Featured Stories
Lewis Rinaudo Cohen and Gary Kalbaugh to Speak at Fordham Law's Blockchain Regulatory Symposium
NEW YORK, Oct. 5 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Cahill Gordon and Reindel, a law firm, posted the following news:
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Lewis Rinaudo Cohen and Gary Kalbaugh to Speak at Fordham Law's Blockchain Regulatory Symposium
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Cahill partner and co-chair of CahillNXT Lewis Rinaudo Cohen and partner Gary Kalbaugh will each speak on a panel at Fordham Law School's 2026 Blockchain Regulatory Symposium.
Lewis' panel, "Year Behind, Year Ahead," will examine key blockchain developments from the past year and what can be expected ahead. The panel will discuss the aftermath of the CLARITY Act, cooperation between
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Oct. 5 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Cahill Gordon and Reindel, a law firm, posted the following news:
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Lewis Rinaudo Cohen and Gary Kalbaugh to Speak at Fordham Law's Blockchain Regulatory Symposium
*
Cahill partner and co-chair of CahillNXT Lewis Rinaudo Cohen and partner Gary Kalbaugh will each speak on a panel at Fordham Law School's 2026 Blockchain Regulatory Symposium.
Lewis' panel, "Year Behind, Year Ahead," will examine key blockchain developments from the past year and what can be expected ahead. The panel will discuss the aftermath of the CLARITY Act, cooperation betweenthe SEC and CFTC, real-world asset tokenization to stablecoins and blockchain's increasing overlap with traditional finance. The panel will also explore other current topics such as OCC trust charter activity, GENIUS Act implementation, and digital ID developments.
Gary will moderate the final panel, "Derivatives & Prediction Markets," discussing how perpetual futures and prediction markets fit imperfectly within existing derivatives frameworks. The panel will also consider the insider trading questions raised by these emerging financial technologies.
Fordham Law's Blockchain Regulatory Symposium brings together prominent law firm partners and in-house counsel for an invitation-only conference at the nexus of financial technology and regulatory policy.
To learn more about this year's Blockchain Regulatory Symposium, click here.
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Original text here: https://www.cahill.com/news/events/2026-10-05-lewis-rinaudo-cohen-and-gary-kalbaugh-to-speak-at-fordham-law-blockchain-regulatory-symposium
Littler: Policy Week in Review - October 2, 2026
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Oct. 3 -- Littler, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Policy Week in Review - October 2, 2026
Congressional and Administrative News
By Shannon Meade, Jim Paretti, Alex MacDonald, and Maury Baskin
October 2, 2026
At a Glance
The Policy Week in Review, prepared by Littler's Workplace Policy Institute (WPI), sets forth WPI's updates on federal legislation, regulations, and congressional activity affecting the workplace.
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U.S. Congress is Adjourned Until November
The Senate adjourned on Wednesday night for the fast-approaching November 3rd midterm elections.
... Show Full Article
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Oct. 3 -- Littler, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Policy Week in Review - October 2, 2026
Congressional and Administrative News
By Shannon Meade, Jim Paretti, Alex MacDonald, and Maury Baskin
October 2, 2026
At a Glance
The Policy Week in Review, prepared by Littler's Workplace Policy Institute (WPI), sets forth WPI's updates on federal legislation, regulations, and congressional activity affecting the workplace.
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U.S. Congress is Adjourned Until November
The Senate adjourned on Wednesday night for the fast-approaching November 3rd midterm elections.The House left town on September 16. When Congress reconvenes in November for the lame-duck session, it will face many unfinished legislative priorities, including defense authorization and funding the federal government. But, for now, the focus shifts to the campaign trail where candidates face a tough battleground amid constituents' growing frustrations over the affordability of consumer goods, including rising fuel and food costs. The results of the midterms will decide the balance of power in Washington next year. Democrats need a net gain of 4 seats in the Senate and a net gain of 3 seats in the House of Representatives to win majorities. Stay tuned for WPI's post-midterm analysis, perspective, and outlook for labor and employment policy.
OIRA in Receipt and Review of DOL's Final Independent Contractor Rule
On September 28, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) received for review the Department of Labor's final rule that will provide an analysis for determining employee or independent contractor status under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act. The final rule is expected to establish a standard similar to one the Department issued under the first Trump administration, i.e., simplify worker classification by focusing on two main factors--control over the work, and entrepreneurial opportunity. For additional Littler analysis, read here.
