Essilor has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire MyOptique Group Ltd., a leading European online prescription glasses, contact lenses and sunglasses business. The transaction is fully consistent with Essilor's mission to "improve lives by improving sight". Essilor's online business helps to raise awareness among an ever-growing community of consumers about the importance of protecting and correcting their eyesight. It also facilitates access to high-quality optical products that improve visual health, thus benefiting all industry players. In addition, MyOptique Group is...

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On12.07.2016, the Commission officially approved the final version of the “EU-US Privacy Shield” as an “adequacy decision” under Art. 25 ss. 6 of the EU Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC). Since 01.08.2016, US companies can certify themselves with the U.S. Department of Commerce under the new Privacy Shield. Self-certification must be repeated annually. As expected, the Privacy Shield List maintained online by the U.S. Department of Commerce is now growing steadily. The list provides information on contact partners for questions and...

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According to August remittance data, the workout strategy for the $150.9 million UBS Center- Stamford note has been changed to "note sale." As of last month, the strategy was "TBD." The loan makes up almost 75% of the remaining collateral behind LBUBS 2004-C1. The underlying property is a 682,327 square-foot office building located at 677 Washington Boulevard in Stamford, Connecticut. UBS is currently the property's sole tenant with a lease that expires in December 2017. The note was transferred to special...

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The exchange tie-up is still subject to several closing conditions, including clearance by the European Commission in Brussels. The final tally, announced Wednesday, Aug. 17, comes a little more than two months after the Deutsche Boerse published its voluntary public offer, which has meanwhile been approved by both sets of shareholders. Shareholders had until last Friday to tender their shares. The companies have given themselves until the end of June 2017 to complete the deal by way of scheme of arrangement, and...

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Pursuant to the newly-enacted Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act (the “Act”), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) is expected to publish regulations later this month detailing new procedures for CBP investigations into allegations of antidumping and countervailing duty evasion. The anticipated regulations have the potential to significantly alter the CBP enforcement landscape.  The regulations will not only be enforced by a newly-created Trade Remedy Law Enforcement Division but also will allow for private entities to force CBP’s hand in...

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Brexit is now bringing into sharper focus the way in which nations and economic blocs seek to negotiate international trade agreements. Ireland's role in those negotiations is defined by reference to and subject to its obligations of membership of the EU. The future of the UK's post-Brexit trading relationship in particular with the EU (but also with many other countries) remains uncertain. Depending on what that future arrangement finally looks like, the UK's post-Brexit trading relationship with the EU might...

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The issue of diversity has expanded from the workplace to the corporate boardroom, with initiatives spearheaded by investors and other stakeholders to address the lack of diversity on corporate boards. These initiatives are likely to lead to pressure on companies to enhance their disclosures about their board members and take steps to diversify their boards. This article describes some of these board diversity initiatives and the steps employers can take now to address possible concerns. Investors In March 2015, a group...

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London is a hub for many pan-European funds, but Brexit could disperse that power. "Brexit means Brexit" said Theresa May, now U.K. prime minister, in the early days after the U.K.'s vote to leave the European Union. There would, she said, be no attempt to remain inside the Union. Unfortunately, for anyone trying to plan ahead for a post-Brexit world, any attempt to interpret the phrase more deeply is doomed to fail. Nobody knows what Brexit will really mean. Britain has...

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It takes money to make money, as any business owner knows. But many businesses also know what it’s like to be turned down by a bank for a loan or line of credit, not get as much as they need, or simply not get the cash quickly enough. It’s not just start-ups that run into financing difficulties. Even an established company that is growing rapidly will frequently have financial challenges. To make matters worse, owners of small or early...

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Recently, Congress enacted, and President Obama signed, the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (“DTSA”), the first comprehensive federal trade secrets legislation.  This landmark legislation provides a federal civil remedy for the misappropriation of trade secrets, thereby allowing trade secret owners to protect their innovations and seek redress in federal court—as owners of copyrights, patents and trademarks have already been able to—when violations of their rights occur. Unlike other types of intellectual property, trade secrets have primarily been defined and...

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