Business and Human Rights – could the UK adopt mandatory human rights due diligence?

On 28 November 2023, Baroness Young of Hornsey introduced the Commercial Organisations and Public Authorities Duty (Human Rights and Environment) Bill (the “Bill”) to the House of Lords.  If passed, the Bill would introduce mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence (“HREDD”) into UK law.

The description of “reasonable” HREDD set out in the Bill is consistent with the standards set out in the UN Guiding Principles and existing and draft legislation in other jurisdictions (including … Read the rest

New York Cannabis Store Rollout for Formerly Convicted Business Owners Could Be in Jeopardy

New York’s program placing the first 150 retail cannabis dispensary licenses into the hands of entrepreneurs with past marijuana convictions is now on pause as a lawsuit into the legitimacy of the program leaves New York Cannabis social equity in limbo.

The state’s Office of Cannabis Management which operates the Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary program (CAURD) was sued last month by three veterans who alleged the program’s requirements are unconstitutional.

The Conditional Adult Use program was designed to give individuals … Read the rest

Companies now have 10 business days to file changes to their corporate information

On 24 May 2023, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition published the Companies Amendment Regulations, 2023 (Amendment Regulations). The Amendment Regulations were drafted in consultation with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) to align the Companies Regulations with the General Laws (Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Financing) Amendment Act, 2022 (General Laws Amendment Act). The General Laws Amendment Act amended four pieces of legislation, including the Companies Act, 2008 (Companies Act), in an effort to avoid or help overcome … Read the rest

Business interruption insurance: commencement of the Indemnity Period (UK)

In this English court judgment, the parties were in dispute whether the Indemnity Period begins with the commencement of the interruption or interference with the insured business or with the occurrence of the Covered Event.

The definition of Indemnity Period in the policy read:

“Indemnity Period means the period of time during which interruption or interference to the Insured’s Business occurs as a consequence of the Covered Event beginning with the occurrence of the Covered Event and ending not later … Read the rest

A business perspective: Diversity in university admissions is a compelling interest

A business perspective: Diversity in university admissions is a compelling interest

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This article is part of a symposium on the upcoming arguments in Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v. President & Fellows of Harvard College. A preview of the case is here.

Michael R. Dreeben is a partner and Natalie Camastra and Kelly Kambourelis are associates at O’Melveny & Myers LLP. They were counsel on an amicus brief supporting UNC and Harvard.

The business case for diversity in university admissions … Read the rest

The Unfinished Business of Felony Murder

In 2017, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court abolished key aspects of its “felony murder rule,” the common law doctrine that made everyone involved in a felony that resulted in death guilty of first-degree murder—guilty even if they personally inflicted no violence and never intended to hurt anyone.

The penalty for first degree felony murder is life in prison, without possibility of parole.

The Massachusetts justices ruled that felony murder will no longer serve as an independent ground for a first-degree … Read the rest

Judiciary Releases Annual Report and Judicial Business 2021

In 2021, the Judiciary confronted uniquely trying times: The global pandemic placed serious constraints on the courts for a second straight year, unanticipated spikes in caseloads were driven by the Jan. 6 upheaval at the Capitol and other events, and cybersecurity threats to government technology systems continued unabated.
Judiciary News – United States Courts

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