While a government shutdown would certainly create issues and cause delays for immigration processing, independently funded functions would continue for at least a limited time, and immigration practitioners can expect agencies to create reasonable exceptions and provide guidance for navigating affected matters once operations resume, say William Stock and Sarah Holler at Klasko Immigration Law Partners.

In the construction sector, the importance of closely vetting downstream parties' insurance policies has never been more critical — owners and general contractors need to be on the lookout for ever broader carrier-specific expansions of standard insurance provisions that are perilous for risk transfer, says Eric Clarkson at Saxe Doernberger.

Terms and conditions of standard contracts between manufacturers and their suppliers may not cover the numerous geopolitical, legal and technical issues that can arise in the manufacturing process in 2023 — so a master service agreement covering everything from payment terms to dispute resolution can be an excellent alternative, says Bryan Rose at Stinson.

A recent spotlight on the telecommunication industry shows that companies in the field have known for decades that lead-wrapped cables proliferate in their vast networks, which is likely to provoke prolonged and costly legal battles — but seven best practices can efficiently resolve claims and minimize damage, say consultants at AlixPartners.

The upcoming 28th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP28, may be remembered as a turning point in the emerging low-carbon economy — but only if conference commitments are successfully translated into new laws, business practices and financial support, say attorneys at DLA Piper.

Seven years after the passage of the Defend Trade Secrets Act, anticipated uniformity has proved somewhat elusive, with federal courts sometimes incorporating state-law requirements into claims brought under the act instead of using it to bypass inconsistencies between state laws, say attorneys at MoloLamken.

With the proliferation of third-party trackers and the increasing complexity of privacy laws, companies need to significantly change their approach to online privacy to avoid litigation by focusing on responsible data collection practices and ongoing monitoring of ad tech tools, says Ian Cohen at LOKKER.

The Fifth Circuit’s recent ruling in TNT Crane & Rigging v. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission lays out key safety practices — establish, educate and enforce — that not only can help protect workers, but also shield companies from workplace injury liability in situations when an employee ignores or intentionally breaks the rules, says Andrew Alvarado at Dickinson Wright.

Though federal courts in Kentucky and Texas have paused the rollout of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's small business loan reporting requirement, with more delays perhaps on the way, financial institutions should nonetheless turn to new agency guidance to prepare for the rule's eventual implementation, say Christopher Friedman and Shelby Lomax at Husch Blackwell.

The European landscape of cross-border disputes diverges markedly from the U.S. experience and presents unique challenges, including the amalgamation of diverse cultures and legal systems, but there are several practical steps that practitioners can take to effectively navigate the process, says Peter Kamminga at JAMS.

Companies wishing to use or market AI technology in the EU will need to become familiar with the risk-based regulatory framework and strict enforcement mechanisms of the draft EU Artificial Intelligence Act, which may be effective as early as next year, say Matthew Justus at AT&T and Wade Barron at Kilpatrick Townsend.

By using a topic modeling method, it's possible to discern the major recurring topics in Freedom of Information Act requests made to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as the likelihood of success for individual topics, says Bradley Thompson at Epstein Becker.

As sanctions and export controls continue to evolve, companies in the tech sector are often affected in ways that can be difficult to spot, say Carrie Schroll and Matthew Luzadder at Kelley Drye.

Zachary Jacobson and Stephanie Magnell at Seyfarth examine three recent cases that illustrate the severe consequences different pleading errors may have on a government contractor's ability to pursue a contract dispute, sometimes forever precluding relief regardless of the merits of a claim.

If WeWork files for bankruptcy, as hinted at in its recent quarterly earnings report, landlords may struggle to take over management of WeWork's coworking spaces, but the coworking industry as a whole is showing some promise in adapting to the market's evolving post-pandemic office needs, says Ann Chandler at Hall Estill.

The Biden administration's recent proposed updates to federal mental health care rules acknowledge the difficulty that Americans face in finding and affording care, but may have limited impact due to enforcement challenges, a lack of providers and other issues, say Khaled Klele and Jessica Osterlof at Riker Danzig.

Oregon was recently the 12th state to enact a comprehensive consumer data privacy law, but its one-year effective date delay is only applicable to certain nonprofits — so entities in the state should review their data inventory, collection and sharing practices to comply by July 1, 2024, say Neeka Hodaie and Lisa Schaures at Seyfarth.

A recent order from the Federal Communications Commission clarifies standardized broadband label requirements that are pending final approval — and while compliance should be manageable, the rules impose new risk, particularly with regard to speed and latency disclosures, say Craig Gilley and Laura Stefani at Venable.

An Oklahoma appeals court's recent opinion in Prewitt v. Quiktrip Corp. may expand the scope of continuing medical maintenance orders in workers' compensation cases to unprecedented levels — with potentially major consequences for employers and insurers, says Steven Hanna at Gilson Daub.