Baker's Trademark Developments of 2024
2024 has been a busy year in all intellectual property. It has been especially busy in trademark law. Here are the top seven cases in trademark law to date… more
2024 has been a busy year in all intellectual property. It has been especially busy in trademark law. Here are the top seven cases in trademark law to date… more
Our Investment Funds Group examines how the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has amended Regulation 4.7 to increase investor suitability standards and provide additional flexibility for funds-of-funds reporting… more
While 2023 saw a slight increase in the number of FCPA enforcement actions from 2022, there was a marked decline in total penalties from the prior year. Last year, the DOJ and the SEC resolved a total of 14 corporate enforcement… more
On July 31, 2024, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed into law a bill that makes Massachusetts the 11th state to mandate pay transparency, joining California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New York… more
On August 27, 2024, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued an order filing and simultaneously settling charges against a Swiss energy trader (the “Company”), for allegedly attempting to manipulate the European gasoline market… more
In Platinum Optics Tech. Inc. v. Viavi Sols. Inc., the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) issued a precedential decision on the requirements for standing to appeal from an inter partes review (IPR) final written… more
The legal sports betting industry raked in $11 billion last year, plus billions in tax revenues for states. You can’t get through a 30-second TV timeout without 90 seconds of commercials for legal gaming sites. Since 2018 when the U.S… more
On July 30, 2024, United States Senators Christopher Coons (R-Delaware) and Thomas Cotton (R-Arkansas) introduced the “Realizing Engineering, Science, and Technology Opportunities by Restoring Exclusive Patent Rights Act of 2024” or… more
On September 13, 2024, the Colorado Attorney General’s (AG) Office published proposed draft amendments to the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) Rules. The proposals include new requirements related to biometric collection and use (applicable… more
On August 22, 2024, Judge Harvey Bartle III of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania denied a motion to compel defendants to provide information concerning the “subjective beliefs” of their… more
Summaries of the agenda items for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's monthly open meeting to be held on September 19, 2024, pursuant to the sunshine notice released on September 12, 2024… more
On August 15, 2024, Judge Stephen A. Higginson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, writing for a panel, dismissed an appeal from U.S. Anesthesia Partners (“USAP”) in its ongoing litigation against the Federal… more
The case for couples to get (or at least strongly consider) a prenuptial agreement is simple: it is much easier to get into a marriage than it is to get out of one… more
In what should come as no surprise to FinTech sponsor banks, the FDIC is reemphasizing the need to maintain control over synthetic account ledgers in the wake of the Synapse collapse. On September 17, the FDIC's rulemaking board… more
The Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”) has posed significant litigation risk to businesses collecting biometric information since its adoption in 2008. Last year, an Illinois Supreme Court decision magnified that risk… more
In R. v. Greater Sudbury (City), 2024 ONSC 3959, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (OSCJ) dismissed an appeal of the trial judge’s decision in which she acquitted the City of Sudbury (City) of various charges under the Occupational… more
On September 9, the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury (collectively, the Departments) released a final rule to strengthen implementation of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA)… more
The Securities and Exchange Commission let pass the deadline to seek a review of the decision by the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (the “Fifth Circuit”) to vacate the SEC’s final rule relating to private fund advisers (the… more
This is part of a series from Nelson Mullins' AI Task Force. We will continue to provide additional insight on both domestic and international matters across various industries spanning both the public and private sectors… more
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the "IRA")—President Biden's landmark climate change legislation—created or expanded tax credits for various renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, and hydropower, as well as for hydrogen… more
Co-op and condo boards have a legal obligation to provide reasonable accommodations to residents with disabilities. Residents often request permission to live with their so-called emotional support or therapy animals (“ESAs”) in… more
On July 4, 2024, the UK general election took place, and the Labour Party won with a significant majority. After 14 years of Conservative Party rule, a number of changes are now expected in respect of the UK's position on climate… more
On September 17, 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) proposed listing the Kentucky creekshell (Villosa ortmanni) as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and designating critical habitat for the… more
On August 1, 2024, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled in O’Reggio v. Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities that the definition of “supervisor” set forth by the U.S. Supreme Court in Vance v. Ball State University to establish… more
The Israeli Privacy Protection Authority recently published a binding directive addressing the board of director’s responsibilities for the fulfillment of a company’s obligations prescribed in the Privacy Protection Regulations (Data… more
As part of the government’s wider review of the electricity transmission network via the Integrated Transmission Planning and Regulation Project, and after its successful introduction of competition to offshore transmission assets and… more
On June 28, 2024, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) requested the public’s views on the current state of the common law experimental use exception to patent infringement and whether legislative action should be… more
On September 10, 2024, the SEC settled charges against Keurig for "incomplete and inaccurate" ESG disclosures about the recyclability of Keurig's K-Cup pods, signaling a continued focus on environmental-related disclosures despite the… more
