I received several calls today from clients doing business in the EU about the Lisbon Treaty and what it means for their European business operations. In the short term—absolutely nothing. The Lisbon Treaty is essentially just a clarification and simplification of previous European treaties into one single document. In the long term, however, the Treaty is a boon for … [Read more...]
Setting Up Your Global Internet Sales Empire (Cross-Post via China Law Blog)
Dan Harris of the China Law Blog posted an excellent article, Setting up your worldwide Internet empire (China too), on the complex legal issues that a company must consider before it sells products worldwide over the internet. As Dan highlights below, setting up a global internet business is not as simple as setting up a web page and waiting for the orders to roll … [Read more...]
"Top 100 Global Thinkers" List Released: Some Names May Surprise You
Foreign Policy just released its first annual list of 100 Top Global Thinkers. While the list included many of the world's leading intellectuals, one person stood out for me— No. 57, Baltasar Garzón, Judge for the National Court of Spain. Garzon indicted Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1998 during the ex-president's trip to London and has since acquired a … [Read more...]
What Do Halley's Comet and "F-Cubed" Securities Class Action Trials Have in Common?
***Update January 29, 2010*** "The jury in the long-running securities class action lawsuit against Vivendi has resulted in a verdict against the company on all 57 of the plaintiffs' claims. However, the jury also found that the two individual defendants, former Vivendi CEO Jean Marie Messier and former Vivendi CFO, were not liable. The jury’s verdict reached only … [Read more...]
India Doubles Number of Billionaires: Will Its Proposed Business Laws Threaten Gain?
Recession? What recession? Business in India is booming. Forbes is reporting that India's Billionaire Club nearly doubled in the past year. According to the Forbes special report, India's 100 Richest, the nation is now home to 52 Billionaires, up from 27 last year. According to the report: The combined fortune of India's 100 richest is $276 billion, almost one-fourth the … [Read more...]
2009 Corruption Perception Index Released: Can You Guess Where the U.S. Ranked?
They say timing is everything. Following on the heels of my last post about the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, comes Transparency International's hot-off-the-presses 2009 Corruption Perception Index The Index focuses on corruption in the public sector and uses surveys to establish how much corruption is perceived to exist within the country. This year's worst included … [Read more...]
SEC Steps Up Enforcement of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: Is Your Company Ready?
Last month, I was honored to attend a press conference and speak with Robert F. Kennedy’s daughter, Kerry Kennedy, founder of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights. The press conference centered on Mrs. Kennedy’s recent tour of the toxic drilling sites in the Amazon province of Sucumbios in Ecuador in connection with the ongoing Chevron … [Read more...]
Are You Really The Master of Your Own Domain? Class Action Lawsuit Says No.
Our firm recently filed a class action lawsuit. You can read about the class action on CNBC here and in the ABA Journal article Shill Bids for Domain Names Made by Auction Company Exec, Suit Alleges. You can also find the story on PCWorld in the article Domain Auction Site Face Shill Bidding Lawsuit and in the National Law Journal in this article. The class … [Read more...]
Hey Brazil: It'sTime to Ratify Those Bilateral Investment Agreements
Brazil is on a roll. Yesterday’s Financial Times included a special 10-page section devoted to Brazil. One of the articles, Olympic Accolade Sets Seal on Progress, written by Jonathan Wheatly, succinctly describes the “exuberant optimism” that has gripped the country since it was awarded the 2016 Olympic Games. And the Wall Street Journal … [Read more...]
The ABA International Law Section's Annual Meeting and the Credit Crisis Explained
I am back from attending the American Bar Association International Law Section’s Annual Conference in Miami. I had the pleasure of meeting the country’s leading legal bloggers including Dan Harris of the China Law Blog. I look forward to the Section’s Spring meeting in New York and the next annual meeting in Paris, France. I hope to see some of you … [Read more...]