Features

Using Anti-Bribery and Corruption Regimes for ESG Concerns
Compliance leaders recognize that Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) is a growing concern for U.S. companies, but face challenges in determining how to embed compliance structures into their programs. One solution is to look to already existing anti-bribery and corruption (AB&C) compliance measures.
Features

District Court Rules on Ripeness of Claim Under RLUIPA
When does a RLUIPA claim become ripe? A federal district court in the Southern District of New York dismissed a RLUIPA claim as unripe, borrowing ripeness doctrine from the takings context and declining to apply a "futility exception" to the requirement that a landowner obtain a final decision before proceeding to federal court.
Features

Amending (or Terminating) Deferred Compensation Plans Without Penalties
This article reminds readers of §409A's draconian penalties and specific guidance of amending modifying, amending or terminating existing nonqualified deferred compensation plans.
Columns & Departments
Fresh Filings
A look at moves among attorneys, law firms, companies and other players in entertainment law.
Features

A New Stage for Online Copyright Infringement Disputes
Copyright holders would be well advised to familiarize themselves with the Copyright Claims Board for resolving copyright infringement claims and to consider its benefits and potential downsides in bringing or defending copyright infringement actions.
Features

Successor Liability Claims Constitute a 'Property Interest' for Purposes of a 363 Sale In Bankruptcy
In In re Norrenberns Foods, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Illinois had occasion to rule on a creditor's objection to the sale of a debtor's assets.
Features

Insider Trading Evolving Beyond Just Securities As DOJ Targets NFTS and Crypto
In two recent notable cases involving NFTs and cryptocurrency markets, the DOJ has brought insider trading charges under the wire fraud statute without claiming that any securities were involved. These cases demonstrate the substantial flexibility federal prosecutors have — or at least believe they have — in charging insider trading and underscore the oft-recognized need for a federal statute expressly addressing insider trading.
Features

Regulators Renew Focus on Individual Liability for Gatekeepers
A rising tide of regulation is headed for corporate compliance officers and in-house lawyers. Corporate accountability is a key priority for the DOJ and SEC, and both agencies have renewed their focus on individual liability for gatekeepers, including lawyers, accountants, underwriters and auditors.
Features

Severing a Master Lease Raises Thorny Issues
A master lease structure is often used where a single landlord and a single tenant intend to lease multiple properties. By using a master lease structure to cover multiple properties as opposed to individual leases, the parties can streamline administration of a large-scale portfolio of properties. However, master lease severance comes with a series of complications.
Features

The Scrivener's Error Doctrine In Commercial Lease Drafting
What are the limits of efforts to rescind or reform an agreement based upon a mistake? Can a mere "Scrivener's Error" during drafting result in a wholesale extinguishing of a lease document?
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