Loyens & Loeff, a leading international law & tax firm, has attracted two new local partners in its Zurich office. Andreas Hinsen will further strengthen the Corporate / M&A practice group and focus mainly on private equity. Robin Moser will set up the Litigation & Risk Management practice in Zurich. Marco Toni, Partner Loyens & Loeff: “We are delighted to have Andreas and Robin joining the team here and further bolster our strong footprint in Zurich. Whereas Andreas’ practice is a perfect fit...

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Royal DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrion, Health and Sustainable Living informs its stakeholders that it agreed to increase its shareholding in Yantai Andre Pectin Co. Ltd. (Andre Pectin) to 75%. Andre Pectin is a leading specialty food ingredient producer. DSM acquired a 29% stake in Andre Pectin in 2013. After settling a shareholders dispute, DSM has now agreed with the other shareholders to purchase an additional 46% stake in Andre Pectin for a consideration of about €150 million. This...

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The new month is beginning with the US dollar at the lower end of its recent ranges against several of the major currencies, and at a couple month lows against the dollar-bloc currencies.  The key question is whether the dollar is truly breaking lower, perhaps encouraged by the Federal Reserve's pivot to a neutral stance.   On balance, we expect the dollar to remain range-bound until later in the crosscurrents of trade, the federal government's fiscal issues of both spending...

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By Albert Knigge & Huib Lebbing | Houthoff Today, the Dutch House of Representatives approved the draft bill on Redress of Mass Damages in a Collective Action. With this bill, the options for starting collective actions will be broadened. The bill will allow claim vehicles to seek damages in a collective action. Currently, Dutch collective actions can only be used as a stepping stone towards obtaining financial compensation. Damages cannot be claimed. The draft bill also introduces a number of safeguards to...

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FIRM REPRESENTED BLUE CHIP CLIENTS IN MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS, ASSET PURCHASES AND STOCK PURCHASES January 31, 2019   Pepper Hamilton LLP today announced results of the deals closed during the 2018 calendar year. The firm advised on more than 90 deals, with combined transaction values exceeding $10.5 billion, including cross-border deals in the United Kingdom, Canada and Turkey. The firm closed out the year strong, with Q4 bringing the highest number of overall deals as well as the highest total dollar value...

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VULCAN VIEW - KEY EVENTS THIS WEEK: May trying to renegotiate Backstop with Brussels On Tuesday the House of Commons narrowly voted in favour of an amendment tabled by Conservative MP Sir Graham Brady to provide “alternative arrangements” for the Irish backstop. Prime Minister May hailed this outcome as ‘a route that can secure a substantial and sustainable majority in this house for leaving the EU, with a deal.’  MP Yvette Cooper’s amendment to extend Article 50 if no agreement was reached,...

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A rousing new social media campaign highlighting the centennial of Finland - U.S. diplomatic relations is underway! Every weekday the Embassy of Finland in DC and the U.S. Embassy Finland post photos online that commemorate the 100 year journey of upholding US and Finnish relations. The Finland - U.S. centennial social media campaign explores shared moments in our nations’ histories that include political encounters as well as important cultural exchanges. Who could forget the Reagans visiting Helsinki in 1988, or how Paavo Nurmi (a.k.a....

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Royal DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, today announced that Rob van Leen, Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) and member of the Executive Committee, has decided to step down from his position and focus on non-executive roles outside of DSM in the second half of 2019. Patricia Malarkey, in her most recent executive role Head of Research & Development and member of the Executive Committee at Syngenta, will join DSM as of 15 March to...

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Reliance on Technology May Compromise Your Ability to Protect Your Trade Secrets The use of smartphones, tablets, laptops and other personal devices in the workplace is commonplace. But allowing your employees to access trade secret information on them without implementing appropriate restrictions or protections could be fatal to a later enforcement action. A recent decision by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals underscores a company’s obligation to take sufficient steps to protect its electronic data if the company later wants to...

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By Melissa Manna, Ogletree Deakins U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the reinstatement of the premium processing program for a limited number of H-1B petitions. Premium processing will resume on January 28, 2019, for fiscal year (FY) 2019 H-1B cap cases (those subject to the annual quota). FY 2019 H-1B cap cases were those that were filed in April 2018 and were subject to the annual H-1B lottery. Because most of those cases have already been adjudicated, the resumption of premium processing is...

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