Keith Sonderling Confirmed as Secretary of Labor
As its final action before leaving town for the midterm elections, the Senate voted 47-41 along party lines to confirm the nomination of Keith Sonderling to be the secretary of labor. Having previously served as the deputy labor secretary and then acting labor secretary after the resignation of Laurie Chavez-DeRemer over alleged ethics violations, Sonderling has a proven track record of effectively running the Department. Additionally, he has been instrumental in restoring compliance assistance for the regulated community, providing opportunities for stakeholder engagement, and expanding registered apprenticeships to grow the nation's workforce needs. Secretary Sonderling will preside over the Department's active regulatory agenda this fall, which includes forthcoming regulations on independent contractor status and joint employment liability.
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Authors
Shannon Meade
Executive Director, Workplace Policy Institute
Washington, D.C.
smeade@littler.com
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James A. Paretti
Shareholder
Washington, D.C.
jparetti@littler.com
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Alexander T. MacDonald
Shareholder
Washington, D.C.
amacdonald@littler.com
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Maury Baskin
Senior Counsel
Washington, D.C.
mbaskin@littler.com
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Original text here: https://www.littler.com/news-analysis/asap/policy-week-review-october-2-2026
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Littler: California Amends Its WARN Act
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Oct. 3 -- Littler, a law firm, issued the following news:
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California Amends its WARN Act (Again)
By Shawn Matthew Clark, Robert Wilger, and Kerry Notestine
October 2, 2026
At a Glance
* California Senate Bill 951, signed on September 30, 2026, adds disclosure requirements to the California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act for certain reductions caused by artificial intelligence or other automated technology.
* The changes take effect on January 1, 2027, while the law's existing coverage thresholds, 60-day notice period, and penalties remain
... Show Full Article
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Oct. 3 -- Littler, a law firm, issued the following news:
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California Amends its WARN Act (Again)
By Shawn Matthew Clark, Robert Wilger, and Kerry Notestine
October 2, 2026
At a Glance
* California Senate Bill 951, signed on September 30, 2026, adds disclosure requirements to the California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act for certain reductions caused by artificial intelligence or other automated technology.
* The changes take effect on January 1, 2027, while the law's existing coverage thresholds, 60-day notice period, and penalties remainunchanged.
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On September 30, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 951, which amends the California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (Cal-WARN) to require additional disclosures when a mass layoff, relocation, or termination is caused by artificial intelligence (AI) or other automated technology. The law does not change Cal-WARN's coverage thresholds, 60-day notice period, or penalty provisions. Instead, it adds new notice content requirements, directs the Employment Development Department (EDD) to publish summaries of these "technology displacement" notices, and requires the EDD to report to the state legislature on AI's effects on hiring. These changes will take effect on January 1, 2027.
SB 951 was signed almost one year to the day Governor Newsom signed SB 617, which expanded the required contents of Cal-WARN notices effective January 1, 2026. Employers planning reductions in California in 2027 now need to account for both sets of requirements.
What SB 951 Requires
Definition of Artificial Intelligence
SB 951 amends Labor Code section 1400.5 to define "artificial intelligence" or "AI" as "an engineered or machine-based system that varies in its level of autonomy and that can, for explicit or implicit objectives, infer from the input it receives how to generate outputs that can influence physical or virtual environments." The bill does not separately define "other automated technology," "technological displacement," or "in substantial part."
Additional Notice Content for AI-Related Reductions
New Labor Code section 1401(d)(1) provides that when a covered mass layoff, relocation, or termination is "caused in whole or in substantial part by an AI system or other automated technology replacing or automating employment positions" the employer's notices must include all of the following in its Cal-WARN notices, in addition to the content already required:
1. The number of layoffs substantially attributable to replacement or automation by AI or other automated technology, including the classifications or occupations and work locations involved.
2. The job functions performed by affected workers that will be automated by AI or other automated technology.
3. The specific category or type of AI system or other automating technology that substantially resulted in the technological displacement.
4. The statement "This notice is for a technology displacement" at the top of the notice.
Public Reporting by the EDD
Under new section 1401(d)(2), the EDD must publish summaries of notices involving technological displacement and a quarterly statewide summary of reported technological displacements.
Report on AI and Hiring
New Labor Code section 1402.7 requires the EDD to submit a report to the state legislature on or before January 1, 2028, on AI's effects on business hiring practices, including its impact on industries and occupations at the state and regional level. The report must include one or more of several enumerated items, one of which is recommendations regarding a public notice requirement for employers or businesses engaged in "technological cessation in hiring," defined as "the permanent ending of hiring or contracting for a particular occupation or position caused in whole or in part by the employer's use of artificial intelligence or other automated technology," regardless of whether any workers in that occupation or position remain employed or under contract and regardless of whether the cessation results in an overall reduction in occupations or positions. Section 1402.7 imposes no obligation on employers, and it is repealed by its own terms on January 1, 2029. It does, however, signal that the state may consider a separate notice obligation for employers that permanently stop hiring for particular positions because of AI.
