Fanfiction refers to the art of creating fiction using another author’s characters or universe. I was first introduced to the concept in high school, when a friend began writing Harry Potter fanfiction. (Side note: this is not one of those...
Because celebrities closely guard their names and likenesses, lawsuits claiming high-dollar amounts for violations of those rights are not unusual. But a lawsuit for $2.2 billion dollars for a non-celebrity claiming a restaurant improperly co-opted...
Today I continue my exploration of the Rolls-Royce global corruption enforcement action by considering the company’s resolution in the US under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Before we dive into that, I first want to honor Jeff Bagwell...
A new guidance note on reinsurance for Hong Kong insurers (“GN17“) came into effect on 1 January 2017. GN17 contains a number of general requirements with regard to the management and monitoring of reinsurance arrangements. The most significant...
In the final days of the year, the Illinois Public Access Counselor (PAC) issued four binding opinions that reiterate the requirements of both the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Open Meetings Act (OMA). Below is a discussion of each...
Changes are imminent for the Affordable Care Act and a range of other laws and regulations affecting the health care industry. Ballard Spahr attorneys established a Health Care Reform Initiative in 2008 to monitor and analyze health care reform...
In an effort to head off litigation by workers claiming they have been misclassified as contractors, companies using a largely on-demand workforce have been working with the New York State Assembly to develop a system of portable benefits to provide...
BGH, 29th September 2016 – I ZB 34/15, published on the 10th January 2017 - The German Federal Supreme Court decided on the 29th September 2016, published on the 10th January 2017, to the surprise of many that a cease and desist order regarding...
The Argentine Data Protection Authority recently issued a new regulation approving two sets of model contractual clauses (controller-to-controller and controller-to-processor) for the international transfer of personal data. Argentina’s Personal Data...
