Member News

Member News

Federal Circuit Finds Software Patent Claims Eligible Under Step One of the Alice Framework

McRO, Inc. v. Bandai Namco Games Am. Inc., et al2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 16703 (Fed. Cir. Sep. 13, 2016) (opinion by Judge Reyna, joined by Judges Taranto and Stoll) On September 13, 2016, the Federal Circuit held that McRO’s patent claims are subject matter eligible for protection under 35 U.S.C. § 101. Notably, the Federal Circuit found that the challenged claims, which define a "method for automatically animating lip synchronization and facial expression of three-dimensional characters" to a spoken-word audio...

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The missing link to successful expatriation

Expanding globally? Get full Value! You and perhaps your family will explore many new adventures, and you are all, for good reason, excited. You know that life is not a smooth ride, but you are a high performer and a troubleshooter so you will, of course, also manage whatever comes your way the next couple of years you are in ‘foreign territory.' So, with all those skills and all that willpower why is it that up to 20% of US managers...

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Big Data: the end of causality and the beginning of correlation

Data are not a new technology, but a new mentality. The involved fields? Business, health care, education, mobility and transports To Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, Big Data is not a just a new technology, but, in his own words, “a shift in mindset”: humans, he says, are gradually shifting from thinking in terms of causality to thinking in terms of correlation, from analysing small amounts of ordered data to processing huge amounts of messy data. A professor of Internet Governance and Regulation...

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Top 100 Aerospace and Defence companies posted record profits, but a slowdown in commercial aircraft orders and macro-drivers may create new headwinds

Sector to face continued disruption from combination of new players and digitalization, according to annual AlixPartners study The global Aerospace and Defence (‘A&D’) industry has seen record profits of 10.1% EBIT for the top 100 companies and sales up 3%, according to the most recent annual outlook for the industry by AlixPartners, the global business advisory firm.  AlixPartners warns that some parts of the sector may face new headwinds from the combination of a tense commercial aircraft supply chain, potential...

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Houlihan Lokey Advises AmeriMark Holdings, LLC

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce the successful placement of $140 million senior secured credit facility for AmeriMark Holdings, LLC, a catalog and e-commerce portfolio company of Prudential Capital Partners. The financing consisted of a $75 million ABL revolver and a $65 million senior secured term loan. Proceeds were used to refinance the company's existing indebtedness ahead of a maturity, as well as to pay related fees and expenses. The transaction closed on September 8, 2016. Founded in 1969, AmeriMark...

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New Philanthropy Will Support Universal Education for Neediest Children and Youth Worldwide

Catalyst Trust will join with the Institute of International Education to create PEER - the Platform for Education in Emergencies Response John Sexton To Announce Formation of Catalyst Trust, supported by Gordon Brown New web-based clearinghouse will connect refugee and internally displaced students to scholarships and educational opportunities around the world Students and scholars in Syria and many other parts of the world have been abruptly cut off from educational opportunities by war, persecution, and violence engulfing their homes. More than...

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Protecting Yourself Against Internet Scammers

Scams have been around for quite a while, but the Internet has made them easier to initiate, and thus more common. It no longer seems odd to be contacted by a stranger from far away, presenting a business proposal or seeking professional advice, because that is how many of us make and develop those contacts overseas. The early Internet scams were unsophisticated, often involving a victim in another country seeking help or funds to get out of a serious...

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Steps For Conducting A Successful Pay Equity Audit

While laws prohibiting pay discrimination have been around for decades, recent legislative and regulatory changes, along with other trends, have propelled pay equity into the spotlight. This renewed focus on pay equity creates new challenges — and opportunities — for compliance-minded employers that not only strive to achieve fair pay practices in their workplaces, but also seek to minimize the risk of pay equity claims. One way for employers to face these issues head-on is to conduct pay audits. While...

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WPP says its targeting European assets post-Brexit

The world's largest advertising group snaps up a stake in a French media group and promises to make Europe a priority to avoid fallout from Britain's EU exit. Britain's WPP plc (WPPGY) is bulking up on European assets claiming it has little choice but to buy businesses in some of its key markets in the wake of the U.K.'s Brexit vote. The world's largest advertising firm by revenues announced, on Thursday, Sept. 22, the acquisition of a stake in French media...

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Global Professional Search and National Peace Corps Association Partner to Connect the Peace Corps Community to Jobs

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- At the annual Peace Corps Connect conference, Global Professional Search (GPS) and the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) formally announce a partnership to connect Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) and former Peace Corps employees to careers that leverage the cultural and language proficiency acquired during their overseas experience. <img alt="Global Professional Search Logo" class="Maw(100%)" src="https://l3.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/bxJVkE4_qAZefYO9LpGOxg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjtzbT0xO3c9ODAw/https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20160920/410213LOGO"/>Employers, visit GPS to hire a Peace Corps volunteer or former employee. Candidates, visit GPS to create your profile today. GPS is the leading...

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