Reston – October 5, 2025 – Cooley advised SciTec, a leader in advanced national security technologies, on its definitive agreement to be acquired by Firefly Aerospace, a market-leading space and defense technology company, for approximately $855 million through a combination of $300 million in cash and $555 million in Firefly shares issued to SciTec owners at a price of $50 per share. Lawyers Andrew Lustig, Aaron Binstock, Heather Harrington, Tessa…
Miami – October 7, 2025 – Cooley advised Meanwhile, which provides bitcoin-denominated life insurance as a way of facilitating tax-efficient wealth planning for long-term bitcoin holders, on its $82 million financing round, bringing Meanwhile’s total funding in 2025 to $122 million. Funding will accelerate global access to bitcoin-denominated life insurance, annuities, savings and insurance bonds through institutional partners, protecting policyholders worldwide from inflation and currency risk. The round was co-led…
On 9 September 2025, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published new guidance on how competition law applies to recruiting workers, setting pay and other working conditions. The guidance builds on a recent string of enforcement cases both by the CMA and other competition regulators into labour market and recruitment practices, and sets out how the CMA views competition in the labour market. We have summarised the key points…
Until now, no coordinated global effort has been dedicated to applying this century’s vast technological advancements to the field of international justice. The Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice brings together the Blavatnik School’s global convening power and leading research acumen with CFJ's unique track record providing free legal support in defense of free speech and women’s rights around the globe. In an event launching the Institute at the Blavatnik School,…
London – October 3, 2025 – The Legal 500 UK 2026 has recognized 20 Cooley practice areas from the firm’s London office. Partners Rod Freeman and Angus Miln were named to The Legal 500 Hall of Fame, and 11 partners were recognized as Leading Lawyers – including co-partners in charge, Claire Keast-Butler and James Maton, alongside partners Aaron Archer, Chris Coulter, Tom Epps, Caroline Hobson, Paula Holland, Charlie Lightfoot, Ryan…
The US Department of Justice’s Data Security Program (DSP) has entered a critical phase. As of October 6, 2025, US persons and entities engaged in certain covered data transactions must be fully compliant with the DSP’s due diligence, audit, recordkeeping and reporting requirements. With the deadline now passed, companies should assess their exposure and ensure they finalize implementation of the DSP’s requirements if engaging in covered data transactions. Refresher: What is…
Cooley partner David Peinsipp, co-chair of the firm’s global capital markets practice group, was quoted in a Bloomberg article about how the US federal government shutdown may affect companies seeking an initial public offering (IPO). Read the article (subscription required) This content is provided for general informational purposes only, and your access or use of the content does not create an attorney-client relationship between you or your organization and Cooley…
Oxford University has once again topped the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, with a record 2,191 universities having been ranked from 115 countries.Oxford has been world number one since 2017 – the longest time any university has held the position in the 21 annual editions of the rankings. Harvard University and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) are the only other universities to have topped the rankings. Professor Irene Tracey, CBE,…
In the US, the first half of the year was turbulent in terms of both sentiment and growth: after having been lulled by the successes promised by the ‘US exception’ and the privileges offered by the status of the USD, investors expressed their disaffection at the end of the sensational ‘Liberation Day’. From an economic point of view, in anticipation of aggressive tariffs, imports jumped in Q1, before falling sharply:…
Published today in Nature Astronomy, the study by researchers from the University of Oxford, Google Cloud, and Radboud University demonstrates that a general-purpose large language model (LLM) – in this case Google’s Gemini - can be transformed into an expert astronomy assistant with minimal guidance.Using just 15 example images and a simple set of instructions, Gemini learned to distinguish real cosmic events from imaging artefacts with approximately 93% accuracy. Crucially,…
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…
">Video of Vice-Chancellor's Oration 2025 ‘Nenikekamen – we have won,’ shouted Pheidippides, or some Greek soldier, after running from Marathon to Athens around 490 BCE to announce victory over the invading Persian army. Legend has it, he then dropped dead… I get that… when it gets to mile 20 everything hurts, trust me. Having just completed my 6th world major marathon in Berlin with blistering heat with blistering feet, I…
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…
2 October 2025By Anastasia Allayioti, Giada Bozzelli, Paola Di Casola, Caterina Mendicino, Ana Skoblar and Sofia VelascoUncertainty is a key force shaping economic conditions. This post shows that heightened uncertainty about economic policy in the United States significantly affects firm lending in the euro area. This weighs on investment and reduces the effectiveness of monetary policy.Periods of heightened economic policy uncertainty exert significant pressure on economic outcomes. They dampen business…
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…
On September 15, we mark the International Day of Democracy—at a time when democratic values are under pressure in many places. A look at the United States makes that plain. In Switzerland, we often feel like we live on an island of stability. In fact, our democracy is quite resilient thanks to its political institutions. Yet, concern is growing here as well over hardened divides: our consensus democracy relies on…
With the housing protection ordinance introduced in May 2022, Basel Stadt sought to curb the so-called “profit-driven renovations”. For five years after a renewal, landlords may only raise rents marginally; every modernization—from a new boiler to a dishwasher—requires approval from a nine-member commission, whose files for larger projects can run hundreds of pages. Three years later, the warnings long voiced by real estate economists have been confirmed: the supposed safety…
Donald Trump equates trade deficits with theft from the American people. By that logic, he should be proud of the surpluses the US achieves in services trade. But in his view, only manufacturing really matters. In doing so, he overlooks the fact that the exchange of services (see box) is becoming increasingly important. Trade economist Richard Baldwin even speaks of a new phase of globalization. The fragmentation of value chains…
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,…
The federal government is facing a financial problem. Spending is growing faster than revenue, and from 2027 onward, lasting deficits loom. To ensure compliance with the debt brake in the future, the Federal Council put together a relief package last year. The consultation process sparked immediate reactions: ETH warned of risks to Switzerland’s standing as an education hub, farmers feared for their incomes, and the Social Democrats even spoke of…
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…
The purpose of Bank Overground is to share our internal analysis. Each bite-sized post summarises a piece of analysis that supported a policy or operational decision.
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…