Member News, News

FBT Gibbons | Scam Alert: Fake USPTO “Trademark Verification” Emails Targeting Trademark Applicants

Fake mandatory verification appointments, fake examining attorney phone calls, and fraudulent USPTO emails. There have been reports of law firms receiving a wave of fraudulent emails impersonating the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). These emails target trademark applicants with urgent demands for a “mandatory verification appointment” phone call with a fake examining attorney. They look convincing because scammers pull real application data (serial numbers, owner names, attorney addresses) from the USPTO’s publicly available Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR)...

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News, TRIA News

DFC | The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation Co-Hosts U.S.-Ukraine Partnership Forum with U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Yesterday, the U.S. International Development Corporation (DFC) co-hosted the U.S.-Ukraine Partnership Forum with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to convene U.S. and Ukrainian government officials, senior business executives, and other thought leaders to advance Ukraine's reconstruction, recovery, and modernization efforts. DFC CEO Ben Black gave opening remarks, DFC Chief of Staff and Head of Investments Conor Coleman spoke on a panel entitled “Financing Ukraine’s Industrial Recovery,” and DFC Associate General Counsel Jonathan Taylor spoke on a panel entitled “Innovative Technology Partnerships.”   DFC CEO Ben Black:   “DFC...

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Member News, News

Wilson Sonsini | SBIR/STTR Program Restarted with New Features

On April 13, 2026, the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (the Act) was signed into law, reauthorizing the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs through September 30, 2031. First and foremost, this ends the six-month program pause in new awards. But it also introduces several important changes aimed at improving the effectiveness of the SBIR program and at strengthening national security. Some of the key provisions are detailed here. Strategic Breakthrough Awards:...

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Member News, News

ACG Resources | Why AI Can’t Do What I Do: The Real Limitations of Artificial Intelligence in Recruiting

Let’s Be Honest About the Hype I’ll be honest: I considered not writing this piece. Any recruiter who goes on record questioning AI right now risks sounding like someone who didn’t see the internet coming. That’s not where I’m coming from. I use technology every day. I’m always looking for ways to work smarter. But after thirty-plus years in recruiting — placing professionals in financial services, compliance, legal, and real estate — I’ve got some observations I think are worth...

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Member News, News

Osborne Clarke | How Investors are Managing Risk in the New Wave of European Data Centre Projects

Data centre investment is accelerating in Europe, with regulation, grid access and power reshaping how projects get done. At a glance Grid connection is now the defining constraint for European data centre projects, with only 10-15% of applications in Germany expected to be accepted. Regulatory and ESG obligations across the EU and UK are reshaping how data centre projects are structured, priced and permitted from the outset. Investors who align grid strategy, power procurement and sustainability planning early are better...

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Member News, News, TRIA News

Trepp | Data Center Construction Spending Skyrockets

Spending for the construction of data centers was $41.1 billion last year, up 31.7% from 2024 and 344% from 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.   That's a big leap and a substantial chunk of change. However, it woefully underestimates the true cost of all the data center building that's going on. Last year, properties with a 35-gigawatt capacity were under construction, up half again as much as the 22.9-GW capacity that was under construction in 2024. In 2020, properties...

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Member News, News

EIB | President Calviño: Investing in a Shared Future

Speech by EIB Group President Nadia Calviño  at Brookings Institution, on "Investing in a shared future" in Washington DC, during the 2026 World Bank Group-IMF Spring Meetings. Thank you very much for joining us this afternoon. Thank you very much to the Brookings Institution for organising this debate and generally for providing a space, a forum for people to debate, to discuss, to exchange views and to try to build a better, a stronger, a more peaceful future for all of us. It...

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Chapter News, News

IMF | War Darkens Global Economic Outlook and Reshapes Policy

Blog | The Middle East conflict halted growth momentum. The right policies and stronger global cooperation are needed to contain the damage.   Despite major trade disruptions and policy uncertainty, last year ended on an upbeat note. The private sector adapted to a changing business environment, while powerful offsets came from lower US tariffs than originally announced, some fiscal support, and favorable financial conditions coupled with strong productivity gains and a tech boom. Despite some downside risks, the momentum was...

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Chapter News, News, Trade & TTIP Related

European Council | Council and European Parliament Strike Deal to Protect EU’s Steel Industry from Global Overcapacity

Today, the Council presidency and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement on a regulation aimed at addressing the negative trade-related effects of global overcapacity on the EU steel market. The regulation will introduce a new framework to protect the EU steel sector from global excess production and trade diversion, while ensuring that the measure remains compatible with the EU’s international trade obligations and sufficiently flexible for economic operators, including downstream industries. It will replace the current EU steel safeguard...

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Member News, News, Trade & TTIP Related

Troutman Pepper Locke | CBP Issues Guidance on IEEPA Duty Refunds via New CAPE Process: What Importers Must Do Before April 20

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued operational guidance for obtaining refunds of duties paid under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), implementing a new electronic process through the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) tool in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Secure Data Portal (ACE Portal). Beginning April 20, 2026, CAPE will be the exclusive mechanism for submitting IEEPA refund claims for entries that include at least one dutiable IEEPA Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States...

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