A federal court in New Jersey has recently handed down a significant judgement in a case pertaining to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The court ruled that a company’s voluntary disclosure of potential FCPA violations did not transform the company into a state actor. As a result, the evidence gathered through the company’s internal…
A collective of 50 human rights organizations has rung an alarm over the intensive humanitarian toll of the persisting conflict in Sudan, pressing upon the United Nations to adopt definitive measures. The group came forward with their statement while the United Nations Security Council had its meeting about the enduring situations in Sudan and South…
Last year bore witness to an unfortunate yet predictable upsurge in cyber-attacks, highlighting a pressing need for robust cybersecurity operational frameworks across businesses and corporations worldwide. Cyber criminals, capitalizing on vulnerabilities in third-party software, have been engaging in escalated, intricate extortion schemes leading to significant financial and operational impacts. This piece by K&L Gates LLP…
On September 6, 2023, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul signed an unprecedented amendment into local Penal Law that significantly strengthens the penalties for employers found guilty of committing ‘wage theft’. This quickly-effective amendment falls in line with a prior announcement made by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin J. Bragg on February 16, 2023. The initial…
A Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) student was sentenced to six months in prison on Tuesday, having been found guilty by a Hong Kong court of attempting to commit sedition. The sedition charges arose from the student’s plan to display a banner of The Pillar of Shame, a sculpture once erected in Hong Kong…
Amnesty International and over 200 civil society organizations have urged governments participating in the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to address the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) human rights record and climate policies. COP28, an annual global conference to discuss climate policies, is scheduled to run from November 30 through December 12. The civil society…
Reports are circulating that the United Kingdom is considering introducing a ‘failure to prevent’ corporate fraud offence. This new criminal offence, if approved, will hold large corporations accountable for fraudulent activities conducted by their associates, marking a significant shift in the country’s corporate responsibility regulations. As detailed on JD Supra, these new regulations aim to…
As of October 1, significant changes to the background check and criminal history review processes are impacting employers in California. These changes, stemming from new Fair Chance Act regulations, require immediate attention and adaptation of compliance strategies. As reported by Fisher Phillips on JD Supra, here are seven key points every employer needs to familiarize…
Despite the leap forward in technology and the advantages it delivers, it has also bestowed upon us a new type of threat: the indiscriminate spread of personal data. You may find yourself startled at the sheer amount of personal information about you and your family that is freely traded online. This is the data that…
The City of Tomball, a quaint yet vibrant locale in Texas, recently made headlines not for its homely Southern charm, but unfortunately due to a significant cybersecurity incident. On September 12, 2023, Tomball filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Texas following a targeted ransomware attack that infiltrated the city’s secure…
With the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) heading into the fall season, it appears that the Antitrust Division is preparing for major actions that will demonstrate its criminal enforcement priorities in multiple jurisdictions. This comes on the back of a rather disappointing spring season for the division when the court, in its recent attempt to…
U.S. Senator Peter Welch, having a history as a public defender before serving in Congress, is voicing concerns about potential cuts to the federal public defender system proposed by the House and Senate. Welch, a Democrat representing Vermont, sees these potential cuts as a risk to a “bedrock requirement” of the U.S. judicial system. Notably,…
A federal grand jury has recently indicted five Memphis Police Department officers for their involvement in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols. The officers, who have also been charged under Tennessee state law, have pleaded not guilty to these state charges. The officers indicted by the federal grand jury include Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt…
Last week, New York unveiled significant amendments to its penal law, escalating the severity and implications of wage theft, now treated as larceny in the Empire State. Spearheaded by Governor Kathy Hochul, the new legislation allows prosecutors to seek more robust criminal penalties against employers involved in wage theft. JDSupra reports that these employers are…
On a recent Friday, Judge Steve Jones returned Mark Meadows’s case to Fulton County Superior Court, rejecting Meadows’s attempt to transfer his Georgia RICO case to federal court. Meadows posited that his alleged interference with the presidential election fell under his official duties as White House Chief of Staff; however, Judge Jones deemed no federal…
The upcoming changes to crypto marketing rules in the UK are set to come into effect from the 8th of October, 2023. Notably, these new rules will apply regardless of the location of the issuer, extending even to crypto businesses and issuers based outside of the UK. Starting from this date, anyone who makes a…
The Dominican Republic suspended the issuance of visas to citizens of Haiti as of Monday, and is considering closing its border following a conflict over water access. The dispute centers on Haiti’s construction of a canal, leading to concerns about diverting water from the Dajabón River. Recognized for its paramount importance within the Dominican Republic’s…
In a world where the internet and social media platforms play remarkable roles in our daily lives, particularly those of young students, certain rather disquieting trends are evolving. One such injurious trend is the widespread occurrence of ‘digital hazing’. Hazing, a once clandestine ritual performed behind closed doors, conditional for membership into a group or…
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released two reports, both focused on the federal employment of workers with prior arrest or conviction records. The publication of these studies occur in accordance with President Biden’s Executive Order 14035, which aims to expand federal employment opportunities for individuals with such backgrounds and mandates an assessment…
In the world of healthcare, the stakes are high. As a provider, a lapse in critical judgement could lead to a medical error with life-altering consequences. But when does a medical error cross the threshold and become not only a civil dispute but a criminal act? This question has been at the forefront of discussions…
In a significant development, on August 29, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommended that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I controlled substance to a Schedule III controlled substance. The recommendation was first reported by Maynard Nexsen over at JDSupra. The proposed reclassification is important because…
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has made significant strides in boosting security and ensuring the safety of its citizens and residents through a combination of strategic initiatives. These measures span multiple aspects of law enforcement, public involvement, and legal reforms, with the overarching goal of reducing crime and fostering a safe environment. In this report,…
In an attempt to reform drug laws, Senate Bill 58 was passed by the California Senate last Thursday. This bill aims to decriminalize the possession and personal use of psilocybin, psilocin, mescaline, and dimethyltryptamine (DMT). This is a significant move towards a more progressive stance on natural psychoactive substances in the United States. If this…
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has recently awarded nearly $58.9 million in grants aimed at aiding survivors of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. This funding initiative, conducted through the Office on Violence Against Women, looks to enhance the availability of legal representation, improve coordination within the justice system, and provide guidance…
With thousands of students enrolling in law school each year, all with their own vision of servicing their community, it’s crucial to understand which schools provide the best chances of realizing those dreams. While many students aspire to bring about change, only a select few choose to accept lower salaries aligning with their altruistic career…