<b>Online Exclusive:</b> Accountants Exempt from Privacy Rules
October 04, 2006
Accountants will soon be exempt from federal law that requires financial services companies to send all clients an annual notice that informs them of the company's privacy policy and gives them a chance to opt-out of the sharing of their personal information with unaffiliated parties.
Going Global? Don't Overlook Public Policy
October 03, 2006
Transnational companies need a coherent, forward-looking 'foreign policy,' but most don't have one. Although governmental decisions significantly affect global business success, many corporations and legal staffs are only involved in defensive, short-term or narrowly self-interested 'government relations.'
Foreign Law Firms Defend the Broad Scope of Their Practice in China
October 03, 2006
Foreign law firms operating in China's largest city have been on edge since April, when the Shanghai Bar Association (SBA) issued a blistering memo that accused them of illegally practicing Chinese law. The memo also called for the Chinese government to regulate and 'purify' the foreigners.
China's New M&A Regulation and Its Impacts on Foreign Business
October 03, 2006
On Aug. 8, 2006, China released a new rule of 'Provisions on Acquisition of Domestic Enterprises By Foreign Investors' (New Regulation). The New Regulation took effect on Sept. 8, 2006, and invalidated the 'Interim Provisions on Acquisition of Domestic Enterprises By Foreign Investors' (Old Regulation) issued on March 7, 2003. The New Regulation has drawn speculations that China is changing its policy toward foreign investors' acquisitions of its domestic companies and tightening its restrictions on foreign investments. <br>This article presents the background that gave rise to this new regulatory scheme and provides a comparative analysis of the two regulations, with a particular focus on how foreign companies doing business in China will be impacted.
<b>Online Exclusive:</b> Report Says Advanced Driver's License IDs Will Cost States $11 Billion over 5 Years
October 03, 2006
The National Conference of State Legislatures ('NCSL'), the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, and the National Governors Association released a report last week that estimates that the newly passed Real ID Act will cost the states at least $11 billion over the first 5 years of implementation, beginning in May 2008. The estimated cost far exceeds the figure of $100 million over 5 years that was generated by an analysis done last year by the Congressional Budget Office.
IP News
September 29, 2006
Highlights of the latest intellectual property news from around the country.
Multiple Joint Infringers of Process Claims: How Close Is Close Enough?
September 29, 2006
Typically, in an action concerning infringement of a process patent, the activities of an individual party are alleged to infringe one or more of the process patent claims. Under certain circumstances, however, the combined activities of two or more parties may constitute infringement of a process patent claim. Often, courts analyze these situations by determining if 'some connection' exists between the parties whose activities are being combined. This standard, in our view, ultimately defines more activities as infringing than is warranted. A more appropriate standard would be a 'working in concert' standard.
