The Speech or Debate Clause
A recent indictment of a former Member of Congress has rekindled the legal debate over the scope and effect of the Speech or Debate clause and perhaps presages a return to the Supreme Court for a ruling to settle the conflict among the circuit courts about interpretation of the Clause.
New Use of Wiretaps in Insider Trading Cases
On Oct. 16, 2009, federal agents arrested Raj Rajaratnam, the founder of hedge fund Galleon Group, in an alleged insider trading scheme that involved well known public companies and thus far 20 defendants, including lawyers, stock traders, management consultants, and executives inside the issuers themselves. Wiretapping was part of the case.
Who's Allegedly 'Cooking the Books' and Where?
In a poll conducted during an April 23, 2009 Deloitte online seminar entitled "Managing Fraud Risk: Insights and Practical Strategies," 72% of the 2,123 respondents indicated a belief that the number of accounting frauds uncovered would increase over the next two years.
What's Coming in e-Commerce in 2010?
For this year-end edition, because I believe that much of e-commerce law and strategy is no different from what is done in offline business (but people must be shown that it often is the same), I will follow suit and offer my own thoughts on the major trends that will affect online business in the next year.
The Travel Act and Overseas Commercial Bribery
The dishonored act of bribery is a basis for doing business in many places, and continually forces those who operate in the international marketplace to choose between risking the loss of business opportunities and engaging in activity that can easily come under the scrutiny of governmental authorities.
Electronic Search and Seizure
The long-running BALCO steroid investigation that led to the indictment of Major League Baseball star Barry Bonds has resulted in a potentially landmark decision about how government agents apply for and execute search warrants for electronically stored information (ESI).
The Coming Honest-Services Storm
Not since 1987, when the Supreme Court issued its bombshell decision in <i>McNally v. United States</i>, has the honest-services mail fraud doctrine received as much attention as in recent months. When the dust settles, it is possible that one of prosecutors' favorite weapons will have been sharply restricted or taken away.
In the Courts
Recent rulings of interest to you and your practice.