In recent years, multinational corporate behemoths have turned to some innovative strategies in the quest to minimize their tax obligations. Tax inversion is one such tactic that is gaining prominence. To put it simply, tax inversion involves a company relocating its headquarters to a country with a lower tax rate. One company that has drawn…
On July 17, 2023, the California Supreme Court issued a key decision which clarifies the impact of enforceable arbitration agreements on standing for California’s Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (“PAGA”). Previous ambiguity over the issue followed the United States Supreme Court decision in Viking River Cruises, Inc. v. Moriana, 142 S. Ct. 1906 (2022),…
Recent events have once again spotlighted the vulnerability of healthcare infrastructure to cyber threats, with several hospitals and outpatient treatment facilities across three states still grappling with a ransomware attack that took place last week. The attack targeted Prospect Medical Holdings, a Los Angeles-based healthcare organization that oversees 16 hospitals and 165 outpatient facilities scattered…
In light of the escalating temperatures across large sections of the United States, employer obligations regarding workplace safety become a matter of urgent importance. The Bureau of Labor Statistics offers striking figures on the health risks related to these climatic conditions. Since 2011, over 400 workers in the US have lost their lives due to…
Ahead of a fast-approaching jury trial, point-of-sale and e-commerce organization Lightspeed has proposed a legal strategy aimed at preventing the potential utilization of past litigation victories by their opposition. Specifically, the Pennsylvania-based patent company is being asked not to reference a previous $13M verdict victory that took place in Texas federal court. According to Law360’s…
In a landmark scenario that could set precedent for future environmental legal cases, California witnessed the first appellate case in the country regarding the matter of the state versus the federal environmental regulation. A ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday requires San Francisco city and county to adhere to limits set…
In the realm of international trade, the role of customs brokers is essential, and maintaining their competency through formal accreditation has been historically significant. Recently, changes to U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) regulations have made this even more critical. The CBP published the Final Rule on continuing education for individual customs broker license holders…
In a dramatic development last week, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) posed a significant change to existing conventions. The Board stated that a facially neutral work rule could become presumptively unlawful if a reasonable employee, predisposed to participating in protected concerted activity, could interpret it as coercive. This decision marks a surprising shift in…
Delaware’s Court of Chancery has been bustling with activity recently, making substantial strides in several notable cases. From dealing with a near record-breaking fee award at the beginning of last week to wading through company disputes stretching from India to Venezuela, the court’s wheels have been in constant motion. A particularly intriguing case involved the…
The potentially harmful consequences of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) have become a hot topic of discussion among environmentalists and legal professionals. The PFAS Emerging Contaminants Handbook by law firm Steptoe & Johnson PLLC offers a comprehensive analysis surrounding the disturbing aspects of PFAS chemicals and their effects on our environment. Akin to many substances…
In the ongoing legal struggle against former President Donald Trump, publishing powerhouse Simon & Schuster Inc., together with Paramount, have secured a significant transfer of a particular lawsuit to Manhattan federal court. This lawsuit pertains to certain recordings made by the seasoned investigative journalist, Bob Woodward. Initiated by Trump, the lawsuit has found itself moving…
The world of cryptocurrency has been in a legal whirlwind, particularly related to the issue of ‘Crypto as a Security’ and the application of the Howey Test. Recent legal developments have brought this issue closer to resolution, shedding some light on the often murky waters of crypto law. One of the most significant recent case…
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have jointly announced the creation of a regional, cross-agency taskforce focused on environmental crimes in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This new task force signifies a growing trend of legal attention being levied on environmental regulation violations by businesses, a…
Emojis, those colourful and expressive characters we know so well in our personal digital conversations, are no longer a casual messaging element. Increasingly, they are finding their way into legal texts and judgements, complicating the world of corporate law. This phenomenon has even evolved into a new branch of study dubbed ‘Emoji law’, and at…
On August 4, 2023, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) announced plans to amend Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations. The amendment will introduce section 3396, which concerns the prevention of heat illness in indoor places of employment. This move by OSHSB is one of a number of similar initiatives…
Protests erupted in Belém, Brazil this past Sunday, coinciding with a Brazilian government environmental conference titled The Amazonian Dialogues. The focal point of the demonstrations were against Petrobras, the Brazilian state oil company’s proposal to begin offshore drilling near the mouth of the Amazon River. This proposed project would be in the deep waters off…
The recent Mining Reform in Mexico has placed new obligations on mining concessionaires. Among these obligations, one of the most significant is the requirement to request a change of water use from the National Water Commission. This change in the Titles of Concession of National Waters must go from “industrial” to “industrial in mining”. Notably,…
In a recent development, the U.S. Geological Survey has raised alarms over the quality and sustainability of tap water in the United States. This study mentions that up to 45 percent of the water supply could possibly be contaminated with Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS. Motivations behind the research include rising domestic…
Mexican authorities have confirmed the recovery of two bodies from the Rio Grande, reigniting a contentious debate over the floating barriers instigated by Texas to deter border crossings. The bodies, one Mexican and the other Honduran national, were found near and away from buoys implying a concerning pattern of danger in the area. These incidents…
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is under fire from Republican lawmakers, states, and industry groups for its perceived slow reaction to the Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. EPA. This ruling marked out the boundaries for what is considered “waters of the United States,” and the fallout has had significant ramifications for the Army Corps…
In a move that has left many legal professionals scratching their heads, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ruled that workplace rules could potentially be deemed unlawful if employees or unions claim that they are. This sweeping statement, now embedded in U.S labor law, comes with the potential for numerous ramifications and has sparked…
In a recent turn of events, a well-known attorney from Washington, D.C. has received a six-month suspension as a result of misleading behaviour and document falsification. These fraudulent actions were aimed at reducing a client’s tax liability during a convoluted real estate deal focused on a local establishment. The involved attorney deliberately misled disciplinary investigators…
In this week’s Food Venture Financing News, Flora Ventures, an Israel-based VC firm, established by an erstwhile executive of Mondelēz, announced that it has raised a significant $50 million in funds. This is a strategic move aiming to lend support to budding startups that are making waves in the domains of food security, sustainable agriculture,…
The Arkansas Department of Energy & Environment – Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the City of Joiner, Arkansas have entered into a Consent Administrative Order (CAO) regarding alleged violations of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, under the provisions of the Clean Water Act. This information was revealed on May 25th, as…
A toy company finds itself mired in legal trouble as it is unable to extricate itself from an insurance lawsuit concerning an existing legal action by a rival firm. The competitor has accused it, along with its proprietors, of operating a criminal network devised to dodge paying an $8.5 million default judgment. The judgment was…