We are delighted that EACCNY member Mason Hayes & Curran has been selected as 'Irish Law Firm of the Year' at the Chambers Europe Awards for Excellence 2014. The Chambers Europe Awards recognise outstanding law firms and legal professionals.  Awards are based on detailed research and client and peer feedback carried out for the Chambers Europe 2014 guide. Commenting on the award Declan Black, Managing Partner of Mason Hayes & Curran, said, “We are very pleased to have won the top award for Ireland from...

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Before offering severance to a departing employee, New York employers should be aware of recent changes to the New York unemployment insurance law.  These changes may affect both the timing and language of the severance agreement. In 2011, the federal government passed the Unemployment Insurance Integrity Act, which required every state to make certain changes to its unemployment insurance law.1  As a result, New York amended New York Labor Law § 581(e)(3) and 12 N.Y.C.R.R. § 472.12, effective October 1,...

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Following the security breaches at Target and other major retailers, cybersecurity has emerged as one of the hottest topics of 2014. Companies have enjoyed enormous increases in productivity and profits as a result of Internet-related technologies. However, with many organizations now storing more sensitive data in the cloud and through networked computing, the potential impact of a security breach on the public as well as company shareholders has grown exponentially. So what is a corporate director to do? Since the Security...

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The Dutch government is currently taking major steps towards the development of large offshore and onshore wind projects. For offshore wind, 3450 MW of power will be put out for tender during the period 2015-2019, divided across ten to twelve projects. The government is offering grants to the tune of € 18 billion. In addition, work is underway on establishing robust spatial legislation to ensure rapid clarity on the locations of the new projects. This legislative operation should mean that...

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On April 15, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) issued a Risk Alert on its Cybersecurity Initiative.1 The Alert is intended to provide additional information concerning the SEC’s initiative to assess cybersecurity preparedness in the securities industry, including broker-dealers and investment advisers. The SEC has been increasingly focused on cybersecurity issues, beginning with its Cybersecurity Disclosure Guidance issued in October of 20112 and most recently with its Cybersecurity Roundtable.3 In its Alert,...

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