Womble Perspectives
Welcome to Womble Perspectives, where we explore a wide range of topics from the latest legal updates to industry trends to the business of law. Our team of lawyers, professionals and occasional outside guests will take you through the most pressing issues facing businesses today and provide practical and actionable advice to help you navigate the ever-changing legal landscape. With a focus on innovation, collaboration and client service, we are committed to delivering exceptional value to our clients and to the communities we serve.
Episodes
380 episodes
FDA Loosens the Reins on ‘No Artificial Colors’ Claims
Today we’re breaking down a recent regulatory update from the FDA that landed on February 5th, 2026, which deals with how food companies can use the phrase “no artificial colors” on their labels. And even though the laws haven’t changed, the pr...
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6:28
Recruiting Success Stories: Michael McCue
Today’s episode is part of our Recruiting Success stories series. Lori Patton, our Chief Recruiting Officer, sits down with Michael McCue, a partner in our Intellectual P...
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20:12
IQ Scores and Embryo Selection. What Could Go Wrong?
Today, we’re looking at a provocative development in reproductive science: selecting embryos based on projected intelligence. Picture this: a couple undergoing IVF is presented with three embryos. They’re told each has a different predicted IQ....
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4:41
Rethinking Lab Test Regulation
In today’s episode, we’re diving into a pretty big shift in how lab-developed tests are regulated in the United States. If you’re up on FDA developments, you may have heard that there’s an effort to regulate these tests as medical devices. But ...
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4:46
Recruiting Success Stories: Ana Gutierrez
Today’s episode is part of our Recruiting Success stories series. Lori Patton, our Chief Recruiting Officer, sits down with Ana Gutierrez, head of Womble's Environmental ...
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45:59
The Hidden Legal Risks of Using AI Tools in Sensitive Matters
Today we’re digging into a potentially groundbreaking legal ruling about AI. It’s the first time a federal court has weighed in on whether chats with an AI tool like Claude or ChatGPT can be considered privileged. Spoiler: the court said no. An...
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6:18
Inside the Law That Could Redefine Hemp in 2026
Today, we’re talking about a federal development that’s primed to reshape an entire industry: the booming market for hemp‑derived cannabinoids. If you’ve seen delta‑8 gummies at a gas station or THC seltzers in a mainstream grocery store, you’v...
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7:21
An Overview of the Global Energy Outlook 2026: Grid Bottlenecks and the Future of Power
Today we’re unpacking our new Energy Outlook 2026. This is our fifth global energy sector report, and with insights from more than 650 senior leaders across energy companies, investors, service providers, and energy-intensive consumers...
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8:01
Long May You Run…Into a Trademark Lawsuit?
Today’s episode sits at the intersection of culture, commerce, and creativity, diving into a trademark dispute that’s got both the fashion and music industries watching closely. It’s a case that asks: Can a rock band’s name really confuse consu...
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5:42
REBROADCAST: Pregnancy, Policy, and Painkillers
Recently, the White House and the FDA issued statements suggesting a possible connection between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and increased risks of autism and ADHD. These announcements have prompted strong reactions from the scientific comm...
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5:04
Radioactive Shrimp and the Future of FDA Oversight
Today, we’re diving into a story that’s been making waves: radioactive shrimp. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, but it’s very real. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents recently intercepted multiple shipments of cloves and froze...
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5:10
AI, Inventorship, and Why Human Creativity Still Rules
Today, we’re diving into a significant development in intellectual property law that’s making waves across the intellectual property sector. On November 28, 2025, the USPTO published new guidance on inventorship for AI-assisted inventions, and ...
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5:52
From Nuclear Energy to Nuclear Waste. And Back Again.
In this episode, we’re diving into a critical topic that deals with the future of energy: spent nuclear fuel, or SNF. And as of right now, the U.S. has more than 91,000 metric tons of SNF sitting in storage with no permanent solution....
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3:33
Section 203 and Hip‑Hop History
Today we're breaking down a copyright decision out of the Southern District of New York. On January 8, 2026, the court granted Universal Music Group’s motion to dismiss in a case brought by hip‑hop legends Salt‑N‑Pepa. Read the f...
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5:05
Food, Pharma, and the Future
Today we’re diving into a health care policy and focusing in on the Make America Healthy Again Commission, or the MAHA Commission. It launched in 2025, and its recommendations reach deep into pharmaceutical marketing and prescriber engagement.<...
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4:44
Foreign Gaming Under the Microscope
Today we’re unpacking a development from the Nevada Gaming Control Board. On January 16th, 2026, the Board released Notice 2026‑04, an important update for anyone with online gaming products outside Nevada. And when we say “online g...
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5:47
Operation Robocall Roundup: The Year of Enforcement
Today, we’re diving into a topic that impacts nearly every voice service provider in the U.S.: robocalls. As 2026 begins, the FCC and FTC are ramping up enforcement, and states are joining the fight. Read the full article...
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5:37
Global Investment Rules Are Changing. Are You Ready?
Today, we’re taking a look at some changes in the way U.S. businesses invest abroad: the new outbound investment rules under the COINS Act. For decades, U.S. foreign investment laws were all about inbound investments aimed at protecting U.S. bu...
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4:30
Jury Duty, Military Leave, and Employer Obligations
In this episode, we dive into the record-breaking $18.5 million Huntsman v. Southwest Airlines settlement, the largest USERRA class action recovery ever reported, and what it means for employers. From policy audits to training and risk manageme...
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4:42
Clean Water Act in Flux
In this episode, we unpack the EPA and Army Corps’ proposed changes to the definition of “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act—a shift that could reshape federal jurisdiction and impact industries from construction to agricult...
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4:15
A rundown of the updated White Collar Crime treatise
Today, we’re cracking open a really significant resource in the world of high-stakes litigation. It's the updated White Collar Crime, Third Edition, 2025 Edition 9 volume legal treatise, edited by WBD’s Michael Clark and Luke Cass, published by...
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20:55
Unraveling the Green Cure - Can Cannabis Help Manage Parkinson's Disease?
Parkinson's Disease is a relentless neurological disorder that affects millions globally. Characterized by tremors, stiffness, and coordination difficulties, it severely disrupts daily life. For those living with it - and for their caregivers -...
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5:25
The Science of Drug Testing
As the summer Olympic Games approach, we can expect to see some athletes being banned due to doping. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which oversees American Olympic and Paralympic athletes, enforces stringent testing standards. Remember the female...
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3:50
The Essential Role of Human Input in Sustaining AI Models
By now, we all know that Generative AI models are trained on massive amounts of data, much of which is collected from the Internet, as well as other sources.This AI is also generating tons of new content, much of which ends up online. Bu...
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2:46
AI’s Energy Appetite and the Politics of Energy Demands
Today we’re digging into the energy demands of artificial intelligence and the political pressure it’s creating. Senate Democrats are calling out Big Tech over the skyrocketing electricity consumption of data centers powering AI, which makes th...
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5:06