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The Barometer

The Law.com Barometer newsletter brings you the trends, disruptions, and shifts our reporters and editors are tracking through coverage spanning every beat and region across the ALM Global Newsroom. The micro-topic coverage will help you navigate the changing legal landscape and prepare you to discuss these shifts with thousands of legal leaders at our annual Legalweek conference.

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  • Horizon Scanning the Election’s Impact on Antitrust Regulation

    Heather Nevitt | September 19, 2024

    One of the biggest questions looming is whether Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, one of the most high-profile regulatory body leaders, will stay on.

  • Chief Justice Loses Ability—or Willingness—To Be a Consensus Builder

    Steve Lash | August 15, 2024

    The Roberts Court, as currently constituted, is thus far different than it was in 2015.

  • Challenges to Regulators Mount as the U.S. Supreme Court Mulls Chevron Deference

    Steve Lash | May 30, 2024

    The 40-year-old doctrine of judges deferring to federal agencies appears headed toward demise, an apparent fate that has spurred a rash of challenges to regulations by plaintiffs increasingly confident of victory.

  • Everyone Wants a Bite of Apple

    Heather Nevitt | April 04, 2024

    Each week, the Law.com Barometer newsletter, powered by the ALM Global Newsroom and Legalweek brings you the trends, disruptions, and shifts our reporters…

  • Antitrust Anxiety Abounds

    Heather Nevitt | November 09, 2023

    The M&A and ESG space seem to be creating the most headaches for legal departments.

  • Regulate Everything Everywhere all at Once

    Heather Nevitt | September 28, 2023

    Each week, the Law.com Barometer newsletter, powered by the ALM Global Newsroom and Legalweek brings you the trends, disruptions, and shifts our reporters…

  • ESG's Renewed Focus is All Around Risk

    Heather Nevitt | July 06, 2023

    Companies are already facing regulatory requirements related to the environmental and governance aspects of ESG, and more are on the way.

  • A Legal and Regulatory Reckoning for Generative AI

    Rhys Dipshan | June 08, 2023

    The extent to which generative AI will impact the legal market and broader economy will come down to not only what it is capable of, but also how and whether it can operate within the legal and regulatory frameworks of the day.

  • News

    The Growing Regulatory Focus on Data Privacy

    Heather Nevitt | April 13, 2023

    There is no denying that in-house counsel are facing growing challenges when it comes to addressing the rapidly changing legal and regulatory environment around the intersection of data and privacy.

  • Cyber, Privacy Mistakes Are Becoming A Lot More Expensive

    Rhys Dipshan | February 02, 2023

    At the end of the day, it’s not just the cost of mitigating an incident's impact and salvaging one’s reputation, but also dealing with a growing number of new data privacy laws and active federal and state regulators.

  • The Prediction for 2023? More Unpredictability

    Heather Nevitt | December 15, 2022

    For general counsel and their legal departments, it’s been another demanding year.

  • The Government’s Coming for Those Secret Messaging Apps

    Nate Robson | October 20, 2022

    Both the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice have announced steps to enforce recordkeeping rules across various industries, and have been vocal in highlighting their ability to track down evidence that was thought to be deleted or encrypted through tools like WhatsApp and Signal.

  • DOJ’s Rush for Corporate Compliance

    Nate Robson | September 22, 2022

    General counsel and corporate compliance officers are on notice that the U.S. Department of Justice is putting a premium going forward on how quickly companies report potential misconduct.

  • Investigation

    White-Collar Enforcement Is Finally Here in the Biden Administration

    Nate Robson | June 23, 2022

    Each week, the Law.com Barometer newsletter, powered by the ALM Global Newsroom and Legalweek, brings you the trends, disruptions and shifts our…

  • Sanctions Flurry Keeps National Security Lawyers on Edge

    Nate Robson | April 14, 2022

    A constantly shifting landscape has law firms sending out a flurry of client alerts on the latest updates and what they mean for corporations. And through it all, law firms are helping their clients decide whether to pull their business out of Russia, and to understand the risks if they stay.

  • DOJ’s Cryptocurrency Enforcement Is Ready for Primetime

    Nate Robson | March 03, 2022

    The record seizure of bitcoin and the arrest of a married couple accused of trying to launder the assets created ripples throughout the legal community last month. Of note was that it showed law enforcement’s ability to trace digital assets through the blockchain despite complicated efforts to launder the funds.

  • Pay Attention to Privacy Beyond the GDPR and CCPA

    Zach Warren | February 17, 2022

    Each week, the Law.com Barometer newsletter, powered by the ALM Global Newsroom and Legalweek brings you the trends, disruptions, and shifts our…

  • Big Changes Coming with Biden Administration’s M&A Review

    Nate Robson | January 20, 2022

    The U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission want to revamp their guidelines for reviewing corporate mergers, and they are asking for the public’s feedback.

  • DOJ Executes Its Return to Strict Corporate Compliance

    Nate Robson | November 18, 2021

    The Justice Department is making critical policy changes for white-collar enforcement, including reinstating the so-called “Yates Memo” from 2015.