What Remain Unchanged and Open Questions
SB 951 leaves Cal-WARN's core framework intact. The statute continues to apply to a "covered establishment" that employs, or has employed in the preceding 12 months, 75 or more persons, and the 60-day notice requirement to affected employees, the EDD, and specified local officials is unchanged. Remedies under Labor Code section 1402 (back pay and benefits) and the civil penalty of up to $500 per day under section 1403 are also unchanged. The SB 617 content requirements that took effect on January 1, 2026, also remain in place.
The new law leaves several questions unanswered. For example, the statute does not define when a reduction is caused "in substantial part" by AI or automated technology or suggest how to handle layoffs where only part of the workforce is affected by AI or automated technology. In fact, the statute uses seemingly different causation phrasing in different places: The trigger in section 1401(d)(1) is "in whole or in substantial part," the required disclosures refer to layoffs "substantially due to" technology that "substantially resulted in" the displacement, while section 1402.7 uses "in whole or in part."
Workforce reductions frequently have multiple causes, and the reasons for eliminating particular positions may not be uniform. The statute does not explain how employers should evaluate a broader reduction in which AI or automated technology affects only certain positions or functions. In those circumstances, employers may need to identify and disclose the portion of the reduction substantially attributable to the technology while distinguishing positions eliminated for other reasons.
Also, only "artificial intelligence" is defined. The scope of "other automated technology" is not. Whether and under what circumstances conventional automation, robotics, or software outside the AI definition triggers the new disclosure requirements remain unclear.
As Cal-WARN is a statute focused on layoffs of employees at covered establishments only, it might seem unusual for the legislature to require the EDD to issue a report by January 1, 2028, about the broad effects of AI on business hiring practices or the level of exposure certain industries or occupations have to technological cessations in hiring. It remains to be seen how the EDD will gather the information necessary for this report and what the legislature might do with that information.
Recommendations for Employers
Employers with California operations should consider the following steps before January 1, 2027:
1. Update Cal-WARN notice templates to include a technology displacement section, for use when applicable, containing the three new data points and the required statement at the top of the notice.
2. Clearly and contemporaneously document the business reasons for the reduction, including the extent to which AI or automated technology contributed to the elimination or automation of particular positions or functions, so the company can evaluate, with counsel, whether a reduction is caused "in whole or in substantial part" by AI or other automated technology.
3. Confirm consistency between Cal-WARN notices, OWBPA disclosures, separation agreements, and internal and external communications, so that the stated reasons for the reduction (which may be summarized publicly by the EDD) do not conflict.
Employers with questions about SB 951 or Cal-WARN compliance should contact counsel with experience in complying with WARN notice obligations and the use of AI in the workplace.
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Authors
Shawn Matthew Clark
Shareholder
New York
smclark@littler.com
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Robert J. Wilger
Shareholder
San Jose
rwilger@littler.com
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Kerry E. Notestine
Shareholder
Houston
knotestine@littler.com
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Original text here: https://www.littler.com/news-analysis/asap/california-amends-its-warn-act-again
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Law360 Names McGuireWoods a North Carolina Powerhouse for Third Year in a Row
RICHMOND, Virginia, Oct. 3 -- McGuireWoods, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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Law360 Names McGuireWoods a North Carolina Powerhouse for Third Year in a Row
October 2, 2026
McGuireWoods again has been named a North Carolina Powerhouse by Law360, which recognized significant litigation victories and corporate transactions as examples of the firm's leadership in the Tar Heel State. Law360 highlighted the firm's accomplishments in a Sept. 28, 2026, story, marking the third consecutive year McGuireWoods was honored as a North Carolina Powerhouse.
"With lawyers having a wide range
... Show Full Article
RICHMOND, Virginia, Oct. 3 -- McGuireWoods, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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Law360 Names McGuireWoods a North Carolina Powerhouse for Third Year in a Row
October 2, 2026
McGuireWoods again has been named a North Carolina Powerhouse by Law360, which recognized significant litigation victories and corporate transactions as examples of the firm's leadership in the Tar Heel State. Law360 highlighted the firm's accomplishments in a Sept. 28, 2026, story, marking the third consecutive year McGuireWoods was honored as a North Carolina Powerhouse.
"With lawyers having a wide rangeof skill sets, the firm is well positioned to take advantage of North Carolina's evolving legal landscape," noted Law360.
