On June 27, 2023, Connecticut legislation took a significant stride in expanding nursing rights, which has shown a potential shift in how hospitals plan their staffing. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Public Act 23-204, “An Act Concerning the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2025, and Making Appropriations Therefor, and Provisions…
In the legal world, where definitions often heavily influence court decisions, a recent case brought forward a question of considerable significance: What constitutes a “new” facility under the Clean Air Act (CAA)? The case in point involved the Port Hamilton Refining and Transportation LLP, which operates a refinery in St. Croix, USVI. The refinery had…
As world economies grapple with the urgency of carbon emission reductions, the United States is charting a new path in the transportation sector, spearheaded by states such as New York. In order to accelerate electric vehicle usage across the state, New York’s Legislature has now passed four vehicle charging infrastructure bills during the recent session,…
Amid rising legal concerns in the UK real estate market, recent litigation case has sounded a clear warning to landlords over the consequences of tenant planning breaches. In this instance, the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (“POCA”) was invoked to confiscate rent earned from a tenant who failed to comply with a planning enforcement notice….
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the UK’s financial markets regulator, released a detailed summary of its concerns related to the sustainability-linked loans (SLLs) market on June 29, 2023. This move comes in the wake of concerns mounting over banks overstating their participation in green financing, or what is known as “greenwashing”, which may falsely represent…
Legal professionals looking to optimize their law department’s spend and manage their outside counsel relationships may find value in a webinar titled “The Price Is Right: How Meta Manages Its Rate Review Process.” The webinar, scheduled for September 14th, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm ET, is expected to shed light on crucial aspects of…
In a noteworthy shift of legal attitudes, Singapore International Commercial Court (“SICC”) recently assessed the extent to which an arbitral tribunal can exclude evidence after a specific date. As the legal saying goes, arbitral tribunals have long been considered the masters of their own procedures. However, this latest judgement proposes some limitations. The case tackling…
The global move towards electrification has led to a notable boost in the deployment of lithium-ion batteries across a variety of sectors. Recognizing this trend, earlier this summer, the U.S. EPA issued a significant non-binding Memorandum on Lithium Battery Recycling Regulatory Status and Frequently Asked Questions. The EPA’s move, although not enforcing any legislative changes…
The ongoing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the legal profession continues to raise fundamental questions about its efficacy and appropriate use. AI’s utility within the industry is a topic of discussion, particularly following recent incidents of misuse. In a case based in New York, two attorneys faced sanctions for their reliance on AI, specifically…
The United States Department of Labor (“DOL”) has recently finalized a rule which adjusts the manner in which prevailing wages are calculated for federally-funded construction projects. These adjustments are explicitly applicable to contracts that are subject to the Davis-Bacon Act and affiliated regulations. As outlined in a recent article, the alterations in the prevailing wage…
In an era increasingly dominated by digital transformation, the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the landscape across myriad sectors. Preeminent among these are the environmental and energy sectors, where the influence of generative AI is yielding significant results and driving innovative change. Instrumental to this revolution is the growth and development of…
As the United States gears up for the 2024 elections, the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson continues to spark voracious debate in multiple state legislatures. This landmark ruling that reshaped the landscape of abortion rights has been a recurring issue, since our first and second installments in this series….
Legal writing and English grammar often stir a passionate debate among lawyers, and it becomes more engaging when judges partake in the discussion. One such deliberation that gets significant attention is on the terminology of legal fees — is it attorney’s fees, attorneys’ fees, attorneys fees, or simply attorney fees? Intriguingly, this question intrigued Magistrate…
Every year, leading legal news outlet Above the Law publishes a comprehensive compensation report for in-house attorneys. The purpose of this survey is to provide crucial benchmarking information for corporate counsel and their salaries across various factors. These factors include the size of the company they serve, the industry they work in, the size of…
On August 1, 2023, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the results of the second H-1B visa lottery, selecting a significant number of additional H-1B cap registrations to reach the annual quota of 85,000. This second lottery included an additional 77,400 selections by the USCIS, bringing the total number this year to…
In a challenging twist for legal professionals, a case of unanswered Requests for Admission is becoming an alarming reality, mirroring a nightmarish scenario straight out of a horror movie. According to a recent report by jd Supra, this eerie tale highlights an oft-forgotten aspect of civil procedure. Imagine legal practitioners facing a dreaded whisper echoing…
On the 31st of July, 2023, the California Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) publicized draft regulations regarding the pre-transaction scrutiny of what is termed as “Material Change Transactions.” These regulations form an integral part of its legislative authority to examine transactions that could potentially influence the costs of health care in the State of…
In July 2023, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), released its Annual Report to Congress, covering the activities of calendar year 2022. Whilst the report’s data is slightly outdated now that we are eight months into 2023, it does provide significant information on how the Committee functioned and the trends that…
In a pivotal move, the Texas Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of developers and builders looking to enforce arbitration agreements in construction cases. Two key victories gave tremendous impetus to the principle of ‘Arbitration for All’. Contrary to previous presumption, the court ruled that household members and subsequent purchasers bringing a construction defect claim…
On Wednesday, August 9, 2023, an important development emerged in financial regulation. The Federal Reserve unveiled guidance on stablecoin issuances by state-chartered member banks. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System announced the creation of a new supervision program addressing novel banking activities carried out by state-chartered member banks. This program ushers in…
The No Surprises Act (NSA) was enacted by Congress in 2020 with an intention to minimize surprising medical bills and to facilitate a swift and straightforward procedure for out-of-network healthcare providers to receive payment from insurers. Despite this, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other agencies created regulations to regulate this…
On July 28, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) unanimously approved Order No. 2023, a decisive move designed to streamline the process allowing generation resources connection to the interstate transmission grid. This comes as a significant step toward reforming transmission grid policies and addressing the challenges surrounding generator interconnection. Blank Rome LLP reported on…
In an endeavor to scale broadband access in rural and high-cost areas, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a Sixth Report and Order (Order) in its Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) docket on August 4, 2023. Detailed in a story covered by JDSupra, the provision is evidence of a commitment to bridging the digital gap in…
Illinois is taking a significant step in expanding rights and protections for employees. Governor JB Pritzker is dedicated to making these changes, which will put substantial compliance obligations on employers. The price of non-compliance is high, with employers facing the potential for substantial penalties. The Family Bereavement Leave Act, for instance, took effect in January…
Legal professionals operating in an array of multinational corporations and high-profile law firms are now dealing with a changing landscape when it comes to compliance auditing and monitoring. Given that, these experts have a unique and crucial opportunity to attend a virtual event hosted on September 6th, providing insight into some critical aspects of compliance…