OSC seeks feedback on a new proposed investment fund that will give retail investors access to long-term illiquid assets On October 10, 2024, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) released Consultation Paper 81-737 (the Proposal), to enhance retail investors’ access to long-term illiquid assets (Long-Term Assets) by creating a new investment fund category, the Ontario Long-Term Asset Fund (OLTF). The OSC seeks to expand the opportunity for retail investors to gain…
The 15th Asian Conference of the Valdai Discussion Club will be held in Kuala Lumpur from December 9 to 10, 2024, organized in partnership with the Bait Al Amanah Foundation (Malaysia), the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (Japan), and the Institute for Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (INSAP, Malaysia). Over the 20 years of the Valdai Club’s work, Kuala Lumpur has repeatedly become a venue for expert meetings and joint seminars with…
The ability of police to force a person to unlock their phone has improved since the recent introduction of digital evidence access order legislation in New South Wales. This has extended police powers, allowing law enforcement to compel individuals to provide passcodes to electronic devices. The are hefty penalties including fines and imprisonment for a failure to comply with these orders, or providing false or misleading information. Can police force…
Remotely operated camera traps, sound recorders and drones are increasingly being used in conservation science to monitor wildlife and natural habitats, and to keep watch on protected natural areas.But Cambridge researchers studying a forest in northern India have found that the technologies are being deliberately misused by local government and male villagers to keep watch on women without their consent. Cambridge researcher Dr Trishant Simlai spent 14 months interviewing 270…
Taylor Swift mania has taken hold of Canada, and alongside it comes important changes to employment and employment-related legislation that Ontario employers need to understand and implement both immediately and in the near future. “Track 5” of the Ontario government’s employment legislation comes in the form of Bill 190, officially titled the Working for Workers Five Act, 2024. Bill 190 makes several amendments to Ontario’s employment standards legislation (ESA) as…
As an American living in the UK, you are subject to two tax systems with differing deadlines and tax periods. To avoid a mismatch in tax credits most people should look at making early UK tax payments. Why is a pre-payment required? US taxpayers may need to claim Foreign Tax Credits to reduce a US tax liability on income and capital gains. The amount of foreign tax credits available in…
Cary Cooper, Professor of Organisational Psychology and Health In a book I wrote with a colleague on organisational failures (The Apology Impulse) the inability of many of them to confront their failures, except to say a meaningless “we’re sorry”, is legend. We highlighted the many cases of organisations in the private and public sector apologising profusely for a high-profile failure, but not taking any personal or organisational responsibility for it.…
Dear Stanford Students for Justice in Palestine, Thank you for sharing your divestment petition on May 6th. We are empathetic to your deep concern for the tragic events of the past year in Gaza and Israel. They have been painful to observe and particularly distressing for those with loved ones in the region who have been living with violence and fear. We recognize the burdens that many people in our…
The Network and Information Security Directive 2022/2555 (the “NIS2 Directive”) has now come into effect from 17 October 2024 with application to the following sectors (but subject to the enactment of domestic Irish legislation to fully transpose its provisions):: healthcare; manufacturing of pharmaceutical products or preparations, medicinal products or medical devices; energy and utilities; transport; financial institutions (save for those complying with the ICT risk management aspects of the Digital…
Traditionally, Republican administrations have favored deregulation and a more lenient approach to antitrust enforcement that is grounded in economics over policy preferences. This environment often leads to an increase in merger and acquisition activity, as companies feel more confident in pursuing significant deals without the fear of stringent regulatory intervention. While a second Trump administration should bring with it a return to an economics-based antitrust enforcement approach, wholesale change in…
Generative AI has been a buzzword in the tech world, and it’s now making inroads into more traditional sectors like insurance. One standout example is Wisedocs, a Toronto-based startup using AI to review and summarize medical records, that recently raised $12.7 million in Series A financing and $4.5 million in growth capital financing with the support of BLG. BLG Partner Frazer House caught up with Wisedocs founders Connor Atchison and Jenna…
Online platforms that allow users to share content are required to manage content moderation and, when necessary, suspend user activities for violations of legal obligations or platform rules. The Digital Services Act (DSA) sets out important guidelines for these platforms, especially regarding suspension of user accounts or activities. This article explains the conditions under which platform providers can suspend user access, offering practical advice and examples for platforms that must…
Scott Graham, Unsplash Tuesday, December 17, 20241:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Eastern12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Mountain10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Pacific Register Here About the Program Join us for the final installment of Seyfarth’s 2024 Trade Secrets Webinar Series, where our panel will provide practical guidance on navigating non-compete agreements, safeguarding trade secrets, and understanding critical regulatory developments impacting employers across the United States.…
