Dentons LLP, a global law firm, is expanding its infrastructure and public-private partnerships (PPP) team with the addition of a new partner in Toronto, Canada, as reported on Bloomberg Law. Wasiu Omotoso, an experienced lawyer, has joined Dentons. With a proven track record in the development, procurement, and financing of infrastructure, energy, and construction projects,…
The Federal Reserve fell short in compelling the SVB Financial Group to contribute its $4 billion in assets to Silicon Valley Bank under Regulation Y and the Dodd-Frank Act. This failure resulted in a $4 billion loss for the FDIC in SVBFG’s Chapter 11 case, a loss that could have been avoided. A proposed rule…
The property rights battle is again under the spotlight in the United States with the Supreme Court ready to hear a new case concerning traffic impact mitigation fees. This latest dispute began in 2016 when George Sheetz, the owner of a property in California, applied to construct a single-family home. The local county demanded a…
The MOVEit data breach lawsuits, now implicating over 90 defendants, are currently a matter of hot debate within legal circles. Several plaintiff lawyers are challenging the dimensions and construction of the apt leadership that will steer these extensive lawsuits. Different structure proposals have been advanced to U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs who is currently presiding…
Protests have spread across Karnataka, eliciting the attention of the legal community across the nation and globally. Members of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), the currently ruling conservative party in India, convened demonstrations on Wednesday protesting the arrest of a resident of Karnataka who is suspected of involvement in the controversial post-Babri Mosque demolition riots…
Non-governmental organizations, Transparency International, the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), Katiba Institute and Africa Center for Open Governance (Africog) filed a petition against prosecutors Geoffrey Obiri and Oliver Mureithi, accusing them of mishandling the Arror and Kimwarer dams case. The petitioners are specifically targeting the prosecutors for their perceived reckless disregard of duty. In December,…
In a surprising twist in a $71,000 lease dispute with the U.S. Postal Service, a Free Enterprise-oriented attorney has been mandated to attend continuing legal education classes. On the bench in the Court of Federal Claims, the presiding judge made this order after the attorney continuously pushed what was described as a “frivolous” argument for…
Cozen O’Connor, the esteemed law firm, recently announced a new addition to its New York City construction law group: Richard D. Kalson. The news kicked off excitement in legal circles as Kalson’s myriad of experience promises to advance the firm’s offerings to clients. Bloomberg Law Automation covered the development in detail. Kalson brings with him…
Regulations targeting health-care fraud are increasing in scope and intensity, causing a stir among both established and emerging players in the sector. Compliance challenges are particularly pronounced for entities harnessing new technologies, as well as data outliers, those considered to be capitalizing on ambiguous requirements, as well as providers failing to ensure patient data security….
Hew Kian Heong, previously head of construction and infrastructure disputes at Kewei Law Firm — the Shanghai-based joint operation firm of Herbert Smith Freehills, has been appointed as a partner of the Singapore Big Four firm Rajah & Tann. Heong will join Rajah & Tann in the capacity of International Arbitration partner from January 1,…
Over the past summer, I embarked on a personal journey to construct a treehouse for my children. This project was not just about assembling a recreational structure; it necessitated strategic planning, examination of the tree’s structure, and reinforcement of safety measures. This endeavor became a strong metaphor when I embraced the challenging task of formulating…
Rajah & Tann, a leading law firm from Singapore’s Big Four, has announced the recruitment of accomplished international arbitration partner Hew Kian Heong, further strengthening its China practice. Heong, who was formerly the head of construction and infrastructure disputes at Kewei Law Firm, Herbert Smith Freehills’ joint operation firm based in Shanghai, will officially join…
A lawsuit challenging Alabama’s Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act (VCCPA) remained active on Tuesday, as a federal judge in Alabama declined to stay the case. This action came as an act of refusal towards a request from the United States government, intent on pausing the case while appellate courts determine the appropriate standard of…
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) in Kenya made a significant move against corruption in the country by arresting four individuals, including Najib Balala, a former Cabinet Secretary and Leah Gwiyo, a Permanent Secretary for Tourism. These individuals face accusations of procurement fraud, specifically related to the construction of a hospitality college in the southern…
In the latest legal developments from New York, Governor Kathy Hochul is prepared to approve a bill requiring Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) to disclose their beneficial owners. However, in a compromise move, this information will not be public knowledge, says an insider privy to the deliberations in the state.Bloomberg Tax Report This shift in policy…
The future implementation of large language models and broader foundation models into artificial intelligence spheres remains uncertain. A wide array of outlooks exist concerning the safety and reliability of such models, most notably in their role within final products. The primary anxieties lie around the role these tools will play as auxiliary mechanisms for legal…
In a noteworthy development, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, a widely respected “Big Four” Japanese law firm, has taken on the task of advising Toyo Construction, a marine construction firm listed in Tokyo, as it seeks to fend off an unsolicited buyout offer. The offer, an $833 million bid, has been put forward by Yamauchi-No.10 Family…
Amnesty International, a global human rights advocacy group, recently published a report critiquing the Canadian government’s oversight of interactions between law enforcement agencies and indigenous Wet’suwet’en protestors engaged in demonstrating against the Coastal GasLink pipeline project. In their report, Amnesty alleges that the Canadian government, through the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and a private…
A jury in Monmouth County has levied a $17.6 million verdict in favor of a man severely injured in a multi-vehicle accident involving a drug-impaired 18-wheeler driver. The record-breaking judgement includes $6.5 million in compensatory damages and a further $11.15 million in punitive damages. This final judgement follows a separate $6.85 million settlement last year…
In a significant move set to shake up the legal world, regional firms Ulmer & Berne and Greensfelder Hemker & Gale have voted to merge, resulting in the creation of a new top 200 Am Law firm. To be known as UB Greensfelder LLP, the newly formed entity will boast of approximately 275 attorneys operating…
The evolution of AI technologies continues to pose unique challenges for legal teams within corporations. Despite a surge in AI deployment, surprisingly few companies have established robust guidelines for its use. The Society for Corporate Governance’s 2023 Board Practices Report revealed that a mere 13% of 97 public companies examined possess an AI use framework,…
In a recent ruling that is gathering significant attention within the legal community, the Court of Appeals has significantly reduced a damages award in a breach of construction contract case. Aptly referred to as “No Double Dipping,” the details of the case provide essential insights for legal professionals working in both corporate and law firm…
In a step signalling change, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) gave green light to a pilot program addressing construction loans. This approval followed an application submitted by a community banking trade organization indicating a significant shift in the existing regulatory landscape. The application, prepared under the CFPB’s trial policy programs that fall under Section…
David Kim, an experienced lawyer known for representing multinational corporations, government entities, and defense contractors, has recently been welcomed as a partner into the Baker McKenzie & KL Partners Joint Venture Law Firm, as was announced by the firm last Friday. The new position will see Kim operating in Korea. More details can be found…
Legal professionals around the globe whose work pertains to labor-relations should be aware of the implications of the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) recent decision in the Cemex Construction Materials Pacific, LLC case. This decision, issued late last month, signified a significant move by the current NLRB leadership to stem the tide of diminishing union…