The Dirty Little Secret Of Law Firm Billing
<i>The Wall Street Journal</i>'s front-page headline on billing rates last month tells only part of the story. "Legal Fees Cross New Mark: $1,500 an Hour," the Feb. 9 article announced, before listing partner hourly rates at several big firms.
Features
The Rise of Cyber Insurance Liability Litigation
As businesses are quickly learning, companies today have no choice but to confront the risks presented by the proliferation of cyber-based attacks targeting their confidential business information. Faced with this growing threat, many companies have begun taking steps to fortify security measures protecting their informational and technological infrastructure in the hope of preventing a cyber-attack.
Features
Thought Leadership Initiative
Many brilliant attorneys struggle to attract clients despite their well-developed strategic and winning legal skills. Most likely, they have either resisted or simply don't know how to "get the word out" about the availability and quality of their services.
Court of Appeals Modifies Standing Test in Land-Use Cases
There has been a long history of judicial analysis of what gives rise to standing to challenge a land-use approval. The interplay between the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and the vast majority of land use approvals has given rise to a number of cases applying and modifying the standing test in the context of SEQRA.
The Illusion of a 'Second Opinion'
Creating the illusion of an independent "second opinion," insurance companies involved in personal injury lawsuits frequently contract with vendors to provide "records reviews," "peer reviews" or "paper reviews." In the authors' view, these opinions are far from objective.
Features
The Raising of a Privacy Shield
On Feb. 2, 2016, the U.S. Department of Commerce and European Commission unveiled a new framework for personal data transfers from European Union (EU) Member States to the U.S. The new framework ' dubbed the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield ' will replace the EU-U.S. Safe Harbor program, which was invalidated by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in 2015.
Features
Extracting the 'Consent to Settle': A Game Plan for Insurers and Defense Counsel
Consent-to-settle provisions in medical malpractice insurance policies present challenging issues to insurers, defense attorneys and policyholders in the context of defending professional liability claims. Most liability insurance policies cede the ultimate discretion over settlement decisions to the insurer. Medical malpractice policies are outliers from the norm in the insurance industry.
Features
Expert Testimony on Industry Practice
Recently, the Second Circuit held that expert testimony regarding how a "specialized securities market" operated was relevant and potentially "highly" probative of the question of whether the defendant's misstatements to investors were material. Because juries are tasked with determining materiality, the notion that experts can opine on overarching industry practice that is not case-specific appears surprising.
Need Help?
- Prefer an IP authenticated environment? Request a transition or call 800-756-8993.
- Need other assistance? email Customer Service or call 1-877-256-2472.
MOST POPULAR STORIES
- Enhanced Oversight of Search Warrants and Title III WiretapsSearch warrants and wiretaps were once used primarily to investigate organized crime, drug dealing and terrorism. In recent years, however, prosecutors have employed these tools increasingly in the context of white-collar crime to the point where it is now commonplace.Read More ›
- Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the RoughThere is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.Read More ›
- Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar InvestigationsThis article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.Read More ›
- The Right to Associate in the DefenseThe "right to associate" permits the insurer to work with the insured to investigate, defend, or settle a claim. Such partnerships protect the insurer and can prove beneficial to the insured's underlying case and ultimate exposure.Read More ›
- DOJ's Cyber Fraud Initiative: A Wake-up Call That Keeps RingingDOJ's Cyber Fraud Initiative has been a wake-up call for companies to prioritize cybersecurity and adhere to stringent standards. By leveraging the FCA, DOJ has used a powerful enforcement tool to target a wide range of cybersecurity failures and misrepresentations. The increasing focus on cybersecurity by enforcement agencies means that robust cybersecurity practices are becoming a standard expectation, not just a best practice.Read More ›