Telecommunications

Expert Analysis

• Law Firm Inclusion Efforts Often Overlook Business Staff

  

  Law firms committed to a culture of universal inclusion can take steps to foster a sense of belonging in their business services teams, says Jennifer Johnson at Calibrate Consulting.

• Precautions For New Wave Of Digital Privacy Class Actions

  

  Consumer class actions attempting to expand existing laws to cover new online activities have recently targeted companies that use source code-based tools on their websites to interact with visitors — emphasizing the importance of transparency about information collection, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

• The Murky Status Of TCPA Standing In The 11th Circ.

  

  The Eleventh Circuit's lack of clarity regarding Telephone Consumer Protection Act standing, which it acknowledged in its recent Drazen v. Pinto decision, may be rooted in a number of cases involving different subsections of the TCPA, say Aaron Weiss and Charles Throckmorton at Carlton Fields.

• An Associate's Guide To Rebounding After A Layoff

  

  Law firm associates laid off due to economic conditions can recuperate and move forward by practicing self-care, identifying key skills to leverage during the job search, engaging in self-reflection and more, say Kate Sheikh at Major Lindsey and wellness consultant Jarrett Green.

• AML Regulation Of Lawyers Is Imminent And Controversial

  

  The U.S. House of Representatives' recently passed National Defense Authorization Act subjects lawyers engaged in certain financial-related activities to anti-money laundering regulation under the Bank Secrecy Act, which could pit lawyers against clients in ways harmful to the rule of law and administration of justice, says Jeremy Glicksman at the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office in New York.

• FTC Privacy Suit Tests Agency's Regulatory Authority

  

  The Federal Trade Commission's recent lawsuit against Kochava — which the agency claims is unlawfully selling geolocation information — pits an issue of great public concern against the statutory limits of the FTC's authority and the ability of the president to authorize executive agency action, say attorneys at McDermott.

• How New FCC Rule Will Improve Telecom Options For Tenants

  

  A new Federal Communications Commission rule that takes effect Sept. 26 will give American tenants newfound access to competitive telecom services, promote consumer choice and help alleviate the anti-competitive effects of revenue sharing agreements, say John Reardon and Emily Edwards at Kutak Rock.

• Key Adaptations For Law Firms Amid Quiet Quitting Movement

  

  While quiet quitting may not be sustainable at law firms with billable hour requirements, there are specific steps law firms should take to maintain engagement and otherwise respond to the trend's underlying message that associates won't spend all their waking hours at work if they don't feel it's worthwhile, says Meredith Kahan at Whiteford Taylor.

• The Potential Fallout Of Changing FCC's Broadband Definition

  

  Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel's recent proposal would be the first update to FCC broadband standards in many years, and could have a significant effect on FCC internet policies, including whether it will reinstate its network neutrality rules, say J.G. Harrington and Henry Wendel at Cooley.

• Creating A Hybrid Work Policy? Be Intentional And Inclusive

  

  The pandemic has changed expectations for the future of work forever, and as more employees demand hybrid working options, law firms must develop policies and models that are intentional, inclusive and iterative to lead the industry into the future, says Manar Morales at the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance.

• Privacy Bill Intensifies Mobile Carrier Regulation Battle

  

  The recently introduced American Data Privacy and Protection Act, if passed, would shift mobile privacy regulation to the Federal Trade Commission — and could increase uncertainty for mobile carriers on aspects that have traditionally been within the purview of the Federal Communications Commission, says Barlow Keener at Womble Bond.

• Keeping Up With New US Push On Strategic Tech Competition

  

  Companies should consider potential exposure and proactively assess approaches to navigating geopolitical strategic competition as the U.S. government seeks to curb the flow of technologies significant to U.S. national security to competitors such as China and Russia, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

• A Law Firm's Guide To Humane Layoffs As Recession Looms

  

  Amid warnings of a global recession, law firms should prepare for the possibility of associate layoffs, aiming for an empathetic approach and avoiding common mistakes that make the emotional impact on departing attorneys worse, say Jarrett Green, a wellness consultant, and Kate Reder Sheikh at Major Lindsey & Africa.

• Robotext Scam Bill Could Transform TCPA Landscape

  

  Nearly a year and a half after the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Facebook v. Duguid decision, the recently introduced federal Robotext Scam Prevention Act could undo judicial work surrounding the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and alter how businesses can contact consumers, say attorneys at Mintz.

• Legal Considerations As The Metaverse Goes Mainstream

  

  Shifts in technology, digital commerce and culture are all reaching a critical mass where market adoption of a metaverse seems possible — and there are many legal issues for companies to consider in these environments, from intellectual property protection to privacy and content regulation, say Ashlin Perumall and Francis Donnat at Baker McKenzie.