Stein on Corporate Law Theory

 Pix credit hereWestern news organs recently reported on the high level meeting between European Union and Chinese officials. The focus was on the spaces that separate them and challenges to further or deepening cooperation. Chinese President Xi Jinping met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Beijing at a tense bilateral summit, making no headway on geopolitical disputes and only modest advances on trade and climate change. While EU leaders raised concerns over China's export surplus flooding European markets with cheap goods, and Beijing allegedly providing support for Russia's war in Ukraine, Chinese officials denied responsibility for these challenges and instead called for a deepening of the partnership. "As our cooperation has deepened, so have imbalances," von der Leyen told Xi during their meeting, describing EU-China trade imbalances as having reached "an inflection point" where China must "come forward…

For the Balkinization Symposium on Richard Primus, The Oldest Constitutional Question: Enumeration and Federal Power (Harvard University Press, 2025).Richard Primus If I ever doubted that the production of knowledge was a collective activity, my experience as the author of The Oldest Constitutional Question would set me straight.  While writing the book, I learned so much from so many interlocutors.  It would have been impossible to write the book without the criticisms and contributions of other people—not just one or two, but dozens.  Now that the book exists, I continue to learn from the reactions of scholars like the seven who participated in this symposium: Christina Ponsa-Kraus, Sandy Levinson, Jonathan Gienapp, Bill Ewald, Will Baude, Abbe Gluck, and John Mikhail.  It’s a privilege to have one’s work taken so seriously by such a distinguished group.  I’m deeply grateful to them——and also to…

Letter to the Editor, Criticizing the actions of the current administration, particularly the actions related to the deportation of Venezuelan nationals to El Salvador, is a fair topic for discussion. Questioning the credibility and sufficiency of the assurances obtained by the United States is a reasonable question to explore. Ascribing indifference or, at worst, malevolent motives to career attorneys who, as Mr. Finucane should know, are unable to refute such claims as they are likely to be bound by privilege is truly disappointing. As such, I cannot comment on the substance of the article because I am still a government attorney, for a few more days. I find it surprising, particularly from someone who spent time in the Office of Legal Adviser, that this article demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding of the role of the attorney in the federal government. We research, debate, raise concerns, question and test the legal basis for actions and then we give our advice.…

Symposium, AI and Legal Education and Legal Profession, 31 Int'l J. Legal Prof. 293-363 (2024): Amanda Head (Macquarie University) & Sonya Willis (Macquarie University; Google Scholar), Assessing Law Students in a GenAI World to Create Knowledgeable Future Lawyers, 31 Int'l J. Legal Prof. 293 (2024) Fife Ogunde (Government of Saskatchewan),...

Brian Murray, Seton Hall Law School, is publishing Liberalism, the Founding, and American Criminal Justice in volume 101 of the Notre Dame Law Review (2025-2026). Here is the abstract. In the past decade, two groups have taken aim at the American political and legal experiment: critics of modern liberalism and contemporary criminal justice reformers. Liberal critics point to the corrosive effect of liberal ideas on governmental, legal, social, and private institutions. Criminal justice critics lament systemic racism and classism, power imbalances, over-criminalization, and mass incarceration. Broadly, both groups argue the American political and legal experiment was destined to fail, and has failed, given its ideological roots. This Article puts both into conversation and makes two arguments. First, it explores whether criticism of the liberal paradigm offers another explanatory horizon for the ills of American criminal justice. Second, it suggests there is strong evidence…

The following is an interview with intern Keyana Holton, serving in the Public Services Division under the Chief of the Public Services Division, Beth Osborne, at the Law Library of Congress.  Describe your background. I was born and raised in Alief, a community in southwest Houston, Texas. Recognized for its cultural diversity, it is a place I am proud to represent, as it has profoundly shaped my life. As a low-income, first-generation student, education has always been a vehicle for opportunity in my life. My desire to learn and contribute to my community has led me to many amazing opportunities, including the chance to spend my summer here at the Library of Congress. What is your academic/professional history? I currently attend Spelman College, a historically Black, all-women’s college located in Atlanta, Georgia. There, I am a rising senior majoring in English with a focus on pre-law. One of the most exciting opportunities I have had was participating in…

In the quiet moments that follow a motorcycle accident, the questions can feel overwhelming. Your body is focused on healing from an injury you never expected, but your mind is likely replaying the moments leading up to it, searching for answers. On top of the physical pain and the uncertainty about what comes next, one question often lands with the heaviest weight: What did I do wrong? When you’re the only one involved in a crash, it’s a natural, human instinct to turn the blame inward. You might be second-guessing every decision you made on the road that day. This feeling of self-blame is powerful, and unfortunately, it’s an instinct that insurance companies often rely on. But before you accept that heavy burden, we want you to pause and consider a different possibility. What if it wasn’t your fault? The truth is, many single-vehicle motorcycle accidents are not the rider’s fault at all. As a motorcyclist, you are uniquely exposed to dangers…

Signup to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here. A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news: ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE France will recognize Palestine as a state, French President Emmanuel Macron announced yesterday. In a social media post, Macron said that he would formalize the decision at the U.N. General Assembly in September and that “the urgent thing today is that the war in Gaza stops and the civilian population is saved.” Separately, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that he would hold an emergency call with France and Germany over the situation in Gaza. Angela Charlton reports for AP News; Reuters reports. Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today urged Israel to “immediately” meet its international law obligations by allowing food into Gaza, adding that the situation in the territory has “gone beyond the…

