The Issue: The explosive subject of sex trafficking has emerged in the media and in the public's consciousness around the world. Sexual activity in hotel rooms is not new, nor is it illegal for consenting adults. However, there are greater risks for hospitality operators who fail to maintain a certain level of vigilance about whether they may be enabling sex traffickers and facilitating their activities ...
In light of ongoing litigation between General Motors and Fiat Chrysler, Dinsmore partner Mark Carter wrote an article for Automotive News explaining the basics of RICO actions: "Any person injured in his or her business or property by a pattern of racketeering activity may have standing to seek relief pursuant to the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 ...
The sharing economy enters the home as rising property prices drive nomadic millennial singletons to seek an alternative to the inflexible rented apartment.An impromptu foosball game with your neighbour while waiting for the laundry. Cooking classes in a communal Masterchef-inspired kitchen. Movie screenings, board game nights, and in-house yoga and meditation sessions. These are but some of the activities to look forward to if you take up quarters in a co-living facility ...
On December 6, 2019, the Financial Analysis Unit (“UAF”) issued Resolution (oficio ordinario) No. 1745, applicable to all reporting entities detailed in Article 3 of Law No. 19,913 (e.g. banks, real estate management companies, insurance companies, among others), in order to enable them to effectively and correctly comply with General Instruction No. 59 dated May 24, 2019 (“Instruction No. 59”) ...
On December 27, 2019, the Chilean Pensions Superintendence (the “SP”) issued General Regulations No.68 and No.256, amending the Unemployment Insurance Regulation Compendium and Pension Funds Regulation Compendium, respectively, in order to organize the different regulations applicable to the investment of Pension Funds in alternative assets and consolidate the various instructions and resolutions issued by the SP between 2018 and 2019 ...
As we enter into a new decade, we cannot over emphasize the importance of protecting your brands. In this digital age, trademarks are becoming more vulnerable to infringement. Mass production and counterfeit products are swamping the market ...
Freezing orders are one of the most important weapons inacourt’s arsenal to prevent parties from disposing of or dissipating assetsto ensure they will be available to satisfy a potential future money judgment. In the British Virgin Islands, the court is empowered to grant a freezing order under the provisions of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and the Civil Procedure Rules ...
Kochhar & Co. Senior Partner, Suhas Srinivasiah, and Principal Associate, Ajay G Prasad, have co-authored the India chapter of the ‘Private Mergers & Acquisitions’ published by Practical Law, Thomson Reuters. The paper provides a holistic view of the M&A law in India and recent trends in the private M&A space” ...
In December of 2019, the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy (“Board”) proposed rule changes for medical marijuana dispensaries. These proposed rule changes came on the heels of increased regulatory scrutiny of ownership structures and consulting arrangements in recent months.1 The proposed rules ostensibly seek to revise and clarify the Board’s position on changes of ownership and control of medical marijuana dispensaries ...
The Indonesian competition authority, the Indonesian Commission for the Supervision of Business Competition (the “KPPU”) issued Regulation No.4 of 2019 on the Procedures for the Supervision and Handling of Partnership Cases (“Reg 4/2019”). This regulation replaces No.1 of 2015 on the Procedure for the Supervision of Partnerships, as amended, and Regulation No.1 of 2017 on the Procedures for Handling Partnership Cases, as amended (“Old Regulation”) ...
This article updates information published in "Is Your Online Business Accessible To Persons With Disabilities?" In 2018, practitioners scouring nationwide federal court records identified more than 2,250 lawsuits filed alleging website inaccessibility under Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)1 ...
Oh what a year it has been. 2019 has been a rollercoaster ride: Trump accelerates and then suddenly slams on the brakes on his tit-for-tat trade war with China. Hong Kong, hitherto the paradigm of pragmatism, lies smouldering as months of pro-democracy protests see no end. A Swedish girl (celebrating her 17th birthday just last Friday) becomes the unlikely face of environmentalism, shaming Boomers for doing nothing about climate change in front of the UN ...
