Effective January 1, 2024, multinational companies (“MNCs”) intending to do business in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (“KSA”) with a KSA government entities are required to incorporate their regional headquarters (“RHQ”) in KSA. Qualifying… more
On April 17, 2024, the Oregon Court of Appeals recognized a government employee’s whistleblower claim under state law against a city that employed him under an intergovernmental agreement with another city… more
Court: Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois - On April 19, a Chicago jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $45 million to the family of a Cook County woman named Theresa Garcia who died from mesothelioma, allegedly caused by exposure… more
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplaces have nearly tripled their enrollment in their first decade of operation, from eight million people in 2014 to 21.4 million in 2024. At the national level, the ACA has helped cut the… more
In this video alert, Dave Albo and Kevin Pomfret review bills discussed in the General Assembly concerning artificial intelligence (AI), the results from the recently concluded legislative session and the executive order issued by… more
Good Afternoon! This is Akin’s biweekly policy newsletter on space policy and regulatory developments, providing information on major space headlines and forthcoming space-related events and hearings..… more
In a single decade, the prosecutions of those accused of white-collar crime underwent a radical transformation. This thought-provoking episode will take you back in time to explore the DOJ's approach in the early 2000s Enron era and… more
California’s Emerald Triangle is a famed region in the Golden State for the cultivation of top-notch cannabis. In particular, Humboldt County is home to some of the nation’s most seasoned, generational cannabis farming families. One… more
Every year, the global regulatory landscape becomes more complex. New legislation, evolving standards of practice, and enforcement nuances can be too obscure – or too fast-moving – for in-house compliance or legal functions to… more
Iavor Stoyanov v. Himont Law Group, Ltd., et al., 2024 IL App (1st) 221434-U (April 15, 2024) - Brief Summary - The First District Appellate Court in Illinois held that the trial court (Judge Patrick J. Sherlock) was correct in… more
Court: United States District Court, Middle District of Florida - On Thursday April 18, a Florida jury found the talcum powder in Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder product did not cause the ovarian cancer of deceased Sarasota County… more
The Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division issued final regulations, effective March 11, 2024, which are intended to serve as a practical guide to employers on how the DOL determines whether a worker is an employee or… more
The other week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a Report to Congress under the FTC Collaboration Act that requires the FTC to conduct a study on its efforts with state attorneys general to combat fraud across the United… more
Years ago, Laney Griner took a picture of her then toddler son, Sam, at the beach clenching his fist in what appeared like a celebratory gesture. The photo went viral, and later became a widely used meme on the internet known as… more
On April 22, 2023, South Texas Oncology and Hematology (“STOH”) filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Texas after discovering that a recent cyberattack compromised patients’ confidential information. In this… more
The updates include a report from the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited on review of issuers’ annual reports, a summary of private reprimands, and disciplinary actions… more
On April 19, 2024, Valley Mountain Regional Center (“VRMC”) filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Montana after discovering that an unauthorized party was able to access information stored on the company’s computer… more
Federal law prohibits employers from relying on certain protected statuses (race, color, religion, sex, or national origin) when making employment decisions. Lower courts have required employees suing employers to point to a materially… more
For the first time in nearly 15 years, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued “Updated Guidance for Making a Proper Determination of Obviousness” under the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex Inc.… more
In 2023, the digital asset industry demonstrated remarkable resilience amidst significant challenges, including the dissolution of several digital asset financial services companies, numerous bank failures, and a $4.7 billion fine… more
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) has finalized its regulations for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (“PWFA”), which went into effect last summer. After issuing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in August 2023… more
In today’s legal landscape, leveraging data analytics through data visualization has become indispensable for law firms. Data visualization transforms complex datasets into actionable insights, enabling legal marketers to refine their… more
One of the most popular incentives for service industry employees is the “Shift Drink” – a drink on the house to unwind after a work day. On the surface, the Shift Drink is a relatively low-cost and readily available perk that an owner… more
Our Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources Group clarifies a new Environmental Protection Agency rule that could complicate current Superfund cleanups and enforcement… more
The federal Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), formed under the National Defense Authorization Act, establishes new disclosure obligations for millions of companies operating in the United States and abroad including beneficial… more
On April 18, 2024, a jury in Seattle, Washington, determined that a not-for-profit hospital system employer would be required to pay nearly $100 million for time clock rounding and meal period violations, raising concerns for employers… more
To keep you informed of recent activities, below are several of the most significant federal and state events that have influenced the Consumer Financial Services industry over the past week..… more
Almost 15 years ago, in an effort to create greater predictability for patent litigation in the Northern District of Illinois, the District enacted Local Patent Rules (“LPR”).1 This annotated version of the LPRs is released in honor… more
At the March 13, 2024 Public Health Council meeting, the Department of Public Health’s inaugural Assistant Commissioner for Health Equity, Dr. Hafsatou Diop, MD, MPH, presented DPH’s Strategic Plan to Advance Racial Equity. Declaring… more
