Compliance

  • September 04, 2024

    PE Advisers Flouted Registration Requirements, SEC Says

    A pair of Florida-based private equity advisers and their CEO have agreed to settle U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission allegations that they broke federal securities laws by improperly declaring themselves exempt from registering as advisers to private funds, according to the agency.

  • September 04, 2024

    Icahn Enterprises Investor Sues Alleging 'Ponzi-Like' Scam

    An Icahn Enterprises LP investor hit the partnership's billionaire founder Carl Icahn and its board with a derivative suit in Florida federal court Tuesday, accusing them of hiding "highly significant" risks, including the partnership's alleged "Ponzi-like" structure, which purportedly inflated its price and exposed it to regulatory probes and litigation.

  • September 04, 2024

    Ripple Gets OK To Pause SEC Penalty As It Mulls Appeal

    A New York federal judge on Wednesday signed off on Ripple Labs' request to hold off on paying the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission the $125 million penalty it owes to allow time for either side to appeal the landmark ruling in the agency's registration case.

  • September 04, 2024

    SEC Fines NJ Financial Cos. For Whistleblowing Violations

    New Jersey-based brokerage Nationwide Planning Associates Inc. and two affiliated investment advisers have agreed to collectively pay $240,000 to settle allegations that they prevented their clients from acting as whistleblowers, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced Wednesday.

  • September 04, 2024

    Fed. Circ. Leans Toward Gov't In Conduit Classification Fight

    The Federal Circuit dug deep Wednesday into the definition of insulated material as part of an inquiry into whether the government's tariff classification of steel electrical conduit tubing made more sense than the importer's interpretation, with one judge stealing the show.

  • September 04, 2024

    Builder's Battle With Conn. Town Tossed Over Zoning Appeal

    A lawsuit that a property developer filed against officials of a Connecticut town, seeking to restart construction and sales of a housing project after receiving a cease-and-desist order, is untimely because the company is still pursuing a local zoning appeal, a Connecticut state judge has ruled in dismissing the case.

  • September 04, 2024

    SEC Says $5M Fraud Scheme Targeted Venezuelan-Americans

    A pair of Miami area residents and a company they control have agreed to pay the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over $3.25 million to settle affinity fraud allegations involving a purported proprietary automated trading platform they were developing.

  • September 04, 2024

    2011 Case Bars Houston Strip Club's Fee Row, 5th Circ. Told

    The Texas Comptroller told a Fifth Circuit panel Wednesday that a Houston strip club's challenge to a new state law that would increase a fee imposed on customers of sexually oriented businesses is barred by a decade-old court decision upholding the legislature's initial enactment of the fee.

  • September 04, 2024

    Ga. Justices Won't Disturb Distributors' Opioid Trial Win

    The Georgia Supreme Court affirmed a ruling that family members of drug abusers are not entitled to a new trial after a Glynn County jury cleared opioid distributors of wrongdoing, in response to claims regarding an allegedly dishonest juror and flawed jury instructions.

  • September 04, 2024

    Market Realities On, Merger Reviews Off Table In Ad Tech Trial

    A Virginia federal judge put slight limits Wednesday on the evidence the U.S. Justice Department and Google LLC can present in next week's advertising technology monopolization suit, allowing Google to push its own views of the market but limiting its ability to bring up past merger reviews.

  • September 04, 2024

    EPA Strengthens Trump-Era 'Once In, Always In' Rule

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday strengthened a Trump-era rule that it said could let industrial facilities emit more harmful air pollution after downgrading to a less severe pollution source category.

  • September 04, 2024

    9th Circ. Blocks Calif.'s Social Media Content Disclosure Law

    The Ninth Circuit ruled Wednesday that a trial judge wrongly denied X Corp.'s bid to block parts of a new California law that requires social media giants to disclose their content-moderation policies, finding that provisions requiring the companies to disclose how and whether they define extreme content are likely unconstitutional.

  • September 04, 2024

    Ex-Lender Says FDIC Can't 'Trap' Him In Dispute Without Trial

    A former small-business financier has doubled down on his push to immediately halt an enforcement proceeding against him filed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., arguing it would be unjust to block his claims after a "sea change" in relevant case law.

