On 8 August 2023, the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong (SFC) has made public its consultation conclusions regarding proposed amendments to enforcement-related provisions of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap 571) of the Laws of Hong Kong (the SFO). In a critical move, the SFC demonstrated readiness to proceed with the proposal to…
In response to its growing needs, international law firm Eversheds Sutherland has relocated to a more spacious office in downtown Austin as of this past Monday. This strategic move reflects the firm’s commitment to growth and dynamic responsiveness to evolving legal market demands. Given the city’s burgeoning corporate sector, the prime location of Eversheds Sutherland’s…
In relation to recent requirements that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) collect domicile information of all trademark applicants, some clarifications have been made. As required by the Lanham Act, this collection of domicile information is substantial evidence necessary to establish the applicant as a real person or corporation domiciled in the United…
In a noteworthy legal shift, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently adopted new regulations mandating registration and listing requirements for cosmetic products, a field previously unregulated by the agency. The FDA’s previous system for cosmetic product registration was entirely voluntary and, while beneficial, was not able to provide a comprehensive overview of…
On May 8, 2023, the Florida Legislature passed a new legislation putting limitations on land ownership within the state. Enacting the Senate Bill 264 (SB 264), these revisions and additions address certain individuals, governmental organizations, and entities from outlined “countries of concern”. The law, which validated on July 1, 2023, has significant implications on the…
In an industry that is pushing the boundaries of technology and artificial intelligence (AI), a significant legal ruling has occurred. In Thaler v. Perlmutter, 22-cv-01564-BAH, a federal District Court in the District of Columbia clarified on August 18, 2023, that United States copyright law only protects work created by humans. The assertion is clear: AI…
Welcome to the August 2023 edition of ‘Avantage concurrentiel par Blakes’ – a monthly update put together by Blakes’ Competition and Antitrust groups and Foreign Investment group. This publication provides an overview of recent developments in Canada’s competition law. It primarily focuses on the enforcement activities of the Canadian Competition Bureau (the “Bureau”) and recent…
On August 2, 2023, the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) issued a final ruling that has significant implications for the world of small business financing. This ruling curbs certain individuals and entities from engaging in unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices (UDAAP) when offering or providing commercial financing or other financial…
In late August, the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled in favor of 3M Company’s objection to the rules established by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). These regulations were put in place to control the amount of particular per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the drinking water supply. This information was…
K&L Gates, a renowned international law firm, has announced the addition of Theodore Paradise to its partnership, as reported by Bloomberg Law Automation. Paradise takes up his partnership in the Energy, Infrastructure, and Resources practice area in Boston. He makes this career progression from his prior role at Hexicon USA, LLC, where he notably supported…
The arrest of former visiting attorney for Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has driven attention towards the practises associated with ‘visiting attorneys’ within large law firms. Romero Cabral Da Costa Neto, the ex-attorney at Gibson Dunn charged last week, was reportedly accessing internal law files without proper authorization, utilizing them for insider trading ahead of a…
As one of the largest consumer markets of pharmaceuticals, China has been increasingly recognized for its notable role in the layout of pharmaceutical patents. Considerable attention has been paid to inventions such as medical use, drug crystalline form and the like, which play a significant part in prolonging the patent protection of the original drug….
The past two years have marked a notable increase in both federal and state efforts to address historical environmental injustices in the United States. This surge is not an overnight phenomenon; rather, it’s the fruition of long-standing advocacy work tracing back to the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The growing awareness and prioritization of…
The past year of coping with the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped many elements of our daily lives, including how leaders navigate their roles during times of critical uncertainty. Leadership during this period has necessitated a unique blend of terror, excitement, and resilience. These leaders had to project an image of confidence while tangling with the…
Switzerland is considering the implementation of tougher anti-money laundering laws, according to a report by Hugo Miller and Bryce Baschuk of Bloomberg. The Swiss government has initiated consultations on a draft bill aimed at enforcing the “integrity and competitiveness” of Switzerland as an investment hub. The consultations are planned to remain open through November 29,…
In a significant development on August 18, 2023, the International Trade Administration (“ITA”) of the U.S. Department of Commerce issued a final “country-wide” circumvention determination surrounding the imposition of anti-dumping and countervailing import duties on certain solar cells and modules originating from Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand. This ruling escalates the conversation on circumvention, a…
With an increasing number of companies turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to bolster competitiveness and profitability, the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) AI Risk Management Framework can serve as an instrumental tool for understanding, managing and mitigating AI risk effectively. This framework, despite being created primarily for federal authorities, is being utilized by…
Change appears to be on the horizon for London’s white collar legal professionals. Lisa Osofsky’s eventful but regularly controversial five-year tenure as the head of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is coming to an end this month, marking an end to a period that has seen high-profile cases involving corporations such as GSK, Unaoil, Rolls…
Proskauer Rose, a leading international law firm, faces significant shifts in its operations in Greater China. All its full-time partners within this region have exited the firm. Key departures include Beijing funds partner Yong Ren, who joined the firm in 2014, and Hong Kong corporate partner Jeremy Leifer, a member of Proskauer since 2011. Details…
Law.com International recently undertook a comprehensive review of a vast array of submissions from leading law firms across Asia. Their objective was to compile Law.com’s inaugural list of Asia Rising Stars within the private equity field. Although the pool of contenders was impressively vast, the list has been meticulously whittled down to the top ten….
The Melbourne law firm Arnold Block Leibler, despite its smaller size of just 43 partners and 150 lawyers, holds significant sway in the legal landscape. This is evidenced by its recently held 70th-anniversary celebration, which played host to a notably influential guest list. An assortment of individuals from across government, politics and corporate Australia were…
A tumultuous episode has unfolded in the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as the Chief Justice has accused fellow justices of a coup. The contention appears to be more about frustration over electoral outcomes rather than constitutional concerns. Yet, this indicative behavior reveals a concerning reality about our judicial institutions, becoming a stage for what can be…
In a recently released audio episode of Uncorked with Farella, the host Richard Van Duzer sits down with guest Olav Goelet, Chairman of the Board at the Stags Leap District winery, Clos du Val. Goelet shared the journey of the renowned multigenerational winery – from its humble beginnings, to its growth and transformations, to its…
The arrest of former Gibson Dunn & Crutcher visiting lawyer, Romero Cabral Da Costa Neto, has shed light on Big Law’s ‘visiting attorney’ arrangements and the vetting processes involved. Costa Neto, previously a visiting attorney from noteworthy Brazilian firm Mattos Filho, was charged with insider trading for allegedly accessing internal law files through Gibson Dunn’s…
The Switzerland Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has formally charged former Algerian defense minister, Khaled Nezzar, with war crimes and crimes against humanity. These crimes were allegedly committed during the Algerian Civil War, according to an indictment submitted to the country’s Federal Criminal Court (FCC). More specifically, it is suggested that Nezzar violated armed…