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
389 episodes
Crypto at a Crossroads: Inside the Push for Regulatory Clarity
As crypto assets move deeper into the financial mainstream, the U.S. government is under pressure to create clearer, smarter rules. In this episode, our hosts break down why crypto regulation has been so fragmented, how federal agencies current...
Navigating the Office of Foreign Access Control’s Latest Guidance on Venezuela’s Minerals Sector
On March 27, 2026, the Office of Foreign Access Control issued three new general licenses focused on Venezuela’s minerals sector, including gold. In today’s episode, we break down what each license authorizes, the conditions that apply, and how...
Inventorship Mistakes That Kill Patents
Getting inventorship wrong can do more than complicate a patent, it can destroy it. In this episode, we unpack a recent Federal Circuit decision that invalidated two patents after a co-inventor was omitted and couldn’t be added later. Using
Planning Advanced Air Mobility from the Ground Up: The Airport Perspective
Advanced Air Mobility is often imagined as a bold new urban aviation network, but early implementation may look far more familiar. In this episode, we explore why existing public airports are emerging as key early sites for AAM planning and dep...
Rethinking Design Patents for Digital Products
Today we’re diving into new supplemental guidance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office that could have an effect on how design patents are drafted for digital products. On March 13, 2026, the USPTO published this guidance in the F...
What South Carolina’s Digital Choice Act Means for Data Portability and Privacy
South Carolina lawmakers have just proposed legislation that could significantly affect how social media companies handle consumer data. It’s called the Digital Choice Act and it focuses on data access, portability, and interoperabilit...
The Algorithm Economy: Emerging Tech, Escalating Risks
Today, we’re unpacking findings from the 2026 Womble Bond Dickinson Client Survey, which paints a clear picture of where business leaders are right now. Innovation—especially artificial intelligence—is accelerating faster than the rules meant t...
Patent-Adjacent Disputes and the Rise of the Texas Business Court
Over the last year, and especially after a recent February decision, the Texas Business Court is quickly becoming a go‑to venue for trade secrets disputes. What’s interesting is that this shift may not stop at trade secrets alone. There are str...
Recruiting Success Stories: Jeff Whittle
Today’s episode is part of our Recruiting Success stories series. Lori Patton, our Chief Recruiting Officer, sits down with Jeff Whittle, a partner in our Houston off...
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...
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...
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....
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 ...
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 ...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 ...
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....
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...