Features
Cutting Off the Stream: How United States v. Silver Affects "Stream of Benefits" or "Retainer" Bribery
Although the court stressed that, by vacating certain of former NY State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver's counts of conviction, it was clarifying and not altering the "as opportunities arise" theory, it nevertheless emphasized that this theory requires particularity with respect to the "question or matter" that is the subject of the bribe payor and recipient's corrupt agreement.
Features
Conducting Internal Investigations During the COVID-19 Pandemic
In times of crisis, criminal activity — particularly crimes involving theft and fraud — tend to spike. There is no reason to believe that the Covid-19 pandemic and the unrest in the financial markets will be any different. An important difference for company counsel, however, will be in how the malfeasance, negligence or wrongdoing can be investigated.
Features
Force Majeure and the Doctrine of Impossibility
The COVID-19 pandemic is resulting in landlords and tenants closely reviewing a clause in their lease that was long considered unimportant boilerplate. Yes, we are referring to the "force majeure" provision.
Features
New Normal Sets In for White-Collar Lawyers in the Virus Era
In a practice that prizes in-person meetings, virtual communication has become commonplace.
Features
The Importance of 'Particulars' in Criminal Fraud Cases
This article discusses the standard for ordering a bill of particulars in the Second Circuit, drawing a comparison with the standard for civil fraud claims, and then describes a recent decision ordering a bill of particulars in the high-profile prosecution growing out of the Theranos blood-testing scandal. The decision in that case highlights the importance of seeking bills of particulars in fraud cases.
Features
Attorney Proffers: Practical Considerations and Some Law Too
Handled with care, an attorney proffer can provide a critical opportunity to gauge a prosecutor's reaction while limiting the risk of compromising the client's potential defense at trial.
Features
Agency: A New Frontier for FCPA Jurisdiction
The Hoskins case highlighted the manner by which the DOJ (and the SEC, which has civil enforcement jurisdiction under the FCPA) can harness the common-law doctrine of agency to expand the reach of the statute.
Features
Stockholder Derivative Litigation Update
The Delaware Court of Chancery recently addressed a nearly unprecedented issue: the discovery and privilege implications of a special litigation committee's (SLC) decision to hand over control of a company claim to a stockholder derivative plaintiff who initiated the claim and survived a motion to dismiss.
Features
SEC Proposes Changes to Accredited Investor Definition
The definition of "accredited investor" uses income and net worth thresholds to identify natural persons as accredited investors.
Features
Biometrics and the Fifth Amendment: A New Frontier
When used for work, mobile devices routinely contain employers' proprietary and confidential data. The struggle between Government requests for access to such data and constitutional protections — including the Government's ability to compel the turnover of biometric "keys" to unlock mobile devices — create areas of concern.
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