As the eyes of the world focus on the indictment of former President Donald Trump, uncertainty surrounds the timing, process, and potential outcome of the impending January 6 case. The trial, which is expected to last for about three months, will examine various conspiracies associated with Trump’s alleged attempts to hold onto power post the…
In a significant policy update, the Cayman Islands has issued a general license for the payment of legal fees. The Governor of the Cayman Islands introduced the license, known as GL/2023/0002, on the 14th of April, 2023. The main feature of this policy shift is its ability to allow Designated Persons to legally cover their…
China is making notable strides in artificial intelligence (AI) regulation, with the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and six other Chinese government agencies jointly releasing a finalized version of the Interim Administrative Measures for Generative Artificial Intelligence Services on July 13, 2023. You can refer to the Chinese version here. The new measures are due…
A hot topic in international trade for August 2023 pertains to the requirements for bottling/packing Tequilas in the United States. This is an update considering the recent record of Mexico’s Tequila exports to the United States. The U.S being the leading consumer of Mexico’s Tequila, in 2022 the U.S. imported more than 338 million liters…
In a significant update from Russia, President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a legislation that brings about changes to the shareholding structures of economically vital Russian organizations. This new law is framed in such a way that parent companies from nations categorized as “unfriendly states” are to be excluded from the shareholding.According to a…
In an effort to modernize and increase the agility of clinical trials while maintaining data integrity and participant protections, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently issued draft guidance with updated recommendations for implementing the International Council for Harmonisation’s (ICH) guidelines on good clinical practice (GCP). The FDA’s call for change comes as…
The narrative surrounding the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (DPF) remains a cornerstone topic for businesses and law firms alike. With the growing reliance on digital platforms for conducting business and transferring data, the past several years saw many keeping a keen eye on developments pertaining to this framework, chiefly those moving data from the European…
During the 9th Annual General Counsel Summit in Sydney on August 7, 2023, general counsel from some of Australia’s leading corporations listed greenwashing, data breaches, and regulatory changes as their most pressing concerns. This discussion highlighted a sense of increased vigilance from regulatory bodies such as the Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC) and the…
As of July 20, 2023, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) has made notable additions to the Specially Designated Nationals (“SDN”) List per the guidance of Executive Order (“EO”) 14024. This renewed effort is aimed at curbing Russia’s capabilities on several key industrial fronts. According to the facts shared…
A number of top international firms, like Cravath, Swaine & Moore and Mayer Brown, have advised on the $500 million sale of Hasbro-owned media company Entertainment One (eOne) to film and TV giant Lionsgate. Teams from global power cities such as London, New York and Paris were engaged to bolster the transaction. The Cravath team…
Pinsent Masons, the international law firm, has advised the Spanish engineering and construction company Técnicas Reunidas on a collaborative effort with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to speed up the process of decarbonization in Eastern European economies. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Técnicas Reunidas and the IFC, the private sector branch…
In a recent candid revelation, Nav Sahota, a partner in Reed Smith’s London office, discussed the micro-aggressions she faced as a legal professional. Her experiences are detailed in an article published in honour of South Asian Heritage Month. Sahota expressed that her journey in the legal realm was kickstarted at an early age with a…
Simon Grieser, a founding partner of Reed Smith’s Frankfurt office and a member of its Financial Industry Group, is set to join Deloitte Legal. Scheduled to commence this role as a partner on September 1, 2023, Grieser will be a key addition to Deloitte’s advisory team in Frankfurt, Germany. His advisory expertise will be tapped…
Notable modifications to the Russian legal landscape were set in motion on Friday when Russia passed a law that grants courts the power to strip foreign owners from what it terms ‘hostile countries’ of their stakes in key Russian entities. The move is cited as an effort to shield strategic companies from foreign influence. The…
Iraq’s Ministry of Communications announced on Sunday that it had imposed a block on the messaging application Telegram, citing national security concerns. The underlying reason for this restriction, according to the ministry, was to protect users’ personal data, which it claimed the app had mishandled. The statement claimed that this decision emanated from guidance from…
The United Nations Human Rights office in Uganda has been closed, as announced by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, last Thursday. Türk cited the East African country’s decision not to renew an agreement enabling the office’s operation as the principal reason for this closure. Simultaneously, he conveyed substantial apprehensions regarding the…
Two renowned human rights organisations, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have demanded a comprehensive independent investigation into what transpired when a migrant vessel tragically sank off the coast of Pylos, Greece. The incident has led to at least 82 persons being declared dead, with the accounts of events provided by different parties being starkly…
Alpha Brady has been appointed as the new executive director of the American Bar Association (ABA). The ABA, which serves as the national voice of the legal profession, will now have Brady, a highly experienced legal professional, helming its operations. Despite traditional modes of operation being disrupted as a result of the ongoing global pandemic,…
In what is emerging as another chapter in the consumer-food industry’s reality versus expectation saga, popular fast-food chain Taco Bell faces legal heat over allegations that its Mexican Pizza and Crunchwraps are not visually akin to their advertising photos, according to a recently filed lawsuit. As per the filed complaint, the claimants argue that Taco…
In a development that has captured the attention of the international legal fraternity, a large legal fee amounting to $266.7 million has been approved in relation to the $1 billion Dell settlement. This news has raised the expectations of a number of law firms who stand to benefit from this significant payout. This fee gained…
In a recent development, an Ohio Federal Judge is reported to have predominantly rejected initial victories in a high-stakes legal suit concerning copyright infringement and trade secrets. A robotics and technology firm, the plaintiff in this case, had filed a claim amounting to millions of dollars against a Swedish entity. The accusation was that this…
Honeywell International Inc., along with its counsel Alston & Bird LLP, is seeking a compensation of $2.65 million in legal fees in relation to an alleged breach of contract by a Japanese competitor. The contention lies in the failure of the latter to pay royalties on certain barcodes scanners, as per the licensing agreement. The…
Longtime Russian dissident and critic Alexei Navalny was sentenced to an additional 19 years in prison on a roster of extremism-related charges following a closed-door hearing. The scandalous sentencing prompted denunciation from numerous countries, international organizations and human rights groups. According to a report from Interfax, the Moscow City Court convicted Navalny of organizing an…
The field of corporate and cyber law is continuously evolving, and it has become increasingly crucial for legal professionals to familiarize themselves with risk and process management frameworks. In a recent webinar titled “Risk and Process Management Framework: Lessons Learned in Getting Started”, hosted by NAVEX and featuring Forrester’s Cody Scott, pertinent insights were offered…
The worlds of law and corporate affairs have seen several significant changes recently as governments and corporations alike tackle emerging and re-defined challenges in their sectors. Whilst new legislation and pivoting business transactions are a focal point of these changes, it is important for lawyers and in-house legal teams in corporations to look at the…