Morning Docket: 09.11.24 Today’s Morning Docket brings several significant updates for the legal community. In a notable financial mishap, it appears that a former beauty queen owes a substantial sum to a Biglaw firm. For a detailed account, the coverage by the American Lawyer provides further information. Meanwhile, Paul Weiss partner Karen Dunn emerged as…
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has broadened its insider trading investigation, which now includes allegations against Philip Markin. The agency claims Markin engaged in a scheme to buy shares of Pandion Therapeutics Inc. ahead of its acquisition by Merck & Co. in 2021. According to the SEC, Markin acted on information received from…
Mayer Brown’s funds partner is reportedly set to join DLA Piper in Singapore. This move comes in the wake of two corporate partners exiting DLA Piper to join K&L Gates’ Singapore office, K&L Gates Straits Law, in July. For more details, you can read the full story here.
A&O Shearman’s abrupt decision to shut its Johannesburg office has sparked a backlash, with one senior lawyer calling the move “incredibly distasteful.” The firm plans to cut 10% of its global partners as part of sweeping post-merger changes, severely impacting its South African team. Over 32 Johannesburg lawyers, including eight partners, will depart by the…
As Covid-19 experiences another surge, there appears to be a paradoxical stagnation in prescriptions for Pfizer Inc.’s antiviral medication, Paxlovid. Despite its efficacy in mitigating severe outcomes, the distribution and accessibility of Paxlovid remain alarmingly cumbersome, as highlighted by Lisa Jarvis in her recent analysis. The difficulties faced by patients in obtaining this critical medication…
The Court of The Hague issued its ruling on Monday in the case of two Pakistani individuals who had called on the public to assassinate Dutch politician Geert Wilders. The court handed down its judgment just a week after the Dutch Public Prosecutor’s Office announced plans to prosecute the two Pakistani nationals: a 56-year-old religious…
Leading international law firms Allen & Overy (A&O), Shearman & Sterling, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Milbank, and Latham & Watkins are among the key advisers for a substantial M&A transaction in Malaysia and the Philippines. The regional advisers on the deal also include Baker McKenzie affiliate Wong & Partners, and Philippine law firms, SyCip Salazar Hernandez…
Thai law firm Chandler MHM has undergone a significant leadership transition, with co-managing partner Jessada Sawatdipong being elevated to chairman and senior partner. Simultaneously, banking and finance partner Joseph Tisuthiwongse has been named as the new co-managing partner. These changes are aimed at steering the firm’s next phase of innovation and expansion. Read more.
In a significant decision for the technology and legal sectors, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has declined Google LLC’s request to reverse an import ban on its smart speaker products. The ban was originally imposed by the US International Trade Commission (ITC) after the agency determined that Google’s products infringed…
Greenberg Traurig recently announced the opening of their São Paulo office, marking a strategic move to expand their presence in Latin America. Two Miami-based partners have been approved by the Brazilian bar to offer U.S. legal advice in Brazil, aligning with the firm’s growth objectives in the region. For more details, visit the full article.
Forty-two state attorneys general have urged Congress to mandate warning labels on social media platforms to alert users, especially children, of potential risks associated with their use. This move aligns with a proposal from Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who in a June op-ed advocated for tobacco-style warning labels on social media platforms to inform users…
Around 1,200 anti-war and anti-genocide protesters clashed with police outside the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Wednesday, according to a media statement by Victoria Police. To date, 39 protesters against the Land Forces International Land Defense Exposition have been arrested and charged with various offences, including assault on police officers and obstruction of police….
The Hong Kong High Court recently granted detained activist Chow Hang-tung leave to challenge a prison policy on the grounds of alleged sex discrimination. The date for the substantive judicial review hearing has yet to be set. Chow’s challenge centers on the discrepancies in dress code requirements for male and female prisoners. In her writ,…
Travers Smith has experienced a notable departure from its London office with Latham & Watkins hiring Simon Skinner, its former tax head. Skinner, who had been a partner at Travers Smith for over 18 years, was appointed as the firm’s head of tax in 2017. For further details, the full article can be accessed here.
The recently published rankings of the UK Top 50 law firms by Profit Per Equity Partner (PEP) reveal a significant increase in financial performance over the last financial year. According to the report, PEP at the largest firms climbed by nearly 13%. The detailed analysis highlights several notable performers contributing to this growth. For further…
Dentons has announced the hiring of two new partners to bolster its corporate team in Dublin, marking a significant development in the firm’s regional strategy. This move comes on the heels of Vinson & Elkins’ recent expansion into the Dublin market. For further details, please refer to the original article on Law.com.
The recent decision by the US Supreme Court to dismiss a challenge on the standing against the FDA’s regulation of the abortion pill mifepristone has significant implications for trade groups. The ruling in the case of FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine has highlighted the hurdles that business associations may face when attempting to claim…
A Philadelphia law firm picked up a Seattle-based competitor. A Southeast-founded firm gobbled up a Southwest operation. And two firms voted to create a new, 1,600-lawyer mammoth expected to be among the country’s 30 largest. Mergers have taken center stage with news of Big Law partners voting to approve tie-ups of large firms in the…
As we delve deeper into the era of artificial intelligence, the initial trepidation among in-house legal departments has largely abated. Today, legal teams are engaging in more nuanced discussions with their business counterparts about how to integrate AI technologies effectively. The focus is shifting from the fear of AI replacing human workers to the potential…
Recent decisions from federal appellate courts indicate a significant shift in the judicial approach to gun control laws, drawing from the Supreme Court’s ruling in United States v. Rahimi. These appellate wins encompass a range of firearm restrictions, including bans on assault weapons and gun-free zones in restaurants. According to constitutional law experts and legal…
The combination between trans-Atlantic firm Womble Bond Dickinson and Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie, planned for January 1, aims to enable both firms to compete more effectively in key practice areas while maintaining lower rates. The newly formed entity, to be named Womble Bond Dickinson (US), will encompass over 1,300 lawyers across the U.S. and U.K….
An extensive arbitration battle between Malaysia and purported heirs of a 19th-century sultanate is advancing to France’s highest court. The Dutch Supreme Court ruled in Malaysia’s favor, dismissing the descendants’ appeal for a $14.92 billion award from a Spanish arbitrator without providing reasons and instructed the claimants to cover court expenses. For further details, read…
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) has initiated legal action against Miss America Competitions and a related entity for nearly $1 million in unpaid legal fees. The suit, filed last Thursday in the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit for Palm Beach County, Florida, continues a protracted fee dispute spanning several years and locations. BCLP is seeking $926,248 plus…
If you ask federal trial judges to name the toughest part of their job, most will cite sentencing. Sentencing a criminal defendant is a weighty decision, affecting years or even decades of that person’s life. And for many years, it was final: A judge couldn’t revisit it, even if there were major changes in the…
If Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler had his way, corporations would now face rigorous new disclosure requirements on various environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, including climate matters and workforce management. However, despite Gensler’s ambitious ESG agenda over the past three years, many of his proposals remain unresolved. This political and regulatory…