In 2012, the New York based law firm Dewey & LeBoeuf made headlines by filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The firm, which was among Vault.com’s Top 50 Law Firm Rankings from 2009 to 2012, employed more than 1,400 attorneys across fifteen countries before announcing its collapse. Since the announcement, Dewey’s top managers have been at […]
Banks Leave it to Startups to Take the High Road in Providing Services to Dispensaries
After legalization victories in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and the District of Columbia, the war on drugs (and marijuana in particular) may finally be losing its thunder in the Court of Public Opinion. Still, a pro-marijuana victory lap is premature with twenty-five states continuing to ban both recreational and medical marijuana use. Even in states […]
Reinforcements Arrive for Whistleblowers in Financial Services
Whistleblowing is the ultimate form of burning your bridges. So it comes as no surprise that while whistleblowers are lauded for their courage and willingness to call out their companies for material financial wrongdoing, the celebration pales in comparison to the common risks they face from their current and future employers. Whistleblowers are often mishandled, […]
The Politics of Dodd Frank
The debate around breaking up big banks has become a focal point of the 2016 Presidential Election. With Wall Street facing growing market pressures there is uncertainty over whether reforms that have been put in place will be able to help withstand these challenges. One of the major reforms at question is the Dodd-Frank Wall […]
Earning Stripping, Tax Inversions, and the Gaming of America’s Corporate Tax System
Earning stripping and tax inversions are allowing US-based corporations to shelter their tax burdens outside of the reach of the IRS. In an inversion, a US-based company relocates their corporate headquarters overseas, allowing them to lower their domestic tax bill. A key element of this scheme is earning stripping. Earning stripping works by having a […]
Judge Orders HSBC to Make Money-Laundering Report Public
In December 2012, the Department of Justice filed to prosecute HSBC Bank for violating the Bank Secrecy Act, Emergency Economic Powers Act, and Trading with the Enemy Act. The Department of Justice’s investigation revealed significant evidence showing HSBC officers engaged in business protocol that allowed drug cartels in several different nations to launder money internationally. […]
Recap: “Venture Capital Speaker Series—Paul Vronsky, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers”
On February 10, 2016, the Berkeley Center for Law, Business and the Economy (BCLBE) welcomed Paul Vronsky, general counsel of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, for a discussion of his role at Kleiner Perkins and the future of venture capital. A graduate of Stanford Law, Vronsky made his start at Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin […]
Three, Two, One, Coke Zero: Coca-Cola’s Trademark Battle Nears its End
Since Coke Zero was first introduced in 2005, the Coca-Cola Company (Coke) has been involved in domestic and international efforts to acquire rights over the English word “zero.” The fight over the term “zero” may seem trivial at first glance, but Coke Zero currently makes up 3% of the $168 billion soda industry. Though Diet […]
US Foods Plans to Go Public Following Failed Merger
On February 9, 2016, US Foods filed a “Form S-1” registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for an initial public offering (IPO). US Foods’s announcement marks only the third US IPO of 2016, a year marred by heightened volatility in global equity markets. Founded in 1988, US Foods is the second […]
Supreme Court Presses Pause on Carbon Regulation
The Obama Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) suffered a setback on February 9, 2016 when the Supreme Court put a temporary halt on enforcement of the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. The Clean Power Plan is an attempt to reduce carbon pollution from its largest source, power plants, by returning the costs of negative […]