Last week at ILTACON 2023, a conference centered around the intersection of law and technology, it was evident that we are living through a transformative period in the realm of legal technology. Conversations teemed with intrigue around the vast potential – and the significant challenges – posed by the integration of generative AI into legal…
As we approach the final phase of 2023, law firms around the world are entering the season for budget planning. As many legal professionals can attest, this time of year can be both daunting and thrilling, whether you love numbers or shudder at the thought of reconciling balance sheets. The process of firm-wide budget preparation,…
In the realm of intellectual property law, an emerging matter of contention is the nature of Terminal Disclaimers and their potential misuse as an ‘escape hatch’. Terminal Disclaimers, while playing a crucial role in the legal treatment of overlapping patents, are not designed to serve as convenient loopholes in patent law. This issue recently came…
The legitimacy of the United States Supreme Court has been called into question, rendering state supreme courts more crucial than ever. In many states, it is the constitution that acts as the sole defender of historically recognized rights. One only needs to look at Wisconsin, where recent state supreme court elections triggered a significant dispute,…
In the wake of California’s push to implement commercial financing disclosure laws in 2018, a host of other states across the U.S. have followed suit. The list of states includes, but is not limited to, Utah, Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Connecticut, and New York. These laws focus on transparency and accountability in the commercial financing sector,…
Measuring and monitoring business performance, especially in the world of legal practice, is critical to firm success. In order to gauge how well a firm is performing, several key performance indicators (K.P.I.s) are often employed. But what exactly is a K.P.I., and which ones are essential for law firms? This article will delve into these…
The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is currently consulting on considerable changes to the UK listing regime. Where traditionally we’ve seen standard and premium listing categories, we now face the possibility of a unified single listing category. This poses significant implications for management teams considering a UK IPO. However, keep in mind, these rule changes,…
Administrators of plans offering catch-up contributions can now breathe easier, thanks to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In a noteworthy step, the IRS issued Notice 2023-62 on August 25, which essentially postpones the enforcement of a specific provision under the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) 2.0 Act. The provision in question under…
In a notable ruling, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has concluded that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) acted arbitrarily and capriciously in denying the proposal by Grayscale Investment LLC for the listing of a Bitcoin exchange traded fund (ETF). The decision was announced by a unanimous three-judge…
As the year progresses and the temperatures fall, the autumn season brings more than just a change in weather. The new season is commonly known as PSL season, however, it’s not the popular Pumpkin Spice Latte type; it’s Paid Sick Leave (PSL) season. In this period, employees may frequently call out sick, and it’s of…
On August 28, 2023, two photographers engaged the legal community by filing a petition for rehearing en banc in the Ninth Circuit, challenging a controversial area of copyright law that directly impacts how content is shared on the internet. Their move was in response to the recent Ninth Circuit decision made in the case of…
In the constantly shifting terrain of employment law, recent developments by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and Department of Labor (DOL) could introduce significant implications for employers. Of particular note is an impactful decision enacted by the NLRB in the dispute of Cemex Construction Materials Pacific last week. This decision has resurrected certain aspects…
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the trend of physician employment with hospitals, leading to around 70 percent of physicians currently being employed by hospitals or hospital-affiliated foundations or groups, according to a recent report by JDSupra. While physician integration has boosted quality of care and clinical efficiency, the growing employment relationship between physicians and hospitals…
On August 25th, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) revealed a rather dynamic change of pace. In a published Final Rule, the board has decided to resurrect so-called ‘Quickie Election’ rules, signifying quite a shift on the labor law landscape. This newly enacted rule is set on considerably reducing the time between the filing of…
Pension Benefit Information, LLC (PBI) has recently disclosed a security breach resulting from a MOVEit vulnerability—a technology that offers secure and managed file transfers. According to a formal notice submitted to the Attorney General of Maine, this incident has impacted customers of Continental Casualty Company (CNA), with unauthorized access to sensitive consumer data being executed….
Legal specialists and corporate professionals are taking note of a recent proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), aimed at expanding overtime protections. Initiated on August 30, 2023, this proposed rule has the potential to affect a wide range of workers under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The DOL’s proposed rule sets…
As of July 1, 2023, a newly enacted Florida law has significantly reshaped the landscape for health care providers in the state concerning the storage of electronic health records. The Florida legislature enacted Senate Bill 264 (SB 264) on May 8, 2023, which introduces new restrictions on how licensed health care providers can store their…
The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) revealed its inaugural two sustainability disclosure standards on June 26, 2023: International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS S1 and IFRS S2). The standards, available at no cost but requiring account creation for download, signify an important step in establishing a global baseline for sustainability-related financial information disclosure. IFRS S1, officially…
In a recent precedent-setting decision that is already prompting discussion among legal professionals, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit addressed a longstanding query related to Obvious-Type Double Patenting (ODP) and Patent Term Adjustment (PTA). The Court’s ruling in In re Cellect (No. 22-1293) was promulgated on August 28, 2023. Historically, the relationship…
Content marketing is fast becoming a crucial part of any law firm’s marketing strategy, with savvy firms repurposing a single piece of content in myriad ways to conclusively showcase their expertise. If you think of content as a singular article or blog post, it’s time to broaden your approach. As highlighted in a recent piece…
In August 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) focused its regulatory efforts on a less high-profile, yet relevant topic, issuing one Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Power Output Claims for Amplifiers Used in Home Entertainment Products. According to the rulemaking notice, the Proposed Rule is primarily aimed at a specific industry. Yet, its issuance serves…
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has recently released a proposed rulemaking related to prevailing wage and apprenticeship (PWA) requirements for increased tax credits. This initiative has been established by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), and includes an increase in the investment tax credit under section 48 of the Internal Revenue Code (ITC),…
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a new proposed rule designed to elevate the minimum salary requirements for the “white collar” exemptions. These exemptions comprise those in executive, administrative, and professional roles from minimum wage and overtime pay stipulations as drawn forth in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). As indicated at Jackson…
In a highly expected move that could reshape medical device regulation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is preparing to propose regulations that would classify laboratory developed tests (LDTs) as devices subject to their oversight. JD Supra reports that this action generates renewed debates about the agency’s authority and jurisdiction. The FDA’s move is…
There’s a popular belief that parenting duties end when a child turns 18. Legally, a parent’s abilities to make medical and financial decisions for their progeny end at this pivotal point, granted their child has not specifically provided written consent to allow otherwise. This impediment extends to limiting parents’ legal access to their children’s educational,…