Expert Analysis

• A Look At Shifting Legal Landscape For Data Brokers

  

  An increasingly complex legal landscape at both the federal and state levels has expanded the types of businesses classified as data brokers, so consumer-facing businesses should consider their designations under these new regulations and any consequences for compliance and business operations, say attorneys at Morrison Foerster.

• Understanding Risks Of Celebrities 'Hawking' Crypto Tokens

  

  Prominent social media personality Haliey Welch was recently sued over the promotion and sale of the Hawk Tuah cryptocurrency memecoin, underscoring the importance of public figures conducting due diligence to verify they aren't endorsing a token that is in fact a security, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

• State AG Enforcement Is Poised For Another Pivot In 2025

  

  Backed by a Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, the Trump administration intends to make substantial policy changes, and attorneys general of both parties around the country are preparing their response playbooks, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

• The Implications Of E-Cigarette Cos. Taking Suits To 5th Circ.

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in U.S. Food and Drug Administration v. R.J. Reynolds over the definition of an "adversely affected" person under the Tobacco Control Act, and the justices' ruling will have important and potentially wide-ranging implications for forum shopping claims, says Trillium Chang at Zuckerman Spaeder.

• Del. Dispatch: Lessons From Failed Albertsons-Kroger Merger

  

  The allegations in Albertsons' lawsuit against Kroger following the grocery stores' blocked merger demonstrate how a target company can best ensure that a buyer timely and effectively complies with its obligations to pursue the necessary regulatory approvals for a deal, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

• Series

  Adventure Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Photographing nature everywhere from Siberia to Cuba and Iceland to Rwanda provides me with a constant reminder to refresh, refocus and rethink the legal issues that my clients face, says Richard Birmingham at Davis Wright.

• How Views On Healthcare Price Transparency Are Changing

  

  Regulators' attitudes toward price transparency regulation have shifted over the past several years in ways that may seem contradictory, and research into detailed rate information published by hospitals and health plans has yielded mixed results, says Matthew List at Charles River Associates.

• How Cos. Can Respond To CFPB Digital Asset Safeguard Plan

  

  Though the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s proposal to regulate online payment platforms via existing federal laws would create new challenges, digital payment companies that engage with the rulemaking process could help shape a win-win regulatory framework that protects consumer data and ensures the sector’s growth, says Allison Raley at Arnall Golden.

• High Court Could Further Limit Deference With TCPA Fax Case

  

  The Supreme Court's decision to hear McLaughlin Chiropractic Associates v. McKesson, a case involving alleged junk faxes that centers whether district courts are bound by Federal Communications Commission rules, offers the court a chance to possibly further limit the judicial deference afforded to federal agency interpretations of statutes, says Samantha Duke at Rumberger Kirk.

• Future Of Crypto-Asset Classification Is In 2nd Circ.'s Hands

  

  A definitive ruling from the Second Circuit in a rare interlocutory appeal in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's ongoing court battle with Coinbase could finally establish clear guidelines on the classification of digital assets, influencing how they are regulated and traded in the U.S., say attorneys at Manatt.

• 5 Ways To Create Effective Mock Assignments For Associates

  

  In order to effectively develop associates’ critical thinking skills, firms should design mock assignments that contain a few key ingredients, from messy fact patterns to actionable feedback, says Abdi Shayesteh at AltaClaro.

• More Environmental Claims, More Greenwashing Challenges

  

  As companies prepare for the 2025 greenwashing landscape, they should take heed of a D.C. appellate decision that shows that environmental claims are increasingly subject to attack and provides plaintiffs with a playbook for challenging corporate claims of sustainability, say attorneys at Sidley.

• Overseas Investment Rule Calls For Compliance Caution

  

  Investors should be leery of who and what they are investing in now that the federal outbound investment regime, effective Jan. 2, has extended the governement's regulatory reach to businesses and parties not previously subject to trade restrictions, says Thaddeus McBride at Bass Berry.

• Assessing Gary Gensler's Legacy At The SEC

  

  Gary Gensler's tenure as U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission chair is defined by a record of commonsense regulation in some areas and social activism in others, and by increasing judicial skepticism about the SEC's authority to fulfill its regulatory, enforcement, administrative law and adjudicatory functions, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

• What Public View Of CEO's Killing Means For Corporate Trials

  

  Given the proliferation of anti-corporate sentiments following recent charges against Luigi Mangione in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO, attorneys who represent corporate clients and executives will need to adapt their trial strategy to account for juror anger, says Clint Townson at Townson Litigation Consulting.