There's no doubt that much of the legal industry's profit gains are simply the result of surging demand. But smart firms were also able to harness booming demand to push through rate increases, owing to clients who were desperate to see their deals go through. There's no doubt that the firms taking advantage of this confluence are in an enviable position. That doesn't mean they are sitting on their laurels.
The U.S. economy is "still strong" and will support commercial real estate space demand, though inflation will remain a multi-year headwind, forcing the Fed to tighten monetary policy. And though rising interest rates may restrain CRE transaction activity, it won't be on a broad basis, with effects most visible in the property types and markets with the most aggressive pricing run-up over the last few years.
Consider another paradox of the post-COVID world: The pandemic that initially disrupted federal prosecution of corporations has now heightened potential exposure in a number of areas. This is especially the case for those organizations that took advantage of government aid or today struggle to navigate snarled global supply chains.
A recent opinion in Illinois raises the question of whether spoliating parties should be encouraged to present the following defense at trial: "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, yes the main evidence of this case has been destroyed, but it's only because my client and my law firm are completely incompetent when it comes to preserving electronic evidence."
While regularly used among lenders, manufacturers, and dealers, treatment of Inventory financing program agreements in bankruptcy is not uniform, and uncertainty exists with respect to how such agreements may be treated in the context of a manufacturer's Chapter 11.
Inflation revs up the acceleration engine and, as a response, the Fed makes the biggest single hike in interest rates in four decades, with the promise of more to come. The changes in monetary policy are causing rising issues for capital markets and financing for commercial real estate.
The current economic climate will incline lawyers, specifically litigators, to rethink their fee structures. With inflation at a 40-year high, residential and commercial rents rising, and a predicted looming recession, clients are tightening their budgets, but also demanding the same level of service and results from their attorneys.
Two recent Chinese laws — the Data Security Law (DSL) and the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) — include provisions aimed at restricting the cross-border transfer of China-based data foreign enforcement and judicial authorities. U.S. courts have not yet addressed whether these data protection and privacy laws could bar the production of documents in civil contexts involving governmental litigants or in criminal proceedings.
Truly malicious internal threats can often be treated much like external threats using the tools and backups already in place. But how does a firm proactively identify the softer threats — which may be just as dangerous as the malicious threats and can cripple a firm just as effectively?
Mitigating Its Risks and the Call for Standardization of Software Development Security Protocols This article details the anatomy of a supply chain cyberattack, explores the existing state of supply chain protective contractual terms, and proposes actionable steps with a collective approach to guide legal professionals through their precarious endeavors.
