Last week, the U.S. Department of State’s visa processing database, which controls the issuance of visas and passports at the U.S. consulates abroad, experienced system performance issues (including outages) leading to worldwide delays in visa issuances for individuals seeking entry into the United States. The malfunction in the Consular Consolidated Database stalled the processing of U.S. visas for foreign nationals at consulates around the world, and was not limited to one consulate or country. Although the consular database is back...

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There is a hurdle to be acknowledged: most in this world of business and transactions are used to working in a world governed by quantitative data that can be measured and analyzed: EBITDA, interest rates, IRR and ROI,  exchange rate or bond yields.  Assigning a critical value to culture in business and transactions, is asking for an acknowledgment of the importance of a markedly non-quantitative factor in business. This requires a fundamental shift in our overall calculus, away from...

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Shopping App Stylewhile, a member of the European American Chamber of Commerce, is pleased to announce the launch of a new online marketplace for emerging and independent designers. The App gives consumers the tools to easily discover today’s most exciting up-and-coming brands, and to shop in a more interactive way than the traditional online shopping experience allows. Users can virtually ‘try-on’ different items, mix and match pieces from multiple brands, and buy online – all with the swipe of a...

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We are pleased to inform you that Capita Financial Managers (Ireland) Ltd (CFMI) has been authorised as an Alternative Investment Fund Manager (AIFM) by the Central Bank of Ireland. As of 21 July, CFMI holds both a UCITS Management Company and an AIFM licence and is available for investment managers wishing to appoint an independent and experienced funds management company. CFMI is part of a FTSE 100 plc with 70,000 staff and a market capitalisation of £7.3 billion. Having operated in...

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Granito Advisory, a member of the EACCNY, is pleased to be a member of the faculty of the Practicing Law Institute's Securities Arbitration 2014 Seminar to be held on July 31, 2014 in New York City. The Seminar will be broadcast to many major cities in the United States and will also be available for viewing within Europe and Canada. GRANITO's President will appear alongside FINRA Dispute Resolution's President and its Director of Arbitration, along with other noted academics and professionals...

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DS-Concept Factoring, Inc., a global commercial finance company, and a member of the EACC New York, specializing in international non-recourse factoring, has provided a $2.5 million export accounts receivable facility to an apparel distributor in California. The client, who provides licensed products to retailers and wholesalers in Canada, Europe, and South Africa, is rapidly expanding their global presence. “We’re excited to work with a well-established firm which has extensive knowledge in manufacturing and distribution,” states Brandyn Prust, Vice President of Sales. “It’s great to see...

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Of critical importance for any financial institution using Twitter or other social media for business marketing and promoting purposes, the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) has issued final supervisory guidance titled “Social Media: Consumer Compliance Risk Management Guidance” (the “Guidance”). The FFIEC issued proposed guidance on the subject on January 23, 2013, and received 81 official comments on the proposal. Importantly, the Guidance does not impose any new requirements on financial institutions, but rather is intended to help financial...

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In this three-part series of posts, we bring you a checklist of questions to help you tackle the challenge of website legal compliance.  Part 1 and Part 2 of this series are also available.. Do you have a privacy statement? In order to comply with the Data Protection Acts, your website must contain a privacy statement if you: collect personal data (for instance, where visitors fill in web forms, feedback forms, submit orders etc.); use cookies or web beacons; or otherwise collect personal data (for example, IP addresses,...

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We focus on key considerations of corporate counsel in assisting clients to navigate through the growing proliferation of governance-related rules and regulations. Identification of the Client As a threshold matter, counsel must identify, and remain clear as to, the identity of its client, which may be the company or a subsidiary, the Board or Board committee, or one or more executives. The identity of the client will inform the scope of counsel’s advice, the ranking by counsel of key considerations within...

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New York City lost a small piece of its soul this week as a result of a few noteworthy closings. The famed Bowlmor Lanes bowling alley near NYU was closed Monday night after a 76-year run. According to a report from the Daily News, the location is being converted into luxury condos. On Tuesday, New Yorkers abruptly learned that high-end cupcake maker Crumbs closed all locations, including several in New York. Investors' portfolios saw some losses of their own on Tuesday, as stocks were...

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