All Perspectives

To plead, or not to plead. That is a question trademark infringement plaintiffs will need to carefully consider with their legal counsel when deciding which parties to name as defendants in a lawsuit and which legal arguments and facts to assert in a dispute with a company that has many affiliates.

Earlier this month, the Acting General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), William Cowen, rescinded a slew of his predecessor’s policy memoranda. While general counsel (GC) memoranda are not the official legal position of the NLRB, if adopted by the Board they could have far-reaching ramifications for covered employers.

Health Care Partners Lowell Brown and Annie Lee and Counsel Sarah Benator will present at The Institute for Medical Leadership’s Chief of Staff Boot Camp in Los Angeles, California.

Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries

In conjunction with KPMG and Shannon & O’Connor Solicitors LLP, AFS will host CEOs and service providers to discuss legal and financial insights for companies looking to enter the US market.

ArentFox Schiff professionals will discuss recent matters that directly impact the life sciences industry and its trajectory.

StraightPath Venture Partners, LLC and PMAC Consulting have recently reached settlements with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) following SEC enforcement actions against them.

On February 25, President Trump issued an executive order (EO) requiring the US Department of Commerce (Commerce) to investigate the national security implications of the copper supply chain. The investigation will be based on section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.

On January 8, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy signed into law “An Act Relative To Pharmaceutical Access, Costs And Transparency.” The Act will have a profound impact on all parties involved in setting and applying drug prices, including Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), health insurance plans, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and retail pharmacies.

Though most in-house counsel (and even a lot of employment lawyers) are unaware, M.G.L. c. 149, Section 19B makes it unlawful for any employer to subject its employees or job applicants to a lie detector test.

Andrew S. Katzenberg will present in an upcoming Strafford live video webinar on February 27, 2025. The webinar is hosted by Strafford.

Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the end of a years-long shortage of semaglutide injection products — a popular glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) weight loss and diabetes medication.

Partner Alexander Birkhold was quoted in a recent discussion on the effectiveness of “click-through training,” referring to trainings using click-through screens and multiple-choice tests, in corporate compliance training.

On January 17, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved Nasdaq’s proposed rule changes addressing companies that fail to meet the minimum bid price requirements of $1 per share and the subsequent delisting process.

California recently enacted the Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act, sparking pushback from online entities who argue the law is an unconstitutional restriction on children’s First Amendment rights and a legislative overreach to regulate social media.

On January 20, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rescinded 2021 guidelines that prohibited immigration enforcement actions in or near medical and health care facilities and other protected areas. Hospitals and other health care facilities should consider the impact this policy change may have on their workforces and patient populations and develop appropriate protocols for responding to an immigration enforcement action on their premises.

Amidst mounting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulation and litigation, the Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) judge overseeing the federal litigation related to firefighting foam has scheduled a “Science Day.”

Senior Government Relations Director Oliver Spurgeon will give a presentation titled “Reconciliation: What It Means for Sector Policy Priorities” Foundations on the Hill 2025, hosted and presented by United Philanthropy Forum and the Council on Foundations in partnership with Independent Sector, in Washington, DC, on February 23, 2025.

Headlines that Matter for Companies and Executives in Regulated Industries

The new presidential Administration’s cost-reduction initiatives, including a hiring freeze and return-to-office mandate for federal employees, are poised to impact the efficiency of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), potentially affecting patent examination timelines and strategies.

On February 14, the newly formed Saks Global announced its plan to pay vendors past due balances in 12 monthly installments beginning in July.

Automotive Group Leader and Los Angeles Managing Partner Aaron Jacoby shared his insight on autonomous vehicles in a special ride-along with Waymo robotaxi.

Proposed legislation introduced in the US Senate last week would deny tax-exempt status to certain organizations that support undocumented immigrants. The legislation would change the eligibility requirements for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.

Last month, the Illinois General Assembly passed a bill establishing prevailing wage requirements and tax incentives for high voltage transmission line and utility-scale battery storage projects.

Following a cascade of developments, the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) is back, but with some potential changes on the horizon. Most reporting companies that have not yet filed all required reports under the CTA should prepare to file their initial, updated, or corrected reports by March 21, 2025.