Expert Analysis

• NJ Law Reinforces States' Stance Against Card Surcharges

  

  A recently passed New Jersey law limiting sellers' credit card surcharges is the latest instance of state efforts to prohibit or restrict such practices, highlighting a complex legal battle between constitutional rights and consumer protection principles, says Tom Witherspoon at Stinson.

• Maximizing Law Firm Profitability In Uncertain Times

  

  As threats of an economic downturn loom, firms can boost profits by embracing the power of bottom-line management and creating an ecosystem where strategic financial oversight and robust timekeeping practices meet evolved client relations, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.

• FLSA Ruling Highlights Time Compensability Under State Law

  

  While the Third Circuit's August decision in Tyger v. Precision Drilling endorsed the prevailing standard among federal courts regarding time compensability under the Fair Labor Standards Act, it also serves as a reminder that state laws will often find a broader range of activities to be compensable, say Ryan Warden and Craig Long at White and Williams.

• 5th Circ. Ruling Reminds Attys That CBP Can Search Devices

  

  The Fifth Circuit’s recent Malik v. Department of Homeland Security decision adds to the chorus of federal courts holding that border agents don’t need a warrant to search travelers’ electronic devices, so attorneys should consider certain special precautions to secure privileged information when reentering the U.S., says Jennifer Freel at Jackson Walker.

• Avoiding The Ethical Pitfalls Of Crowdfunded Legal Fees

  

  The crowdfunding of legal fees has become increasingly common, providing a new way for people to afford legal services, but attorneys who accept crowdsourced funds must remember several key ethical obligations to mitigate their risks, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Julienne Pasichow at HWG.

• Appellate Rulings Highlight Telecom Standard Uncertainties

  

  Two recent contrasting appellate opinions in Cellco v. White Deer Township and NMSurf v. Webber — interpreting Sections 332 and 253 of the Communications Act, respectively — demonstrate the continuing uncertainty carriers face when challenging state and local requirements that may impede their provision of telecommunications services, say attorneys at Davis Wright.

• And Now A Word From The Panel: A One-State MDL?

  

  As the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation prepares for its September hearing session where it will consider a petition in which the two constituent actions are both pending in Pennsylvania, but in different districts, Alan Rothman at Sidley points out that the presence of actions in a single state does not preclude the filing of an MDL petition.

• Takeaways From Recent Corporate Cooperation Rulings

  

  Recent decisions from New York and New Jersey federal courts in U.S. v. Coburn and U.S. v. Tournant suggest that a company’s consistent communication and cooperation with prosecutors does not render it a government actor, but also highlight certain internal investigation pitfalls for corporations to avoid, say attorneys at Sidley.

• 2 Cases May Expand CFPB's Reach On Deceptive Practices

  

  In two separate cases, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is asserting a broad interpretation of who is subject to the Consumer Financial Protection Act's prohibition on unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts and practices, raising questions about what an expansion of its authority might mean for consumer credit markets, say John Coleman and Leslie Meredith at Orrick.

• Exclusivity Loss Holds Power In Trade Secret Damages Claims

  

  A Pennsylvania federal court's recent decision in Elite Transit v. Cunningham adds to a growing body of case law that illustrates how the loss of trade secret exclusivity alone may be sufficient for claiming damages, even when commercialization of a trade secret has not occurred, say Christopher DeBaere and Julia Bloch at Archway Research.

• Section 363 Ruling Lines Up With Avoidance Action Precedent

  

  While it is safe to say that avoidance actions in bankruptcy cases are the exception, not the rule, when selling assets in a Section 363 sale, the Eighth Circuit’s recent ruling in Simply Essentials’ Chapter 5 case reveals uniformity among courts that have considered the issue, says Daniel Lowenthal at Patterson Belknap.

• What Large Language Models Mean For Document Review

  

  Courts often subject parties using technology assisted review to greater scrutiny than parties conducting linear, manual document review, so parties using large language models for document review should expect even more attention, along with a corresponding need for quality control and validation, say attorneys at Sidley.

• Checking In On How SuperValu Has Altered FCA Litigation

  

  Four months after the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in U.S. ex rel. Chutte v. SuperValu, the decision's reach may be more limited than initially anticipated, with the expansion of the scienter standard counterbalanced by some potential defense tools for defendants, say Elena Quattrone and Olivia Plinio at Epstein Becker.

• Series

  Participating In Living History Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  My role as a baron in a living history group, and my work as volunteer corporate counsel for a book series fan association, has provided me several opportunities to practice in unexpected areas of law — opening doors to experiences that have nurtured invaluable personal and professional skills, says Matthew Parker at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

• Opinion

  Private Equity Owners Can Remedy Law Firms' Agency Issues

  

  Nonlawyer, private-equity ownership of law firms can benefit shareholders and others vulnerable to governance issues such as disparate interests, and can in turn help resolve agency problems, says Michael Di Gennaro at The Law Practice Exchange.