Womble Bond Dickinson has announced the addition of Benjamin Busboom as an environmental partner in their Denver office. Busboom will be part of the corporate and securities practice group. His expertise spans a range of areas crucial to the energy transition, including environmental, energy, and natural resources matters. Specifically, he has a well-established track record…
The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright significantly limits federal agencies’ ability to alter regulatory policies from one administration to another. This ruling effectively dismantles Chevron deference and overrules the 2005 decision in National Cable & Telecommunications Association v. Brand X. This development greatly diminishes the flexibility agencies previously had in adjusting regulatory…
The Federal Communications Commission’s hopes of enforcing net neutrality rules faced a significant setback last week. A panel of appeals court judges blocked the regulations on Thursday, ruling that broadband providers are likely to win the case on the merits. The US Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit had previously issued an administrative stay…
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has once again blocked the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) net neutrality rules from going into effect, just days before a prior pause order was set to expire. This ruling comes as part of an ongoing legal challenge against the FCC’s authority to enforce these rules. According…
House lawmakers are intensifying their inquiry into the Washington-based nonprofit Optica’s connection with Huawei Technologies Co., following reports by Bloomberg News that shed light on the scientific society’s extensive relationship with the Chinese telecommunications firm, which is currently under sanctions. The scrutiny aligns with Washington’s concerns about potential foreign influence operations in the U.S. research…
Boyden Gray PLLC has garnered top recognition in Law360’s Legal Lions this week. The accolade follows a significant legal victory where the full Fifth Circuit declared the Federal Communications Commission’s system for subsidizing telecommunications service for rural and low-income users as unconstitutional. Detailed insights on this ruling can be found in the original article by…
Internet service providers (ISPs) are campaigning against a stipulation in a $42.45 billion government fund that obliges them to offer broadband for as little as $30 a month to low-income individuals. The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, part of a broader US legislative effort, requires ISPs receiving federal funds to provide at least…
Deeply Divided Court: Judges Disagree on Telecom Subsidies in FCC Case A recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has declared telecommunications subsidies for schools, low-income, and rural users as unconstitutional. This decision is seen as a significant development in the ongoing legal dispute over the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC)…
In a significant move impacting South Africa’s pension system, President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the Pension Funds Amendment Bill. This legislative change introduces a new two-pot system aimed at enhancing retirement savings in the country. The newly signed bill mandates substantial modifications to the existing Pension Funds Act, the Post and Telecommunications-Related Matters…
US senators are seeking explanations from AT&T about why it stores extensive call and text message records on a third-party analytics platform known as the “AI Data Cloud.” Last week, AT&T revealed that customer data was illegally downloaded from its workspace on Snowflake, the third-party cloud service in question. The breach compromised call and text…
In today’s legal landscape, notable updates are rolling in, capturing attention across various sectors. Quinn Emanuel has achieved a significant victory with Alec Baldwin’s case being dismissed with prejudice, a development closely followed by CNN. This represents a substantial win for the firm in a high-profile litigation. In a unique storytelling moment, a former Pokémon…
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has commenced an informal review of a proposed network and spectrum sharing agreement valued at $1.17 billion between Optus Mobile Pty Ltd. (Optus) and TPG Telecom Limited (TPG). The review aims to assess whether the arrangement complies with Section 50 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth),…
This past week in London has been notable for several significant legal battles, as detailed in a recent roundup. Among the key highlights is the owner of the Lambretta scooter brand, Innocenti SA, which is currently engaged in a trademark dispute with a property developer. Additionally, two art dealers are locked in a clash over…
Republican lawmakers are challenging a Biden administration initiative requiring Internet service providers (ISPs) that receive federal grants to offer low-cost plans to low-income individuals. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which administers the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, is under investigation by GOP leaders for what they describe as an…
In a recent development that has sparked widespread debate about freedom of expression and government overreach, the Tunis Court of First Instance sentenced prominent lawyer and columnist Sonia Dahmani to one year in prison. The sentencing is a consequence of Dahmani’s comments on the television channel Carthage+, where she sarcastically questioned President Kais Saied’s statement…
Jeffrey Strenkowski has joined Troutman Pepper’s Washington, D.C., office as a partner in the firm’s energy practice, the firm announced Wednesday. Strenkowski will focus on corporate, financial, and regulatory matters, advising clients on key issues related to privacy, data security, and consumer protection. He comes to Troutman Pepper from Uniti Group, Inc., a real estate…
Pillsbury has announced the addition of Michael Burke to its insolvency and restructuring group as a new partner based in New York. Burke brings extensive experience in corporate restructuring, specifically within the aviation sector. He has represented various stakeholders in bankruptcy matters, including creditors’ committees, ad hoc committees, debtors, bondholders, distressed investors, indenture trustees, bank…
Canada has ordered large online streaming services to pay 5 percent of their Canadian revenue to the government in a program expected to raise $200 million per year to support local news and other home-grown content. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced its decision yesterday after a public comment period. “Based on the…
K&L Gates has taken a significant step to bolster its intellectual property practice in Germany by hiring a team of four IP disputes specialists for its Frankfurt office. The team is led by Daniel Marschollek, a former partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, who brings expertise in complex trademark, design, copyright, antitrust, and competition disputes. The…
Legal News: T-Mobile Buys US Cellular Assets In a significant move within the telecommunications sector, T-Mobile US Inc., currently the second-largest mobile carrier in the United States, has entered into an agreement to acquire the wireless operations and select spectrum assets of US Cellular Corp. The transaction is valued at approximately $2.4 billion. The comprehensive…
The European Union (EU) made a significant stride in the regulatory landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) stating that the Council of the European Union has unanimously approved the world’s first landmark AI legislation, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act. This legislation is poised to come into effect 20 days after its publication in the EU’s official…
Htet Aung, a journalist associated with the Development Media Group, has been held in pre-trial detention in Sittwe Prison in Rakhine, Myanmar. Detained since October 29, 2023, he was later charged under section 52(a) of The Counter Terrorism Law and section 65 of The Telecommunications Law, accusations that can impose maximum penalties of twelve years….
According to recent reports, the global law firm Perkins Coie is set to open its first office in London, marking its initial foray into Europe. The firm’s decision to establish a European base was broadcasted earlier this year and is now taking shape rapidly. Additionally, this move comes following a year of impressive revenues for…
Seyfarth Shaw recently announced the recruitment of Luke Iovine, which strengthens its corporate department in New York. This development was reported on May 14, 2024, as per a statement released by the firm. Iovine brings with him extensive legal experience in diverse areas, having counselled clients on a range of transaction matters. Focusing on fields…
In a significant ruling, Delaware’s Court of Chancery dismissed a lawsuit by a shareholder of Qualcomm Inc. The plaintiff had alleged that the tech firm misinformed the public and its investors about its endeavor to introduce diversity to its board. However, the court found that the investor had been unable to demonstrate that Qualcomm did…