By Sally A. Painter and Mathilde Defarges, with contribution from Jeremiah Baronberg  | BlueStar Strategies Helping companies smartly navigate a new era of globalization through conscientious local engagement. This is a critical time for the United States, Europe, and the transatlantic partnership. On both sides of the Atlantic, societies are revolting against policy elites. Nationalism, identity, and sovereignty are the order of the day. Protectionist and isolationist sentiment and threats of trade wars are common headlines. Calls for a “pullback” from globalization...

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By William K. Doran (Washington DC)  President Trump has nominated a retired coal company executive to head the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). The White House announced that David G. Zatezalo, the former chairman of Rhino Resources, would be the next Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health. Zatezalo’s nomination must be confirmed by the United States Senate. There was no immediate indication of when that confirmation vote might happen. Zatezalo has wide-ranging experience in the coal industry....

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Stout proudly announces that Steven Rathbone has joined the firm as Managing Director in its Investment Banking group. Mr. Rathbone brings deep industry expertise to the firm's Business Services and Diversified Industrials practice areas. Mr. Rathbone has more than 15 years of experience providing strategic advisory and corporate financial services, with a primary focus on sell-side mergers and acquisition transactions. His experience spans a wide range of industries but is most concentrated in business services (information technology and managed services;...

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By Sean M. McCrory  Maury Baskin  Robert F. Friedman  Tammy D. McCutchen On August 31, 2017, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas granted summary judgment for a diverse coalition of 55 business groups, led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and joined by numerous state governments, challenging the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) redefinition of who qualifies as an exempt employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).1  The decision effectively nullifies the DOL rule in...

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