Recognising the power of giving back together We are proud to have been named Pro Bono Company of the Year at the Better Society Awards 2026. The award recognises the commitment, energy and expertise of Q5ers across the globe who continue to use their skills to create meaningful impact through pro bono work, community partnerships and social impact initiatives. Reading time: 2 minutes We have been named winner of the…
Seyfarth Synopsis: The “Anti‑Waiver of Employment Rights Act” (S4424‑A) would broadly invalidate contractual provisions waiving or limiting employees’ rights under the New York Labor Law and Human Rights Law. The law—if signed by the Governor—would significantly expand employee protections in New York and may expose existing agreements to challenge. Both chambers of the New York Legislature have passed the “Anti‑Waiver of Employment Rights Act.” The legislation would establish that rights under…
Quick Hits A new proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and U.S. Department of the Treasury would allow employers to provide coverage for fertility treatments as a limited excepted benefit. Employees would be able to enroll in excepted benefit fertility coverage without having to enroll in the employer’s group health plan. This excepted benefit coverage would apply only to…
In Ahluwalia v. Ahluwalia, 2026 SCC 16, the Supreme Court of Canada recognized a new tort of intimate partner violence, centred on coercive and controlling conduct within intimate relationships. The case arose from a long-term marital relationship characterized by a pattern of abuse extending beyond discrete incidents of physical violence. The plaintiff sought damages not only for specific acts of assault, but a broader and sustained course of coercive, controlling,…
US policy under Trump isn't a sudden rupture but an acceleration of decline, mirroring Britain's Commonwealth. As global power shifts, America faces a choice: build a colonial-style Commonwealth or enable a European federation. Europe must unite or accept subordination. The initiatives undertaken by President Trump in the first year of his second term have astonished the world. No one expected such a radical shift in US policy, and many have…
By: Dawn M. Lurie and Selene Malench* On May 15, USCIS updated its guidance related to Somalia noting: “When completing the Expiration Date (if any) fields on Form I-9, input ‘as per court order’ in Section 1 and ‘July 1, 2026,’ in Section 2 along with a note in the ‘Additional Information box.’ This update revises our prior blog post on the status of TPS EAD extensions. With this change, all…
Cal/OSHA’s Draft Workplace Violence Standard: What Employers Should Know | Workplace Safety and Environmental Law Alert Blog Skip to content
Why utilities must redesign for growth in the AI era AI-driven data center growth is reshaping the utility sector, pressuring operating models built for stability rather than rapid expansion. Utilities that succeed will combine infrastructure investment with faster decision-making, stronger commercial capabilities, proactive regulatory alignment, and stakeholder engagement, all while maintaining the reliability and affordability customers expect. Reading time: 4 minutes Data center electricity demand is accelerating fast. EPRI has…
Americans are frustrated by their increasingly polarized government. Their trust in government is at an all-time low, with just 4% saying that the political system is working extremely or very well. And yet political scientists have demonstrated that voters routinely elect politicians whose views are more ideologically extreme than their own. The seemingly incompatible match between moderate public opinion and politicians’ extremism can be accounted for by rational individual behaviors…
Seyfarth Synopsis: Connecticut has enacted amendments to its longstanding prohibition on “stay‑or‑pay” agreements that expand the law’s application to all employers and reinforce restrictions on agreements requiring repayment as a condition of employment. While the core prohibition remains unchanged, the expanded coverage reflects a broader national trend limiting the use of such arrangements. Employers should evaluate their existing agreements and consider whether state‑specific or national compliance strategies are appropriate. Connecticut has…
Quick Hits In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court ruled that federal courts that have stayed claims in pending actions under Section 3 of the FAA maintain jurisdiction to confirm or vacate the resulting arbitral awards under sections 9 and 10 of the FAA. In this case, the original employment discrimination claims were sufficient to establish the federal district court’s jurisdiction. The Court ruled that the original claims also established…
15 May 2026By Dorian Henricot, Caterina Mendicino, Luis Molestina Vivar, Wouter Wakker, and Jakob WenzlNon-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) are on the rise. This blog shows how shifts in their borrowing and investment portfolios constrain financing for euro area firms and affect the transmission of monetary policy.Two trends have diverted financing away from euro area firms in recent years. First, euro area NBFIs have shifted their portfolios towards foreign assets –…
Finally, Ethiopia faces yet another issue: the presence on its territory—in the northern border areas of the Tigray regional state—of a 20,000-strong Eritrean military contingent, deployed there at the outset of the Tigrayan armed uprising under the aegis of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front . Initially, this suited Addis Ababa, as it diverted significant forces of the Tigrayan rebels, but after the signing of the Pretoria and Nairobi peace agreements…