On August 29, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Prescription Drug Promotion (OPDP) issued an untitled letter to AbbVie, Inc. (AbbVie) regarding a promotional, direct-to-consumer (DTC) television advertisement… more
Most of the focus over the past year has been on the events of October 7 and the ensuing war. Not only the citizens, but also the legislative and regulatory authorities in Israel have been devoting most of their time to deal with these… more
The Department of State released the October 2024 Visa Bulletin and USCIS will accept employment-based Adjustment of Status applications based on the more advanced Dates for Filing chart for the beginning of this fiscal year..… more
What’s the Tea in L&E is a video series focused on the latest trends and updates in labor and employment law. In this short video, Woods Rogers L&E attorneys Leah Stiegler and Emily Kendall Chowhan discuss putting in place important… more
What if I told you that California of all places – where virtually any adult can purchase marijuana on demand – was trying to harsh the mellow of citizens trying to access certain hemp-derived products? On the next 30 for 30… more
On August 28, the CFPB issued a Consumer Advisory warning that it believes video game companies are targeting children for monetary gain. With 45.7 million U.S. children engaged in video gameplay, the agency is concerned about the… more
The summaries below are based on publicly available information in the dockets listed on the FERC agenda at the time of publication. For ease of reference, a link to each lead docket on the meeting agenda has been included. The… more
On March 27, 2024, the Italian legislature enacted reforms to attract new investors to the Italian capital markets and improve corporate governance following guidelines issued by former Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s government in 2022… more
In a recent amicus brief submitted to the Colorado Supreme Court, the Colorado Attorney General’s (AG) office has expressed its support for plaintiffs in a case that raises questions about the interplay between Colorado’s… more
The Sedona Conference (TSC) and its Working Group 6 on International Electronic Information Management, Discovery, and Disclosure recently published their Commentary on Proportionality in Cross-Border Discovery (Commentary) for public… more
Pennsylvania AG Michelle Henry announced yesterday the launch of an online portal for businesses to report data breaches to the AG’s office. The portal launch comes before Pennsylvania’s new breach amendments take effect on September… more
On August 29, 2024, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (“DPU”) issued a highly anticipated order approving the Electric Sector Modernization Plans (“ESMPs”) filed by the three Massachusetts electric distribution companies… more
Alan Harter is the founder and CEO of Pactolus, a platform dedicated to knowledge-sharing and bespoke solutions tailored for discerning entrepreneurs and their high-net-worth families. Founded in 2011, Pactolus is dedicated to… more
The US Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services (the Departments) recently issued much-anticipated final regulations under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). The newly issued final… more
On September 12, the Washington Supreme Court affirmed a Court of Appeals decision that declared the City of Sammamish––and all other municipalities enumerated under Revised Code of Washington 8.12.030––does not lose its statutory… more
On September 13, 2024, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced the final Section 301 tariff increases on imports from China,1 following its original proposal in May 2024. Electric vehicles, electric vehicle batteries… more
The White House revealed its latest strategy to address PFAS, and the EPA extended the reporting deadline for its PFAS reporting rule… more
On September 9, 2024, the US Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and the Treasury (collectively, the Departments) finalized a rule titled Requirements Related to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. The… more
California's SB 1047, also known as the “Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act,” has passed the state’s Assembly and Senate and now awaits its fate on Governor Gavin Newsom's desk. By September 30… more
After a lengthy absence, the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (“SCDHHS”) announced on September 10, 2024, that its Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractor (“RAC”) program was resuming on October 1, 2024. SCDHHS… more
On September 13, the Biden-Harris Administration published a fact sheet regarding its intended plans for tackling the exponential increase of shipments claiming the de minimis exemption and calls upon Congress to complement those plans… more
Update: In August 2024, the California Legislature passed SB 219. This bill makes minor but important amendments to SB 253 and SB 261. Notably, SB 219 provides CARB with additional flexibility on the timing of Scope 3 disclosures… more
On August 12, 2024, the Second Circuit held that a plaintiff's hostile work environment claims were subject to the federal Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 ("EFAA"), even though the… more
On 10 September 2024, the UK government released its Statement of Changes amending the Immigration Rules. Key changes relevant to many of our clients are summarised below… more
Dans le marché fort dynamique de l’immobilier commercial actuel, il est essentiel de faire preuve de créativité pour faire avancer certaines opérations. L’une des stratégies de plus en plus utilisées est le recours à des prêts… more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) latest attempt to replace rulemaking with enforcement is in full force, notwithstanding a spate of historic Supreme Court decisions reflecting keen frustration with federal agency… more
On September 12, 2024, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published a report entitled Synthesis report on understanding Perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs) and their life cycle. OECD states that the report… more
I’m old enough to remember when they would do ads for the Yellow Pages and they told you should let your finger do the walking… more
Australian Update - Guide to Sustainable Collaborations – ACCC - On 8 July 2024, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) published a draft guide on Sustainability collaborations and Australian competition law for… more
The 2012 JOBS Act permitted Emerging Growth Companies to initiate the IPO process by submitting their IPO registration statements confidentially to the SEC for nonpublic review by the SEC staff. The confidential process was intended to… more
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