What Does it All Mean? With the new Democratic House majority and Republicans maintaining control of the Senate, Washington, D.C., now enters a period of divided government in the run up to the 2020 presidential election. Democrats and Republicans, including President Trump, will have to compromise on a budget and impending debt limit and sequestration, as well as spending levels for the coming fiscal years in order to avoid a government shutdown ...
Companies wanting to do good through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives face a quandary: how to ensure their aid is going where it is needed most. [Editor’s note: Last month, our firm was honoured to have won the President’s Volunteerism and Philanthropy Awards (PVPA) in the Small and Medium Enterprises category ...
In less than a decade, China has become the largest e-commerce market in the world, accounting for over 40% of global e-commerce according to a recent report by McKinsey. The breath-taking speed of development has left law makers scrambling to regulate the booming e-commerce industry ...
The value of the car is no longer merely associated with the car body, its engine or other material parts. Substantial value is found in the knowledge that controls the car – knowledge that does not only steer the car, but which may form the basis for maintenance and repairs planning, computing insurance premiums or indicating who is liable in the case of damage ...
Article PDF On October 19, 2018, the Treasury Department released proposed regulations regarding certain aspects of the new qualified opportunity funds ("QOF") and related qualified opportunity zones ...
Governor Brown signed into law a number of bills, which significantly impact employers. Unless otherwise indicated, each new law takes effect the begining of 2019. For an in-depth analysis of how each law might affect your organization, contact one of Hanson Bridgett's experienced labor and employment lawyers ...
Shipowners often face the decision as to which flag they should fly on their vessel. Several factors may influence the choice of flag. The shipowner's decision as to which flag they should fly on their vessel must be made when an owner is: registering a new build; changing flag in connection with a sale and purchase transaction; or concluding a bareboat contract ...
Recently, California legislators passed SB 954 creating a new pre-mediation requirement – the prospective Mediation Disclosure. "As soon as reasonably possible" before agreeing to mediate, attorneys are to present to clients a Mediation Disclosure affirmatively explaining mediation's confidentiality restrictions, execution of which acknowledges the client's understanding of the restriction's impact ...
Cryptocurrencies have captured the imaginations of individuals and emerging businesses drawn to their potential to serve as alternative stores of value, to reduce transaction costs by eliminating intermediaries. Most notably in popular culture and media - to provide eye-catching opportunities for speculative investing ...
To coincide with its 250th anniversary, Shepherd and Wedderburn commissioned the University of Strathclyde’s Fraser of Allander Institute to consider the future challenges and, more importantly, opportunities for Scotland’s economy ...
Impact of Trump Administration, Midterm Elections and the Rise of Automotive M&ARespondents to Dykema’s 14th Annual M&A Outlook Survey expressed the highest level of optimism for the M&A market in the 14-year history of the firm’s survey. Sixty-five percent of respondents expect the M&A market to strengthen over the next 12 months, significantly up from the mid- to high 30s where it has remained for the past several years ...
Brick and mortar retailers are rapidly diversifying checkout and payment methods to combat the erosion of sales to online channels and provide an improved shopping experience for consumers. From self-checkout kiosks, to store-specific mobile applications for payment, scan-as-you-go devices, and even ‘just walk out’ models, retailers are reinventing consumer’s notions of the traditional checkout line by going cashierless ...
The Spanish Tax Agency published on their webpage an information notice by the Customs and Special Taxes Department with the intention of “enabling interested parties to comply with their tax and customs obligations” as it regards the arrival and departure of recreational craft from the customs territory of the Union ...
On October 3, 2018, the IRS issued guidance for employers on how to claim tax deductions for business meals this year. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, ("TCJA") business expenses for "entertainment" are no longer deductible, effective for 2018. However, the TCJA did not modify the separate 50% deduction for expenses for business meals, which left employers wondering how to distinguish a business meal from entertainment ...
Many companies are currently facing challenges in relation to the GDPR compliance of their video surveillance. Main issues in this respect are questions related to transparency requirements and information notices, the need for a data protection impact assessment as well as questions concerning retention requirements and retention periods. The German Federal Labor Court (BAG) has recently commented on the admissible storage duration of lawful video recordings ...
Classic Maritime Inc. v Limbungan SDN BHD & Anor [2018] EWHC 2389 (Comm) This case arose out of a dispute relating to the correct interpretation of an “exceptions clause” which excused non-performance of a contract in circumstances that are usually described asforce majeure ...
The rise of e-commerce and the struggle many brick-and-mortar retail stores face is nothing new. Customers are increasingly choosing to shop for clothes, furniture and even groceries from the convenience of their own homes. More recently, however, this shift in the way consumers shop has given rise to new types of retail stores – small showrooms and “pop-up shops ...
In its green paper on corporate governance reform, the Government sought views on measures designed to address "a widespread perception that executive pay has become increasingly disconnected from both the pay of ordinary working people and the underlying long-term performance of companies" ...
On September 11, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced its first enforcement actions alleging that entities offering certain investments in cryptocurrencies should be registered as an investment adviser or broker-dealer ...
Over the last few years, news that some of the nation's most iconic retail stores have closed has become more frequent. Yesterday, Poundworld entered administration. Last week, House of Fraser announced it would be closing 31 stores, many of which are in some the UK's largest cities. It is no secret that many retailers have been adversely affected by the shopping habits of consumers, ever since the advent of a new pastime - buying online ...
As we reported in our May 31, 2018 Alert, the California Legislature has been considering legislation to prevent joint powers authority (JPA) member agencies from contracting out of liability for the JPA's pension obligations ...
Eduardo Corzo, a Counsel in Haynes and Boone’s Mexico City office who focuses on maritime and shipping law, contributed to a new legal guide titled, “Getting the Deal Through – Shipping 2019.” Eduardo wrote the chapter that covers shipping as governed by the law of Mexico. Each chapter in the guide covers key issues such as ship registrations and mortgages, maritime liens, and responsibilities and liabilities of the shipping company ...
On August 31, 2018 California’s legislature passed Senate Bill 1402. Unless vetoed by Governor Brown on or before September 30, SB 1402 will allow shippers to be held jointly liable for state labor and employment law violations by port trucking companies. The bill, which was authored by Senator Lara (D-Bell Gardens), is aimed at ending the purported “exploitation of truck drivers who haul cargo from California’s ports ...
