith.

• Federal Courts And AI Standing Orders: Safety Or Overkill?

  

  Several district court judges have issued standing orders regulating the use of artificial intelligence in their courts, but courts should consider following ordinary notice and comment procedures before implementing sweeping mandates that could be unnecessarily burdensome and counterproductive, say attorneys at Curtis.

• Bill Could Pave Path To 'Safer' Banking For Cannabis Industry

  

  The Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation, or SAFER, Banking Act, which was recently passed by a U.S. Senate committee, creates potential for financial inclusion of legally operating cannabis businesses and could promote recognition of the disconnect between federal laws and services unavailable to the industry, says Mark Bell at Stinson.

• 7 E-Discovery Predictions For 2024 And Beyond

  

  The legal and technical issues of e-discovery now affect virtually every lawsuit, and in the year to come, practitioners can expect practices and policies to evolve in a number of ways, from the expanded use of relevancy redactions to mandated information security provisions in protective orders, say attorneys at Littler.

• 5 Litigation Funding Trends To Note In 2024

  

  Over the next year and beyond, litigation funding will continue to evolve in ways that affect attorneys and the larger litigation landscape, from the growth of a secondary market for funded claims, to rising interest rates restricting the availability of capital, says Jeffery Lula at GLS Capital.

• Key Issues When Navigating A Tenant's Bankruptcy

  

  In light of recent Chapter 11 filings by Rite Aid and WeWork — companies with thousands of commercial leases — practitioners should review issues that can arise when bankruptcy is used to exit a lease, including the consequences of lease rejection and the statutory cap on landlord damage claims for a rejected lease, say attorneys at Proskauer.

• Fed. Circ. Ruling Seemingly Offers PTAB Deadline Immunity

  

  The Federal Circuit's recent Purdue Pharma v. Collegium Pharmaceutical Inc. decision that the Patent Trial and Appeal Board had authority to issue a final written decision in a post grant review after the prescribed statutory deadline underscores how courts should consider the overall objective of the statutory scheme when balancing the classic conflict between bright-line rules and flexible standards, says Matthew Dowd at Dowd Sheffel.

• Securing Financial Transparency In Chapter 11 Reporting

  

  As we enter the new year, restructuring professionals would be wise to review Chapter 11 public reporting requirements to navigate what debtors may do to try to minimize public reporting, and what creditors can do to get the public reporting they deserve by striking a balance between financial transparency requirements and tactical moves, say Thomas Moers Mayer and Nancy Bello at Kramer Levin.

• 4 Legal Ethics Considerations For The New Year

  

  As attorneys and clients reset for a new year, now is a good time to take a step back and review some core ethical issues that attorneys should keep front of mind in 2024, including approaching generative artificial intelligence with caution and care, and avoiding pitfalls in outside counsel guidelines, say attorneys at HWG.

• Securities Question Stands After Contradicting Crypto Rulings

  

  The debate about the regulation of crypto-assets came to a head in 2023 when two New York federal judges came to opposite conclusions about whether crypto-assets were securities by using the Howey test, highlighting the uncertainty facing the crypto industry as it seeks to resolve definitional questions, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.

• What The Law Firm Of The Future Will Look Like

  

  As the legal landscape shifts, it’s become increasingly clear that the BigLaw business model must adapt in four key ways to remain viable, from fostering workplace flexibility to embracing technology, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.

• 4 PR Pointers When Your Case Is In The News

  

  Media coverage of new lawsuits exploded last year, demonstrating why defense attorneys should devise a public relations plan that complements their legal strategy, incorporating several objectives to balance ethical obligations and advocacy, say Nathan Burchfiel at Pinkston and Ryan June at Castañeda + Heidelman.

• 3 Pointers From Tilton Case To Help Win Advancement Suits

  

  The Delaware Superior Court’s refusal to let Lynn Tilton sue her advancers for legal fees, ruling she had not yet attempted to negotiate in good faith, suggests that policyholders may fare better if they attempt proactive strategies to narrow disputes over advancement agreements before taking their insurers to court, says Evan Bolla at Harris St. Laurent.