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Expert Analysis

• A Midyear Tuneup For Your Trade Secret Portfolio

  

  Halfway through 2025, now is a good time for companies to thoroughly evaluate their trade secret portfolios and follow eight steps to reassess protection processes for confidential information, says Robert Jensen at Wolf Greenfield.

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  Law School's Missed Lessons: Rejecting Biz Dev Myths

  

  Law schools don’t spend sufficient time dispelling certain myths that prevent young lawyers from exploring new business opportunities, but by dismissing these misguided beliefs, even an introverted first-year associate with a small network of contacts can find long-term success, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.

• Speech Protection Questions In AI Case Raise Liability Risk

  

  A Florida federal court's recent landmark ruling in Garcia v. Character Technologies, rejecting artificial intelligence developers' efforts to shield themselves from product liability and wrongful death claims under the First Amendment, challenges the assumption that chatbot outputs qualify as speech, and may redefine AI regulation and litigation nationally, says Peter Gregory at Goldberg Segalla.

• Why Funder Forecasts Don't Belong In Royalty Analysis

  

  In denying the request for production of damages-model communications between Haptic and its litigation funder, which Apple argued were relevant to a reasonable royalty analysis, a California federal court recently reaffirmed an underappreciated principle — that the purpose and context of an estimate shape its evidentiary value, says Rick Eichmann at Secretariat Advisors.

• The Legal Fallout Of The Open Model AI Ecosystem

  

  The spread of open-weight and open-source artificial intelligence models is introducing potential harms across the supply chain, but new frameworks will allow for the growth and development of AI technologies without sacrificing the safety of end users, says Harshita Ganesh at CMBG3 Law.

• Move Beyond Surface-Level Edits To Master Legal Writing

  

  Recent instances in which attorneys filed briefs containing artificial intelligence hallucinations offer a stark reminder that effective revision isn’t just about superficial details like grammar — it requires attorneys to critically engage with their writing and analyze their rhetorical choices, says Ivy Grey at WordRake.

• Observations On 5 Years Of Non-Notified CFIUS Inquiries

  

  Since 2020, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States has identified and investigated covered cross-border transactions not formally notified to CFIUS, and a look at data from 50 non-notified matters during that time reveals the general dynamics of this enforcement function, say attorneys at Cooley.

• Lessons From Recent Creative Clashes In Entertainment IP

  

  Three recent controversies highlight when creative expression might cross over into infringing another party's rights, and how these potentially conflicting interests can be balanced, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff.

• How New Texas Law Revamps Electric Grid To Meet Demand

  

  A new Texas law enacted in response to the burdens that data centers, crypto mining and other large-scale users are placing on the state's electric grid means that stakeholders must review updated requirements around grid interconnection, disclosure of development plans and operational flexibility during tight conditions, say attorneys at Jackson Walker.

• 9th Circ. Has Muddied Waters Of Article III Pleading Standard

  

  District courts in the Ninth Circuit continue to apply a defunct and especially forgiving pleading standard to questions of Article III standing, and the circuit court itself has only perpetuated this confusion — making it an attractive forum for disputes that have no rightful place in federal court, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

• US Companies Must Recalibrate IP Strategy Amid China Shift

  

  A recent order from the China State Council on intellectual property disputes is significant for U.S. companies, as it represents China's transformation into an assertive venue for patent enforcement, equipped with sophisticated tools for economic statecraft, says Keegan Caldwell at Caldwell Law.

• Trump Antitrust Shift Eases Pressure On Private Equity Deals

  

  Enforcement actions and statements by Trump administration antitrust officials forecast a shift away from specifically targeting private equity activity, which should be welcome news to dealmakers, but firms shouldn't expect to escape traditional antitrust scrutiny, says Nathaniel Bronstein at Fried Frank.

• How Cos. Can Prep For Calif. Cybersecurity Audit Regulations

  

  As the California Privacy Protection Agency Board finalizes cybersecurity audit requirements, companies should take six steps to prepare for the audit itself and to build a compliant cybersecurity program that can pass the audit, say attorneys at Covington.

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  Competing In Modern Pentathlon Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Opening myself up to new experiences through competing in modern Olympic pentathlon has shrunk the appearance of my daily work annoyances and helps me improve my patience, manage crises better and remember that acquiring new skills requires working through your early mistakes, says attorney Mary Zoldak.

• When Rule 12 Motions Against Class Allegations Succeed

  

  Companies facing class actions often attempt early motions to strike class allegations, and while some district courts have been reluctant to decide certification issues at the pleading stage, several recent decisions have shown that Rule 12 motions to dismiss or strike class allegations can be effective, say attorneys at Womble Bond.