Member News, News

Littler | Employers Set to Benefit from Proposed Changes to EU AI Act

Facing concerns from industry and citing implementation challenges at the governmental level, the European Commission this week proposed a deferral of aspects of the AI Act and proposed other substantial amendments. Major proposed amendments include: Postponing enforcement of the “high-risk” provisions to December 2, 2027, or August 2, 2028, for systems deemed high-risk pursuant to EU harmonization legislation. This development is significant for employers, given that use of AI systems in “employment, workers management and access to self-employment” is one area deemed...

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Member News, News

PKF O’Connor Davies | Returning from the Shutdown: Where Taxpayers Stand with the IRS

With the effects of the government shutdown still looming and the holiday season upon us, the IRS’s slow operational rebound remains a critical factor for taxpayers navigating year-end responsibilities. As the IRS resumes full operations, taxpayers and practitioners alike are bracing for a complicated recovery period. The agency faces a significant restart, with backlogs piling up and staffing stretched thin even as regular operations resume. Below, we share some observations on how these issues may impact taxpayers. A Gradual Return to...

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Member News, News

Ogletree Deakins | Stay Ahead of the Curve: Essential Employment Law Updates for Retailers in 2026

In today’s rapidly evolving legal landscape, staying informed about changes in employment laws is crucial for employers. Recent updates across the nation have introduced significant shifts that impact workplace policies, employee rights, and compliance requirements. Whether you are managing a small boutique or overseeing a large chain of stores, understanding these changes is essential to maintaining a compliant workplace. Quick Hits California and New York are implementing stringent measures to curb “stay or pay” contracts. A Florida appellate court ruled...

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Chapter News, News, TRIA News

IMF | Inside the AI-Led Resource Race: Material Demands – for Energy, Chips, and Minerals – Will Determine Who Dominates Data

Article by Thijs van de Graaf published in the IMF's Finance & Development Magazine | Artificial intelligence is often cast as intangible, a technology that lives in the cloud and thinks in code. The reality is more grounded. Behind every chatbot or image generator lie servers that draw electricity, cooling systems that consume water, chips that rely on fragile supply chains, and minerals dug from the earth. That physical backbone is rapidly expanding. Data centers are multiplying in number and...

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Member News, News

Wilson Sonsini | The Entrepreneurs Report: Private Company Financing Trends, Q3 2025

Wilson Sonsini is pleased to present the Q3 2025 edition of The Entrepreneurs Report. We’ve compiled a range of data on venture, convertible note, and SAFE financing transactions in which the firm was involved during the third quarter, with the objective of identifying relevant trends in activity and valuation levels for the U.S. venture capital industry in general. Key Features of This Edition: Market Perspectives: Former Wilson Sonsini General Counsel in Residence and current Edge Focus Chief Legal Officer David...

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Chapter News, News, Uncategorized

ECB | From Headlines to Hard Data: Mapping the Uneven Impact of Geopolitical Risk in Europe

ECB Blog post by Martin Bijsterbosch, Matteo Falagiarda and Lucia Žídeková | Geopolitical tensions such as the war in Ukraine have shaken Europe’s economies. Understanding the economic impact of such shocks is crucial for monetary policy. This ECB Blog post presents a news-based indicator that tracks country-level geopolitical risk. Geopolitical tensions around the world have increasingly affected European economies and slowed down growth. Armed conflicts and other tensions between states and political actors can disrupt supply chains, heighten uncertainty, weigh...

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Chapter News, News

EU Opens Registration for Craft and Industrial Product Names Under New Geographical Indication Scheme

From 1 December 2025, Europe's glassblowers, potters, cutlers, jewellers and other makers will be able to register their product names under the EU's new geographical indication (GI) scheme for craft and industrial goods. This marks the first time GI protection, long used for food and drink, will cover non-agricultural products, completing the Single Market for GIs. The system will protect iconic goods such as Bohemian glass, Limoges porcelain, Solingen knives and Donegal tweed, whose reputation and quality stem from their...

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Member News, News

Wilson Sonsini | The EU Omnibus Proposals Intend to Introduce More Flexibility in the GDPR, AI Act, and Other EU Digital Regulations

On November 19, 2025, the EU Commission (Commission) published a set of legislative proposals to introduce more flexibility into a number of EU digital regulations, including: • the Digital Omnibus, which amends a number of provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the ePrivacy Directive, as well as the Data Act; and • the AI Omnibus, which focuses on the AI Act (jointly, the Omnibus Proposals). The Omnibus Proposals aim to simplify the legal framework for data processing and AI to encourage...

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Member News, News, Uncategorized

Barnes & Thornburg | J-1 Visa Holders: Options and Alternatives to the H-1B

In today’s competitive immigration landscape, the H-1B visa often dominates conversations around employment-based pathways. However, the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program offers a dynamic and underutilized avenue for international professionals to gain meaningful U.S. experience, build skills, and contribute to global workforce development. Hosted by Barnes & Thornburg, this informative video session was designed specifically for U.S. immigration attorneys seeking to expand their strategic toolkit for advising clients. It explores how the J-1 visa can serve as a high-impact option for...

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Member News, News

Trepp | Data Centers Enter the Mainstream: Multi-Billion Dollar Commercial Real Estate Issuance & Asset Pricing Trends

Data centers have evolved from a specialized commercial asset class into a central pillar of securitized commercial real estate (CRE) markets. Other financing streams for hyperscale facilities vastly exceed securitized issuance in volume. Yet the subset represented here offers critical insight into how this segment is priced and capitalized within structured finance. These assets are largely smaller colocation facilities, not the privately financed large-scale developments built for hyperscalers. The trends we observe reflect structural shifts in digital infrastructure demand and...

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