March 11, 2022 By Philip Nulud The metaverse and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are common buzzwords as of late. Many brands such as Nike®, Victoria Secret®, TaylorMade®, and others are rushing to stake their claims on “goods” in the metaverse, as well as NFTs. Why are they doing so, and why is it important to protect your intellectual property as it pertains to the metaverse and NFTs? Let’s start with a quick explanation on the metaverse and NFTs ...
Background Ukrainian citizens fleeing their homeland due to the ongoing crisis are welcome to Romania, where they will receive protection and necessary support. During their stay in Romania, accommodation, food and medical services are accessible for Ukrainians seeking safety from the ongoing military invasion, as a result of a combined effort of the authorities and unrivalled mobilization of private entities and the civil society ...
The insurance industry typically has a significant role to play in public inquiries, and in this article we consider this from the perspective of insurance companies and policyholders. The Rt Hon Baroness Heather Hallett DBE has been appointed Chair of the upcoming UK COVID-19 Inquiry (“the Inquiry”) and we currently await publication of the Terms of Reference, which will determine the scope of the investigation ...
Kochhar & Co. advised UK-based integrated manufacturing-services and power products company, Volex plc on its acquisition of majority stake in inYantra Technologies Pvt Ltd, an electronics design and manufacturing services company for USD 13 million (approx. INR 100 crore). The transaction entailed subscription to fresh equity issued by inYantra Technologies as also purchase of equity from the existing shareholders, by Volex plc through its Indian subsidiary ...
Two years after Portland law firms sent employees home to work remotely during the Covid-19 public emergency, they are starting to return to downtown — but not to the five-day-a-week routine of pre-pandemic times. “As employers, we have to be flexible to the myriad of circumstances,” said Graciela Gomez Cowger, CEO of Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt. “We’ve been profoundly disrupted ...
The enforceability of restrictive covenants is critical to protecting organisations’ legitimate business interests. A recent summary judgment application sheds light on the approach to be taken where covenants are contained in a shareholders’ agreement ...
A recent decision from Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal addressed the issue of whether a subcontractor that failed to obtain local licenses required by a county ordinance was allowed to litigate claims for work that required those licenses ...
In January, Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal affirmed a $638,794.10 award for damages in favor of a utility contract, and reversed an award of $177,750 in liquidated damages in favor of the county that hired it. The damages awarded arose from an improper stoppage of work and delay in construction by the county. Sarasota County Florida v. Southern Underground Industries, Inc ...
On Feb. 24, 2022, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the redesign of its Global and Professional Direct Contracting (GPDC) accountable care organization (ACO) into one that focuses on health equity. The redesigned model, Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (REACH), was modified to reflect the Biden administration’s policy priorities as well as stakeholder feedback and participant experience ...
On February 28, 2022, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued new guidance on the state's masking requirements to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The key changes in the guidance show a post-Omicron variant and surge shift from mandatory masking, to a strong recommendation to mask in certain settings ...
March 2, 2022 By Kathryn Fox and Skye Daley It is becoming increasingly common that when an employee files suit against their current or former employer, they file not only against the company they worked for day-to-day but also against any related company ...
Holiday pay cases continue to make their way through the court system. One of the most significant of these, brought by Mr Smith against Pimlico Plumbers, has hit the press again, leaving employers with yet more uncertainty. Background Workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks' paid holiday per year under the Working Time Regulations 1998 (the “WTR”), made up of 4 weeks’ leave derived from the Working Time Directive (Euro-Leave) and an additional 1 ...
Introduction There are multiple insurance policies available on the market to protect your property in Quebec. But how well do you know all your options? In 2016, we addressed peer-to-peer insurance, which is essentially a community of users wanting to insure similar goods and services together.1 However, in November 2021, the Superior Court of Québec rendered an interesting decision2 on self-insurance in the context of insurance offered by two (2) student associations ...
Joint employers and independent contractors need to be aware of recent announcements of both the United States Department of Labor (DOL) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). These bodies have announced significant changes to current regulations with respect to their standards for joint employers and independent contractors ...
The new UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021) came into effect on 2 February 2022. The new Labour Law replaced the previous 1980 statute (Federal Law No. 8 of 1980, as amended). The new Labour Law is generally applicable to employment relationships in the private sector in the UAE (excluding the DIFC and ADGM free zones) ...
We thought the conclusion of a long-delayed inquiry by the Charity Commission into the collapse of the high-profile charity Kids Company would be the last word on this matter, but there may well be another twist... If you’ve followed what has been happening in the charity sector over the last seven years - or even if you’ve just been reading the news in that time - the chances are you’ll have heard of Kids Company and about its spectacular collapse in 2015 ...
On February 18th, 2022, the Asset Management Association of China (“AMAC”) issued the Announcement on Issues related to Application for Fund Practitioner Qualification by Overseas Fund Professionals (关于境外基金专业人才申请基金从业资格有关事项的公告, the “Announcement”), allowing eligible overseas professionals to register with AMAC as PRC fund practitioners ...
In our first quarterly case law update of the year, we take a look at some of the key cases published since October 2021 and consider the lessons that can be learned from them. Disability Discrimination We have seen over recent months an increased awareness and discussion around menopause, particularly regarding the impact that menopause can have in the workplace ...
Starting January 30, 2022, new federal contracts that are not procurement contracts must include a clause requiring federal contractors to pay at least $15 per hour to workers performing work on or in connection with the federal contract. That minimum wage rate will increase annually based on changes to the Consumer Price Index. The federal government predicts that this requirement may impact over half a million firms. Federal contractors with procurement contracts (i.e ...
