Columbia Law School
Sky Blog
The Brexit Twilight Zone
More Brexit chaos unfolded last week as the UK Parliament voted (1) for a second time to reject Theresa May’s Brexit deal, (2) to reject a no-deal Brexit and (3) in favor of Brexit delay. Yet these actions seem to …
EU
March Madness – Brexit Edition
The countdown to Brexit on March 29 brings new twists and turns every day. On Wednesday, the UK’s House of Commons voted on amendments to the Brexit process, establishing a March timetable for decisions on whether to seek a deal, …
Debevoise Discusses Possible EU Approach to ICOs and Crypto-Assets
In the first week of 2019, both the European Securities and Markets Authority (“ESMA”) and the European Banking Authority (“EBA”) issued reports advising EU legislators on the regulation of “crypto-assets” and initial coin offerings (“ICOs”). The European Supervisory Authorities (“ESAs”), …
When Good Incentives Are Not Enough: The Quest for Financial Data Standardization
Data standardization – the process of developing and implementing rules for how data are described and recorded – offers significant benefits for financial firms and regulators. Nonetheless, the topic has received only scant attention from academics, and regulatory efforts to …
The Identity Challenge in Finance
Identity is fundamental in finance. At a time when huge TechFins like Amazon are making inroads into the financial services industry, major questions are arising as to the most effective methods of customer identification and meeting Know Your Customer obligations …
The Transatlantic Debate over Shareholder Rights
Effective and sustainable shareholder engagement is a cornerstone of the corporate governance model of listed companies, which is based on a system of checks and balances among boards, management, and stakeholders. Enhancing the involvement of shareholders in corporate governance is …
Skadden Discusses Merger Reviews and Antitrust Inquiries in Case of “No-Deal” Brexit
As the U.K.’s March 29, 2019, exit date from the European Union approaches, companies involved in merger reviews or antitrust investigations should pre-emptively address the risk of a “no-deal” Brexit.
Both the U.K. and EU have antitrust laws that can …
Can Companies and M&A Law in Europe Adapt to the Market for Corporate Control?
Takeover regimes in Europe have been under persistent scrutiny by the public, politicians, and market participants. Sometimes, that is just the nature of the game: Takeovers create winners and losers, and the latter (with the help of their champions and …
Arnold & Porter Compares New California Privacy Law With the EU’s Privacy Regime
On September 23, 2018, the governor of California signed into law an amended version of the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA),[1] which was originally enacted in late June 2018. The amendments are a partial response to extensive …
Gibson Dunn Discusses How Brexit Will Affect Financing and Documentation
Since the result of the Brexit referendum was announced in June 2016, there has been significant commentary regarding the potential effects of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on the financial services industry.
As long as the UK is negotiating …
Gibson Dunn on Why the UK Is Heading for a “Soft Brexit”
Our discussions with politicians, civil servants, journalists and other commentators lead us to believe that the most likely outcome of the Brexit negotiations is that a deal will be agreed at the “softer” end of the spectrum, that the Conservative …
Addleshaw Goddard Discusses a “Hard” Brexit’s Implications and Practical Solutions
At 11 pm on March 29, 2019, the United Kingdom will leave the European Union. In the absence of a material change of trajectory in the Brexit negotiations, it is likely that the investment management industry will find itself grappling …
How to Achieve Equivalence of Financial Regulation in the EU and UK Post-Brexit
As the March 29, 2019 deadline approaches, the United Kingdom prepares its withdrawal from the European Union amidst political turbulence that would suit a television drama.[1] Center stage is what to do about the financial services industry. For the …
Debevoise Discusses the U.S. CLOUD Act and Europe’s Response
Electronically stored data play a vital role in criminal investigations. The framework for the transfer of such data across national borders continues to be difficult to navigate. Recent legislative developments in the United States and the European Union signal a …
Legal Insider Trading in Europe Makes the Case for Enforcement
Evidence about the relative importance of private and public enforcement of securities laws for financial markets is inconclusive. The recently introduced Market Abuse Directive (MAD) (2003/6/EC) sets a European Union (EU) standard for regulation of insider dealing and market manipulation. …
Davis Polk Discusses the Impact of European Data Protection Regulation on U.S. M&A
The winds of change will shortly sweep across the data privacy landscape in the European Union (“E.U.”) and the gale will be felt worldwide. The European General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) will come into force on …
Skadden Discusses Novel Theories Emerging in Merger Enforcement
Antitrust merger enforcement historically has focused on horizontal mergers — consolidation of two firms that compete directly in the same space. This is especially true in the U.S., where antitrust authorities have challenged few vertical mergers — those of a …
Europe Faces Problem of Strong Shareholders and Weak Outside Investors
Corporate governance literature has largely focused on listed firms with dispersed ownership, but those with controlling stockholders are increasingly important in the United States and Europe. In the U.S., the likes of Google, Facebook, and other technology firms have gone …
Morrison & Foerster Discusses What Global Investors Think About Brexit
Amid the uncertainty Brexit has created, foreign investors are assessing their existing and prospective investments in the UK, with particular focus on Brexit’s potential impact on EU-UK trade and labor mobility. No one has a crystal ball but our MoFo …
Debevoise & Plimpton Discusses Contingency Planning For Brexit
Not many people would have predicted that the third quarter of 2017 – a period that ended six months after Britain gave formal notice of its intention to leave the European Union – would see more private equity investments in …