The article covered litigation and transactional successes stemming from McGuireWoods' long relationship with client Falfurrias Capital Partners, a private equity firm founded by Hugh McColl. These included representing Global Plasma Solutions, a Falfurrias portfolio company, through a False Claims Act investigation by the Department of Justice. The probe ended in October 2025 with the DOJ concluding Global Plasma Solutions did nothing wrong, a result Charlotte partner Robert Muckenfuss called "a significant vindication." The firm is also pursuing a $1 billion defamation claim against the world's largest scientific publisher for Falfurrias.
Law360 also recognized the firm's work enabling Falfurrias to merge John H. Northrop & Associates, Coherent Technical Services and Expansia Group into a single defense technology platform that helps provide services including digital engineering and advanced fabrication support for a range of defense players. That deal was led by Charlotte partner Chris Nesbit.
The publication also cited McGuireWoods' advocacy for 21 autistic children and their families against the state of North Carolina after policymakers slashed Medicaid reimbursement for a widely used autism treatment. After the firm, led by Raleigh partner Michael Easley Jr., secured a preliminary injunction to halt the cuts, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein restored the funding.
In interviews with Law360, partners Elizabeth Zwickert Timmermans and Brian Kahn said McGuireWoods is uniquely positioned to meet the evolving needs of clients in the region's most dynamic economic sectors.
Timmermans, managing partner of McGuireWoods' Raleigh office, noted how corporate deals, private equity and technological developments were driving the firm's legal work in the state capital. The tech sector, she added, fuels AI-related transactional work and privacy-related litigation. "I think data breach and [personally identifiable information] issues are very hot," Timmermans said.
Kahn, managing partner of the Charlotte office, added, "One of the things that I think makes McGuireWoods stand out from a lot of other firms is how strong and deep our healthcare practice is." From helping with legal advice on a startup idea, to corporate structure, all the way through to selling a company or litigation post-sale, he said, "[W]e've done it before, and we're really good at it."
Kahn added McGuireWoods is lucky to have found so many "amazing, dedicated professionals that love what they do" -- helping clients, building relationships and innovating every day.
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Original text here: https://www.mcguirewoods.com/news/press-releases/2026/10/law360-names-mcguirewoods-a-north-carolina-powerhouse-for-third-year-in-a-row/
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Jackson Walker Congratulates 11 Attorneys Named to 'Lawdragon 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers' List
AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 3 -- Jackson Walker, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Jackson Walker Congratulates 11 Attorneys Named to 'Lawdragon 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers' List
October 2, 2026
Jackson Walker is pleased to announce the selection of 11 attorneys to the "Lawdragon 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers" list for 2027.
Congratulations to the following Labor & Employment and Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation attorneys named to this list:
* Jamila Brinson - Labor & Employment
* Chuck Campbell - Executive Compensation & Benefits
* Greta Cowart - Executive
... Show Full Article
AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 3 -- Jackson Walker, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Jackson Walker Congratulates 11 Attorneys Named to 'Lawdragon 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers' List
October 2, 2026
Jackson Walker is pleased to announce the selection of 11 attorneys to the "Lawdragon 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers" list for 2027.
Congratulations to the following Labor & Employment and Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation attorneys named to this list:
* Jamila Brinson - Labor & Employment
* Chuck Campbell - Executive Compensation & Benefits
* Greta Cowart - ExecutiveCompensation & Benefits
* G. Scott Fiddler - Labor & Employment, esp. Litigation
* Richard Garza - Labor & Employment
* Dawn Holiday - Labor & Employment Litigation
* John Jansonius - Labor & Employment
* Sarah Mitchell Montgomery - Labor & Employment, esp. Litigation
* Jay Rutherford - Labor & Employment
* David Schlottman - Labor & Employment Litigation
* Lionel (Lonnie) Schooler - Employment Law, Litigation & Arbitration
Launched in 2005, Lawdragon is a legal media company that features news, editorial features, and a variety of guides to the nation's top legal professionals who lead in a particular practice area or industry and who have handled significant matters within the past year. For information about the selection process, view the Lawdragon website.
Meet Jackson Walker
Since 1887, Jackson Walker has represented some of the most influential companies and business leaders in the world. Today, we remain firmly rooted in Texas while serving clients around the globe. With more than 500 attorneys, we are the largest Texas-based law firm. Jackson Walker consistently ranks among leading firms in Chambers and Partners, Best Law Firms(R) by Best Lawyers, and as a BTI Client Service A-Team based on feedback from corporate counsel.
