Administrative Law
Platinum Hedge Fund Executives Charged With $1 Billion Fraud
News
The New York Times reports that federal agents arrested Mark Nordlicht, a founder and the chief investment officer of Platinum, and six others on charges related to an alleged $1 billion fraud.
Whistle-Blowers Spur Companies to Change Their Ways
News
A study of companies subjected to whistle-blowing underscores the notion that insiders are best positioned to monitor companies’ financial reporting, according to a report The New York Times.
Akin Gump Event Examines Future of Renewable Energy Market
On-Demand
Akin Gump has posted audio from a webinar looking at the future of renewable energy under the incoming Trump administration.
EEOC’s Informal Guidance on Reasonable Accommodations for Mental Health Conditions
Insight
The informal guidance is a useful primer for understanding the EEOC’s expanding stance on employer obligations to provide reasonable workplace accommodations, reports Seyfarth Shaw.
Sen. Jeff Sessions Faces Fight Over Bid to Be Trump’s Attorney General
News
Sessions has a controversial past on issues of race and immigration, including his failed confirmation of a federal judgeship 30 years ago largely because of racially insensitive remarks, reports NBC News.
Data Breach Trends and Tips: What State and Local Government Lawyers Need to Know
Event, Jan. 12, 2017, 1 p.m. EST
Many state and local governments still don’t believe that data breaches and other cyber events can happen to them, while others simply don’t know what to do.
New e-Posting Regulations, Featuring Locke Lord LLP – Webcast
Event, Dec. 13, 2 p.m. EST
Intended to improve the process of buying insurance for consumers, there have been recent updates to laws that allow insurance companies to post policies, forms, and endorsements on a website rather than printing these documents on paper.
Supreme Court Case Has Bankruptcy World on Edge
News
A decision could affect how much power bankruptcy courts have to approve settlements that do not follow the conventional order of creditor priority and potentially block some parties, reports The New York Times.
Former U.S. Attorney Debra Wong Yang Being Considered to Lead SEC
News
Debra Wong Yang, who was the top federal prosecutor in the central district of California from 2002 to 2006, met with President-Elect Donald Trump on Monday, reports The Wall Street Journal
Why the Fed Is About to Raise Interest Rates
News
The New York Times authors discuss life in a low-interest world and explain that the Fed is wrestling with three big, intertwined questions: How many people want jobs? How low are interest rates? And what damage is done by doing nothing?
Fracking Fluid Dynamics: New Trade Secrets Movements
Insight
As oil prices remain volatile, trade secret and intellectual property protection continues to be a key component of ensuring profitability, according to Orrick’s Trade Secrets Watch.
Last-Minute Block of Overtime Rule Means Uncertain Future for Many Businesses
Insight
Businesses that have not yet implemented changes now have breathing room to wait for a final ruling from the courts. However, those that have already altered employee pay should think carefully before reversing already announced pay changes.
Skadden Publishes 2016 Edition of Energy Law Handbook
Insight
The updates cover such topics as compliance programs, audits and investigations, criminal and civil penalties, FERC market manipulation enforcement, CFTC regulation, antitrust enforcement, reliability, affiliate rules, natural gas, false statements, and more.
Judge Squelches New Overtime Regs: Now What?
News
Should employers roll back new policies to save money and then face potential liability if the regulation is ultimately upheld? One employment lawyer says the risk might be worth it for nonprofits who often have people doing professional work, but earning in the $35,000 a year range.
Practical and Ethical Issues for Attorneys Practicing Dual Occupations
Insight
Engaging in a second occupation may appeal to some attorneys, but lawyers must always consider the practical and ethical challenges involved with actively practicing dual occupations, advises Laura Drossman.
Pension & Welfare Plan Overpayments: What’s An Employer To Do?
Event, Dec. 6, 1 p.m. EST
Tax and employee benefits counsel must often advise their clients on best practices for handling potentially costly pension and welfare plan overpayments. Overpayments made in self-funded group health plans due to excessive charges by out-of-network providers and pension-plan overpayments on account of administrative errors may require potential contributions by the employer and lead to costly liability.
FinCEN Issues Guidance on Cybersecurity
Insight
More guidance on cybersecurity requirements is available, this time an advisory from FinCEN to help financial institutions on their Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) obligations regarding cyber-events and cyber-enabled crime.
Rio Tinto Terminates Executives Over Simandou Investigation
News
Mining giant Rio Tinto PLC said it fired one of its most senior operational executives and its head of legal and regulatory affairs based on the findings from a continuing internal probe into $10.5 million in payments to a consultant who helped acquire mining rights in Guinea, reports The Wall Street Journal.
When it Comes to Contracting With the Federal Government: Beware
Insight
Jennifer S. Cluverius of Nexsen Pruet, LLC writes about some of the most costly and often-unnoticed employment-related compliance obligations faced by federal contractors and subcontractors.
Donald Trump’s Son-in-Law Tests Legal Path to White House Job
News
Ethics lawyers in both parties have warned that such an arrangement would violate that 1967 law enacted after John F. Kennedy installed his brother, Robert F. Kennedy, as attorney general, The New York Times reports.
