Specialty Lines

Expert Analysis

• A Primer On NYDFS' 3rd-Party Cybersecurity Guidance

  

  The New York Department of Financial Services' recently released comprehensive guidance for registrants on managing cybersecurity risks associated with third-party service providers illustrates why proactive engagement by senior leadership, robust due diligence, strong contractual protections and ongoing oversight are essential to mitigating growing risks, say attorneys at McGuireWoods.

• How Trial Attys Can Sidestep Opponents' Negative Frames

  

  In litigation, attorneys often must deny whatever language or association the other side levies against them, but doing so can make the associations more salient in the minds of fact-finders, so it’s essential to reframe messages in a few practical ways at trial, says Ken Broda-Bahm at Persuasion Strategies.

• Ill. State Farm Suit Tests State Insurance Data Demand Limits

  

  The Illinois Department of Insurance's recently filed suit against State Farm, seeking nationwide data on its homeowners insurance, raises important issues as to the breadth, and possible overreach, of a state's regulatory authority, says Stephanie Pierce at Kutak Rock.

• Drafting For Distress: D&O Policy Tips Ahead Of Ch. 11 Filings

  

  Considering recent bankruptcy statistics and the economic climate, now is a good time for companies to revisit their directors and officers liability insurance coverage, as understanding how these programs are structured and which terms matter at placement or renewal can materially improve protection for leaders of a distressed company, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

• Defeating Estoppel-Based Claims In Legal Malpractice Actions

  

  State supreme court cases from recent years have addressed whether positions taken by attorneys in an underlying lawsuit can be used against them in a subsequent legal malpractice action, providing a foundation to defeat ex-clients’ estoppel claims, says Christopher Blazejewski at Sherin and Lodgen.

• AI Litigation Tools Can Enhance Case Assessment, Strategy

  

  Civil litigators can use artificial intelligence tools to strengthen case assessment and aid in early strategy development, as long as they address the risks and ethical considerations that accompany these uses, say attorneys at Barnes & Thornburg.

• 10 Quick Tips To Elevate Your Evidence Presentation At Trial

  

  A strong piece of evidence, whether in the form of testimony or exhibit, is wasted if not presented effectively, so attorneys must prepare with precision to help fact-finders both retain the information and internalize its significance, says Allison Rocker at Baker McKenzie.

• What Insurers Must Know When Insureds File For Bankruptcy

  

  With increasing inflation, rising unemployment and growing consumer credit delinquencies, insurers and their intermediaries must be prepared to handle policyholders who are filing for bankruptcy by acquainting themselves with key procedural details of the bankruptcy process, say attorneys at McDermott.

• Identifying The Sources And Impacts Of Juror Contamination

  

  Jury contamination can be pervasive, so it is important that trial teams be able to spot its sources and take specific mitigation steps, says consultant Clint Townson.

• State Of Insurance: Q3 Notes From Illinois

  

  Matthew Fortin at BatesCarey discusses notable developments in Illinois insurance law from the last quarter including a state appellate court's weighing in on the scope of appraisal, a pending certified question in the Illinois Supreme Court from the Seventh Circuit on the applicability of pollution exclusions to permitted emissions, and more.

• SDNY OpenAI Order Clarifies Preservation Standards For AI

  

  The Southern District of New York’s recent order in the OpenAI copyright infringement litigation, denying discovery of The New York Times' artificial intelligence technology use, clarifies that traditional preservation benchmarks apply to AI content, relieving organizations from using a “keep everything” approach, says Philip Favro at Favro Law.

• What EPA's Continued Defense Of PFAS Rule Means For Cos.

  

  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recent decision to continue defending a Biden-era rule designating two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances as Superfund hazards may provide the EPA with significant authority over national PFAS cleanup policy — and spur further litigation by both government and private parties, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

• 3 New Cyberinsurance Rulings Aid In Policy Interpretation

  

  Although the cyberinsurance market has exploded, there is no standardized cyber language or form and only a few court decisions thus far interpreting cyberinsurance policy language, making these three recent rulings key for guiding policyholders, insurers and brokers, say attorneys at Haynes Boone.