Member News

California Attorney General ‘Crowdsources’ Reporting of Privacy Policy Violations

This initiative by the Attorney General is effective immediately and is just the latest example of California’s effort to increase enforcement of laws aimed at protecting the privacy and data security of individual consumers. The California Office of the Attorney General (the Attorney General) launched a new online form on October 14 that consumers can use to report privacy policy violations. Citing the need to enhance transparency in the Internet of Things, as well as to fill privacy gaps caused...

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Member News

U.S. Sixth Circuit Holds that Customary Language in Amendment and Restatement Agreements May Extinguish Existing Security Interests via Novation

On August 23, 2016, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit held in the Chapter 7 bankruptcy case In re Fair Finance Company that an amendment and restatement of a loan and security agreement may have been a novation of the initial agreement and therefore extinguished the lender's existing security interest. As background, in 2002, the lenders and the debtor, Fair Finance Company, entered into a loan and security agreement (the "Original LSA") for a $22 million revolving...

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Chapter News

Towards a robust trade policy for the EU in the interest of jobs and growth

In the modern global economy, trade is essential for growth, jobs and competiveness, and the EU is committed to an open rules-based trading system. Exports now support almost one in seven manufacturing jobs in Europe (i.e. more than 30 million jobs – two thirds more than 15 years ago), while imports are a major source of productivity gains and allow consumers to benefit  from  access  to more  choice  and  lower  cost  products.  Production  in  the  EU  is dependent not...

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Chapter News

The European Fiscal Board: Questions and Answers

What is this Board and what will it do? Following the Five Presidents' Report on completing Europe's Economic and Monetary Union, the Commission decided last October to set up a European Fiscal Board as an independent advisory board on fiscal matters. It will advise the Commission on fiscal matters. More specifically, the board's role is to evaluate the implementation of EU fiscal rules, to advise the Commission on the fiscal stance appropriate for the euro area as a whole and to...

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Chapter News

A robust trade policy for jobs and growth

The Commission urged Member States to support proposals to strengthen European defences against unfair trade. The College also discussed the latest developments regarding the EU-Canada trade agreement (CETA) and appointed the members of the European Fiscal Board. Trade Defence Instruments The Commission today called upon Member States to support its efforts to provide the European Union with updated, strengthened and more robust trade defence instruments. Ahead of the European Council (20-21 October), the Commission details its arguments in a Communication"Towards a...

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Member News

GDPR: The DPO, a mole inside your company?

The General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) introduces a new important role in the data protection scheme: the so-called Data Protection Officer (“DPO”). The DPO will become indispensable for quite a lot of companies and will play an essential role in ensuring compliance with data protection law. Appointing a DPO is mandatory for entities acting as a data controller or data processor if (i) the processing is carried out by a public authority or body, except for courts acting in their...

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Chapter News

Commission proposes first research partnership in the Mediterranean to increase food and water sustainability

Commission proposed first research partnership of its kind in the Mediterranean Area to develop much-needed novel solutions for sustainable water management and food production. Today the Commission has presented a proposal for a Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area - PRIMA. The first partnership of its kind in the Mediterranean basin aims to develop much-needed novel solutions for sustainable water management and food production. Carlos Moedas, Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, said: "EU research and innovation is...

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Member News

When Can An Employee Take Leave To Vote?

This fall, Americans have more than falling leaves and candy corn on their minds. While Election Day is November 8, 2016, many states have already begun the absentee and early voting process. And with the current contentious election cycle, voter turnout is likely to be high once again. As November 8 approaches, employees may request that their normal work hours be altered or reduced so that they can more easily get to the polls during the regular workday.1 To help prepare...

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Member News

Thinking Outside the Box

Ellen Israel is among New York’s most accomplished commercial real estate professionals, having executed transactions totaling more than 25 million square feet of salesand leasing on behalf of owners, investors, andtenants. Throughout a distinguished career, spanning more than three decades, Ellen has worked for some of the largest institutional and entrepreneurial real estate organizations, and brings a unique perspective from each side of a negotiating table. Currently, she is the managing director for JRT Realty Group—the nation’s largest certified woman-owned...

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Member News

The End of the Road for Hershey Medical Center’s Merger:

Parties Abandon Transaction After Third Circuit Rules That Hospital Merger Should Be Preliminarily Enjoined The decision serves as a reminder of the uphill battle that merging health care providers have faced since the FTC’s adoption of its current rigid market definition standard in 2007. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit recently reversed a district court decision that had denied the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC’s) motion to preliminarily enjoin the merger of two Central Pennsylvania hospital systems.1 In light...

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