Legal (CLE)

What's new in trademark law in the age of COVID-19?  Join seasoned trademark law experts, Stephen Jadie Coates (Coates IP) and Maureen Shannon (Rivian Automotive), as they discuss how the ramifications of the pandemic has impacted the practice of trademark law and their perspective on such changes.  Speakers will also discuss recent cases and upcoming regulatory changes. They will also provide the audience with practical strategies for managing trademark issues in a rapidly evolving legal climate.

In today's ever-evolving market economy, proper financial planning and effective risk prevention practices for businesses have been more crucial than ever. With distressed debts becoming more rampant, workouts and restructuring measures should be given more focus. Furthermore, significant court rulings under Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code must also be followed to avoid future litigation that could result in claw-backs and fraud claims.

Mandatory reporting laws in the U.S. require human service professionals, lawyers, and other practitioners to report known or suspected cases of child abuse and neglect.  However, mandated reporters are often confronted with myriad of legal and ethical dilemmas rooting from the opposing principles when negotiating the individual rights of children and parents. Thus, it is essential that practitioners have an in-depth understanding of the governing legal and ethical guidelines for the mandated reporting of child abuse cases to avoid red flags.

With the evolving regulatory and compliance landscapes, class action litigation has significantly raised specific legal challenges and vulnerabilities to businesses across industries. In addition, although courts are generally adjusting the rules applicable to the concerns of class action lawsuits, several unsettled and divergent viewpoints can vastly cause critical issues and complications in this complex and multifaceted area of law.

Regulatory uptakes on anti-competitive restrictions in labor markets is expected to ramp up with the Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the lead. Recently, the DOJ filed Statement of Interest on several pending cases to provide courts with significant guidance on the analysis of “no-poach” agreements and clarified that alleged cases of “no-poach” agreements do not automatically warrant per se review.

Today's legal landscape presents a higher degree of complexity and challenges for antitrust class action certifications. Several legal and economic issues that require crucial understanding and analysis of the law pose risks for businesses and practitioners alike. Furthermore, with the recent decisions and ongoing court cases constantly shifting the process, it is becoming more imperative for companies and their counsel to be conversant with the latest trends and developments in class certification rules and provisions.

Effective management of patent portfolios can substantially boost a company’s bottom line. Businesses can realize their patent portfolio’s value more if they have a sound management plan.

The U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) continues its scrutiny on cryptocurrencies. In its January 7 announcement, SEC’s Office of Enforcement Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) added fintech, including digital assets, to its annual priority list in the coming fiscal year. In line with this, the division will continue to prioritize the analysis of certain activities and products which are believed to pose risks to investors as well as the reputation of the U.S. capital markets. Examinations of these focus areas are designed to support the SEC's mission to protect investors, promote capital formation, and keep markets fair and effective.

Data breaches in the U.S. have shown no signs of slowing down in the last several years, neither have the wave of class action cases associated with these. Recent breaches include some of the largest companies such as LifeLabs, Yahoo, Equifax, and Google LLC. Such breaches, as well as the infringements incorporated with it, can impose tremendous burdens on banks and credit card companies that have to respond to a flood of fraud claims and canceled cards.

Inter Partes (IPR) and Post Grant Reviews (PGR) have become an essential part of the patent litigation battlefield.  With Patent Office priorities and Federal Circuit decisions such as Arthrex, Inc. v. Smith & Nephew, Inc. constantly changing the landscape for these proceedings, it is imperative for all patent litigants to be well-versed with recent Federal Circuit decisions as well as recent decisions that the Patent Office has designated Precedential or Informative.

Consumer surveys are one of the most powerful tools available in trademark or trade dress infringement cases, deceptive advertising, class action cases, and many other types of litigation. Yet despite the success of surveys in bringing about favorable settlements, many attorneys are still not familiar with the basics of consumer surveys and how they can be used.

As trends and developments in the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market continue to totter, deals and transactions are up for another bustle of activities. Although M&A activities in 2019 are lesser compared to the previous years, dealmakers must properly navigate lessons learned to ensure excellent deal results in 2020. Additionally, a seamless M&A transaction management is another essential factor to be carried out.

Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) is becoming an essential factor in workplace management. An inclusive corporate culture makes everyone feel valued, thus, boosting employee engagement and experience. D&I is also credited for improving corporate innovation and bottom line thru higher performing and more creative workforce.

There are two kinds of trials in the U.S. — bench trials and jury trials. Unless a party asks for a jury, civil cases that proceed to trial will most likely be tried without a jury. This is even more so now that courts are postponing jury trials to help stem the spread of the coronavirus in the country.

Well-developed policies and procedures often provide an advantage in handling complex government investigations. However, with the new legal developments shaping the landscape along with the implementation of remote procedures due to the pandemic, unique challenges and complexities have started to emerge.