In this issue:

- ISS Launches New Equity Plan Data Verification Portal

- ISDA Publishes Protocol for 2014 Credit Derivatives Definitions

- FinCEN Issues Advisories for US Financial Institutions

- CFTC Provides Limited Relief to SEFs from Certain Confirmation and Recordkeeping Requirements

- Judge Rakoff Rules that Bitcoin Is Money in New York Federal Court

- Parkcentral v. Porsche: Second Circuit Opens the Doors of Morrison, and Declines to Apply Section 10(b) to Domestic Securities-Based Swap Transactions

- Texas Court of Appeals Decertifies Class of Brigham Shareholders

- SEC Charges Colorado Woman and Her Two Companies with Offering Fraud

- OCC Issues Merchant Processing Booklet

- FCA Publishes Supervisory Approach to Financial Promotions in Social Media

- ESMA Publishes Updated List of Non-EEA Central Counterparties Applying for Recognition Under EMIR

- Excerpt from ISS Launches New Equity Plan Data Verification Portal:

On August 14, Institutional Shareholders Services Inc. (ISS), a leading proxy advisory firm, announced the launch of a new equity plan data verification portal for all US companies receiving proxy recommendations. The intent of this portal is to ensure that ISS’s voting recommendations for its institutional investor clients reflect the most current and accurate data, and this portal may help to alleviate concerns expressed by issuers that some past voting recommendations may not have been based upon accurate information about the equity plans. This portal follows similar recent ISS verification initiatives, including its Governance QuickScore Data Verification program and S&P 500 Draft Review process. With this portal, a US company that is submitting an equity plan proposal for approval by its shareholders will now have the opportunity to review ISS’s data and resolve any discrepancies before ISS makes its voting recommendation on the proposal.