The Oregon Senate will soon be deciding on a bill that would allow an owner of a lot or parcel at least two acres in size in an area zoned rural residential to build an accessory dwelling unit, or “ADU,” on that lot or parcel, provided there is already a single-family dwelling on the lot or parcel ...
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court significantly narrowed the scope of the Dodd-Frank Act's anti-retaliation measures. The decision resolved a split in authority by excluding from Dodd-Frank's whistleblower protections those persons reporting suspected violations only within their companies. In reversing the Ninth Circuit, the Court held that "Dodd-Frank's anti-retaliation provision does not extend to an individual who has not reported a violation of the securities laws to the SEC ...
By Glenn Kangisser Shu Shu Wong March 11, 2022 Earlier this month, the English Commercial Court upheld an appeal from an arbitration in MUR Shipping BV v RTI Ltd [2022] EWHC 467 (Comm) that a “reasonable endeavours” requirement in a force majeure clause, invoked due to the impact of US sanctions on Russia, did not require the party claiming force majeure to accept non-contractual performance ...
Following recent developments in the Middle East, the Sanctions Monitoring Board (the “SMB”) has issued a guidance note on the targeted counter-terrorism sanctions which are applicable to Malta in terms of Article 7(5)(b) of the National Interest (Enabling Powers) Act (Chapter 365 of the laws of Malta). This guidance note follows the conflict which arose in the Gaza Strip on the 7th October 2023 ...
Following from the recent geopolitical developments in Ukraine, there has been a heightened interest in sanctions, specifically, those sanctions being imposed against Russia ...
Following from the recent geopolitical developments in Ukraine, there has been a heightened interest in international sanctions ...
Capturing lightning in a bottle: As fast-growing San Francisco concludes its largest rezoning in 10 years, will its novel new urban-planning guidelines for South of Market represent what the city's downtown needs in a fast-moving business, cultural and economic environment? In early December 2018, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors gave final approval of the "Central SOMA Plan," (the Plan) resulting in the largest rezoning of the commercial heart of the city since the renowned Downt
The City and County of San Francisco (SF) issued a COVID-19 surge-related travel and quarantine order (Quarantine Order) on Dec. 16, 2020, and an updated Shelter-In-Place Order (SIP Order) on December 9 (updated Dec. 30, 2020). Under those orders, every person who enters SF after having been outside the Bay Area within the last ten days must quarantine for 240 hours from the time of arrival in SF. However, two exceptions apply to those working on construction projects in SF ...
San Francisco Superior Court Judge Ethan Schulman ruled yesterday that Cal/OSHA can continue to enforce its COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard Regulation (ETS), at least for now. On February 25, 2021, Judge Schulman issued an order denying Plaintiffs' applications for a preliminary injunction halting enforcement of the Cal/OSHA's COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard Regulation (ETS) in two cases ...
In 1968, the Supreme Court held in Bruton v. United States that a defendant was deprived of his rights under the Confrontation Clause when a nontestifying codefendant's confession naming the defendant as a participant in the crime was introduced in their joint trial, regardless of any instruction that the jury should consider the confession only against the confessing defendant ...
On July 15, 2022, Justice François Lebel of the Court of Québec rendered a decision confirming that, in the case of the sale of immovable property, a clear and unambiguous exclusion clause, whereby the warranty is waived at the buyer?s risk, results in a break in the chain of title preventing the buyer from taking any legal action under such warranty against the seller and previous sellers ...
Factual background The taxpayer, Dr Leung, was a medical doctor employed by the Hospital Authority (“HA”). Part of the conditions of his employment was that he was required to be ‘on call’ on certain days including Sundays and public holidays. When ‘on call’, he was obligated, among other things, to be within the physical proximity of the hospital, to be ready to render medical services if the need arose, and to abstain from drinking alcohol ...
On December 7, 2021, in Georgia v. Biden, Case No. 1:21-cv-163, a federal district court judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia issued a preliminary injunction enjoining enforcement of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contractors and subcontractors in all covered contracts in any state or territory of the United States. This injunction was nationwide applied to all federal contractors ...
On December 9, 2021, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force issued a new statement regarding the court orders enjoining implementation of the federal contractor vaccine mandate ...
This news alert includes information on the way in which the authorization for safe passage permits shall be granted on account of the nighttime curfew that stands in Chile as of the evening of this Sunday 22 March 2020, as an additional measure to face the Covid-19 pandemic: Individual safe-passage permit Collective safe-passage permit Permanent authorization for emergency personnel Authorization for companies and people who carry out transport of goods Airport Staff Passengers
The SEC Division of Examinations (“Examinations”) issued a Risk Alert on April 26, 2023 to highlight the importance of establishing written policies and procedures for safeguarding customer records and information at branch offices. Examinations provides that a branch office includes any location other than a firm’s main office, including offices of any independent contractors through which a firm may offer investment products and services ...
The Cayman Islands Court of Appeal ("CICA") has delivered a valuable judgment on the application of section 238 of the Companies Act (as revised) in Re Trina Solar Limited.[1] This case update can be read in conjunction with our previous briefing setting out certain practical points to note in 'fair value' appraisal proceedings ...
The global trading system has been pushed to its limits since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 7 months ago. Olesia Kryvetska, a counsel with Asters law firm and head of the Ukrainian Bar Association’s International Trade Law Committee, details the heaviest implications since the beginning of the war, namely soaring commodity and energy prices, food security crises, and supply chain disruptions ...
On 24 February, following the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine a wave of sanctions have been initiated by the US, EU and UK, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand. As the conflict continues, the level of sanctions applied are likely to increase. The sanctions imposed by the UK include amendments to Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (the “2019 Regulations”) which were enacted in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 ...
In the course of regular updates on Russian counter-sanctions, we would like to provide you with information on Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated November 08, 2023 No. 844 “On Additional Temporary Economic Measures Related to Circulation of Foreign Securities” (“Decree No. 844”). Decree No ...
This is to inform you that the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation dated October 01, 2020 No. 1587, has extended the moratorium on bankruptcy of companies, at the request of their credi-tors, until January 07, 2021. In this regard, we would like to draw your attention to the key provisions related to the moratorium re-gime and its extension. 1. Moratorium – the first results ...
Earlier this month, a West Virginia federal court ruled a disclosure in a debt collection letter regarding potential tax implications for settling a debt did not violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”) or the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act (“WVCCPA”). In Garrettson v. Sentry Credit, Inc. et al., a debt collector sent a collection letter to the plaintiff debtor, offering to settle the debt for less than the amount due ...
There have been a number of significant rulings on the topic of holiday pay over recent years and Smith v Pimlico Plumbings Ltd is the newest addition. Before we look at Smith, it is useful to understand how this area of law has developed over time ...
This briefing provides an overview of the salient points of Department of Justice (“DOJ”) Circular No. 016 (Rules Implementing the Criminal Provisions of Republic Act No. 10667, Otherwise Known As the Philippine Competition Act)1 (“PCA Rules on Criminal Provisions”). A ...