Expert Analysis

• Tips For Defeating Claims Of Willful FLSA Violations

  

  As employers increasingly encounter wage and hour complaints under the Fair Labor Standards Act, more companies could face enhanced penalties for violations deemed willful, but defense counsel can use several discovery and trial strategies to instead demonstrate the employer’s commitment to compliance, say Michael Mueller and Evangeline Paschal at Hunton.

• Breaking Down High Court's New Code Of Conduct

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court recently adopted its first-ever code of conduct, and counsel will need to work closely with clients in navigating its provisions, from gift-giving to recusal bids, say Phillip Gordon and Mateo Forero at Holtzman Vogel.

• Trump NY Fraud Trial Shows Civil, Criminal Case Differences

  

  Former President Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial currently unfolding in New York provides a reminder that civil bench trials can be just as damaging, if not more so, than criminal prosecutions, due to several key elements of civil litigation procedure, says retired attorney David Moskowitz.

• How New Expert Rules Are Already Changing Court Decisions

  

  Though not formally effective until last week, some courts have been relying for several years on amended federal rules clarifying judges’ gatekeeping role, so counsel should be prepared to justify their expert witnesses’ methodologies and expect additional motion practice on expert testimony admissibility, say Colleen Kenney and Daniel Kelly at Sidley.

• Opinion

  Legal Profession Gender Parity Requires Equal Parental Leave

  

  To truly foster equity in the legal profession and to promote attorney retention, workplaces need to better support all parents, regardless of gender — starting by offering equal and robust parental leave to both birthing and non-birthing parents, says Ali Spindler at Irwin Fritchie.

• Series

  Writing Thriller Novels Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Authoring several thriller novels has enriched my work by providing a fresh perspective on my privacy practice, expanding my knowledge, and keeping me alert to the next wave of issues in an increasingly complex space — a reminder to all lawyers that extracurricular activities can help sharpen professional instincts, says Reece Hirsch at Morgan Lewis.

• What Lawyers Must Know About Calif. State Bar's AI Guidance

  

  Initial recommendations from the State Bar of California regarding use of generative artificial intelligence by lawyers have the potential to become a useful set of guidelines in the industry, covering confidentiality, supervision and training, communications, discrimination and more, say attorneys at Debevoise.

• Industry Must Elevate Native American Women Attys' Stories

  

  The American Bar Association's recent research study into Native American women attorneys' experiences in the legal industry reveals the glacial pace of progress, and should inform efforts to amplify Native voices in the field, says Mary Smith, president of the ABA.

• How Color Psychology Can Help Tell Your Trial Narrative

  

  Research shows that color is a powerful sensory input that affects memory and perception, so attorneys should understand how, when and why to use certain shades in trial graphics to enhance their narrative and draw jurors’ focus, says Adam Bloomberg at IMS Consulting.

• Understanding Discovery Obligations In Era Of Generative AI

  Excerpt from Practical Guidance

  

  Attorneys and businesses must adapt to the unique discovery challenges presented by generative artificial intelligence, such as chatbot content and prompts, while upholding the principles of fairness, transparency and compliance with legal obligations in federal civil litigation, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

• Asserting 'Presence-Of-Counsel' Defense In Securities Trials

  

  As illustrated by the fraud trial of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, defense attorneys in securities trials might consider arguing that counsel had some involvement in the conduct at issue — if the more formal advice-of-counsel defense is unavailable and circumstances allow for a privilege waiver, say Joseph Dever and Matthew Elkin at Cozen O'Connor.

• Why Criminal No-Poach Cases Can Be Deceptively Complex

  

  Mark Rosman at Wilson Sonsini discusses the reasons many criminal no-poach cases that appear simple are actually more complicated than they seem, following several jury trial acquittals and two dismissed cases.

• The Case For Post-Bar Clerk Training Programs At Law Firms

  

  In today's competitive legal hiring market, an intentionally designed training program for law school graduates awaiting bar admission can be an effective way of creating a pipeline of qualified candidates, says Brent Daub at Gilson Daub.

• Attorneys Have An Ethical Duty To Protect The Judiciary

  

  The tenor of public disagreement and debate has become increasingly hostile against judges, and though the legislative branch is trying to ameliorate this safety gap, lawyers have a moral imperative and professional requirement to stand with judges in defusing attacks against them and their rulings, says Deborah Winokur at Cozen O'Connor.

• Ga. Appeal Shows Benefits Of Questioning Jury Instructions

  

  A Georgia Court of Appeals’ October decision, holding a trial court erred in using pattern jury instructions that refer to a long-repealed standard of evidence, underscores the importance of scrutinizing language in established jury instructions and seizing the opportunity to push back against outdated patterns, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.