The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is requesting public comment on how they can accelerate and incentivize the commercialization of innovative technologies.1 Public comments can be submitted via this link by May 14, 2024. To facilitate input, the USPTO has provided a list of questions that may be addressed in the public comments, including suggestions for how they can help innovators with commercialization through the use of the U.S. intellectual property system. These questions are not limiting, and...

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On April 25, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published its final “Retirement Security Rule” (the Final Rule) (89 FR 32122) that amends the existing rule defining when a person is an investment advice fiduciary under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code). The DOL simultaneously published amendments to various Exemptions intended to narrow and harmonize the exemptions available to address conflicts of...

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In this News Update we discuss: AFM's consultation on the revised Policy Rule regarding the provision of information; two AFM studies: 'Buy now, pay later' and 'Design of crypto apps', and; AFM and DNB's report on the impact of AI on the financial sector. We further highlight some other financial regulatory publications issued since our last News Update. Subscribe here to the News Update Financial Regulatory. AFM'S CONSULTATION ON THE REVISED POLICY RULE REGARDING THE PROVISION OF INFORMATION The Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets...

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Last month, Tennessee, birthplace of the “King of Rock and Roll,” broadened the state’s already robust right of publicity statute by passing the Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act (the so-called “ELVIS Act”). The ELVIS Act, which goes into effect on July 1, breaks new ground by specifically targeting generative artificial intelligence (AI) platforms and services that potentially enable the use of people’s likeness without permission. Other states, and potentially Congress, may soon follow Tennessee’s “opening act” in...

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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted along party lines (3 to 2) to ban all worker noncompetition provisions. The final rule applies to all employees, including senior executives, and will become effective 120 days after publication in the Federal Register. The regulation deems employee noncompetes an “unfair method of competition,” pursuant to Section 5 of the FTC Act. The majority believes that noncompete provisions exploit workers and that the federal ban will increase innovation, spur establishment of new businesses, and...

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Littler Mendelson | Quarterly Legal Guide Q1 Littler publishes the Global Guide Quarterly (GGQ) to provide a general update on global labor and employment (L&E) law developments in key countries in the American, EMEA, and APAC regions. By providing high-level notice of such developments, we aim to help multinational enterprises with cross-border operations to stay abreast of important changes within the L&E law framework. We, EACCNY, are sharing the relevant legal updates from Europe & the United States. Click to download...

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Welcome to Offit Kurman's “Lost in Translation: Blunders in International Estate Planning.” This blog series explores the rarified world of international estate planning, uncovering potential pitfalls and providing insights to navigate the complexities. Blunder No. 4:  Leaving the United States? Take your Assets with You When U.S. or non-U.S. citizens who may have spent time working or residing in the U.S. decide to return to their home countries or any other country outside the U.S., failing to transfer their assets outside...

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We start 2024 with some positive notes and expectations that we want to share with you. We are optimistic that the macro data for 2023 will finally show that there has been a rebound in the weight of the insurance sector in Spain’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). As is well known, insurance activity represents approximately 5% of our country’s GDP, which is no cause for satisfaction, as it is two percentage points below the European average, and well behind...

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On April 5th, President Biden took an aerial tour of the accident site that caused a tragic loss of life where he gave remarks in Baltimore. Here we will review the impact of the Port of Baltimore and the Key Bridge to supply chains, the timeline for reopening the various transitways, and potential federal government support, including financial. The Port of Baltimore is one of the few in the nation which ranks in the top twenty busiest in three major categories: total tonnage...

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