  • September 04, 2024

    LinkedIn Speech Not Covered By Labor Law, 5th Circ. Told

    A logistics company told a Fifth Circuit panel during oral arguments Wednesday that an employee who was fired for allegedly disparaging comments made over LinkedIn wasn't protected under labor law, although the panel pointed out that an employee can take protected wage complaints to outside parties.

  • September 04, 2024

    Glenmark Will Pay $25M To End Feds' Price-Fixing Suit

    Glenmark Pharmaceuticals USA will pay $25 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by conspiring to fix the price of a generic high cholesterol drug, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday.

  • September 04, 2024

    Solana Labs Denied Arbitration In Token Crypto Fraud Suit

    A California federal judge has denied a motion to compel arbitration in a suit alleging Solana Labs Inc. and its key investors promoted and sold Solana cryptocurrency tokens as unregistered securities, saying that Solana failed to prove that the lead plaintiff agreed to the terms of service that included an arbitration clause, among other things.

  • September 04, 2024

    SEC Fines Investor Over $7.5M In Undisclosed Affiliate Fees

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has fined Florida-based investor Digital Bridge for failing to properly disclose about $7.5 million worth of payments to affiliates for services provided to a group of funds the firm manages.

  • September 04, 2024

    FINRA Fines Broker-Dealer $900K Over Lax AML Compliance

    Broker-dealer Brex Treasury has agreed to pay $900,000 to settle the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's claims that it overrelied on automated anti-money laundering compliance software not reasonably designed to meet its needs.

  • September 04, 2024

    2nd Firearms Co. Settles Conn. AG's 'Ghost Gun' Suit

    A North Carolina-based firearms company would have to refrain from selling "ghost gun" components in Connecticut and pay a civil penalty under a deal announced Wednesday that would resolve an unfair trade practices lawsuit brought by the Constitution State's attorney general.

  • September 04, 2024

    Pillsbury Adds EDNY Veteran As Corporate Prosecutions Rise

    Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP announced Tuesday that it has hired a former assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York to help clients navigate the U.S. Department of Justice's increasingly aggressive pursuit of alleged corporate misconduct.

  • September 04, 2024

    Weil Adds Longtime FTC Mergers Assistant Director In DC

    An almost 19-year veteran of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission who helped lead a group of attorneys focused on mergers has moved to private practice, joining Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP as an antitrust partner in the nation's capital, the firm announced Wednesday.

  • September 04, 2024

    Ga. Justices Disbar Atty For Abandoning Clients' Cases

    The Supreme Court of Georgia has disbarred an attorney after his late filings cost his clients more than $800,000 combined in default judgment and medical costs, concluding on Wednesday that such a strong move in response to his misconduct is supported by the court's precedent.

  • September 04, 2024

    Brazilian Oil Bribery Case Jury Warned Of 'Liar' Witness

    Attorneys for a Connecticut trader accused of bribing Brazilian oil officials urged a jury on Wednesday not to trust an alleged co-conspirator scheduled to testify for the government, calling that man a "skilled and adept liar" who would "substantially assist" prosecutors in possible return for a favorable family immigration decision.

  • September 04, 2024

    EPA Coke Ovens Rule Challenged By Green Groups, Industry

    Green groups and a coke-making business have kicked off challenges to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rule strengthening emission standards for hazardous air pollutants like benzene, mercury, lead and arsenic that are emitted by coke oven facilities.

  • September 04, 2024

    CFTC Fines Uniswap Over Bitcoin, Ether Liquidity Pools

    Decentralized finance platform Uniswap Labs has agreed to pay the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission $175,000 to settle allegations that it illegally offered access to liquidity pools underpinned by bitcoin and ether, the regulator said Wednesday.

Expert Analysis

  • PE Firms Should Prepare For Increased False Claims Scrutiny

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    The impact private equity firms may have over medical decisions and care is increasingly attracting potential liability under the False Claims Act and attention from states and the federal government, so investors should follow best practices including conducting due diligence both before and after acquisitions, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • How 3rd Circ. Raised Bar For Constitutional Case Injunctions

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    The Third Circuit's decision in Delaware State Sportsmen's Association v. Delaware Department of Safety & Homeland Security, rejecting the relaxed preliminary injunction standards many courts have used when plaintiffs allege constitutional harms, could portend a shift in such cases in at least four ways, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

  • New Russia Sanctions Law: Bank Compliance Insights

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    Financial institutions must familiarize themselves with the new reporting obligations imposed by the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, a recent law that authorizes seizures of Russian sovereign assets under U.S. jurisdiction, say attorneys at Seward & Kissel.

