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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

DELTA VARIABLE -  Many law firm leaders are not-so-subtly "encouraging" lawyers and staff to come back to the office this summer or are at least crafting return-to-office guideline plans for this fall. But, as Law.com's Andrew Maloney reports, the spread of the Delta coronavirus variant is giving some firm leaders pause as they actively monitor the spread of the variant. While it hasn't necessarily scuttled office return plans, it could still force some changes to office guidelines, even before those plans are fully implemented, according to interviews with law firm leaders and legal industry consultants. Delta is now the most dominant strain of the virus in the United States, and surges are happening in places with lower vaccination rates, such as Missouri and Nevada. Analysts say although that news hasn't slowed down the legal industry's office reopening yet, it could force firm leaders to rethink their return-to-work guidelines and other in-office policies.

MONDAY MORNING MUSK - You've heard him on "The Joe Rogan Experience," and now it's time for a decidedly different experience with Elon Musk—one that will probably involve less marijuana consumption by the notoriously mischievous tech mogul. After a 16-month pandemic-induced delay, attorneys for Musk and Tesla Inc. are set to defend the 2016 acquisition of U.S. solar-panel installer SolarCity Corp., in a deal that sparked allegations of wasted company assets and inside-family dealing by the Silicon Valley-based electric car brand. As Law.com's Tom McParland reports, the 10-day trial, scheduled to begin today in Wilmington, Delaware, pits Musk and his heavy-hitting team of Delaware attorneys against a group of Tesla investors who accused Musk of orchestrating the $2.6 billion buyout of a worthless firm, run by his cousins, at an "excessive price and for pretextual business reasons." The derivative complaint alleged that Musk breached his fiduciary duties and unjustly enriched himself by pursuing the struggling SolarCity, in which he was the largest investor.

UNCLEAN BREAK - DLA Piper and Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz filed a trade secret lawsuit Friday in Tennessee Western District Court on behalf of Buff City Soap, a soap and bath products company. The complaint accuses Magen Bynum, a former Buff City partner and store operator, of misappropriating trade secrets, including product formulas and supplier contacts, to launch a competing business. Counsel have not yet appeared for the defendants. The case is 2:21-cv-02462, Buff City Soap LLC et al v. Bynum et al. Stay up on the latest deals and litigation with the new Law.com Radar.  

EDITOR'S PICKS

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

DRIVING TOWARD DIVERSITY -  An in-house leader in Volkswagen's U.K. legal team has developed a "first-of-its-kind" internship which provides spots to those who are underrepresented in the legal profession, in an effort to promote diversity and social mobility in the industry, Law.com International's Varsha Patel reports. The automotive group welcomed its first set of interns on Monday for the two-week program, which will see interns work with 12 lawyers and trainee solicitors from both Volkswagen Group and Shoosmiths. The internship is fully paid and all expenses are covered, while interns will also not be required to wear formal outfits or have their own laptop for the internship.

WHAT YOU SAID

"One client's pushing the envelope is another lawyer's creativity. I think it's a little more complicated and deep than 'Donald Trump is a dirt bag. How could you represent the guy?'"