  • Biden Administration Comes Out Swinging on Antitrust Litigation

    Nate Robson | October 07, 2021

    Lawyers are advising clients that M&A work should expect enhanced scrutiny going forward, and that deals already approved could be fair game for the administration to reconsider.

  • Legal Industry Gears Up as Presidential Election Hangs in the Balance

    Alaina Lancaster | July 25, 2024

    Some lawyers are even helping drive the campaigns through fundraising and serving in advisory roles. Meanwhile, election-related matters, or at least concerns, have already landed on the desks of litigation, transactional and regulatory attorneys alike.

  • More Judges Voice Their Concerns as AI Enters Courtrooms

    Alaina Lancaster | March 21, 2024

    As generative AI funnels into court proceedings, more judges are confronting head-on the threats and opportunities the technology poses.

  • 2024 Could Make or Break ‘Creative’ Mass Tort Bankruptcies

    Alaina Lancaster | January 11, 2024

    Although advocates for these bankruptcy strategies say they can be more efficient routes to payouts for claimants, some attorneys say judges are likely to shut down these more novel uses of the bankruptcy code.

  • Judges, Lawyers Brace for Expert Evidence Rule Changes

    Alaina Lancaster | November 02, 2023

    An amendment to Federal Rule of Evidence 702 is set to take effect on Dec. 1, after years of discussion from the Judicial Conference Committee on Rules of Practice.

  • Litigators Strategically Deploy Remote Depositions

    Alaina Lancaster | June 22, 2023

    Some attorneys suspect that their opposing counsel insists on remote depositions to gain a tactical advantage. The issue might be a new dividing line between plaintiffs attorneys and defense counsel, who have different incentives to proceed remotely or in-person.

  • Judges, Lawyers Consider What Role Generative AI Could Play in Courts

    Alaina Lancaster | March 30, 2023

    Some legal professionals are considering using ChatGPT technology to assist with certain writing and administrative tasks, but when it comes to making judgments and providing advice, many attorneys agree there’s no replacement for human intelligence.

  • Judges Are Trying to Squeeze in More Trial Dates to Clear Court Backlogs

    Alaina Lancaster | February 16, 2023

    Attorneys are changing how they prepare for trial, turning to technology and communicating more with judges to adapt to an increasingly packed schedule.

  • How Will Courts Prepare for the Next National Emergency?

    Alaina Lancaster | January 05, 2023

    In recent months, the legal community has proposed more permanent rule changes around remote technology, trial readiness and deadlines seeking to address the next emergency that might threaten court operations—or increase access to justice overall.

  • Simmering Court Reporter Shortage Debate Boils Over in California

    Alaina Lancaster | November 10, 2022

    A California trial court’s decision, and responses from the court reporting industry and lawmakers, could signal how other jurisdictions respond to a scarcity of candidates.

  • News

    Judges Take Action on Mental Health After Pandemic

    Alaina Lancaster | September 29, 2022

    As some judges are demanding more resources to address their overall health after a pandemic piled on more stressors and case backlogs, many younger legal professionals might also meet their call to action with a similar matter-of-fact support.

  • Courts, Attorneys Wrestle With Continuing Remote Criminal Proceedings

    Alaina Lancaster | July 07, 2022

    Most judges and lawyers seem to agree that they expect courts to continue to leverage remote technology in some capacity after the pandemic subsides. When it comes to criminal proceedings, however, that consensus starts to shatter.

  • Backlogs Are Burdening Litigators, Court Staff as Proceedings Ramp Back Up

    Alaina Lancaster | April 07, 2022

    As courts attempt to return to full capacity, some litigators and courts report struggling to handle the onslaught of deadlines and new procedures rolled out to expedite cases amid the pandemic.

  • How COVID-19 Court Protocols Are Catching Up With Litigators

    Alaina Lancaster | March 10, 2022

    Attorneys are facing fresh judicial ire for failing to comply with protocols earlier in the pandemic. Meanwhile, some top trial lawyers are warning that court backlogs could create an existential crisis for the profession.

  • Courts, Litigators Respond to Latest Wave of COVID-19 Protocols Amid Omicron

    Alaina Lancaster | January 27, 2022

    While some members of the legal community are wondering whether continuing to limit court operations is necessary or sustainable, some attorneys are creating new approaches to deal with the long-term uncertainties of the global health crisis.

  • Pandemic Deepens Court Judicial Vacancies, Staffing Emergencies

    Alaina Lancaster | December 02, 2021

    As courts await relief through traditional channels, the additional pressure to fill vacancies and chip away at case backlogs could spark new mechanisms for administrative efficiency in courts.

  • The Pandemic Is Changing the Way Jurors Vote

    Alaina Lancaster | October 14, 2021

    Based on preliminary data, pandemic-era jury makeup and attitudes could lead to more defense verdicts or hung juries, but it could also mean jurors are having more extreme responses to cases involving science.

  • Courts’ Vaccine Mandates Raise Concerns Over Delays, Constitutionality

    Alaina Lancaster | September 09, 2021

    It’s not just law firms and corporate counsel who might have to abide by COVID-19 vaccine mandates to return to their offices. As coronavirus cases explode due to the Delta variant, some courts are requiring that judges, staff, and, in some instances, court goers get inoculated.