In the lead up to the Expo 2020, the UAE government has taken a number of measures to promote economic diversification, foster growth, and stimulate the region’s innovation environment. The government’s push to develop the private equity, venture capital, and start-up eco-system is a central component of this agenda ...
In Praxair Distrib., Inc. v. Mallinckrodt Hosp. Prods. IP Ltd., 2016-2616, -2656, in a decision authored by Judge Lourie, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held that the printed matter doctrine is properly applied during claim construction and can include not just printed matter, but also mental steps ...
Introduction The supply chain effects from the global spread of the novel coronavirus have been building for nearly two months, and are expected to reach a peak in the near future (if not necessarily then to recede).[1] The effects have centered on China to date, but the epidemic has spread to other centers of production and the duration of its threat to public health and of the governmental and social measures taken to address its spread remains unknown ...
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has published its proposed regulations to implement the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) in the Federal Register. The PWFA, which became effective on June 27, 2023, requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees and applicants suffering limitations from pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions ...
Experts from Shoosmiths and BDO recently led a panel discussion regarding the upcoming introduction of Solent’s Freeport. Shoosmiths’ Kirsten Hewson (head of real estate), Stephen Porter (head of corporate) and Solent office head Paula Swain (also a board member of the Solent Freeport Consortium & Solent LEP) discussed the upcoming development. Also on the panel were Cllr ...
Amidst price wars, a global pandemic, and the diminished demand for oil, E&P borrowers and secured lenders face inevitable credit agreement defaults ahead (if not already). Although real property foreclosure of oil and gas assets is often seen as a secured lender’s primary remedy, negative oil prices, operational challenges and the potential for liability may leave some banks contemplating whether a real property foreclosure is the best course of action ...
Shortly after his administration began, President Biden signed Executive Order 13985, "Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through The Federal Government." In April 2022, in accordance with this Executive Order, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") released its "Equity Action Plan," which contains several items that may impact employers ...
Background The return to democracy in October of 1982 arrived with a “social debt” derived from the days of the Siles Zuazo government, which, by giving way to the workers’ demands, caused Bolivia to enter into a hyperinflationary downward spiral. The Government of Siles Zuazo ended one year before the end of its term (as Mesa did), allowing Dr. Víctor Paz Estensoro to come to power through the general elections of 1985 ...
According to the Court Service, around 80% of cases presently in the family courts of England and Wales involve at least one of the parties acting as an unrepresented litigant in person. Since 2013, when public funding for almost all family court cases was stopped, numbers have been steadily rising. The reasons are simple; many people decide to represent themselves in an attempt to avoid expensive legal bills ...
Following the introduction in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) of the Economic Substance (Companies and Limited Partnerships) Act, 2018 (ESA), which became effective on January 1st, 2019, some questioned the sustainability of BVI’s position as a leading international financial centre. While we cannot underestimate those concerns, we believe that there is also evidence that ESA will not have a negative impact on the BVI ...
This is a briefing on the following issuances as of May 10, 2020 in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic: A. Suspension of Periods to File Applications and Other Documents with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) B. Issuances Supplementing the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF) Omnibus Guidelines on Community Quarantine (Omnibus Guidelines) C ...
Market participants are undertaking significant work to prepare for a transition away from the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). The Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) in the UK has made it clear that the publication and dissemination of LIBOR cannot be guaranteed after 2021. The launch and reform of preferred alternative reference rates to USD LIBOR and GBP LIBOR are important steps in this transition journey ...
Whether witnesses can be asked leading questions is a vital issue for fair trials, but is treated inconsistently in Polish litigation practice. Inspiration can be sought from the rules that have worked for years in common-law jurisdictions. Polish litigators generally share the belief that a witness should never be asked a leading question—that is, a question that suggests to the witness what the “right” answer should be ...
Introduction Copyrights are defined in the Copyright Act as “Original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression, now known or later developed, from which they can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device ...
Switch2 Energy, Shoosmiths and BEIS have come together to provide an update on how regulation, rising energy prices and decarbonisation targets are impacting heat network operators and customers. This second webinar, in a series of three, looks at what to do with existing buildings in relation to heat networks ...
Switch2 Energy, Shoosmiths and HermeticaBlack came together to discuss procurement and delivery of new, low cost, low carbon heat networks ...
The Pension Schemes Act 2021 (the 'Act') amends the Pensions Act 2004 (the '2004 Act') in order to provide the Pensions Regulator ('TPR') with a wealth of new powers. Now that the day we have all been waiting for, 1 October 2021 (when the majority of the Act’s provisions were due to come into force) has come and gone, we’re taking a look the material provisions which came into force on that date - and what those changes mean ...
In July, the Antimonopoly Committee asked the Ministry of Strategic Industries to update the conditions for providing state aid to companies that develop, manufacture, repair, and service aviation equipment and engines. What to update and how, the committee wrote in recently adopted recommendations . Asters lawyer Olena Gadomska told Mind what the latter envisage, why AMCU is resorting to such changes and who they will affect ...
Since the introduction of Law 32 of 1927, the Law on Corporations of the Republic of Panama has remained virtually unchanged, serving both Panamanians and well as foreigners to put in order, protect and plan the transfer of their patrimony in an orderly fashion ...
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) are seeking to improve the operational resilience of the UK financial sector. This applies to many organisations, including: banks building societies, PRA-designated investment firms and insurers. The new rules and guidance will come into force on 31 March 2022. By then, firms must have identified any vulnerabilities in their operational resilience ...
I. Introduction The Institute for Intellectual Property and Information Law at the University of Houston Law Center publishes “www.patstats.org,” providing United States patent litigation statistics. Specifically, with respect to the issue of validity, in 2000, the alleged infringer “won” the issue 53% of the time and the patent was held invalid, while the patentee “won” the issue only 47% of the time, and the patent was held valid ...
The Online Safety Act 2023 implements broad reforms for how many businesses must operate their online services. Here, Matthew MacLachlan explains the action to take now to comply. The Online Safety Act 2023 (‘the Act’) received Royal Assent in October 2023. Although the Act is now law, it will not be enforced by the regulator, Ofcom, until secondary legislation is passed and when Ofcom’s draft codes of practice are finalised ...
