Regulation

CC adds partner to City regulatory team with senior Morgan Stanley hire

By Sofia Lind | July 26, 2011

Clifford Chance (CC) has moved to boost its regulatory team with the hire of a partner from Morgan Stanley. The firm has recruited Monica Sah, who is currently managing director and head of international wealth management legal for Morgan Stanley Smith Barney across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia.

1 minute read

Seven-strong Hogan Lovells team exits firm's Munich office to join DLA

By Simon Petersen | July 4, 2011

DLA Piper has bolstered its Munich office with the hire of a team of seven lawyers from Hogan Lovells. International arbitration counsel Thomas Gadtke and commercial and regulatory senior associate Thilo von Bodungen will join DLA as partners, with their start date yet to be confirmed.

1 minute read

A&O to open up in Washington DC with hire of O'Melveny team

By Sofia Lind | June 29, 2011

Allen & Overy (A&O) is to open its second office in the US, with the firm set to launch in Washington DC next month through a team hire from O'Melveny & Myers. The magic circle firm will open in Washington on 18 July with the hire of O'Melveny financial regulatory partners Barbara Stettner and Chris Salter and counsel Charles Borden, who will join A&O as a partner.

1 minute read

A tender approach - reforms to Italy's takeover rules

By Legal Week | June 8, 2011

Italy's market watchdog recently introduced major reforms to rules governing takeover bids. Freshfields' 
Luigi Verga and Francesca Flego report

1 minute read

SFO handed 'stay of execution' as Govt delays decision on break-up

By Friederike Heine | June 8, 2011

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has been granted a 12-month reprieve, with the Home Office set to confirm that it will delay making a decision on whether or not the body will be merged into a new National Crime Agency (NCA) until next year. Home Secretary Theresa May is expected to make the announcement later this afternoon (8 June), confirming that plans to separate the SFO's prosecution division from its investigatory function have been put on ice.

1 minute read

Robinson's exit drives another nail into SFO's coffin

By Legal Week | May 11, 2011

With its future hanging in the balance, last month's news of the departure of general counsel Vivian Robinson for US firm McGuireWoods is a blow the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) 
could have done without. Hired in 2009 to add some bite to the SFO's bark, Robinson is set to become the latest in a procession of senior officials to leave, with the departure described by one City litigator as another "nail in the coffin" for the SFO. Particularly following the losses of other senior names including fraud chief Robert Amaee and head of policy Charlie Monteith, who left to join the London offices of Covington & Burling and White & Case respectively.

1 minute read

Mayer Brown adds partner to City regulatory team with BP hire

By Friederike Heine | May 4, 2011

Mayer Brown has strengthened its London financial services regulation & enforcement (FSRE) group with the hire of a senior regulatory lawyer from BP's in-house legal team. Mark Compton, who is joining the firm as a partner, has a particular focus on advising on market abuse, anti-money laundering, economic sanctions and bribery, as well as compliance with the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

1 minute read

US firms consider non-lawyer partnerships

By Simon Petersen | April 21, 2011

The American Bar Association (ABA) is considering the inclusion of non-lawyers in US law firm partnerships ahead of the implementation of alternative business structures (ABS) in the UK. The ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20 launched a consultation earlier this month (5 April) seeking feedback on three potential forms of ABS for the US legal market. The proposals include capped non-lawyer partnerships similar to the UK's legal disciplinary partnerships (LDPs), which allow non-lawyers to form up to 25% of a firm's partnership; uncapped non-lawyer partnerships; and multidisciplinary partnerships, which allow firms to offer both legal and non-legal services.

1 minute read

New regulation wreaks havoc on private equity houses' returns

By Simon Petersen | April 21, 2011

The burden of regulatory compliance is causing "misery" for private equity houses, with associated legal and compliance costs eating into returns, according to Better Capital managing director Jon Moulton. Speaking at Legal Week's Private Equity Forum last week (13 April), Moulton said regulation such as the European Commission's Directive for Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFM), the forthcoming UK Bribery Act, the US' Dodd-Frank Act and carbon reporting requirements were causing undue problems for buyout houses.