Quick Hits Employers that had workers in the areas of New York City impacted by the September 11th attacks may be required to notify those workers of two federal victim compensation funds. The new regulations seek to address the lack of awareness among many individuals who were exposed to harmful conditions following the September 11th attacks that they may be eligible for benefits. On November 7, 2024, the New York…
The year 2024 is a pivotal year for artificial intelligence regulation around the world with the enactment of the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act, which is already pictured as the golden standard, not unlike what the General Data Protection Regulation had previously achieved. Canada showed leadership of its own in 2022 with the introduction of Bill C-27 and its proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA). However, since its introduction,…
To help businesses, investors, and deal professionals better understand the evolving M&A market, Rob Connolly – a partner in and leader of LP’s Corporate Practice Group – shares a sequence of conversations with M&A experts. Below is his conversation with Jordan Gerber, a Managing Director at Caber Hill Advisors, an M&A advisory firm that focuses on helping privately-held, middle-market businesses transact with strategic or private-equity-backed buyers. Jordan has over 25…
On divorce, how can you know what a fair financial settlement is going to look like? How much should you receive from your spouse or pay them? No formulas are available to give us a definitive answer; just a couple of key words being “fair” and “reasonable”. So, what will fair look like in your case, when fairness, sometimes likened to beauty, is in the eye of the beholder? In short,…
“We want students to thrive throughout their whole life, and we want them to have the educational experiences that lead to that thriving,” said Professor Susanna Loeb in the opening panel of the 2024 Accelerate Edtech Impact summit at Stanford. “We want that for all students. We don’t just want that for students from well resourced families, and we don’t just want that for students who are motivated and engaged…
Updated guidance for entities (Guidance) has been published with respect to the reporting obligations under the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act (the Supply Chains Act). The revisions provide significant clarification in several areas where there was previous uncertainty, including with respect to the definition of “assets” and the type of activities that will trigger a reporting obligation. The Guidance also includes tips for avoiding…
JAIME TEEVAN: Thanks, Molly. It’s a pleasure to join. MOLLY WOOD: So, you have the most fantastic-sounding job at Microsoft. Can you tell us a little bit about it? What was Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s initial vision for your role? And then what’s your day-to-day like? JAIME TEEVAN: Yeah, I do have the most fantastic job, so you are right. [Laughs] My job is to drive research-backed innovation in our core products.…
Global growth is expected to remain stable and slow into next year, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Its World Economic Outlook report, released in October, predicts global annual real GDP growth to be 3.2% in both 2024 and 2025, rising to 3.1% in five years’ time, a performance it describes as mediocre compared with the prepandemic average. Unsurprisingly, forecasts for 2024 and 2025 see emerging markets and developing…
As the earth continues to warm and concerns increase over climate risks ranging from extreme flooding to heatwaves, world leaders are gathered in Baku, Azerbaijan, for another round of climate discussions at COP29. For companies, the strategic consequences of climate action — particularly in the face of rising global uncertainties — are top of mind. Corporate leaders are thinking about how to meet their own net-zero goals, and how to…
Attention, inventors, in-house counsel, and anyone with a vested interest in the world of intellectual property: the USPTO just issued its final rule for patent fees. This is a follow-up to the 2023 proposal—but with a slightly softer landing. Starting January 19, 2025, the cost of securing those all-important patent rights is going up—because inflation, higher examiner pay, and new small-entity discounts have left the USPTO needing more revenue to…
On Nov. 21, 2024, the Department of Finance announced temporary goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) relief on certain qualifying goods as part of the federal government’s wider announcement titled More money in your pocket: A tax break for all Canadians. While the authors generally support substantive tax reform to address Canada’s declining productivity and relieve inflationary pressure on the cost of living for Canadians, temporary GST/HST relief on…
This year at CYBERWARCON, Microsoft Threat Intelligence analysts are sharing research and insights representing years of threat actor tracking, infrastructure monitoring and disruption, and attacker tooling. The talk DPRK – All grown up will cover how the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has successfully built computer network exploitation capability over the past 10 years and how threat actors have enabled North Korea to steal billions of dollars in cryptocurrency…
When researchers need to collect data about a worksite’s soil quality, they can run into several problems. Using excavators to access sites can be challenging, expensive, and may limit the ability to collect samples. Once an excavator does return a scoop of soil, scientists must still collect soil samples by hand for shipping and analysis at an off-site commercial lab. In short, their work is often dirty, dangerous and expensive.…
This commentary originally appeared in Time. This week’s news regarding the Biden Administration’s effort to force Alphabet to divest Google Chrome is consistent with shared anti-big business sentiments in large parts of the Republican right. The attack on American pillars of U.S. prominence, including technology, the food industry, pharmaceuticals, financial services, and higher education—all the envy of the rest of the world—hints an anger that is now bringing together America’s…
