We know that you have been considering what business and commercial issues you will face in 2014 (and perhaps beyond) as an Automotive Supplier. But, have you been considering what legal issues you are likely to face? Do you know what is happening in Antitrust, Commercial Litigation, Compliance, NHTSA and Automotive Safety, Data Security and Privacy, eDiscovery, Environmental, Labor and Employment, and Patents? If not, you should. We here at the Dashboard are here to help with Foley & Lardner’s white paper: Top Legal Issues Facing Suppliers in 2014 (we spent weeks on that title!)

You need to be prepared. You need to know that the U.S. Department of Justice continues its broad and aggressive criminal antitrust investigation of the auto parts industry. You need to stay abreast of the latest issues in warranty litigation. Better to know now that the government collected over $3 billion in civil and criminal penalties for FCPA, sanctions and export control violations. If you are not familiar with NHTSA’s enhancements to the recall process, you need to review this white paper.

Data Security and Privacy? Yes, our vehicles have more personal information and data in them than ever before. From hard drives to cloud storage, automotive suppliers maintain highly confidential and sensitive business information – you better know how to protect it. Awareness has to move beyond just the business you run because supply chain certification requirements are becoming more common in contracts from your customers.

Having difficulty finding qualified employees? So is the rest of the industry. But what can you do about it? You can review the Top Legal Issues Facing Suppliers in 2014 section focused on Labor and Employment. As your patent portfolio grows, automotive suppliers are suddenly the subject of patent troll litigation. The number of cases within the Automotive Industry has climbed steadily between 1995-2012. Learn how companies are fighting back against trolls who assert “objectively baseless” claims or present their claims in bad faith.