Recent historic rainfall and flooding in Massachusetts has brought stormwater management sharply into focus, revealing it as a significant source of water pollution in the Commonwealth. This presents crucial legal responsibilities for owners and operators of commercial and industrial facilities, as well as for land developers and construction contractors. With this in mind, it’s key…
In this week’s update, we put a spotlight on several intriguing developments in the real estate and construction sectors. As first reported on JDSupra, the continued impact of market dynamics on homeownership trends amongst younger Americans, often referred to as millennials, is clear. Despite historically low-interest rates, the homeownership dream appears to be increasingly inaccessible…
In the constantly evolving legal industry landscape, account-based marketing can serve as a powerful tool for law firms to unlock fresh revenue-generating opportunities with their current clients. This versatile strategy encompasses a broad spectrum of key factors – from harnessing the potential of data analytics to cultivating effective relationships. This approach is particularly becoming more…
Changes are on the horizon as a new regulation is adopted in California that extends prohibitions against unfair, deceptive, and abusive acts and practices — defined as “UDAAP” — to commercial financing. This shift marks an important change in the state’s regulatory landscape. Historically, federal and state laws have prohibited providers of financial services from…
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has enacted a new Civil Code that underscores its commitment to inviting the international business community into its jurisdiction. One component that merits close attention, especially for project owners, contractors and service providers across the energy, construction and infrastructure sectors, is the newly implemented liquidated damages regime. Article provided by…
Between October 11 and November 7, 2023, Ohio will become the latest state in the US to contemplate the legalization of recreational marijuana use for adults. Voters will decide whether to approve Issue 2 – a voter-initiated law named “To Commercialize, Regulate, Legalize and Tax the Adult Use of Cannabis”. A simple majority vote is…
Pryor Cashman, a leading law firm, has recently strengthened its real estate group and its land use and zoning practice by adding Christian Hylton as a partner in the New York office. The news of Hylton’s appointment was confirmed by the firm on Wednesday. Hylton is renowned for his focus on the oversight and management…
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has become increasingly focused on regulating decentralized finance (DeFi) and digital assets. In a move demonstrating this emphasis, the securities regulator has re-proposed amendments to Exchange Act Rule 3b-16, broadening the definition of an exchange. The SEC first set forth these amendments in January 2022 with zero direct…
Baker Donelson has once again demonstrated its commitment to expanding its professional ranks with the recent addition of Daniel Rodgers as a shareholder in its financial services transactions group. This high-profile capture not only secures an experienced professional but also reinforces Baker Donelson’s commitment to expanding its client services. Rodgers, whose office will be located…
In the ever-evolving landscape of corporate law, environmental liabilities have emerged as a significant concern, made all the more pressing by escalating public awareness and increasing regulatory measures. A recent article posted on JD Supra delves into the concept of successor liability, particularly in relation to environmental cleanup costs. With the total worth of commercial…
Lowenstein Sandler has recently strengthened its real estate practice group with the addition of Julia E. Sanabria. Formerly from an undisclosed law firm, Sanabria has now joined the ranks of Lowenstein Sandler as a newly minted partner in their New York office. The announcement was confirmed by the firm this past Thursday. In her professional…
New Zealand based firm, K3 Legal has made its international debut with the launch of services in Hong Kong. This venture is in association with local practice Fred Kan & Co. According to K3 Legal director Margaret Chen, the choice of location was due to Hong Kong’s pivotal role in China, its status as an…
New York City is well-known for being a hub of vibrant real estate development. Within this bustling metropolis, “Special Purpose Districts” (SPDs) have emerged, carving out distinct niches that appeal to real estate investors and developers for their uniqueness and potential opportunities, as well as their particular challenges. This phenomenon is detailed in a thoughtful…
As we approach the end of the third decade of the 21st century, the landscape of the office market is transforming globally. The legal trends shaping this evolution are manifold and extend from the United States to Australia, via the UK, Germany, and Italy. There are also crucial considerations such as ESG matters, perceived flight-to-quality,…
Judge Peter Russin has ordered Jack Owoc, the founder of Bang Energy, to pay a total of $63,517 in relation to a series of Instagram posts that he had authored. The posts in question disparaged company advisers involved in the sale of energy drink brand Bang to its competitor, Monster Beverage Corp. Owoc’s social media…
Pharmaceutical giant Sanofi has recently expanded its growing list of artificial intelligence (AI) partnerships to strengthen drug discovery, by entering into a research and development agreement with BioMap. While previous alliances have largely focused on small molecule drugs, Sanofi is looking to leverage AI for large molecule biologics development, and it’s here that BioMap’s innovative…
In a constantly evolving landscape where privacy laws and digital tracking technologies are constantly changing, educating oneself on the latest state and federal regulations is not just important but crucial to many businesses. A hybrid event coming up on October 24th in Raleigh, NC is set to explore the concept of risk-based strategies for using…
The US Supreme Court recently listened to oral arguments in the major whistleblower case, Murray v. UBS Securities, LLC. The lawsuit raises the question whether publicly traded companies can discriminate against employees who report wrongdoing within the organization. The scenario originated when Trevor Murray, who joined the commercial mortgage-backed securities department of UBS in 2011,…
The intricate dynamics of the barrister-solicitor relationship is a crucial, yet often under-explored, component of the legal profession. In recent discussions with silks and senior juniors at major London commercial sets, they described the process of selection akin to a “beauty pageant”, with fees posing additional challenges. The barrister-solicitor bond is a delicate equilibrium, at…
U.S. law firm Akerman has inaugurated a dedicated Japan sector team aiming to serve Japanese businesses with international operations. This step was facilitated, in part, through the recruitment of corporate M&A lawyer Hiroshi Sarumida, previously the U.S. chair of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe’s Japan transactional practice. Sarumida will now serve as a partner at Akerman….
In response to today’s challenging market conditions, commercial real estate owners are finding themselves forced to deploy innovative solutions to maintain asset viability. Factors such as tighter credit limits, depreciating asset valuations, and fluctuating consumer demand are contributing to a landscape where traditional methods and strategies are insufficient for continuing business as usual. Such variables…
As Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once famously exclaimed, “sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants”. This belief is backed by publications like the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Rome News-Tribune. However, certain PFAS defendants are pushing to keep their settlement details with Rome, Georgia under wraps. Despite the Georgia Open Records Act generally…
In a decisive move, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has recently filed charges against three former executives of telecommunications and cloud software company, Pareteum Corporation. This action by the SEC forms part of its fiscal-year-end enforcement surge, according to a news report by JD Supra. The accused, who held senior positions in the…
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld the enforcement of a jury trial waiver in a significant franchise transfer agreement case. This case, Pizza Hut L.L.C. v. Pandya, was centered on Pizza Hut’s allegations of breach of contract and intellectual property claims against franchisee Jignesh Pandya and his entities. The enforcement of this jury…
Morris Manning & Martin, a law firm handling a wide range of legal issues, has announced the re-induction of Daniel Noice as a partner in its commercial real estate development and finance, real estate capital markets, and leasing practice groups in Atlanta, Ga. The announcement was made during a public statement shared on Monday. Noice,…