Expert Analysis

• Opinion

  8th Circ. Judge Is Right — Climate Suits Should Be Federal

  

  While the Eighth Circuit recently ruled that Minnesota v. American Petroleum Institute, a climate change lawsuit, belongs in state court, a concurring opinion from one judge on the panel offers a convincing argument that questions involving alleged climate liability can only be resolved at the federal level, says former Maine Attorney General Andrew Ketterer.

• Opinion

  It's Time For Lawyers To Stand Up For Climate Justice

  

  The anniversary this week of the Deepwater Horizon disaster offers an opportunity for attorneys to embrace the practice of just transition lawyering — leveraging our skills to support communities on the front lines of climate change and environmental catastrophe as they pursue rebuilding and transformation, says Amy Laura Cahn at Taproot Earth.

• Don't Forget Alumni Engagement When Merging Law Firms

  

  Neglecting law firm alumni programs after a merger can sever the deep connections attorneys have with their former firms, but by combining good data management and creating new opportunities to reconnect, firms can make every member in their expanded network of colleagues feel valued, say Clare Roath and Erin Warner at Troutman Pepper.

• Mexican Reform Bill Threatens Private Sector Investments

  

  Following the announcement of an extensive and potentially problematic Mexican reform proposal that targets 23 laws, which could considerably affect the private sector and lead to increased arbitration proceedings, businesses and investors in Mexico should prepare for a likely changing legal landscape, say attorneys at Mayer Brown.

• Biden Admin. Proposals Both Encourage And Thwart EV Adoption

  

  While the Biden administration has been aggressively focused on promoting electric vehicles from the start, its recently issued guidance on EV tax credits and its restrictive new auto emissions proposal create a sense of implementation whiplash that may frustrate manufacturers and consumers, says Levi McAllister at Morgan Lewis.

• Without Stronger Due Diligence, Attys Risk AML Regulation

  

  Amid increasing pressure to mitigate money laundering and terrorism financing risks in gatekeeper professions, the legal industry will need to clarify and strengthen existing client due diligence measures — or risk the federal regulation attorneys have long sought to avoid, says Jeremy Glicksman at the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office.

• 5th Circ. Offers Expert Opinion Guidance For Insurance Cases

  

  A recent Fifth Circuit decision in Majestic Oil v. Lloyd's of London provides insight into how Texas' concurrent causation doctrine could affect insurance cases where the cause of damage is at issue, and raises considerations for litigants faced with new or revised expert reports after the deadline has passed, say Brian Scarbrough and Cianan Lesley at Jenner & Block.

• Every Lawyer Can Act To Prevent Peer Suicide

  

  Members of the legal industry can help prevent suicide among their colleagues, and better protect their own mental health, by learning the predictors and symptoms of depression among attorneys and knowing when and how to get practical aid to peers in crisis, says Joan Bibelhausen at Minnesota Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers.

• A Texas Gas Contract Case May Be Redefining Force Majeure

  

  A Texas federal court's recent ruling in Mieco v. Pioneer Natural Resources USA diminishes the strength of force majeure provisions in industry-standard gas contracts — so parties may want to revise their agreements to address this issue in advance of disputes caused by future scarcity events, say attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland.

• Building On Successful Judicial Assignment Reform In Texas

  

  Prompt action by the Judicial Conference could curtail judge shopping and improve the efficiency and procedural fairness of the federal courts by implementing random districtwide assignment of cases, which has recently proven successful in Texas patent litigation, says Dabney Carr at Troutman Pepper.

• Rebuttal

  Climate Change And Discount Rates: A Broader Perspective

  

  Recent Law360 guest articles have suggested different methods for determining the ideal discount rate for natural resource damage assessments — but consideration of dynamic situations like climate change requires an analysis that balances near-term investments against irreversible future damage to ecosystems, says Charles Cicchetti at Cicchetti Associates.

• Opinion

  Now Is The Time For Independent Industry Self-Regulation

  

  The high level of trust in business, coupled with the current political and legal landscape, provides an opportunity for companies to play a meaningful role in finding solutions to public policy issues through the exploration of independent industry self-regulation models, says Eric Reicin at BBB National Programs.

• Renewable Energy M&A Is Still Strong, Despite Challenges

  

  The recent history of renewable energy has included ongoing supply chain issues, legislative challenges and rising interest rates — but mergers and acquisitions in the sector are expected to remain robust this year, fueled by growing demand and Inflation Reduction Act incentives, say consultants at FTI Consulting.

• Do Videoconferences Establish Jurisdiction With Defendants?

  

  What it means to have minimum contacts in a foreign jurisdiction is changing as people become more accustomed to meeting via video, and defendants’ participation in videoconferencing may be used as a sword or a shield in courts’ personal jurisdiction analysis, says Patrick Hickey at Moye White.

• Issues And Opportunities In Hydrogen Fuel Cell Development

  

  A variety of tax incentives, funding opportunities and state programs have the potential to provide value across the hydrogen fuel cell business chain and alleviate existing hurdles, establishing a stronger business case for the continued development of hydrogen infrastructure, says Pamela Wu at Morgan Lewis.