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How leaders can create and deliver ‘immersive’ strategy that people can actually see themselves in Successful strategy execution depends not only on the quality of the strategy itself, but on leadership’s ability to build belief, trust and organisational alignment. This article explores how leaders can make strategy truly land by shaping culture, modelling consistent behaviours and creating systems that enable execution, supported by real-world business examples and research. Reading time:…
Seyfarth Synopsis: Oklahoma has enacted new amendments to its medical marijuana law that further define employer rights and obligations in the workplace. Under Oklahoma’s amended law, employers are required to apply zero‑tolerance drug and alcohol standards to applicants for and employees in safety‑sensitive positions. The amendment eliminates the employer’s “reasonable belief” standard from the definition of “safety‑sensitive” and appears to define positions as safety‑sensitive only where the job involves one…
Quick Hits The Supreme Court recently found that freight brokers can be sued for negligent hiring after accidents involving motor carriers selected for interstate transport of goods. The FAAAA does not override state laws concerning negligent hiring of unsafe motor carriers. The FAAAA preempts state laws related to prices, routes, and services for commercial trucking companies and brokers. However, a safety exception allows states to maintain safety regulatory authority with…
This commentary was originally published in Fortune. The views expressed are the authors’ own.In April 2025, an AI agent named “Sam” working in customer support for the developer tools company Cursor told users that their licenses worked on only one device. Subscriptions were canceled, complaints flooded Hacker News, and the company scrambled to clarify that no such policy existed. Sam had invented it. The technology took on a life of…
Following the Tianjin SCO summit held in September 2025, Kyrgyzstan became the next member state to assume the chairmanship of the organisation. Shumkarbek Adilbek uulu, Director of the National Institute for Strategic Initiatives (NISI) under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, explores the initiatives and vision Bishkek brings to the table, assessing what lies ahead for the SCO 25 years after its Shanghai Five predecessor was founded. Over its 25-year…
Seyfarth Synopsis: Connecticut has enacted significant changes across multiple areas of employment law. Key developments include expanded pay transparency requirements, a broad prohibition on “stay‑or‑pay” agreements, new wage and hour notice obligations, and enhanced employee protections. Many of the provisions take effect October 1, 2026. Connecticut has enacted a broad workforce bill that expands existing employment protections and introduces new compliance obligations in a range of subject areas. While many provisions build…
It is no coincidence that South Asian experts themselves emphasise that the majority of the population is primarily concerned with more prosaic, yet vital, security issues—access to electricity, adequate water resources and food supplies, and protection from the consequences of climate change. Resource Scarcity Energy security issues are acute across the region: South Asian countries are net importers of energy resources, and their availability determines not only overall macroeconomic growth…
Quick Hits Effective July 10, 2026, a new USCIS interim final rule gives adjudicators explicit regulatory authority to deny—rather than merely reject—immigration benefit requests with invalid signatures. Unlike a rejection, a denial means USCIS retains the filing fee, and the petitioner must file an entirely new petition to try again. Employers, HR professionals, and immigration practitioners may want to review signature workflows now, as USCIS will not permit petitioners to…
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela Among the many means of acquiring influence in contemporary global politics, educational cooperation is a form of interstate engagement that binds countries like no other. While future leaders form long-lasting ties with foreign states as they pursue their education, cooperation in the educational sphere also provides outside powers with an opportunity to influence and…
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By: Kyle D. Winnick, Robert S. Whitman, and Joseph E. Abboud Seyfarth Synopsis: The Second Circuit held that courts must dismiss out-of-state plaintiffs from FLSA collective actions unless the defendant is “essentially at home” in the forum state or consents to the suit in that venue. In a significant decision that will affect the scope of FLSA collective action litigation, the Second Circuit has held that courts may not adjudicate…
Quick Hits The California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, affirmed the holding that an employer could not enforce an arbitration agreement since it was neither a signatory to the contract nor an “affiliate” of the staffing agency. The court further held that even if the employer was a third-party beneficiary of the arbitration agreement, the agreement did not cover claims arising after the employment with the staffing agency ended.…
With the end of the Cold War, the theme of progress seemed, at first glance, to fade. But today it is clearly visible in several major political projects. Trump seeks to keep the keys to progress firmly in American hands. Xi’s doctrine says: one cannot develop at China’s expense; one can develop together with China. Putin’s doctrine is “Fortress Russia”—independent, without grandiose global ambitions, yet determined to hold its own…
