Video game publisher ZeniMax Media Inc. recently asked a federal judge to issue an order that would prevent Facebook, Inc. from using important software code that ZeniMax claims to own. Facebook subsidiary Oculus currently distributes the disputed code to outside companies that develop games for its Rift VR headset. If the Dallas judge decides to issue the order, Oculus’ ambitious entry into the emerging virtual reality industry could be seriously hindered, legal experts say. Intellectual property lawyers predict that ZeniMax has a good chance of getting the order, so Facebook must now decide whether to potentially pay a large settlement or fight the order to maintain their position in the industry.
Sterling Jewelers Suit Casts Light on Wider Policies Hurting Women
On February 26, statements from over 69,000 former female employees of Sterling Jewelers were released as part of an ongoing class action suit. The class action against Sterling Jewelers, the parent company of jewelers such as Kay Jewelers, Jared, and others, involves pay discrimination against women. In their statements, the women seeking collective action against Sterling Jewelers detail their encounters with various types of harassment while at the company, ranging from pay discrimination to lewd behavior by male bosses, and including disparate treatment when they’ve tried to report inappropriate behavior.
Uber Vows to Stop Using Greyball Tool to Thwart Authorities
In a recent line of scandals for the ride-hailing giant, Uber is feeling the heat for its use of a secret program, which operated to deceive law enforcement and identify undesirable riders.
London Stock Exchange-Deutsche Börse Merger Faces Continued Uncertainty
If the $31 billion merger of Deutsche Börse and the London Stock Exchange (LSE) collapses, this will be their third failed attempt since 2000. However, if the deal goes through, LSE-Deutsche Börse would be the world’s biggest exchange operator by revenue and second-largest exchange operator by market value.
Samsung Vice Chairman Indicted for Bribery and Embezzlement
On February 28, 2017, Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and four other senior executives of Samsung were indicted on corruption charges following a 90-day investigation by a special prosecutor.
President Trump to Repeal Dodd-Frank
President Trump Scales Back Dodd-Frank
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, better known as the Dodd-Frank Act (the “Act”), is a financial reform package passed during the Obama administration as a response to the financial crisis of 2008. The Act, signed into law in 2010, re-designed Wall Street and the American financial industry. Banks and other financial institutions were forced to undergo a series of new regulatory exams and cut back on their lucrative, but illiquid, private equity and hedge fund investments. The Act created new governmental agencies and strategies to oversee mid-sized banks all the way up to multi-billion-dollar firms. Now, seven years after its enactment, President Donald Trump has pledged to significantly reduce and repeal the Act.
Snap’s IPO and Lack of Shareholders’ Rights
Snap Inc. (“Snap”) recently filed its IPO with the SEC. The intended IPO of the parent company of the messaging app Snapchat has already been heavily debated and various commentators have criticized Snap’s intended governance structure.
Unilever Heads Back to the Drawing Board after Takeover Bid is Withdrawn
Unilever, a British consumer goods company, is exploring alternative methods for expansion after Kraft Heinz withdrew their $143 billion takeover bid in February. The takeover would have created an industry stalwart and giant within the packaged food and consumer goods realm. The original offer intended to pay shareholders $50 a share in a cash-stock combination.
Workers Reject Union at Boeing’s South Carolina Facilities
On February 15, despite efforts from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), seventy-four percent of approximately 3,000 eligible employees voted to reject unionization of Boeing’s Dreamliner assembly line in North Charleston, South Carolina.
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Auto Lenders’ Use of GPS Tracking and Kill Switches Prompts FTC Investigation
Amidst a steady increase in subprime auto loans, lenders are utilizing new surveillance technologies to mitigate their risk. Finance companies, credit unions, and auto dealers use GPS tracking to monitor borrower’s locations and “kill switches” to remotely disable vehicles. Lenders say these devices allow them to extend loans to more Americans with poor credit as they can locate the vehicle if a borrower defaults on payments and repossession is necessary.