On April 22, 2024, the federal Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced a final rule enhancing privacy protections relating to reproductive health care. Specifically, the final rule amends the… more
On April 19, 2024, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) published its final rule adopting an expansive view of what counts as a pregnancy-related condition that triggers employer accommodation obligations under the… more
The United Auto Workers won a potentially momentum-shifting organizing victory last week. In a secret ballot election conducted by the NLRB at a Chattanooga, Tennessee Volkswagen plant, nearly 75% of the putative bargaining unit of… more
As anticipated, 2024 is bringing increased scrutiny of restrictive covenants by employers. At both the federal and state levels, non-compete agreements (“non-competes”) are being disfavored more than ever, with Maryland being the… more
Readers of our blog are well aware of the rash of recent lawsuits alleging that a company’s use of tracking software on its website constitutes a “pen register,” as defined under the California Invasion of Privacy Act (“CIPA”)… more
On April 19, 2024, the Coalition for Fair Trade in Ceramic Tile (“FTCT”), “the Coalition”, or “Petitioner”), filed a petition for the imposition of antidumping and countervailing duties on U.S. imports of ceramic tile from India… more
On April 16, Alvotech and Teva announced the FDA approval of SELARSDI™ (ustekinumab-aekn), biosimilar to Johnson and Johnson’s STELERA® (ustekinumab)… more
One year ago, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) that set forth several ideas related to America Invents Act (AIA) proceedings before the Patent Trial and… more
Today, the Supreme Court of the United States granted certiorari in two cases: Garland v. VanDerStok, No. 23-852: This administrative law and statutory interpretation case concerns the federal government’s ability to regulate… more
Massachusetts regulators have finalized a set of rules covering sports betting operators’ data-privacy obligations. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) agreed to several clarifications to its regulations, which were originally… more
Centaurs are mythological creatures with a human’s upper body, and a horse’s lower body. They symbolize a union of human intellect and animal strength. In AI technology, Centaurs refers to a type of hybrid usage of generative AI that… more
The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) adopted changes to Rule 15c6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended on February 15, 2023, to shorten the standard settlement cycle from T+2 to T+1. See 17 CFR Parts… more
Ohio’s campaign finance reporting deadlines were updated for 2024, please find the latest deadlines and other campaign finance compliance information on the chart here… more
Published in The Air & Space Lawyer, Volume 36, Number 2, 2024 - April 10, 2024 An airframe or engine general terms agreement (GTA) is an umbrella term for any agreement between (a) an entity that has an interest in an airframe or… more
In an article in the Fordham Journal of Corporate and Financial Law, “Minutes Are Worth the Minutes: Good Documentation Practices Improve Board Deliberations and Reduce Regulatory and Litigation Risk,” former Chief Justice of the… more
The JCT Design and Build 2024 contract has now been released, marking the first major update to the JCT Design and Build standard form since 2016. The changes are a lot more significant than the updates made last time around when the… more
On April 12, a unanimous Supreme Court held in Macquarie Infrastructure Corp. v. Moab Partners, L.P. that material omissions are actionable under Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and its enabling SEC Rule 10b-5 only if the omission… more
On April 18, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversed the dismissal of and reinstated a putative shareholders’ class action against an amusement park company (the Company”) and certain of its executives… more
The recent ANA Advertising Law 1-Day Conference, hosted in Katten’s New York office, included a panel about current legal trends in sports marketing featuring Sports and Sports Facilities Partner Daniel Render and Executive Vice… more
In Bissonnette v. LePage Bakeries, a unanimous Supreme Court clarified the scope of the Federal Arbitration Act’s (FAA’s) “transportation worker” exemption by rejecting the industry-based test applied in the Second Circuit. In doing… more
In Nu Skin Enterprises Inc. v. Raab, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals considered the preclusive effect of a state trial court decision as it related to the arbitrability of the parties’ dispute under the Federal Arbitration Act… more
Last week ended with several new developments in the lawsuit challenging the CFPB’s final credit card late fee rule (Rule), both of which appear to reduce the likelihood that the Rule will be stayed before its May 14 effective date… more
On April 19, 2024, the EEOC published in the Federal Register its 125-page final rule implementing the PWFA. The final rule will take effect on June 18, 2024… more
Kidnap and ransom (K&R) insurance is the corporate insurance that no one talks about—for good reason. Telling potential kidnappers that you have such an insurance policy (often referred to as a “special risk” or “special contingency”… more
On March 28, 2024, Brazil’s National Petroleum Agency (ANP) published the mandatory individual targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions for 2024. These targets consider the global target of 38.78 million Decarbonization Credits… more
Employers should review their handbooks and workplace conduct policies in light of a new development that could greatly expand the penalties for unfair labor practice charges. The NLRB’s General Counsel just issued a memo on April 8… more
Restricted funds are monies donated or bequeathed to a charity or non-profit organization such as a museum that come with limitations imposed by the donor on the investment, management or use of the funds. Examples include a… more
Participants will leave the presentation with an understanding of the impact of technology on the legal industry, the strategic management of technology in legal operations, and the skills necessary to navigate and lead in an evolving… more
Employers should get ready to comply with key workplace changes since New York lawmakers just finalized the state budget. The 2024-2025 budget – which was approved on April 20 – ushers in three significant updates impacting employers… more