“Update now or risk losing access to your company’s systems and services.” Executives have likely seen this kind of message regularly sent to their company-issued mobile phone or computer. And when it pops up, they know exactly what it means and why: upgrading a device’s operating system can help protect it against bugs or unlock new features for more effectiveness. As a leader, updates to your own operating system can…
What if listening could change everything? This raw and captivating episode with guest Avi Kluger reveals how listening and the “space between” people can unlock new ways of seeing, feeling and transforming, and profoundly reshape how we lead, connect and grow. A pioneering researcher in feedback and organizational behavior, Avi shares his personal journey to understand the power of listening and its potential to unlock unexpected depths in ourselves and…
The Faculty Senate voted against rescinding its 2020 censure of Scott Atlas, a Hoover Institution fellow who advised President Donald Trump on COVID-19 matters, following a lengthy discussion on Thursday.Deans from the Graduate School of Business, School of Engineering, School of Humanities and Sciences, and School of Law also shared their guiding priorities with the senate during the last meeting of the fall quarter.In response to a senator’s question, Provost…
From TikTok and YouTube to Google Images and AI-driven art generators, visual content is dominating the digital world. More than 3.2 billion images and 720,000 hours of video were posted on the internet every day in 2023, and that figure is rapidly growing. “The production and circulation of images is on a whole new scale,” says Douglas Guilbeault, an assistant professor of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business.…
The study, published in the journal Community, Work and Family, assesses people's attitudes towards having robots caring for oneself, providing services and companionship, when one is infirm or elderly. The study draws on data from 28 European countries, factoring in local determinants such as GDP, women’s labour force participation rates, and spending on elderly care. The lead author, Professor Ekaterina Hertog, Associate Professor at the Oxford Internet Institute & the…
In a recent advisory opinion following the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) referral, the National Mediation Board (NMB) ruled on whether the Railway Labor Act (RLA) applies to Swissport Cargo Services, LP, a third-party ground service provider for airlines (i.e., a “derivative carrier”). Deviating from nearly 40 years of history, the NMB held that the RLA does not cover Swissport or its employees, reasoning that Swissport is not a “common…
The UK State Pension can be a useful top up to your retirement income. But if you’re living in some overseas countries, you might find your pension payments are frozen at lower rates, meaning you’re losing out on increasing amounts. George Howard, our Chartered Financial Planner in Dubai, takes a look at the facts. Paying your National Insurance contributions during your working life should mean that you can enjoy a…
Nearly a century ago, economist and Maryland congressman Clarence Long called the building industry “probably the most strategic single factor in making or breaking booms and depressions.” Since then, economists have tried to tease apart the complex relationship between housing markets and the economy. Building permits give you a nice signal of investors’ beliefs about the local economy. It’s a connection between Main Street and Wall Street. A flurry of…
One of the foundations of this approach was the Bandung Conference of 1955. Non-Western countries for the first time proclaimed their common goals and objectives. The declaration of this conference recorded the commitment of non-Western countries to the common cause of fighting Western colonialism and imperialism, the recognition of the principle of equality of all participants and differences between them, as well as the joint promotion of common interests in…
Change can be challenging—and slow. Case in point: a decade of research on Women in the Workplace, conducted by McKinsey in partnership with LeanIn.Org, discloses several areas where women still lag behind their counterparts. In this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, McKinsey senior partners Alexis Krivkovich and Lareina Yee speak with global editorial director Lucia Rahilly about where women’s experiences have improved, stalled, and even worsened over the past ten years, as…
Fry brings outstanding experience to the role of communicating to diverse audiences, including with people not previously interested in maths. She will follow in the footsteps of giants of public engagement with mathematics, including David Spiegelhalter and the late Stephen Hawking as she joins the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP).“I’m really looking forward to joining the Cambridge community,” said Fry, “to those chance encounters and interactions that…
Topics Culture Champions Building a healthy culture is one of the most important — and hardest — leadership jobs. These articles, based on a webinar series and research by Donald Sull and CultureX, share actionable advice from leaders whose cultures produced exceptional business results and a world-class employee experience. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Aleksandar Savic The strongest corporate cultures have a handful of core values that are…
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (“OFCCP”) issued its FY 2025 Corporate Scheduling Announcement List (Release 1) (“CSAL”) today. This list provides advance notice of 2,000 compliance reviews, which OFCCP plans to schedule although the exact timing is unclear. Federal contractors and subcontractors should review the list to determine whether they have been selected for an upcoming compliance review. OFCCP has posted its FY 2025 CSAL identifying the…