This pilot is a first-of-its-kind use of distributed ledger (Web3) SLC technology and is expected to deliver reduced operational costs and improved risk management for lenders. Based on natural language contract terms developed by SVW and converted to SLCs using Hunit’s AI-powered tools, MMB’s clients will benefit from simplified processes, streamlined monitoring, and improved contract fulfilment ...
What do a squeak toy, whiskey, and dog poop have in common? If you are silently thinking to yourself “absolutely nothing,” it may surprise you to hear that the U.S. Supreme Court has spent months considering this question. On June 8, 2023, in a long-awaited win for trademark owners, SCOTUS ruled that a lower court erred when it issued a decision finding that a dog toy that parodies a famous liquor bottle, was covered by First Amendment free speech protections ...
June 8, 2023 By: Stephanie Shea and Michael Flynn On June 6, 2023, the FDIC, FRB and OCC collectively issued a document entitled, “Interagency Guidance on Third-Party Relationships: Risk Management” (“2023 Guidance”). Prior to this, each of these agencies had issued separate guidance on third-party risk. This 2023 Guidance replaces those separate pieces on third-party risk ...
On June 23, 2023, major amendments to section 45 of the Competition Act1 (the ?Act?) are set to come into force. Adopted in 2022 by the Parliament of Canada, these amendments are primarily designed to harmonize Canadian non-competition law with legislation in various other countries, particularly the U.S., which restricts certain business practices regarded as harmful to workers ...
In May, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down its decision in Amgen Inc. v. Sanofi, which addressed the statutory enablement requirement for patents. The decision is consistent with ongoing efforts to strike a balance between innovation and competition, while preventing the extension of monopolies beyond the invention disclosure ...
The 2023 Foreign Bank Tracker, now in its eighth year reveals capital flow trends into Australia via foreign banks, and market analysis of the results ...
Cybersecurity is a looming threat for most businesses. The impact of a major cyber event can resonate for weeks, months, and even years after the initial attack. To mitigate the risks to consumers, there have been several legislative updates to address these evolving threats, including a significant change for entities in, and adjacent to, the financial services space ...
Most commentary around AI looks at the big picture or the future of work, but in this article we look at some practical data protection implications for businesses that are considering implementing AI systems. 1. Automated Decision-Making There are specific rules in both the EU and UK GDPR (in this article we will refer to both together) covering individuals’ rights when processing involves solely automated decision-making, including profiling ...
Managing Partner Simon Malko talked to Bloomberg’s Vivia Chen about how his own experiences dealing with stress and anxiety inspired him to make mental healthcare more accessible to everyone at the firm. He shared, “When I became a managing partner [in 2019], I had a lot of anxiety. I was dealing with a lot at work and the stress of raising two kids at home. I had an awful lot on my plate, and I was struggling with managing it all ...
On June 1, 2023, the United States Supreme Court issued an important decision addressing the intent element of the False Claims Act (“FCA”) in United States ex rel. Tracy Schutte v. SuperValu Inc. and United States ex rel. Thomas Proctor v. Safeway, Inc. The FCA imposes liability on anyone who “knowingly” submits a false claim to the federal government and defines “knowingly” to include actual knowledge, deliberate ignorance, or recklessness ...
Monday, May 29, 2023, marked the official end of the 88th regular session of the Texas Legislature. It was an especially active session for the energy industry, which saw the passage of several bills that, if signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott, will have significant and long-term impacts on the oil and gas, renewable energy and power sectors in Texas ...
Less than a month to go! Our Tax Team wishes to remind you of the fast-approaching deadline for the submission of your annual corporate tax returns for the financial year ended 31 March 2023 (“FY 2022-2023”). All Myanmar taxpayers (corporate entities, non-profit organizations, and individuals) should file their annual tax returns on or before 30 June 2023 ...
On May 30, 2023, the Cyberspace Administration of China (the "CAC") released the Guidelines for Filing Standard Contract for the Outbound Transfer of Personal Information (First Edition) (the "Filing Guidelines") ...
The way one handles documentation can make or break claims and defenses. Good documentation may increase your chances of prevailing in disputes that could arise down the road and may help avoid embarrassing landmines in general. When a party files a lawsuit or arbitration demand, parties may use rules of procedure to request documentation from parties in the dispute, and from entities outside the dispute that they otherwise may not be able to obtain ...
May 31, 2023 By: Stephanie Shea The California Unruh Act (specifically, California Civil Code § 51) prohibits “all business establishments of every kind whatsoever” from discriminating based on citizenship or immigration status, among other things. That protection applies to all persons within the jurisdiction of California. At the federal level, (simply put,) the federal civil rights statute (specifically, 42 U.S.C. § 1981), prohibits alienage discrimination ...
May 31, 2023 By: Marissa Alkhazov Governor Jay Inslee signed HB 1047, Washington State’s Toxic-Free Cosmetic Act (the Act) into law on May 15, 2023. The Act bans some of the most concerning chemicals added into cosmetic and personal care products, including PFAS, phthalates, formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasing agents ...
On May 30, 2023, the Expert Commission concluded the vote on the preliminary draft of the New Constitution, sending it to the Constitutional Council for discussion. After having reached cross-party agreements on most of the proposed amendments to the first draft, the Expert Commission approved in Plenary Session the text of the preliminary draft, which consists of 14 permanent Chapters, with their respective transitory provisions. The structure of the draft would be the following: Chapter I ...
Introduction Last week, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) had concluded the negotiation of the first trade agreement under the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade.1 This is the first bilateral trade agreement since the promulgation of the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979 ...
May 26, 2023 By: Stephanie Shea The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018 amended TILA to require the CFPB to issue rulemaking addressing Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) loans. Specifically, the Act required the CFPB to apply TILA’s ability-to-repay (ATR) requirements to PACE loans and to apply TILA’s civil liability provisions to a PACE lender’s violation of those ATR requirements ...
The Internal Revenue Department (“IRD”) has recently issued an announcement informing newly-registered companies, entities, and individuals to register for tax using the e-Registration Management System (“ERMS”) starting 23 May 2023. Prior to the ERMS, a taxpayer who is applying for a Taxpayer Identification Number (“TIN”) will have to manually submit the relevant documents to the Central Taxpayers Service Unit (“CTSU”) of the IRD ...
Contents Please click on the links below to jump to the relevant section: Overview Guarantees Collateral Security Financial assistance Syndicated Lending/Agency/Trustee/Transfers Withholding, stamp and other taxes; notarial and other costs Judicial enforcement Bankruptcy proceedings Jurisdiction and waiver of Immunity Licensing LIBOR replacement Other matters Overview What are the main trends/significant developments in the lending markets in your jurisdiction? As in o
The Charities Act 2022 is being introduced in phases. From June 2023 trustees will have greater flexibility over how they procure advice to ensure the terms on which they dispose of a charity’s interests in land are the best that can reasonably be obtained. Voluntary Service Overseas is one of the latest major charities to scale down its office space as it responds to the long-term changes resulting from Covid-19 ...
BT announced earlier this week that it plans to cut between 40,000 and 55,000 jobs by 2030. It expects around 10,000 of these roles to be replaced by AI, particularly in customer services. BT’s recent announcement is a reminder that increased use of AI is now a key board agenda item, with businesses exploring whether they can increase efficiency and improve operations by investing in generative AI ...
