Due to the effects of the recent economic crisis, the need arose to make it easier for insolvent companies to continue their business through a restructuring. Up until now there has been the Bankruptcy Act (Konkursordnung – KO) alongside with the Composition Act (Ausgleichsordnung - AO) in Austria ...
Recent Federal Circuit Decision on Section viii Carve Outs and Inducement By C. Kyle Musgrove, Partner On November 1, 2010, a divided 2-1 panel of the Federal Circuit issued a decision in AstraZeneca LP v. Apotex, Inc. that addresses inducement of infringement in the context of a Section viii "carve out" under 21 U.S.C. § 355(j)(2)(A)(viii) and 21 C.F.R. § 314.92(a)(1) ...
Spotlight on Corporate Governance One of the impacts of the global financial crisis on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been an increased spotlight on corporate governance standards in the UAE. The Ministry of Economy published Ministerial Resolution No. 518 of 2009 (MR 518) which provides for enhanced corporate governance rules and discipline standards for UAE Public Joint Stock Companies (PJSC) ...
An almost universal feature of commercial loan agreements is the inclusion of representations and warranties regarding the financial statements and condition of the borrower. A recent case examined whether under New York law, sophisticated lenders can reasonably rely upon such representations in asserting claims of fraud instead of being required to make an independent investigation into the books and records of the Borrower. In DDJ Management LLC, et al v. Rhone Group L.L.C ...
The financial crisis of 2008 and the subsequent recession have taken their toll on the funding of all infrastructure projects and the renewable energy sector has not been immune to its effects. Banks and public finance institutions were increasingly reluctant to advance loans for projects, as preserving capital resources became critically important to help ensure their survival in the financial and economic maelstrom ...
Most patent applicants can now accelerate the examination of a select number of patent applications in exchange for abandoning an equal number of unexamined, pending applications, according to an announcement issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“PTO”) on June 24, 2010 ...
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) is seeking public comment on a proposed three-track patent examination initiative that would provide applicants with greater control over the speed at which their applications are examined. The proposed initiative aims to reduce overall pendency of patent applications by providing applicants with alternative timing systems for the examination of their patent applications ...
Which group of creditors is entitled to the money held by a monitor for purposes of carrying out a plan of arrangement under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (“CCAA”) when the debtor goes bankrupt prior to the distribution: only the creditors covered by the plan of arrangement, or all of the creditors, even those not covered by the plan, for example, subsequent creditors? This controversial issue was considered by Judge Jean-Yves Lalonde in
a recent Superior Court decision rendered in the Province of Quebec is of interest. This decision rendered by Judge Jean-François Emond, sitt ing in Bankruptcy division for the Superior Court in the District of Quebec City, deals with a Progress Payment Agreement and a Mast er Lease Agreement between a financing company, Maxium Financial Services Inc. (hereinafter: “Maxium”) and a golf cart rental company, Desrosiers Golf Inc. (hereinafter: “Desrosiers”) ...
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which hears all U.S. patent infringement appeals, issued an order on April 26, 2010 requesting briefs from the parties in Therasense, Inc. v. Becton, Dickinson, and Co. (appeal no. 2008-1511) to consider en banc the standards by which courts should find “inequitable conduct ...
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which hears all U.S. patent infringement appeals, issued an order on April 26, 2010 requesting briefs from the parties in Therasense, Inc. v. Becton, Dickinson, and Co. (appeal no. 2008-1511) to consider en banc the standards by which courts should find “inequitable conduct ...
On April 16, 2010, the Quebec Court of Appeal issued a judgment concerning the right of a general partnership (“S.E.N.C.”) to file for assignment under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (the “BIA”) without its partners having also filed for the assignment of their assets, themselves ...
The Quebec Court of Appeal issued a judgment concerning the right of a general partnership (“S.E.N.C.”) to file for assignment under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (the “BIA”) without its partners having also filed for the assignment of their assets, themselves ...
Maintaining cash flow is a significant challenge in the current economic climate. What started as a 'credit crunch' is now a real squeeze for business - with customers trying to defer payment terms while suppliers apply pressure for earlier payment. Pre-contract Truly effective credit management begins at the pre-contractual stage, as this is usually the point of greatest leverage with the customer ...
Website owners have had a legal duty to make their websites accessible to the disabled for more than a decade. With the new Equality Act 2010 reinforcing those duties later this year, now is a good time for website owners to remind themselves of their duties and prepare for the new Act ...
The music, film and broadcast industries look set to get the robust protection from illegal peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing they crave, as the Digital Economy Bill moves closer to becoming law. It passed its third reading at the House of Commons on 7 April ...
1. The Concepts of “Trust” and “Security Trustee” It would be difficult to identify a universally accepted definition of “trust” and “security trustee” although these legal concepts appear to be well-developed in common law systems and are also acknowledged in a few civil law jurisdictions ...
Proposals to extend the scope of freedom of information in Scotland will, if accepted, expand an existing risk to the commercial confidentiality of companies bidding for public sector contracts ...
Google France, Google Inc. -V- Louis Vuitton Malletier and others, European Court of Justice Cases C-236/08, C-237/08 And C-238/08 The European Court of Justice ruled this week that Google did not infringe trademark rights by letting advertisers purchase keywords corresponding to their competitors’ trademarks in Google’s AdWords program ...
On 19 October 2009, the Minister of Communications and Informatics issued Regulation, No. 42/PER/M.KOMINFO/10/2009, regarding The Procedures for Obtaining a Licence for a Foreign Based Broadcast Company Conducting Activities in Indonesia, as an implementing regulation of Government Regulation No. 49 of 2005 on Foreign Based Broadcast Companies. A foreign based broadcast company is a broadcast company established according to foreign laws and/or having offshore headquarters ...
The most senior decision-making body of a university, the governing body (council) exists 'to oversee the development and adoption of institutional strategic plans and key policies, to monitor and review the institution's overall performance and to bear ultimate accountability for the institution' ...
If universities want to ensure that they own inventions developed by academic staff in the course of their employment, they need to review their IP arrangements and take immediate steps to ensure that they have properly secured those rights ...
In Roadshow Films Pty Ltd v iiNet Limited (No 3), Justice Cowdroy considered whether iiNet Limited (iiNet), the third largest internet service provider (ISP) in Australia, should be held liable for infringement of copyright by its subscribers, on the basis that iiNet had authorised those infringements.Proceedings were brought against iiNet by 34 applicants comprising many of the major film studios and their exclusive licensees in Australia (applicants) ...
To be considered a support payment according to both the federal and provincial tax laws and regulations, payments must consist of an amount that is receivable on a periodic basis for the maintenance of the recipient and/or a child of the recipient. The recipient, or creditor of support, must have discretion as to the use of this amount ...