Castle Defense
February 28, 2015
The battle over expert testimony on patent damages harkens back to the middle ages when would-be attackers developed new strategies for laying siege to a castle, defensive counter-measures were developed to thwart those siege tactics. As plaintiffs have introduced expert testimony based on novel patent damages theories, defendants have asked courts to fulfill their gatekeeping role by preventing certain types of expert testimony from reaching the jury.
Franchising in Russia
February 28, 2015
In Part One, last month, we discussed the fact that while international franchising always brings a host of issues and complications, importation of franchise concepts into Russia highlights some critical issues and some lessons for international franchising in a broader context. The discussion concludes herein.
The 2015 Employer Mandate Is Here
February 28, 2015
The year 2015 is here and so is the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) employer "play or pay" mandate, which has been delayed, in total or in part, twice. Those companies with fiscal plan years may have until the first day of their 2015 plan year to satisfy the mandate, if certain requirements are first satisfied.
Technology for Meaningful Legal Collaboration
February 28, 2015
Current discussions of electronic discovery and legal technology often focus on strategies for managing large volumes of data as it is funneled through different phases of the EDRM. Yet an important part of the discovery process ' case analysis and legal strategy ' has been a niche left unaddressed by traditional technologies.
Law Firm Leaders Struggle with Setting Firmwide Rates
January 31, 2015
Rate-setting has proven a bit vexing for firm leaders as they grapple with setting rates in an era where firms span multiple markets and practice concentrations, clients aren't willing to pay the published rates, and alternative fee deals are a growing part of firm revenue.
Pricing It Right: Restructuring Billing
January 31, 2015
As pressure on pricing continues, Big Law firms are buying (or building) analytics technology and hiring pricing specialists ' people who use market data, internal firm data and economics/pricing experience to ensure that firms are smart about bidding on work. The mission: Educate clients about the value the firm brings, while making sure to charge enough to make a profit.