Every employee would feel safe, appreciated, and protected at work in an ideal world.  Actually, though, compensation for work injury occurs daily—leaving workers physically injured, emotionally burdened, and unsure about their financial future.  You have rights whether your construction accident injuries were minor, your desk job caused repeated strain injuries, or you slid on a damp floor in a breakroom.  Although California’s workers’ compensation system exists to help you, knowing how it operates—and how to safeguard yourself—can make all the difference. Know Your Rights: 5 Key Things About Compensation For Work Injury One of the most common misunderstandings among employees is that they cannot claim compensation if the harm resulted from some degree of their negligence.  This is not accurate at all.  The “no-fault” compensation for work injury in California guarantees benefits…

Nachman N. Gutowski (UNLV; Google Scholar), Disclosing the Machine: Trends, Policies, and Considerations of Artificial Intelligence Use in Law Review Authorship, 2 Jacksonville U. L. Rev. __ (2025): The expanding role of artificial intelligence (AI) in legal research, writing, and scholarly creation pushes us to consider the need to challenge...

Subscription and flat fee legal services have endless potential for modern law practice, and with legal tech by your side, you can scale with this fresh billing model. Dennis and Tom talk with Kimberly Bennett of Fidu about her experience developing subscription legal services and her current perspectives on the state of legal tech in the profession. They discuss Kimberly’s career path, how Fidu got its start, and her thoughts on the transformative potential of AI in legal practice.  As always, stay tuned for the parting shots, that one tip, website, or observation that you can use the second the podcast ends. Have a technology question for Dennis and Tom? Call their Tech Question Hotline at 720-441-6820 for the answers to your most burning tech questions. Kimberly is Co-Founder and CEO of Fidu, a client experience platform to help you sell, deliver, and scale your flat-fee & subscription legal services. Show Notes: Being is the New Doing by  Radiah Rhodes…

Global law firm Dentons has advised Piraeus Bank S.A. (Greece), acting also through its Frankfurt Branch, on two financings totaling €106 million to support the development of METLEN Energy & Metals’ photovoltaic projects in Romania. Located in Dolj county, the two solar power plants have a combined capacity of approximately 164 MW. Banking and Finance, Finance, Energy Practice, Renewables

Global law firm Dentons has advised Click JSC, a leading fintech company in Uzbekistan, on its landmark strategic partnership with Kazakhstan’s JSC Halyk Bank. Under the terms of the deal, Halyk is acquiring 49% of shares in Click, valued at US$176.4 million, while simultaneously selling 49% of shares in its Uzbek subsidiary, Tenge Bank JSCB, to Click's shareholders for US$60.76 million. The completion of these transactions is subject to regulatory approvals in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Corporate, Mergers and Acquisitions, Financial Institutions, FinTech, Central Asia, Europe, Tashkent, Kazakhstan, Almaty, Astana

Dentons Rodyk has once again secured top rankings in the latest edition of the Chambers High Net Worth Guide, reaffirming our commitment to excellence in private wealth management. Trusts, Estates and Wealth Preservation in Singapore, Family Office and High Net Worth in Singapore, ASEAN, Asia Pacific, Singapore

Global law firm Dentons has advised Alpha Bank A.E. on a €59 million project financing for the development of a photovoltaic power plant located in Teleorman county, Romania, with an approximate capacity of 80 MW, developed by METLEN Energy & Metals A.E. Banking and Finance, Finance, Energy Practice, Renewables

["For good reason, the Constitution vests the 'judicial Power' in 'one supreme Court,' to which all others are 'inferior Courts.'"] On a regular basis, district court judges accuse the Trump Administration of flouting the law, and ignoring their orders. The Washington Post counted the up! Yet, at the same time, district court judges are flouting Supreme Court precedent. Just yesterday, in Boyle (not Moyle), the Supreme Court reversed a district court for not following Wilcox, which "squarely controlled." Now, the Solicitor General has filed yet another emergency application. Here, a federal judge in Massachusetts ordered the government to pay out certain DEI grants. Under the Supreme Court's decision in Department of Education v. California, these disputes belong in the Court of Federal Claims. But lower federal courts disagreed. The Solicitor General used especially sharp language to describe this lower-court…

A serious two-vehicle accident occurred this morning at East Belmont Avenue and North Peach Avenue in Fresno, resulting in significant vehicle damage and traffic delays throughout the area. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) responded at approximately 8:15 a.m. to manage the incident and direct traffic around the crash site. Details of the Fresno Traffic Accident The collision involved two vehicles: a white Dodge Durango pickup truck and a Honda Civic. According to initial reports, the Honda Civic sustained major front-end damage in the crash, indicating the severity of the impact between the two vehicles. Emergency responders arrived quickly at the East Belmont Avenue and North Peach Avenue intersection to assess the situation and provide necessary assistance. The extent of any injuries has not yet been reported, but the significant damage to at least one vehicle suggests this was a substantial collision. Current Traffic Impact and Road Conditions The accident has created…

In a legal malpractice case, the plaintiff must (almost always) present the testimony of a legal malpractice expert to opine on the standard of care. Experts can be expensive, but requiring an expert forces the plaintiff to hire one anyway. Without an expert on the standard of care, the case will be dismissed. In Vose v. Tang and Maravelis, PC, D. Rhode Island, the plaintiff argued that the jurors could rely on their common knowledge as a substitute for expert testimony. The court disagreed and dismissed the case. To Mr. Vose’s first point, jurors could not merely rely on their common knowledge to determine whether Defendants committed malpractice. For example, Mr. Vose does not allege that Defendants failed to file a suit within the appropriate statute of limitations period or failed to inform him of a settlement offer—situations where negligence would be “clear and palpable.” Cronan, 972 A.2d at 173 (citations omitted). Rather, Mr. Vose’s…