Search

This Wisdom of the Crowd (ACC member discussion) addresses how companies should handle Non-Disclosure Agreements regarding improvements to their products, including whether there are alternatives to forfeiting ownership, under US law. This resource was compiled from questions and responses posted on the forum of the Intellectual Property and Small Law Department ACC Networks.*

This pamphlet answers questions often asked by people who think that they have suffered discrimination in employment under US law. It describes what the law covers, how to file a complaint, and typical examples of employment discrimination.

Putting in place an effective whistleblowing mechanism is an important component of good corporate governance. This article discusses ten of the most common traps that companies can fall into when investigating whistleblowing allegations.

This article analyzes how a copyright infringement may occur in Tanzania, the remedies available for copyright infringement and the legal penalties incurred if the Copyright Act is violated.

Learn five steps to reduce cyber risks during the crisis resulting from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Many foreign companies wish to conduct business in Qatar without establishing a presence of their own in the country. This article is a quick overview on what to be aware of when entering the Qatar market via a commercial agent.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission on March 6, 2024 adopted final rules requiring registrants to disclose certain climate-related information in registration statements and annual reports.

This high-level summary from Latham & Watkins outlines the disclosures required by the final rules, the key differences from the proposed rules, and new compliance dates.

This article summarizes the requirements of the ordinance the Chicago City Council passed in May 2022, that imposes new anti-sexual harassment requirements for employers located in Chicago. The new requirements went into effect on July 1, 2022.

Learn about the United Kingdom’s National Security and Investment Act 2021, which allows the UK government to screen a wide variety of transactions for national security purposes.

Learn the consequences and obligations for both the French company and the foreign company and its employees when performance of certain services is subcontracted to a foreign company under a subcontracting agreement.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires the audit committees of boards of public companies to establish procedures for the receipt and handling of whistleblower complaints regarding questionable accounting practices, including anonymous reports. This article explains the essential features of a compliant complaint procedure and offers a plan for guiding the audit committee through the implementation process.

During emergency events or routine spills, in-house counsel will need to understand the applicable reporting laws. Here's a practical checklist of key regulatory requirements to simplify reporting.

This is a sample group sales agreement involving a convention center.

The question and answer format of this article makes it an accessible, quick read for those looking to do business in Manitoba.

Despite your best efforts, there is always a possibility that an inspection from the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration will arrive on your company's doorstep. Don't be intimidated by the prospect. By having a pre-established understanding of OSHA and how its investigations impact company operations, legal departments can take preventative measures to mitigate the risk of a citation or subsequent litigation.

The Tax Laws and Jobs Act is the most comprehensive tax reform in 30 years. As such, reviewing existing international structures is critical for businesses to anticipate the impact of the Act on their global effective book and cash tax rates. Though legislative technical corrections and regulatory guidance might affect the Act, legal departments should not wait for such guidance before taking action.

Since 2011, the US Securities and Exchange Commission has received over 18,000 whistleblower tips, with 4,200 occurring in 2016 alone. The evidence is undeniable: Agency whistleblower and bounty programs are here to stay, and legal departments should invest in effective internal compliance programs to keep reports within the company and out of the newspapers.

Imagine receiving a request from your sales department to approve a possible client's non-disclosure agreement - an agreement that you must approve and sign in order for the client to meet with the department. While the NDA is quite similar to your own, it is missing specific terms and conditions and could therefore present some serious risks for your company. This article explores what in-house counsel can do to mitigate these risks.

When it comes to ediscovery, small and medium businesses (SMBs) tend to be at a greater disadvantage than large enterprises. And the risks of poorly managing data are not to be taken lightly: reactive cost burdens, monetary penalties and even default judgments. Learn to develop programs and policies that are applicable to your organization, and that will flex as it evolves over time. After all, the key isn’t perfection, but rather uniformity and consistency achieved through organization.

Litigation is a necessary expense in today’s business environment. Prepare your board for possible litigation before it becomes reasonably foreseeable by educating them on the broad range of risks faced by the company, and creating a set of protocols to manage risk.

Cyberthreats cannot be eradicated, but they can be managed. Every in-house counsel should be able to answer the following questions: What should my company do to prepare for a data breach, and how can I help?

Since the United States is projected to lead the global economic recovery, the time is right for US corporations to consider establishing operations in new locations. And with Ireland being home to some of the world’s largest corporations, the Emerald Isle may not be such a bad idea. Read this article to learn what Ireland can do for you.

Before inter partes reviews (IPRs), filing a patent demand letter or district court complaint often led to a long and costly road of uncertainty. But now, IPRs have significantly reduced to the cost to challenge questionable patents, opening the floodgates to increased infringement claims. Here's how the first five years of IPRs might impact future processes.

This is a sample group sales agreement regarding guest room commitment.

Compared to traditional, on-site computing, cloud services offer greater collaboration, better insight over data, more integrated and efficient development, and more productivity tools, from office suites to storage—all at a fraction of the cost.

The 2012 amendments to the American Bar Association Rules amended the comments to Rule 1.1 to say: "A lawyer should keep abreast of changes in the law and its practice, including the benefits and risks associated with relevant technology." What does the change mean for attorneys in general and specifically in-house counsel? What technology is out there that in-house counsel can use to more efficiently run their departments? This interactive roundtable session will focus not only on the potential ethical implications of technology but on how the legal department can work with the IT manager or chief information officer to cooperatively achieve results in the areas of litigation holds, data security, review of IT-related contracts, document retention, and internal investigations. Faculty will provide guidance on explaining the contract terms and legal risks to your IT department and answer important questions like: What questions do I need to ask my IT department to properly evaluate the risks and contract terms? What happens if the product or service does not perform as expected? The panel will also examine everything from apps that improve efficiency to document management system tools that help with litigation.

How to navigate the new H-1B visa requirements so that you can bring (and keep) the best and brightest nonimmigrant specialists on board.

This article explains and demystifies cybersecurity for senior management and directors by identifying the steps global companies must take to address, mitigate, and respond to the risks associated with data security.

Much of the litigation that global corporations face involves rapidly changing areas of the law that could affect shareholder earnings in a major way. In a high-stakes matter, therefore, your team of outside lawyers should include someone who is an expert at guiding a case through the appellate process.

ESG considerations can play a key role in the restructurings of distressed businesses. This article examines what should be the ESG playbook for companies or insolvency practitioners implementing a restructuring.