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Expert Analysis

• Bid Protest Spotlight: Prejudice, Injunctions, New Regulations

  

  In this month's bid protest roundup, Markus Speidel at MoFo looks at three recent decisions that consider whether a past performance evaluation needs to show prejudice to be successfully challenged, the prerequisites for injunctive relief and the application of new regulatory requirements to indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contracts.

• A Judge's Pointers For Adding Spice To Dry Legal Writing

  

  U.S. District Judge Fred Biery shares a few key lessons about how to go against the grain of the legal writing tradition by adding color to bland judicial opinions, such as by telling a human story and injecting literary devices where possible.

• Preparing For Disruptions To Life Sciences Supply Chains

  

  Life sciences companies must assess how new and escalating tariffs — combined with other restrictions on cross-border activity singling out pharmaceutical products and medical devices — will affect supply chains, and they should proactively prepare for antitrust and foreign direct investment regulatory review processes, say attorneys at Weil.

• Steering Clear Of US Sanctions While Paying Pirates Ransom

  

  Maritime operators, insurers and financial institutions must exercise extreme caution when making ransom payments related to Somali piracy, as the payments could trigger primary and secondary sanctions enforcement by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, says Chelsea Ellis at LMD Trade Law.

• Justices Likely To Issue Narrow Ruling In $1.3B Award Dispute

  

  After last week's argument in Devas v. Antrix, the Supreme Court appears likely to reverse the holding that minimum contacts are required before a federal court may exercise personal jurisdiction over a foreign state and remand the case for further litigation on other important constitutional questions, say attorneys at Cleary. 

• 6th Circ. Ruling Paves Path Out Of Loper Bright 'Twilight Zone'

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court’s Loper Bright ruling created a twilight zone between express statutory delegations that trigger agency deference and implicit ones that do not, but the Sixth Circuit’s recent ruling in Moctezuma-Reyes v. Garland crafted a two-part test for resolving cases within this gray area, say attorneys at Wiley.

• Cos. Should Prepare For Mexican Payments Surveillance Tool

  

  The recent designation of six Mexican cartels as "specially designated global terrorists" will allow the Treasury Department to scrutinize nearly any Mexico-related payment through its Terrorist Finance Tracking Program — a rigorous evaluation for which even sophisticated sanctions compliance programs are not prepared, says Jeremy Paner at Hughes Hubbard.

• Steps For Federal Grantees Affected By Stop-Work Orders

  

  Broad changes in federal financial assistance programs are on the horizon, and organizations that may receive a stop-work order from a federal agency must prepare to be vigilant and nimble in a highly uncertain legal landscape, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

• Navigating The Uncertain Future Of The Superfund PFAS Rule

  

  The D.C. Circuit's recent grant of a pause in litigation while the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reviews the Biden-era designation of two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances as "hazardous" under the Superfund law creates new uncertainty for companies — but more lawsuits are likely as long as the rule remains in effect, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

• 7 Tips For Associates To Thrive In Hybrid Work Environments

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  As the vast majority of law firms have embraced some type of hybrid work policy, associates should consider a few strategies to get the most out of both their in-person and remote workdays, says James Argionis at Cozen O’Connor.

• Series

  Playing Beach Volleyball Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  My commitment to beach volleyball has become integral to my performance as an attorney, with the sport continually reminding me that teamwork, perseverance, professionalism and stress management are essential to both undertakings, says Amy Drushal at Trenam.

• Contractor Liability When Directing Subcontractor Workforce

  

  A recent Virginia Court of Appeals decision that rejected a subcontractor employee’s tortious interference claim should prompt prime contractors to consider how to mitigate liability risk associated with directing a subcontractor to remove its employee from a federal project, say attorneys at Venable.

• What's Next For Russia Sanctions After Task Force Disbanded

  

  Attorney General Pam Bondi’s recent disbanding of Task Force KleptoCapture, which was initially aimed at seizing Russian oligarchs’ funds and assets, is unlikely to mean the end of Russia sanctions enforcement and other economic countermeasures, as the architecture for criminal enforcement remains in place, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.

• How Law Firms Can Counteract The Loneliness Epidemic

  

  The legal industry is facing an urgent epidemic of loneliness, affecting lawyer well-being, productivity, retention and profitability, and law firm leaders should take concrete steps to encourage the development of genuine workplace connections, says Michelle Gomez at Littler and Gwen Mellor Romans at Herald Talent.

• 5 Keys To Building Stronger Attorney-Client Relationships

  

  Attorneys are often focused on being seen as the expert, but bonding with clients and prospects by sharing a few key personal details provides the basis for a caring, trusted and profoundly deeper business relationship, says Deb Feder at Feder Development.