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Expert Analysis

• Series

  Law School's Missed Lessons: How To Make A Deal

  

  Preparing lawyers for the nuances of a transactional practice is not a strong suit for most law schools, but, in practice, there are six principles that can help young M&A lawyers become seasoned, trusted deal advisers, says Chuck Morton at Venable.

• Annual Report Shows CFIUS Extending Its Reach In 2024

  

  The recently released 2024 annual report from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States reveals record civil penalties and enhanced internal capabilities, illustrating expanding jurisdiction and an increasing appetite for enforcement actions, says Nathan Fisher at StoneTurn.

• A New IP Game Plan For College Football Players

  

  For college stars navigating their first season under the newly implemented settlement in House v. NCAA and new NFL recruits, securing trademark rights isn't just a savvy business move — it's essential for building and protecting a personal brand that can outlast their playing days, says Ryan Loveless at CM Law.

• From Clerkship To Law Firm: 5 Transition Tips For Associates

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  Transitioning from a judicial clerkship to an associate position at a law firm may seem daunting, but by using knowledge gained while clerking, being mindful of key differences and taking advantage of professional development opportunities, these attorneys can flourish in private practice, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

• Associates Can Earn Credibility By Investing In Relationships

  

  As the class of 2025 prepares to join law firms this fall, new associates must adapt to office dynamics and establish credible reputations — which require quiet, consistent relationship-building skills as much as legal acumen, says Kyle Forges at Bast Amron.

• Opinion

  The Fallout Of Drake's Defamation Suit Against UMG

  

  Hip-hop duo Clipse's recent comeback was caught in the undertow of the ongoing Drake v. Universal Music Group defamation litigation, which points to the troubling possibility that if labels can be held liable for promoting allegedly defamatory lyrics, they may preemptively sanitize content to avoid lawsuits, says Henry Williams IV at Gordon Rees.

• Filing Clarifies FTC, DOJ's Passive Investment Stance

  

  The antitrust agencies' statement of interest filed in Texas v. Blackrock clarifies that certain forms of corporate governance engagement are permissible under the "solely for investment" exemption, a move that offers guidance for passive investors but also signals new scrutiny of coordinated engagement, say attorneys at Stinson.

• Lessons From 7th Circ.'s Deleted Chat Sanctions Ruling

  

  The Seventh Circuit’s recent decision in Pable v. Chicago Transit Authority, affirming the dismissal of an ex-employee’s retaliation claims, highlights the importance of properly handling the preservation of ephemeral messages and clarifies key sanctions issues, says Philip Favro at Favro Law.

• Opinion

  Sometimes Int'l Competition Should Trump Antitrust Concerns

  

  The U.S. Justice Department's approval of HPE's $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks shows that a merger that significantly enhances innovation and competitiveness may serve consumer and national interests despite marginally increasing industry concentration, says John Reeves at Reeves Law.

• Series

  Quilting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Turning intricate patterns of fabric and thread into quilts has taught me that craftsmanship, creative problem-solving and dedication to incremental progress are essential to creating something lasting that will help another person — just like in law, says Veronica McMillan at Kramon & Graham.

• A Look At Robinson-Patman Enforcement In The MLM Industry

  

  The Federal Trade Commission's recent focus on price discrimination in high-profile speeches and litigation suggests a renewed interest around Robinson-Patman Act enforcement, particularly in multilevel marketing, making it an apt time for direct sellers to audit their pricing, say Katrina Eash at Winston & Strawn and Juliet Belling Warren and Branko Jovanovic at Edgeworth Economics.

• What 2 Profs Noticed As Transactional Law Students Used AI

  

  After a semester using generative artificial intelligence tools with students in an entrepreneurship law clinic, we came away with numerous observations about the opportunities and challenges such tools present to new transactional lawyers, say professors at Cornell Law School.

• State AGs Are Turning Up The Antitrust Heat On ESG Actions

  

  Recent antitrust developments from red state attorneys general continue a trend of environmental, social and governance scrutiny, and businesses exposed to these areas should conduct close examinations of strategy and potential material risk, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

• Rebuttal

  BigLaw Settlements Should Not Spur Ethics Deregulation

  

  A recent Law360 op-ed argued that loosening law firm funding restrictions would make BigLaw firms less inclined to settle with the Trump administration, but deregulating legal financing ethics may well prove to be not merely ineffective, but counterproductive, says Laurel Kilgour at the American Economic Liberties Project.

• Opinion

  8th Circ. Should Reaffirm False Commercial Speech's Nature

  

  The Eighth Circuit in Goldfinch Laboratory v. Iowa Pathology Associates should assert that false commercial speech is not categorically immune from antitrust scrutiny, says Daniel Graulich at the Federal Trade Commission.