With global markets grappling with volatility and uncertainty due in part to a new tariff environment, the banking sector finds itself in an unusual position. Historically, banks have often been at the epicenter of economic crises. However, this time, U.S. banks appear to be relatively insulated against the potential downturn, as detailed in an opinion…
Apple and Meta have received fines under the Digital Markets Act, marking a significant moment in the European Union’s regulatory landscape. Apple faces a €500 million penalty for not allowing app developers to inform users about alternative offers outside its App Store. Meanwhile, Meta was fined €200 million for not providing consumers with the option…
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has announced the promotion of 25 individuals to the partnership, with the changes set to take effect on May 1. This number marks a slight increase compared to the previous year’s promotions. The newly appointed partners are drawn from various regions, highlighting the firm’s global reach and diversity in its leadership. For…
In a recent announcement, Allen & Overy (A&O) has revealed the appointment of 33 new partners across its global offices. This figure evidences a decrease from last year’s promotions, where 40 lawyers were elevated to partnership status. The firm continues its strong presence in continental Europe, where it appointed 14 new partners, followed by the…
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised serious concerns regarding two Israeli attacks on the town of Younine in Lebanon between September and November 2024, urging that these incidents be investigated as potential war crimes. HRW highlights these actions as seemingly indiscriminate in nature, with evidence suggesting that military targets were indistinguishable from civilian areas, resulting…
Kirkland & Ellis has secured over 20 mandates from private equity giant KKR in the U.K. and Europe within the initial months of 2025, collectively valued at more than £10 billion. Despite a general downturn in transactional activity and significant declines in share values of major private equity firms like Apollo Global Management and Blackstone,…
A&O Shearman partner Kung-Wei Liu has transitioned to Eric Chow & Co, a Hong Kong-based law firm closely associated with Commerce & Finance Law Offices in Beijing. Liu, who is qualified in Hong Kong, New York, and Taiwan, brings expertise in advising Chinese companies on securities offerings and is also experienced in mergers and acquisitions….
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has made a significant call to action by submitting a series of recommendations to Panama’s Ministry of the Environment. This did so in the context of a draft executive decree aimed at regulating responses to climate change, adaptation measures, the biodiversity crisis, and ecosystem degradation. The thrust of HRW’s submission urges…
The legal landscape surrounding mandatory retirement ages in law firm partnerships has recently come under scrutiny with the Employment Tribunal’s decision in Scott v Walker Morris LLP. This case serves as a critical lens into how tribunals examine the justifications offered by firms for imposing such requirements. The ruling underscores that firms must present compelling…
White & Case and A&O Shearman are playing pivotal roles in the significant asset acquisition by Nomura Group from Australia’s Macquarie Group, valued at $1.8 billion. This transaction involves the sale of Macquarie’s U.S. and European public asset management business to Japan’s largest investment bank. The completion of the deal is anticipated by the end…
Law firms are intricate entities, held together by the subtleties of internal culture and leadership dynamics more than merely the balance sheets. As noted by Federate Legal CEO Cecy Graf, recent scrutiny from former President Donald Trump represents a significant challenge—not only politically but to the very internal cohesion of leading legal partnerships. This predicament…
“`html The facade of robust financial health exhibited by major law firms can be misleading, as the pressures on Big Law are growing, particularly under administrative shifts like those during the Trump era. While the nation’s largest firms, such as Kirkland & Ellis, have reached unprecedented revenue milestones—$8 billion and profits per equity partner of…
Recent developments within the IRS’s Advance Pricing and Mutual Agreement (APMA) program highlight both achievements and potential challenges facing this crucial tax policy tool. The APMA program, which facilitates the resolution of transfer pricing disputes, has shown resilience and effectiveness, as evidenced in its latest annual report. Notably, the program saw a slight decline in…
The Department of Justice’s (DOJ) recent guidance on crypto crime introduces changes to its approach to investigations and prosecutions concerning digital assets, sparking discussions within the legal community. The April 7 memo, as reported by Bloomberg Law, marks a departure from previous enforcement strategies, notably by disbanding the national cryptocurrency enforcement team and reevaluating ongoing…
Noxtua, a legal AI startup associated with CMS, has received a substantial boost through a strategic partnership, valued at €80.7 million, receiving investments from Dentons, a leading legal firm, C.H. Beck, a top German legal publisher, and Northern Data, a cloud computing company. This move comes at a time of complex relations between Europe and…
Maxell Ltd. has intensified its legal action against Samsung Devices Co. by filing another patent infringement suit, further escalating their ongoing conflict over smart device technologies. This latest litigation is part of Maxell’s extensive legal campaign aimed at compelling Samsung to license its global patent portfolio. The Japanese electronics company has previously initiated multiple lawsuits…
Harvard University has initiated legal action against the Trump Administration, seeking to overturn a decision to freeze over $2.2 billion in federal research funding. The university’s complaint, lodged on Monday in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, contends that the funding freeze infringes on its Constitutional rights and challenges the independence of…
In a recent decision, a New York federal judge recommended that Apple should not face a lawsuit filed by a cardiologist from New York University. The case centers around allegations that an Apple Watch feature infringed on a patent related to monitoring and detecting irregular heartbeats. According to the judge, the cardiologist lacks the standing…
In a fervent appeal to Governor Ron DeSantis, survivors of school shootings from Florida have urged the state to maintain its current firearm age restrictions. Twenty-eight students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSD) and Florida State University (FSU) released a letter on Monday, emphasizing the necessity of upholding the minimum age requirement of 21…
An ongoing legal saga involving a co-writer of a 1989 hit song and pop icon Mariah Carey recently took a turn as the co-writer requested a California federal court to reconsider a substantial financial penalty. In his plea, the songwriter described himself as “an elderly man now without vast resources,” attempting to contest the $186,000…
The recent opinion by Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has drawn notable attention across the judiciary. Former U.S. District Judge John Jones III commented that federal judges nationwide likely felt a sense of validation, given the challenges that the judicial branch has faced under the…
Frank Farella, the founder of the prestigious law firm Farella Braun + Martel, has passed away at the age of 95. His passing marks the end of an era for a firm that has been a significant player in the legal landscape since its establishment in 1962 in San Francisco. Originally founded with the name…
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is facing concerns over a potential brain drain, which experts warn could undermine its enforcement capabilities. Tax law professor Bridget Crawford emphasized the necessity of a robust IRS to administer tax codes effectively. She argued that weakening the agency undermines the rule of law and unfairly shifts the tax burden…
The US Supreme Court has chosen not to review a lower appellate court’s ruling that declared Minnesota’s restrictions on handgun possession by individuals aged 18 to 20 unconstitutional. This decision leaves in place the Eighth Circuit Court’s findings from July 2024, which stated that the Minnesota ban violated the Second Amendment as outlined in their…
Cozen O’Connor has strategically hired Samuel Feigin, the former corporate group chairman of Crowell & Moring, to enhance its Israel practice and support the firm’s growth initiatives. Feigin is recognized for establishing Israel practice groups at Crowell, Nixon Peabody, and Mintz, where he focused on assisting Israel-based technology and life sciences companies with their US…