Earlier this week, senior legal professionals and pro bono advocates convened in a meeting to inspire more lawyers to engage in pro bono work, especially in fields that surpass their standard areas of expertise. This event was orchestrated by Herbert Smith Freehills to commemorate the beginning of the U.K. Pro Bono Week 2023. An all-women…
The top-notch law firm, Quinn Emanuel, is now representing Cruise, the robo-taxi company overseen by General Motors. Confronted with a significant hiccup, Cruise suspended all its driverless vehicle services following an accident with a pedestrian on Oct. 2. The board commissioned Quinn Emanuel to scrutinize the company’s responses to the regulatory bodies that are probing…
An in-depth survey recently conducted amongst UK law firm associates indicates growing dissatisfaction within the profession. The survey questioned nearly 200 associates from large law firms and found that close to a third experienced a drop in morale over the last year. The study analysed several factors driving the discontent among law associates. One of…
The increasing cost pressure across legal corporations and law firms is prompting a reevaluate of their talent development strategies. With many firms seeking ways to cut costs whilst ensuring their workforce remains up-to-date and competently trained, this issue has been highlighted recently in The Legal Intelligencer’s feature. A core strategy moving forward may involve relying…
Office workspace provider, IWG Plc, currently finds itself in negotiation to acquire specific locations previously occupied by the now defunct WeWork Inc. This strategic move appears to be a response to WeWork’s recent collapse, allowing IWG to seize the initiative in the hotly contested flexible office space market. According to IWG CEO Mark Dixon, the…
FTX’s internal disputes extend beyond the courtroom and into a battle over scarce insurance funds. This has emerged alongside Sam Bankman-Fried, the crypto exchange’s co-founder’s, legal issues. Sam Bankman-Fried’s conviction isn’t the termination of the continuing legal saga encompassing crypto exchange FTX. The company’s former executives are now embroiled in a fraught wrangle over if…
With generative AI increasingly making its way into big law’s back office, prominent firms like Latham & Watkins and Linklaters, among others, have started unveiling their active pursuit for tech-savvy personnel. Close to two dozen roles across software development, analysis, programming, and data engineering are on offer to prop up the companies’ AI capabilities. The…
The Biden administration has put forward a new proposal around the regulation of retirement plan investment advice, which could be subject to legal challenges. Although the proposal aims to enforce stricter fiduciary standards on more financial professionals, critics have argued the administration has not adequately distinguished between advice and sales. The new proposal is part…
President Joe Biden’s recent executive order introducing the first-ever regulations overseeing the production and application of artificial intelligence (AI) leverages a longstanding national security law to supervise this burgeoning tech field. The regulations come amid increasing involvements of AI in a variety of sectors, prompting both legislative and regulatory bodies to advance their oversight of…
In a significant development in the corporate sector, workspace pioneer WeWork has filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11, following a challenging period since its 2019 IPO that did not meet expectations. Law firm Kirkland & Ellis is reported to be leading the proceedings. This news raises pertinent concerns regarding the current volatile market conditions for…
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was under an overwhelming load of incriminatory evidence, and this included some damaging testimony by individuals who were once his closest professional and personal allies. His decision to testify in his own defense at the trial was sparked by the cryptocurrency exchange’s dramatic failure. There are cases where a defendant doesn’t…
The ongoing income tax dispute PepsiCo Inc. v. Illinois Dept. of Revenue is shedding light on a state tax provision that encourages profit shifting by multi-jurisdictional taxpayers. This provision involves the exclusion of 80/20 companies from the combined filing requirements of nearly 15 states. An 80/20 company is a domestic corporation, subject to federal tax,…
Law firms and employers are increasingly re-evaluating their diversity hiring programs, in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision in higher education. It’s clear that there is a need for these programs to change, but finding the right approach presents a new challenge. The rise of distinct tracks for hiring “diverse” candidates…
The life sciences sector has traditionally leaned on public offerings to raise funds necessary to support the heavy costs of development for pharmaceutical and therapeutic biologic products. However, these costs are escalating, with the average cost of discovery and development jumping to over $3 billion. Moreover, only around 12 percent of therapeutic products that enter…
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), historically known for being a tax-free country, has gained the attention of investors and entrepreneurs globally. Yet, in a notable policy shift geared towards sustainable economic development, the UAE rulers have introduced a Corporate Tax System. An important landmark in this transition is captured in the Federal Decree-Law No. 47/2022…
Olivier De Schutter, the UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, was quoted as voicing strong concerns about the current state of poverty in the United Kingdom in a recent interview with The Guardian. De Schutter identified that, in his view, the levels of poverty in the UK are “simply not acceptable,” and…
In a recent discussion, Shipt’s Chief Legal Officer, Linda Seal, discussed her strategies and beliefs in empowering people to deliver their best work. The strategies, she believes, revolve around key elements like flexibility and mentorship. Primarily known for its grocery delivery service, Shipt has been a prominent player in the rapidly growing delivery industry. A…
In an interesting development, a California federal judge has disqualified a former Perkins Coie LLP attorney from participating in a patent infringement case, as an in-house counsel for the biotechnology company Pacific Biosciences of California Inc. The judge, however, didn’t proceed to disqualify the entire in-house legal team as was initially requested. The attorney, who…
Recently, a California federal judge has handed down a judgment disqualifying an ex-Perkins Coie LLP attorney, from assisting in a patent infringement case against Pacific Biosciences of California Inc., a renowned biotechnology company. The attorney in question is currently functioning as an in-house counsel at Pacific Biosciences. Despite the aforementioned sanction, the judge has decided…
Despite settling a high profile dispute over sneaker patents back in 2021, Nike seems to be heading back into a litigious battle. The sportswear giant filed lawsuits against Skechers and New Balance this week, alleging patent infringement related to its innovative Flyknit shoe technology. This move marks another chapter in the long-running saga surrounding the…
The Federal Circuit reviewed a significant web patent dispute involving three corporate giants this week, casting doubt on the merit of the case. Dated back to 1994, the web patent in question is considered by Google, Amazon and Walmart as being excessively broad, purportedly covering “anything interactive on the web today”. These companies are also…
A Texas magistrate judge has recently stated that infringement claims levied against tech titan Samsung, the claims being led by a company directed by one of Samsung’s previous premier in-house patent attorneys, are fit to proceed to trial. This comes as a key move in this ongoing legal landscape, where there’s a continued argument of…
Linde North America’s former general counsel is urging the Third Circuit to overturn district court decisions that resulted in him forfeiting over $100,000 in retirement benefits. He argues that the global engineering company should still pay these benefits. The appeal was filed this Monday with the goal of reversing the decisions of the district court….
An age discrimination lawsuit involving Boeing’s intellectual property department made headlines this week as current and former employees testified about an allegedly extremely hostile working atmosphere. This trial, brought forward by a longtime manager in the department, has caught global attention due to the disturbing revelation of an office “crying chair” for distressed members of…
Former star start-up, WeWork Inc. has filed for bankruptcy, marking a new low for this co-working company. It has been grappling with the shocks from the pandemic and the fallout of its 2019 failed initial public offering (IPO). The New York-based firm managed to list both assets and liabilities within the range of $10 billion…