1 minute read

Kickbacks – does the Bribery Act deserve to be mired in controversy?

By Legal Week | April 21, 2011

"Talk of golf days being banned and arrests at Wimbledon – that was all hype," says Barry Vitou, Pinsent Masons partner and co-author of thebriberyact.com, discussing the much-touted anti-corruption legislation that will finally come into effect later this summer. And the implementation of the Bribery Act has certainly been noticed; arguably not since the Human Rights Act 1998 has a piece of primary legislation with wide implications for companies attracted such sustained political controversy. In the wake of a fierce lobbying campaign from business groups claiming, in one case, that the Act would be like equivalent US legislation "on acid" – leading to extreme claims that even basic corporate hospitality would be banned under the legislation – the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced in January that the Act's implementation would be delayed from its target of April 2011.

1 minute read

The Recorder

As California Moves Closer to Decriminalizing Psychedelics, Harvard Law Launches Research Center

By Karen Sloan | July 2, 2021

The law school's Petrie-Flom Center is launching the nation's first research initiative on psychedelics and the law.

3 minute read

The Recorder

Despite Dismissal of Facebook Suits, Lawyers Say an Antitrust Surge Is Still Coming for Silicon Valley

By Andrew Goudsward | July 1, 2021

Facebook notched a temporary antitrust win this week, but lawyers say bipartisan support remains for targeting Silicon Valley.

5 minute read

Legaltech News

Florida Could Be Next on the Docket for Outside Ownership of Law Firms

By Dan Packel | July 1, 2021

A Florida committee is recommending opening the doors to law firm ownership rules in the state, but it also acknowledged resistance among lawyers in the state.

4 minute read

New York Law Journal

Hemp and CBD Regulation: Beyond Delta-8 THC

By Alex Malyshev | June 29, 2021

In his Cannabis Law column, Alex Malyshev reviews New York's soon-to-be-finalized hemp and CBD regulations and their interplay with federal guidance.

7 minute read

National Law Journal

Kellogg Hansen Lands Temporary Win for Facebook in Antitrust Showdown

By Andrew Goudsward | June 28, 2021

The blow comes as the Biden administration is expected to step up antitrust enforcement of Big Tech.

3 minute read

Law.com

Where Is the Consumer In Consumer Privacy Legislation?

By Rita W. Garry | June 25, 2021

In the past several months, the amount of state legislative activity around consumer data privacy laws has been frantic, by state legislatures standards. So much so, it is not easy to discern the cause for all this effort.

8 minute read

New York Law Journal

Resolving Cannabis Disputes in New York

By Paul D. Sarkozi | June 24, 2021

The Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, legalizing adult use of cannabis in New York, has provided a framework for the potential multi-billion dollar, highly regulated industry but passage of the bill is only the first step before growers, distributors and retailers can legally sell cannabis to consumers.

8 minute read

The Recorder

Google's Ad Business Faces European Commission Antitrust Investigation

By Linda A. Thompson | June 23, 2021

Previous antitrust investigations into Google's search, mobile operating system and advertising services have resulted in billion-euro fines.

3 minute read

Legaltech News

Virtual, Augmented Reality Tech Has Arrived—But Isn't Receiving Special Regulatory Attention

By Victoria Hudgins | June 23, 2021

With indirect regulation, little public outcry and a tech industry eager to self-regulate, AR and VR platforms aren't likely to come under the scrutiny that technologies like AI have garnered over the past few years.

4 minute read

The Recorder

9th Circuit Revives Suit Challenging California's Corporate Board Diversity Law

By Cheryl Miller | June 21, 2021

The challenged state law requires companies with six or more directors to have at least three women serving on each of their boards by the end of the year.

4 minute read