Corey O'ConnorMayor, City of Pittsburgh Corey O’Connor is the 62nd mayor of the City of Pittsburgh. Mayor O’Connor brings with him a record of listening and prioritizing the voices of Pittsburgh residents, including its most vulnerable; making tough decisions under difficult circumstances; helping to deliver effective and efficient city services; and leading transformational change that maximizes opportunity and growth for all Pittsburghers. Mayor O’Connor is committed to making Pittsburgh more…
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are investigating how humans respond to artificial intelligence agents that sound physically present in the same room, work that could shape the future of audio-only AI systems used in smart glasses, accessibility tools and other screen-free technologies.A team from CMU's School of Computer Science(opens in new window) worked with experts in the Department of Psychology(opens in new window) and other universities to develop an interface…
Countries that are better prepared for climate change are becoming more attractive to international students while more vulnerable nations are losing their appeal, according to a major new global study involving researchers from The University of Manchester.The research analysed 1.15 million international student flows, and found that climate resilience is now an increasingly important factor in where students choose to study abroad.The findings suggest that alongside university rankings, jobs and…
Near misses like the one at New York’s John F. Kennedy International airport inspired a group from the AirLab(opens in new window) in Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute(opens in new window) (RI) to create World2Rules, an AI system that learns interpretable safety rules from data to analyze, verify and explain potential collision scenarios. By learning from both everyday airport activity and documented safety violations, the system builds a clear picture of what…
The TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) has removed its longstanding requirement for issuers to engage a sponsor in connection with listing transactions effective March 31, 2026. Previously, sponsors would conduct due diligence and provide a report to the TSXV as part of its review process. The change affects transactions such as reverse takeovers, qualifying transactions and direct listings. What you need to know The TSXV has eliminated its requirement for issuers…
Quick Hits On April 23, 2026, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill (SB 1134) that prohibits counties and municipalities from funding or promoting DEI-related programs, training, and offices. The law requires recipients of county and municipal contracts and grants to confirm they do not promote DEI. The law will take effect on January 1, 2027. The new law defines DEI as any effort to: “[m]anipulate or otherwise influence the…
The European Union (EU) has agreed on the largest overhaul of its customs system since 1968 (see our Insight in July). While the reforms will be rolled out over time, the direction of travel is already clear: responsibility for customs compliance is increasingly shifting toward e-commerce platforms. This reform will reshape how goods enter the EU market, with notable implications for international exporters – particularly Canadian businesses. A fundamental re-think…
Carmel Majidi(opens in new window), professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, is one of the recipients of the Bayh-Dole Coalition(opens in new window)’s American Innovator Award(opens in new window) for his pioneering work developing flexible materials for cooling advanced electronics and enabling new forms of robotic motion.The coalition's 2026 Faces of American Innovation report(opens in new window) honors a prestigious group of researchers, entrepreneurs and technology transfer professionals whose…
In Freddie Hendricks’ classroom at Utopian Academy for the Arts in Ellenwood, Georgia, the words great, greater and greatness are clearly evident — on the walls, on the door to his middle school theatre arts classroom, on a mural that commands attention on an entire wall in the room. Now, Hendricks has achieved one more great accomplishment in a list of many: He is the 2026 winner of the Excellence in…
In his address, Huang encouraged graduates to stay dedicated to their pursuits with unwavering determination."Carnegie Mellon has a motto I love: My heart is in the work. So, put your heart in the work. Build something worthy of your education, your potential, and the people who believed in you long before the world did," he said. "We have the opportunity to close the technology divide — and bring the power…
Quick Hits The ADA’s broad definition of “disability” expressly encompasses mental health conditions, which may include major depressive disorder, panic disorder, anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attention deficit disorder, and autism spectrum disorder, among others. Employers have an obligation to provide reasonable accommodation(s) that enable employees with mental health disabilities to perform their essential job functions or enjoy the equal privileges and benefits of employment. Employees are not entitled…
Quick Hits Germany’s Federal Labor Court held that an employer’s failure to attempt contact with a vacationing employee for the purpose of a required hearing before issuing an extraordinary termination on suspicion rendered the termination invalid for exceeding the two-week notice period. An employer must make a reasonable attempt to reach an employee on vacation within one week of learning the relevant facts, and only such an attempt will suspend…
The Baltic states suffered more economically from the Ukrainian conflict than other EU countries, facing recession and soaring inflation. Finally, it is in these countries that the sense of a “Russian threat” is most acute, actively fuelled both internally and externally by other EU and NATO members. The idea that “if Russia is not stopped in Ukraine, it will move further west” finds fertile ground here. Notably, the more ethnically…