  • 3 Healthcare FCA Deals Provide Self-Disclosure Takeaways

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    Several civil False Claims Act settlements of alleged healthcare fraud violations over the past year demonstrate that healthcare providers may benefit substantially from voluntarily disclosing potential misconduct to both the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, say Brian Albritton and Raquel Ramirez Jefferson at Phelps Dunbar.

  • Series

    A Day In The In-House Life: Block CLO Talks Problem-Solving

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    Amid the busy summer months, Block Inc. Chief Legal Officer Chrysty Esperanza chronicles a typical Wednesday where she conquered everything from unexpected fintech regulatory issues and team building to Bay Area commutes and school drop-off.

  • Shipping Containers As Building Elements Require Diligence

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    With the shipping container market projected to double between 2020 and 2028, repurposing containers as storage units, office spaces and housing may become more common, but developers must make sure they comply with requirements that can vary by intended use and location, says Steven Otto at Crosbie Gliner.

  • 7th Circ. Ruling Expands CFPB Power In Post-Chevron Era

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    The Seventh Circuit’s recent ruling in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Townstone Financial interprets the Equal Credit Opportunity Act broadly, paving the way for increased CFPB enforcement and hinting at how federal courts may approach statutory interpretation in the post-Chevron world, say attorneys at Saul Ewing.

  • How Loper Bright Weakens NEPA Enviro Justice Strategy

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    The National Environmental Policy Act is central to the Biden administration's environmental justice agenda — but the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo casts doubt on the government's ability to rely on NEPA for this purpose, and a pending federal case will test the strategy's limits, say attorneys at Perkins Coie.

  • Heading Off Officials' Errors When Awarded A Gov't Contract

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    Government contractors awarded state or local projects funded through federal programs should seek clarification of their compliance obligations, documenting everything, or risk having to defend themselves when they seek reimbursement months later, with only their word for support, says George Petel at Wiley.

  • Drip Pricing Exemption Isn't A Free Pass For Calif. Eateries

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    A new exemption relieves California bars and restaurants from the recently effective law banning prices that don't reflect mandatory fees and charges — but such establishments aren't entirely off the hook for drip pricing, due to uncertainty over disclosure requirements and pending federal junk fee regulations, say Alexandria Ruiz and Amy Lally at Sidley.

  • Justices' Intent Witness Ruling May Be Useful For Defense Bar

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    At first glance, the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent Diaz v. U.S. decision, allowing experts to testify to the mental state of criminal defendants in federal court, gives prosecutors a new tool, but creative white collar defense counsel may be able to use the same tool to their own advantage, say Jack Sharman and Rachel Bragg at Lightfoot Franklin.

  • Eye On Compliance: New Pregnancy And Nursing Protections

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    With New York rolling out paid lactation breaks and extra leave for prenatal care, and recent federal legislative developments enhancing protection for pregnant and nursing workers, employers required to offer these complex new accommodations should take several steps to mitigate their compliance risks, says Madjeen Garcon-Bonneau at Wilson Elser.

  • How To Grow Marketing, Biz Dev Teams In A Tight Market

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    Faced with fierce competition and rising operating costs, firms are feeling the pressure to build a well-oiled marketing and business development team that supports strategic priorities, but they’ll need to be flexible and creative given a tight talent market, says Ben Curle at Ambition.

  • FTC Focus: Private Equity Investments In Healthcare

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    As the Federal Trade Commission is tightening its scrutiny of private equity investment in healthcare, the agency is finding novel grounds to challenge key focus areas, including rollup acquisitions, the flip-and-strip approach and minority investments in rival providers, say attorneys at Proskauer.

  • Jarkesy's Impact On SEC Enforcement Will Be Modest

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    Though the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy decision found that fraud defendants have a constitutional right to a jury trial, the ruling will have muted impact on the agency’s enforcement because it’s already bringing most of its cases in federal court, say Jeremiah Williams and Alyssa Fixsen at Ropes & Gray.

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