In This Issue:

..Export Controls: Increased Enforcement Demands an Effective Export Compliance Program -

United States exporters are subject to an extremely complex and often overlapping system of export laws and regulations. These laws and regulations are intended to keep our sensitive technologies out of the hands of our enemies and protect our national security. For obvious reasons, this focus on national security has intensified since September 11, 2001. Despite efforts to increase U.S. exports, on the one hand, the government is subjecting exporters to significantly increased scrutiny and sanctions for violations of export controls, on the other. It is, therefore, increasingly critical that U.S. exporters adopt and implement a robust Export Compliance Program to guard against violations...

..Serving as a Board Member is Serious Business -

Jim McMahon, a former quarterback for the Chicago Bears, has joined a long list of athletes who excelled on the field, but may not be well-equipped to star in the business world. Known for his sunglasses and for rebelling against authority (in the lyrics of the Super Bowl Shuffle, he describes himself as a “punky QB”), including coaches and the NFL Commissioner, McMahon led the 1985 Chicago Bears to a Super Bowl title. That team is still regarded as one of the most dominant football teams in NFL history...

..Trends in Health Care Transactions -

In June 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the validity of key provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”). That, coupled with President Obama’s re-election, means that health care reform is here to stay. While most of the provisions in the ACA won’t go into effect until 2014, the ACA’s impact in the healthcare industry is already visible as evidenced by the significant increase in the number of mergers and acquisitions among hospitals, physician groups, medical device companies, and health plans...