In an episode continuing to unfold, South Korean police arrested a notable number of protesters demonstrating outside the Japanese embassy. The issue at stake lies in the contentious decision by the Japanese government to dispose of treated radioactive water resulting from the 2011 Fukushima disaster into the ocean. All eyes have been on this act…
In the current digital age, we are seeing an interesting interplay between federal contractors and social media platforms (SPMs). While these platforms can offer entertainment and social connection, they can also pose unique legal challenges, particularly for federal contractors. Notably, in late 2022, as part of a larger budget bill, Congress passed the ‘No TikTok…
In the rapidly evolving legal landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), privacy, and data protection, in-house counsels play a critical role. This role often involves a careful balancing act between legal requirements, regulatory guidance, and business needs. As AI becomes increasingly pervasive in everyday business functions, counsels must proactively address potential privacy and data protection issues…
In a strong legal stance, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit issued a decision that reinforces long-standing federal protections. This decision primarily impacts employer and union-sponsored health plans, emphasizing their rights to design their own health benefit plans, including provider networks. Further pivotal to this judgement is the assertion that it is…
The saga of the 8(a) social disadvantage eligibility continues to unfold at a rapid pace, with the fallout from the Ultima Servs. case stirring up much dispute in the realm of governmental contracts. This ongoing dispute primarily pertains to the measures and policies that determine eligibility for socially disadvantaged entities under the 8(a) program. A…
In the latest developments in the realm of financial regulation, significant progress is being made to address issues relevant to small businesses. The U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship conducted a field hearing in Berlin, Maryland on August 23, 2023, focused on fostering small business resiliency, essentially referring to the ability of businesses…
Earlier this month, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC)’s petition was given the green light for renewing a marginally streamlined edition of its EEO-1 data collection form. This was a predictable outcome, as the EEOC, like its governmental you, is subjected to periodic scrutiny for mandatory public data collections by the Office of Management and…
The New York State Senate is deliberating on an important bill that, if passed, could lead to significant changes in the way employers and employment agencies carry out electronic monitoring of employees and the use of Automated Employment Decision Tools (AEDTs). The bill was introduced on August 4, 2023. The bill plans to place restrictions…
With the increasing prevalence of the False Claims Act (FCA) in heavily regulated industries, many companies and legal professionals are likely to encounter a third-party subpoena at some point. As a legal tool often used in discovery processes, it is imperative to understand how to respond when presented with one. Considering the ongoing litigation trends…
On the first day of a mental competency hearing, Tom Girardi’s lawyer, Craig Harbaugh, meticulously scrutinized the government’s neurological expert, Dr. Diana Goldstein. Former plaintiff attorney Girardi, aged 84, attentively observed the process unfolding at the U.S. federal courtroom in downtown Los Angeles. The hearing, presided over by U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton in the…
The legal titan match-up between MAGA lawyer Stan Woodward Jr. and Special Counsel Jack Smith continues to draw much attention, ever since the Donald Trump documents case fell into the capable hands of Judge Aileen Cannon. Her previous decision to take control of the Mar-a-Lago search warrant under a controversial premise of anomalous jurisdiction has…
In a recent move, Clifford Chance enriched their M&A practice in Hong Kong by securing Alex Bidlake from Linklaters. Hong Kong-based M&A lawyer, Bidlake was a critical orchestrator behind Cathay Pacific Airways’ $5.3 billion government bailout in 2020. [1] Bidlake boasts a legal career proliferating over 18 years inaugurated as an associate at Simmons &…
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is pushing for a federal appeals court to examine a question causing strife in the cryptocurrency industry: should its issuers be obligated to register under federal law? This issue of registration is central to the government’s stance against crypto trading and has been viewed as an enforcement tool…
The developing story of former President Donald Trump and unresolved Georgia election issues raised eyebrows, with suggestions of Trump willingly turning himself in being taken as seriously as sales pitches for Brooklyn bridges. Experts remain skeptical about these claims. Trump prodonly treads risky political terrains, yet this move hints at something unprecedented. For more on…
Eugene Shvidler, a businessman in the oil industry and known associate of Roman Abramovich, has failed in his legal bid to overturn sanctions imposed on him by the U.K. government. These sanctions, which were introduced in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, were levied against Shvidler in March 2022. His attempts to challenge these measures…
When Peter Zaman was hired by Holman Fenwick Willan in 2021, his role as a climate finance and environmental products expert was clearly aligned with the firm’s energy, commodities, aerospace, shipping, construction and insurance sectors in Asia. All of these sectors deal heavily with fossil fuels, indicating a problem that Zaman, a former partner at…
In a recently leaked image of the forthcoming iPhone 15, Apple confirmed what industry observers long presumed: the tech giant is moving away from proprietary charging ports and aligning itself with other major smartphone manufacturers by incorporating a standardized USB-C plug. This modest shift is significant within the scope of global regulatory practices as per…
It is a reality that a strong jurist can be a poor manager, a fact that becomes all too relevant when judges are appointed for life, given immense power, and tasked with running high-stress, intimate workspaces. These individuals oversee some of the most crucial facets of the legal world, and their administrative abilities, or lack…
In recent legal news, optimism appears to be sprouting faint tendrils around the current perception of the Supreme Court. Amid ongoing debates about its current state, proponents argue that this may not, in fact, be its absolute lowest point. Declines are always accompanied by the promise of possible recovery, and hence there is cause for…
A recent survey exploring trends in litigation and e-discovery has found that 40% of legal professionals are either currently employing generative AI tools in their practice or planning to do so. The 2023 Ediscovery Innovation Report, a collaboration between Everlaw, the Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS) and the International Legal Technology Association (ILTA), collected…
In a recent turn of events, Ron DeSantis’s oversight of the Disney Tax District has run into questionable territory. After recruiting a new government for the Reedy Creek Improvement District, DeSantis seemed confident his actions would hinder Florida’s largest private employer’s ability to maintain roads and services around the Disney world parks. However, events may…
Justice Rebecca Bradley, a conservative member of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, has recently been under scrutiny for making edits to her own Wikipedia entry to improve her public image. Justice Bradley, who has been the subject of controversy for her loaded opinions, was caught making these edits by a keen-eyed observer who noticed the username…
The world lost Joan Meyer last week. After facing the stress of a police raid on her home and newspaper office—Marion County Record—this respected journalist and co-owner of the 153-year-old publication died amid significant difficulties. Despite their small-town origins, Meyer’s paper had been undaunted in raising potentially controversial local issues, something that brought them head-to-head…
In a notable development, Chief Judge Laura Taylor Swain of the Southern District of New York ruled against former Allianz Global Investors executive, Gregoire Tournant’s motion to dismiss his securities fraud indictment. Concluding that Tournant renounced attorney-client privilege with his erstwhile legal counsel, Sullivan & Cromwell, she unsealed a 40-page opinion to dismiss his request….
Just earlier this week, a grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia made great strides and managed to indict former President Donald Trump along with 18 others for suspected attempts to manipulate the results of the state’s 16 electoral votes in the 2020 election. Trump’s former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, quickly sprang into action and…