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Over a two-day span, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently provided a preview of its shift in approach to noncompete agreements. Rather than seeking to revive its 2024 rule that would have banned most post-employment noncompetes, the agency announced it will pivot to case-by-case enforcement actions against employers. This new direction follows the FTC’s decision to drop its appeals of the now-defunct rule. We outline these important developments below. FTC…

Following the September 18, 2025, confirmation of John Squires as US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) director, the USPTO recently announced that it will be placing extra scrutiny on patent examiner and Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) rejections of artificial intelligence-related patent claims based on § 101 subject matter eligibility. In a September 26, 2025, Appeals Review Panel (ARP) decision issued by Squires in Ex Parte Desjardins et al.,…

Boston and San Francisco – October 6, 2025 – Cooley has expanded its life sciences corporate partnering and licensing practice with the addition of partners Sarah Hogan and Jenna Ventorino in the Boston office and partner Stephen Abreu in the San Francisco office. The three new attorneys enhance Cooley’s established position as a leading strategic advisor across the life sciences industry. “We are excited to welcome these exceptional lawyers to Cooley…

Federal contractors may face a variety of workforce compliance challenges during the current US federal government shutdown. These challenges include understanding and meeting obligations under federal and state wage and hour laws, the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act and state counterparts, as well as addressing issues related to employee benefits, unemployment benefits and union matters. Below are key considerations to help contractors manage these challenges during the…

Washington, DC – October 3, 2025 – Today, Cooley announced that Brian Nelson has joined the firm as a partner in its global litigation department in Washington, DC, where he will lead the department’s national security practice, which will focus on the defense of government investigations and enforcement. Brian will also collaborate with the firm’s Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), trade controls and government contracts practices…

Shanghai – September 21, 2025 – Cooley advised AusperBio, a privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to advancing targeted oligonucleotide therapies to achieve a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B (CHB), on its $63 million Series B2 financing. The round was co-led by Qiming Venture Partners and a globally renowned strategic investor, with additional participation from HanKang Capital, CDH Investments, YuanBio Venture Capital, Sherpa Capital and Genesis Capital. Proceeds from…

Chicago – September 26, 2025 – Cooley advised NETSTREIT, an internally managed real estate investment trust based in Dallas that specializes in acquiring single-tenant net lease retail properties nationwide, on its $450 million in additional financing commitments under a new term loan credit agreement and amendments to its existing credit facilities agented by PNC Bank, National Association, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, and Truist Bank. The Cooley team advising NETSTREIT…

Cooley was recognized as Life Sciences Team of the Year as part of the Legal Business Awards 2025, which celebrate excellence, innovation and dedication across the legal profession. The award was based on the firm’s representation of Autolus Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that develops next-generation programmed T-cell therapies, in its strategic collaboration with BioNTech to advance both companies’ autologous CAR-T programs toward commercialization and in its $350 million underwritten…

For the fifth consecutive year, Cooley earned an A grade on the Law Firm Climate Change Scorecard published annually by Law Students for Climate Accountability (LSCA). The scorecard ranks Vault 100 law firms according to how much fossil fuels work they engaged in over the past five years. The scores are based on the litigation, transactional and lobbying work each firm is doing – or not doing – on behalf…

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) continues to buck the historical light-touch state regulation of voice over internet protocol (VoIP) – think registration and fee requirements – and impose telephone-like regulations on fixed interconnected voice over internet protocol (iVoIP) service providers. Fixed iVoIP services provide two-way voice communications using internet protocol over a broadband connection at a fixed physical address that can receive calls from, and terminate to, 10-digit telephone…

With the US federal government now shut down until Congress passes funding legislation, federal agencies have begun furloughing employees. Those furloughs will impact the Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) – the federal agencies tasked with enforcing antitrust laws.  The Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvements Act requires parties to certain transactions to notify the DOJ and FTC and observe an initial waiting period – typically…

Cooley partner Derek Colla was quoted in a Law.com article about the importance of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Division of Corporation Finance granting DoubleZero no-action relief for its distribution of 2Z tokens, highlighting it as a “blueprint” for future projects. Read the article (subscription required) Read more about the request This content is provided for general informational purposes only, and your access or use of the content…

San Diego – September 17, 2025 – Cooley advised Mabwell Bioscience, an innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company with capabilities spanning the entire pharmaceutical value chain, on its exclusive license agreement with Aditum Bio to launch Kalexo Bio, a new company formed in conjunction with an exclusive global license agreement to develop 2MW7141, a novel dual-target small interfering RNA (siRNA) candidate for lipid management in patients with dyslipidemia and for the prevention of…

Miami – September 29, 2025 – Cooley advised DoubleZero Foundation, which secured a first-of-its kind no action letter (NAL) from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Corporation Finance, which clarifies that the programmatic distributions of 2Z tokens are not subject to registration under the Securities acts. This represents a major milestone in the regulation of crypto assets and provides a potential path for crypto projects to compliantly distribute tokens…

Beijing – September 30, 2025 – Cooley advised PATEO CONNECT Technology (Shanghai) Corporation, a pioneer in smart cockpit and internet of vehicles solutions in China’s automotive industry, on its HK$1.07 billion initial public offering (IPO). The company offered 10,436,900 H shares priced at HK$102.23 per share, subject to the overallotment option. PATEO’s shares began trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on September 30, 2025, under stock code 2889. CICC,…

Cooley partner Scott Dailard was quoted in a Reuters article about how Amazon’s $2.5 billion midtrial settlement brought major attention to the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA), a previously overlooked consumer protection law. Dailard noted that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) became more aggressive in pursuing ROSCA violations after the US Supreme Court ruling in AMG Capital Management v. FTC ended the agency’s ability to seek monetary relief under…

