The future of the automotive and manufacturing industry is set to be electric. However, keep in mind that the electrification of the industry does not solely involve automobile manufacturers and their supply chains – there’s an increasing involvement of public entities as well. As indicated by a recent analysis by Clark Hill PLC, the electrification…
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently unveiled its final guidance for the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA). This comes after the act was enacted in November 2021 as a component of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The OMB’s guidance lays out tighter U.S content prerequisites for federally financed infrastructure ventures….
In a recent development, the No Surprises Act (NSA) regulations have been struck down by the Eastern District of Texas court, marking the fourth defeat for the federal government in its attempts to combat cases brought by health care and air ambulance providers. Embodied in a case known as TMA III, the court’s decision specifically…
The UN’s renewal of sanctions on Mali has failed due to a veto by Russia, resulting in the sanctions set to end on Thursday. Initially put into place due to ongoing political unrest in 2015, these sanctions imposed a travel ban and assets freeze on key individuals in the West African nation. The proposed extension…
The landscape of international tech and telecoms is witnessing profound shifts, particularly concerning China’s involvement in the U.S. market. Notably, the U.S. government has applied a multi-faceted strategy aimed at limiting the influence of Chinese technology suppliers in service of foreign policy and national security goals. The results of this approach are giving rise to…
In response to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) that was enacted at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, states have been required to keep individuals continuously enrolled in their Medicaid programs throughout the entirety of the public health emergency (PHE). This mandate marked a shift from the previous policy, which stipulated states to…
Climate change is increasingly shaping legislation and, as such, impacting businesses on a global scale. In California, a significant development is unfolding. A confidential committee within the state’s legislature is anticipated to move forward this week on two Senate bills packaged as part of the Democrats’ Climate Accountability initiative, introduced earlier this session. This powerful…
The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is currently consulting on considerable changes to the UK listing regime. Where traditionally we’ve seen standard and premium listing categories, we now face the possibility of a unified single listing category. This poses significant implications for management teams considering a UK IPO. However, keep in mind, these rule changes,…
In response to a provision in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have issued proposed regulations affecting transactions involving cryptocurrency and other digital assets. New tax reporting requirements have been outlined for digital asset brokers, a change aimed to take effect from the…
In an unprecedented move, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently cast its recommendation for the reclassification of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. This potential shift, analysed in detail by Benesch, could signify the initial steps toward federal legalization and bear significant implications for legal…
Belgium has recently put forth an unexpected measure in its handling of the ongoing refugee crisis. As per an announcement made on Wednesday by Nicole de Moor, the State Secretary for Asylum and Migration, the country has imposed a temporary halt on the acceptance of single male asylum seekers. The objective of this move is…
The United States Department of Justice’s Opinion Release procedure remains a crucial source of guidance for legal and compliance teams around the globe. The procedure’s latest release offers essential insights into the payment of travel and other expenses for foreign government officials. This release is significant to corporations and law firms that frequently interact with…
On August 23, 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) updated its interpretation and implementation of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts for the first time in almost 40 years. Published in the Federal Register (88 Fed.Reg. 57526), these revised regulations affect prevailing wages and fringes contractors need to pay their workers on federal and certain…
China has officially completed the finalization of its regulations concerning generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) services. The Interim Administrative Measures for Generative Artificial Intelligence Services, also known as the AI Measures, came into effect on August 15, 2023. The regulations were jointly unveiled by several government bodies in China, including the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC),…
In an attempt to deflect further European Union antitrust examination, Microsoft Corp. has proposed to separate its Teams video-conferencing app from a comprehensive business software bundling. Nanna-Louise Linde, Microsoft’s Vice President for European government affairs, stated in a blog post on Thursday that starting from October 1st, Microsoft will start to unbundle Teams from Microsoft…
In a landmark decision influencing the global legal framework around climate change risks, the Australian Government will now disclose these risks to potential investors following a lawsuit. The risks informed will revolve around how climate change could potentially affect the value of the country’s bonds. This comes as a significant move that brings transparency in…
In a recent incident at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Law School, it has been reported that an active shooter situation wasn’t enough to derail regular classes. According to Above the Law, several UNC law professors thought their classes held more priority than the ongoing incident, prompting concerns about the school’s approach to emergency…
In a coordinated, nationwide effort to combat coronavirus relief fraud, the Department of Justice (DOJ) conducted a recent enforcement action that culminated in 718 enforcement actions. The hefty undertaking ushered in federal criminal charges against 371 defendants, tallying to alleged fraudulent dealings involving upwards of $836 million in COVID-19 relief funds, as noted by legal…
With India’s lunar south pole landing via Chandrayaa-3, the space race has surged ahead, achieving further strides and international attention. The feat has launched India into an ‘exclusive club of moon landers,’ joining the United States, China and Russia. As noted by Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, governments are increasingly diverting significant funds into their…
On August 29, 2023, the Department of Defense (“DoD”), the Civilian Agency Acquisition Counsel, and the Government Services Administration (“GSA”) took definitive steps to address the Small Business Administration’s (“SBA”) response to the constitutional concerns raised by the Ultima ruling. By issuing class deviations, they aim to navigate the prickly issue of a rebuttable presumption…
The difficulties faced by Arab-Israeli communities continue to be a significant concern in Israel. In an alarming reveal, Israeli Minister for Public Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, in a contentious televised interview on August 23, stressed that Israel should worry about the escalating rate of violent crime in Arab-Israeli localities predominantly due to the risk of…
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released guidance on August 25, 2023, laying the groundwork for the implementation of Section 603 of the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022. This provision requires high-paid employees to make age-based catch-up contributions to 401(k), 403(b), or governmental 457(b) plans on a Roth after-tax basis. The enforcement of this requirement was…
In a recent series of events, we’ve seen significant developments concerning Tornado Cash, a cryptocurrency coin mixing service. Previously unheard of in the world of cryptocurrency, two concurrent events – a civil case verdict and subsequent criminal charges – are serving as a stark reminder of the reach of legal authorities in this arena. On…
The Senate Finance Committee is calling for input from the public regarding its inquiries into digital asset taxation, thereby signaling another step towards integrating and understanding the technologies and marketplaces behind this new frontier of finance. As reported by JD Supra, the panel released an open letter to the Digital Asset Community on July 11,…
In the realm of government contracts and litigation thereunto, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has provided some clarity on a critical issue. The court holds that the “sum certain” requirement for Contract Disputes Act (CDA) claims against the government is a nonjurisdictional rule, and as such, this requirement is subject…