With a new year comes changes. And one change is a law tying business license applications to California's water quality laws. Beginning January 1, 2020, Senate Bill 205 will require that certain applicants for either a new business license or a renewal from cities or counties show that they are complying with the federal Clean Water Act and California's Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act ...
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), National Security Division (NSD), recently published updated[1] policy guidance, effective immediately, for companies considering whether to voluntarily self-disclose potentially criminal violations of U.S. export control and sanctions statutes.[2] The policy, dated Dec ...
After five long years since the issuance of Law No.7 of 2014 on Trade (the "Trade Law"), the Government of Indonesia finally issued an implementing regulation on e-commerce on 20 November 2019, through Government Regulation No. 80 of 2019 on Trade through the Electronic System ("GR 80/2019"). This regulation is part of the Government's efforts to encourage internet-based transactions and trading as part of making Indonesia 4.0. GR 80/2019 has 19 chapters and an extensive scope ...
With the signing of a Protocol of Amendments (“PoA”) and the approval by the U.S. House of implementing legislation, the United States, Canada and Mexico are on track for final approval of the US-Canada-Mexico Agreement (the “USMCA”) by the middle of February 2020, which is the anticipated time frame for the vote by the U.S. Senate. If that proceeds as expected, the USMCA would take effect 90 days later, before the end of May ...
Summary of Public Policy and Prior Amendments The Minimum Fuels Storage Public Policy (the “Public Policy”) was released by Mexico’s Ministry of Energy (“SENER”) on December 12, 2017. The objective is to improve energy security in Mexico and ensure adequate energy supply and competitive prices, through the establishment of mandatory minimum fuel inventories and reporting obligations ...
Recent enforcement actions initiated by the Bureau of Industry and Security’s (“BIS”) Office of Antiboycott Compliance (“OAC”) serve as a warning to U.S. persons (including U.S. companies) with business interests in and around the Middle East. It is easy for the complacent to run afoul of OAC’s Antiboycott Regulations when evaluating and responding to otherwise routine documents such as a letters of credit, shipping certificates, or purchase orders ...
The DIFC has provided slightly more clarity as to how UAE Cabinet Decision 31 of 2019 (the Economic Substance Regulations, or ESR) will apply within Dubai’s financial free zone. Helpful as the guidance is, significant questions remain. The DIFC held a presentation on 17 December to discuss the Economic Substance Regulations. The first point of note was that all businesses in the DIFC must file an ESR notification by 31 March 2020 ...
As we approach the end of 2019, we look back on the requirement introduced by the Companies (Miscellaneous Reporting) Regulations 2018 (Regulations) for very large private companies to make a statement about their corporate governance arrangements. This statement relates to financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2019 and as we head into 2020, the new year will bring with it the start of the first actual reporting period under the Regulations ...
Data protection in the United States is about to undergo a major change, and everyone needs to be ready. The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), signed into law June 28, 2018, enters into effect Jan. 1, 2020. It creates several new obligations for many United States-based businesses with regard to the collection, treatment, and sale of personal information ...
For decades, patent owners who appealed refusal of their sought-after registrations with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) were responsible for their own costs, fees and certain expenses incurred by the USPTO (e.g. travel expenses, expert fees and copying), as required by Section 145 of the Patent Act (35 U.S.C §145) ...
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”), the interagency panel at the Department of the Treasury that reviews transactions for potential national security risks, recently released the public version of its latest annual report to Congress ...
On Dec. 3, 2019, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and the Office of the Comptroller of Currency (OCC) in conjunction with the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) issued a joint statement entitled “Providing Financial Services to Customers Engaged in Hemp-Related Businesses ...
Will the release of its digital currency be China’s next salvo in its bid for world domination?One of the biggest developments in global finance has recently occurred, but not enough people are talking about it. It features technology, money and a battle between global superpowers ...