Cooley has been recognized on Law360’s Pulse Social Impact Leaders list, ranking #5 overall. The list highlights 100 firms making the greatest strides in social responsibility in 2024, based on five pillars: racial and ethnic diversity, gender equality, employee engagement, pro bono service and responsible business. Read the article (subscription required) This content is provided for general informational purposes only, and your access or use of the content does not…

On September 10, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) published the long-awaited final rule implementing the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program into the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS). The rule takes effect on November 10, 2025, marking the date when contracting officers may begin inserting CMMC clauses into new solicitations and contracts.1 The DFARS rule aligns with the CMMC program rule issued under Title 32 in December 2024,…

Cooley partner Kristen Mathews was quoted in The Record about growing concerns regarding the privacy of neural data collected by brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Mathews notes that in some cases, neural data collected during research studies is not protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), stressing the need for clearer consent standards and transparency. Read the article This content is provided for general informational purposes only, and your…

Cooley partner Kristen Mathews was quoted in The Record about the US Management of Individuals’ Neural Data Act of 2025, which was introduced to protect consumers’ neural data from tech companies and data brokers and directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to collaborate with officials and industry leaders to design a neural data governance structure and fill policy gaps. Mathews suggests businesses would benefit from deciding on voluntary standards to…

Yesterday, three US senators announced that they will soon introduce a novel bill in Congress that, if passed, would set forces in motion to address concerns that some have about the rapid advancement of neurotechnologies that can “read and write” to the human mind. Senators Chuck Schumer, Maria Cantwell and Ed Markey plan to introduce the “Management of Individuals’ Neural Data Act of 2025” (MIND Act), which will apply to…

Hong Kong – September 23, 2025 – Cooley advised Butong Group in connection with its HK$781.84 million initial public offering (IPO). Butong Group specializes in the design and sale of nursery products. It offered 10,980,900 shares priced at HK$71.20 per share, subject to the overallotment option. The company’s shares began trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on September 23, 2025, under stock code 6090.HK. Citic Securities and Haitong Capital…

Washington, DC – September 24, 2025 – Cooley today announced that Philip Brown has joined the firm’s global product compliance and litigation practice and East Coast business litigation group in Washington, DC. As special counsel, Brown will leverage his experience with compliance and enforcement within both the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to advise the firm’s innovative clients navigating product compliance and litigation matters, including…

Beijing – September 24, 2025 – Cooley advised Hello Group, a leading player in Asia’s online social networking space, on its acquisition of Happn, a France-based leading global dating app that is reinventing the way people meet. Cooley lawyers Yilin Xu, Will Cai, Ruomu Li, Michael Shen, Lunga Su, Bartholomäus Regenhardt, Patrick Van Eecke, Charles Haley, Xander Lee, Hardy Zhou, Athina Gaki and Julie Paulino Montejo led the team advising Hello Group.…

Boston – September 16, 2025 – Cooley advised AllRock Bio, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on advancing therapies for cardiopulmonary and fibrotic diseases, on its $50 million Series A financing to advance AllRock’s lead molecule, ROC-101, a first-in-class, oral pan-rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension and pulmonary hypertension with interstitial lung disease. The round was co-led by Versant Ventures and Westlake BioPartners. Lawyers Ryan Sansom, Barry Kuang…

Palo Alto – September 22, 2025 – Forbes magazine has recognized eight Cooley lawyers in its second annual list of America’s Top Lawyers. This year, the publication honored 250 lawyers who “distinguished themselves through notable deals and transactions, impressive trial work, wise counsel, [and] respect from colleagues, arbiters and clients.” The publication honored a cross-section of Cooley litigators and transactional lawyers in six different practice areas: Cooley’s eight total recognized…

Boston – September 23, 2025 – Dallas Cruz has joined Cooley as a partner in the firm’s debt finance practice based in Boston. She brings extensive experience counseling clients in a range of complex finance transactions, with a particular emphasis on representing private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies. “Dallas’ depth of experience guiding clients through the full spectrum of debt finance transactions will be a significant asset to our…

Reston – September 23, 2025 – Cooley advised Aescape, the leader in artificial intelligence-powered recovery technology, on its acquisition of the exclusive rights to Tom Brady’s recovery and longevity protocols. As part of the partnership, Brady joins Aescape as its chief innovation officer, and his business partner, Alex Spiro, joins as a strategic advisor, supporting product development and the company’s growth into sports and capital markets. Lawyers Mike Lincoln, Danielle…

Cooley was recognized for the second consecutive year as an Awesome Opponent on BTI Consulting Group’s Most Feared Law Firms in Litigation list, which featured nearly 100 law firms. The publication further characterized the firm as a litigation powerhouse. The list, which is part of the “BTI Litigation Outlook 2026: More Contentious. More Complex. More Spending” report, highlights the firms that strike the most fear in seasoned general counsel and…

Boston – September 16, 2025 – Cooley advised Clubessential Holdings, a global provider of software as a service and embedded payments solutions for membership-based organizations, backed by Battery Ventures and Silver Lake, on its definitive agreement to merge with Xplor Technologies, a platform providing software and embedded payments solutions to businesses in everyday life verticals, such as childcare and education, fitness and wellbeing, field services, and personal services. The merger…

San Francisco – September 19, 2025 – The Daily Journal has recognized Cooley partner Benedict Hur among its Top 100 lawyers, its annual list celebrating leading lawyers in California who are conducting cutting-edge legal work and making a significant impact in the industry. In its coverage, the publication noted Hur’s work as a leading litigator on behalf of technology companies confronting data privacy and class action claims from users and…

On September 12, 2025, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the launch of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) Public Dashboard for Cosmetic Products, an online tool that provides access to adverse event data on cosmetic products. This dashboard allows the public to search, filter and download mandatory reports related to serious adverse events submitted under the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA) by “responsible…