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Expert Analysis

• Jurisdictional Issues At Play In 9th Circ.'s FCA Trade Case

  

  A decision by the Ninth Circuit in Island Industries v. Sigma Corp. could result in the U.S. Court of International Trade’s exclusive jurisdiction over trade-related FCA cases, a big shift in the enforcement landscape just as tariffs take center stage in trade policy, say attorneys at Haynes Boone.

• Evolving Federal Rules Pose Further Obstacles To NY LLC Act

  

  Following the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's recent changes to beneficial ownership information reporting under the federal Corporate Transparency Act — dramatically reducing the number of companies required to make disclosures — the utility of New York's LLC Transparency Act becomes less apparent, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

• Deregulation Memo Presents Risks, Opportunities For Cos.

  

  A recent Trump administration memo providing direction to agencies tasked with rescinding regulations under an earlier executive order — without undergoing the typical notice-and-review process — will likely create much uncertainty for businesses, though they may be able to engage with agencies to shape the regulatory agenda, say attorneys at Blank Rome.

• 4th Circ. 'Actionable Inaccuracy' Finding Deepens FCRA Split

  

  The Fourth Circuit's March finding in Roberts v. Carter-Young Inc. that an actionable inaccuracy under the Fair Credit Reporting Act can be both legal and factual widens an existing circuit split and should prompt furnishers to review their processes for investigating readily verifiable information, say attorneys at Blank Rome.

• Action Steps To Prepare For Ramped-Up Export Enforcement

  

  In light of recent Bureau of Industry and Security actions and comments, companies, particularly those with any connection to China, should consider four concrete steps to shore up their compliance programs given the administration's increasingly aggressive approach to export enforcement, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

• Series

  Law School's Missed Lessons: Mastering Discovery

  

  The discovery process and the rules that govern it are often absent from law school curricula, but developing a solid grasp of the particulars can give any new attorney a leg up in their practice, says Jordan Davies at Knowles Gallant.

• DOJ Signals Major Shift In White Collar Enforcement Priorities

  

  In a speech on Monday, an official outlined key revisions to the U.S. Department of Justice’s voluntary self-disclosure, corporate monitorship and whistleblower program policies, marking a meaningful change in the white collar enforcement landscape, and offering companies clearer incentives and guardrails, say attorneys at McGuireWoods.

• Breaking Down 4th Circ. 'Actual Knowledge' Ruling For Banks

  

  A recent decision from the Fourth Circuit finding that banks must have "actual knowledge" to be found liable for losses arising from an automated clearinghouse transfer warns that the more financial institutions know about a name mismatch issue for any particular transaction, the more liability they may face, say attorneys at Katten.

• What New Study Means For Recycling Compliance In Calif.

  

  Companies must review the California recycling agency's new study to understand its criteria for assessing claims of product and packaging recyclability under a law that takes effect next year, and then decide whether the risks of making such claims in the state outweigh the benefits, say attorneys at Keller & Heckman.

• Maneuvering The Weeds Of Cannabis Vertical Integration

  

  The conversation around vertical integration has taken on new urgency as the cannabis market expands, despite federal reform remaining a distant dream, so the best strategy for cannabis operators is to approach vertical integration on a state-by-state basis, say attorneys at Sweetspot Brands.

• Russia Sanctions Spotlight: Divergent Approaches Emerge

  

  With indications of greater divergence and uncertainty in Russia sanctions policy between the U.K., European Union and U.S., there are four general principles and a range of compliance steps that businesses should bear in mind when assessing the impact of a potentially shifting landscape, says Alexandra Melia at Steptoe.

• Opinion

  The IRS Shouldn't Go To War Over Harvard's Tax Exemption

  

  If the Internal Revenue Service revokes Harvard's tax-exempt status for violating established public policy — a position unsupported by currently available information — the precedent set by surviving the inevitable court challenge could undercut the autonomy and distinctiveness of the charitable sector, says Johnny Rex Buckles at Houston Law Center.

• Balancing Deep-Sea Mining Executive Order, Int'l Agreements

  

  President Donald Trump's recent executive order directing exploration and exploitation of deep-sea mineral resources appears to conflict with the evolving international framework regulating such activities, so companies and investors should proceed with care and keep possible future legal challenges in mind, say attorneys at Dentons.

• CFTC Memos Clarify When 'Sorry' Still Gets You Subpoenaed

  

  A pair of Commodity Futures Trading Commission advisories released in February and April open a new path to self-reporting but emphasize that serious breaches still warrant a trip to the penalty box, prompting firms to weigh whether — and how — to disclose potential violations in the future, say attorneys at Pryor Cashman.

• The Future Of Privacy Enforcement Under Ferguson's FTC

  

  Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson's early actions indicate a marked shift toward a more traditional approach to privacy enforcement, so companies should expect the commission to maintain a strong focus on enforcing Section 5 of the FTC Act in the privacy area, says Kandi Parsons at ZwillGen.