News

Renewable Energy Update

By EsqSocial Corporation 01/04/14

Renewable Energy Focus - California’s plan to replace San Onofre nuclear energy: green success or natural gas giveaway?: Green Tech Solar News - Mar 14 -- The California Public Utilities Commission’s long-range plan to replace 2,200 megawatts of...

Child Custody – “I Don’t Want to Go!”

By EsqSocial Corporation 01/04/14

“I don’t want to go! I want to stay with you!” If you are divorced with children chances are you’ve heard these words. There are many cases where a child won’t go with the other parent whether it is for a weekend or a dinner or a vacation. Maybe...

Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board Issues Draft Rule To Regulate Duties And Responsibilities Of Municipal Advisors

By EsqSocial Corporation 01/04/14

In a previous e-alert, dated February 5, 2014, we informed our clients that a range of municipal financial advisors, including banks, are now required to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") as a result of...

New York City Mayor Signs Expanded Sick Time Law, Effective April 1, 2014

By EsqSocial Corporation 01/04/14

On March 20, 2014, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed amendments to the New York City Earned Sick Time Act which, according to his administration, will extend the right to paid sick leave to a half million more New Yorkers. The Act, including...

New York Considers Changes to Proposed ERM and ORSA Regulation

By EsqSocial Corporation 01/04/14

Based on industry comments, the New York Department of Financial Services (the “NYDFS”) is strongly considering making a number of changes to its proposed Regulation 203, concerning Enterprise Risk Management (“ERM”) and Own Risk and Solvency...

China Introduces Major Changes to Medical Device Regulations

By EsqSocial Corporation 01/04/14

On March 31, 2014, China’s State Council released the amended Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Medical Devices (the “Regulations”), effective as of June 1, 2014. A series of implementing rules are expected to be further released...

Allegations Of Collusion Among Financial Institutions—Where We’ve Been, Where We Are, What We’ve Learned

By EsqSocial Corporation 01/04/14

Over the last 15 years, financial institutions have paid billions of dollars to settle claims that they colluded with each other. Below, we discuss four separate matters, beginning with the Nasdaq spread cases in the late 1990s and ending with the...

FINRA Proposes to Amend Rule 4210

By EsqSocial Corporation 01/04/14

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. requested comments on amendments to Rule 4210 to establish margin requirements for To Be Announced (TBA) market transactions. The TBA market is where most agency mortgage-backed security (MBS) trading...

The State of Vaccines Under the USPTO 101 Guidelines

By EsqSocial Corporation 01/04/14

In his State of the Union Address given on January 28, 2014, President Obama recognized the need for continued and increased investment in new technologies, including technologies specific to the biological and pharmaceutical fields. How would...

Franchisor Liability For Franchisee Employees: Damn Weasels

By EsqSocial Corporation 01/04/14

Weasel words, not epithets for employees with legal claims, are the problem. “…[C]ourts have been nearly uniform in holding that a franchisor should not be deemed to be an ‘employer’ … when plaintiff works for an independently owned franchise.”...

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