Expert Analysis

• FMLA Confusion Persists Despite New DOL Advisory

  

  A recent U.S. Department of Labor advisory opinion provides some clarity regarding the Family and Medical Leave Act's handling of holiday weeks, but the FMLA remains a legal minefield that demands fact-specific analysis of each employee's unique situation, says Nicholas Schneider at Eckert Seamans.

• 5 Management Tips To Keep Law Firm Merger Talks Moving

  

  Many law firm mergers that make solid business sense still fall apart due to the costs and frustrations of inefficient negotiations, but firm managers can increase the chance of success by effectively planning and executing merger discussions, say Lisa Smith and Kristin Stark at Fairfax Associates.

• What 3rd Circ. Niaspan Decision Means For Class Cert.

  

  The Third Circuit's recent denial of class certification in the Niaspan antitrust case underscores its particularly stringent understanding of the implicit ascertainability requirement, which further fuels confusion in the courts, threatens uneven results and increases the risk of forum shopping, says Michael Lazaroff at Rimon Law.

• 3 Abortion Enforcement Takeaways 1 Year After Dobbs

  

  A year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, confusion continues to abound amid the quagmire of state-level enforcement risks, federal efforts to protect reproductive health care, and fights over geolocation data, say Elena Quattrone and Sarah Hall at Epstein Becker.

• Rethinking In-Office Attendance For Associate Retention

  

  The hybrid office attendance model doesn't work for all employees, but it does for many — and balancing these two groups is important for associate retention and maintaining a BigLaw firm culture that supports all attorneys, says Summer Eberhard at Major Lindsey.

• Weighing The Risks Of AI For Employee Benefits Admin

  

  Although artificial intelligence has the potential to transform employers' administration of benefits, with these opportunities come great risks related to Employee Retirement Income Security Act fiduciary duties and preemption considerations, making the evolving state law landscape even more critical, say attorneys at Michael Best.

• Murdaugh Trials Offer Law Firms Fraud Prevention Reminders

  

  As the fraud case against Alex Murdaugh continues to play out, the evidence and narrative presented at his murder trial earlier this year may provide lessons for law firms on implementing robust internal controls that can detect and prevent similar kinds of fraud, say Travis Casner and Helga Zauner at Weaver and Tidwell.

• What Courts Say About Workers' Comp And Medical Marijuana

  

  Whether employers and insurance carriers are required or allowed to reimburse employees for out-of-pocket costs for treating work-related injuries with medical marijuana has spawned a debate, and the state courts that have addressed this matter are split on a number of issues, say Alexandra Hassell and Anthony Califano at Seyfarth.

• What's Next For 5th Circ.'s ACA Preventive Care Suit

  

  The Fifth Circuit's high-profile Braidwood v. Becerra case has significant ramifications for Affordable Care Act coverage requirements, and there is precedent to suggest that it could be ultimately decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, says Nicholas DiCarlo at Zuckerman Spaeder.

• Firm Tips For Helping New Lawyers Succeed Post-Pandemic

  

  Ten steps can help firms significantly enhance the experience of attorneys who started their careers in the coronavirus pandemic era, including facilitating opportunities for cross-firm connection, which can ultimately help build momentum for business development, says Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners.

• Opinion

  6th Circ. Judge Correctly ID'd ERISA Civil Procedure Conflict

  

  While the Sixth Circuit in Tranbarger v. Lincoln Life & Annuity recently affirmed a ruling that denied the plaintiff's disability benefits, one judge's concurrence should be commended for arguing that adjudication of such Employee Retirement Income Security Act cases fundamentally contradicts the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, says Mark DeBofsky at DeBofsky Law.

• Key Takeaways From Del. Chancery's Oracle Toss

  

  The Delaware Chancery Court's recent finding that Oracle founder Larry Ellison didn't try to influence the company to overpay for its NetSuite acquisition offers important lessons on the determination of issues of control, including the importance of establishing an independent special committee, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

• How REITs Can Prep For SEC's Repurchase Disclosure Rules

  

  With real estate investment trusts' share repurchase activity on the rise, REITs should beware the potential enforcement risks that may arise from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's new rules requiring additional disclosures regarding such repurchases, says Zach Swartz at Vinson & Elkins.

• Tackling Judge-Shopping Concerns While Honoring Localism

  

  As the debate continues over judge-shopping and case assignments in federal court, policymakers should look to a hybrid model that preserves the benefits of localism for those cases that warrant it, while preventing the appearance of judge-shopping for cases of a more national or widespread character, says Joshua Sohn at the U.S. Department of Justice.

• Peeling Back The Layers Of Rep. George Santos' Indictment

  

  Federal prosecutors' recent 13-count criminal indictment of Rep. George Santos reflects a focused, even simplified approach, showing the kind of careful scrutiny that charges against sitting members of Congress always merit, and leaving open questions about potential charges other enforcers could bring, say Rob Walker and Caleb Burns at Wiley.