Our Labor & Employment group is nationally recognized for its strategic counsel on workplace issues, litigation, and compliance. In addition to being named a "BTI Employment Litigation Leader" for the past two years, Jackson Walker has earned repeated honors in the Texas Lawyer Best Of awards and includes attorneys inducted into the Hall of Fame for excellence in employment law. The firm has also been ranked among the top Texas firms in the Chambers USA Guide for Labor & Employment since 2013, as well as recognized among the Best Law Firms(R) by Best Lawyers, with 27 national and 142 metropolitan rankings in the 2026 edition.
Complementing this strength, our Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation group advises clients on the design, implementation, and compliance of benefit plans and executive compensation arrangements. The group is known for its deep experience navigating ERISA, tax, and corporate governance complexities.
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Original text here: https://www.jw.com/news/jackson-walker-lawdragon500-corporate-employment/
[Category: BiLaw/Legal]
Hughes Hubbard: Jeremy Paner Discusses U.S. Actions Against Iran-Linked Russian Financial Network With Bloomberg
NEW YORK, Oct. 3 -- Hughes Hubbard and Reed, a law firm, issued the following news:
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October 02, 2026
Jeremy Paner Discusses U.S. Actions Against Iran-Linked Russian Financial Network with Bloomberg
Actions highlight how connections to Iran drive Treasury's targeting of sanctions-circumvention and money laundering networks.
Highlights
* OFAC and FinCEN actions target A7, a Russian financial services firm accused of using a global network of shell companies to circumvent U.S. economic sanctions.
* Actions were packaged as part of Operation Economic Outcast.
* Paner notes the network
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Oct. 3 -- Hughes Hubbard and Reed, a law firm, issued the following news:
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October 02, 2026
Jeremy Paner Discusses U.S. Actions Against Iran-Linked Russian Financial Network with Bloomberg
Actions highlight how connections to Iran drive Treasury's targeting of sanctions-circumvention and money laundering networks.
Highlights
* OFAC and FinCEN actions target A7, a Russian financial services firm accused of using a global network of shell companies to circumvent U.S. economic sanctions.
* Actions were packaged as part of Operation Economic Outcast.
* Paner notes the networkwas targeted because of its connection to Iran, not for circumventing Russian sanctions.
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Jeremy Paner discussed with Bloomberg the U.S. Treasury Department's latest sanctions actions targeting A7, a Russian financial services firm accused of using a global network of shell companies to move funds for sanctioned entities, including those linked to Iran.
The FinCEN proposed rule and OFAC designation were packaged as part of Operation Economic Outcast, a campaign against Iran announced by Treasury Secretary Bessent in August. U.S. Treasury alleged that A7 facilitated payments and moved sanctioned funds for Iran using subagents and falsified trade documents to make sanctioned or illicit payments appear as ordinary business transactions.
Paner noted that the network was targeted by the United States because of its connections to Iran.
"It's a Russian sanctions circumvention network that is targeted because of its connections to Iran, not for circumventing Russian sanctions," he said. "This is another way that Russia can be targeted, but it seems like there needs to be an Iranian connection to the circumvention to get Treasury's attention."
Read the article (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-10-01/us-further-targets-iran-linked-russian-a7-financial-network).
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Featured Lawyers
Jeremy P. Paner
Partner
Locations
Washington, D.C.
jeremy.paner@hugheshubbard.com
202/721-4614
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Original text here: https://www.hugheshubbard.com/news-insights/insights/jeremy-paner-discusses-us-actions-against-iran-linked-russian-financial-network-with-bloomberg
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Alston & Bird Advises Ready Capital on $225 Million Senior Secured Notes Offering
ATLANTA, Georgia, Oct. 3 -- Alston and Bird, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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October 1, 2026
Alston & Bird Advises Ready Capital on $225 Million Senior Secured Notes Offering
Alston & Bird represented Ready Capital Corporation and one of its subsidiaries, ReadyCap Holdings II LLC, in the private placement of $225 million in aggregate principal amount of 10% senior secured notes due 2031.
The Alston & Bird team advising Ready Capital included partners Michael Kessler, Paul Hespel, Rebecca Valentino, and David Rutherford; senior associates Boran Ding, Misbah Mohiuddin, Sarah
... Show Full Article
ATLANTA, Georgia, Oct. 3 -- Alston and Bird, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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October 1, 2026
Alston & Bird Advises Ready Capital on $225 Million Senior Secured Notes Offering
Alston & Bird represented Ready Capital Corporation and one of its subsidiaries, ReadyCap Holdings II LLC, in the private placement of $225 million in aggregate principal amount of 10% senior secured notes due 2031.
The Alston & Bird team advising Ready Capital included partners Michael Kessler, Paul Hespel, Rebecca Valentino, and David Rutherford; senior associates Boran Ding, Misbah Mohiuddin, SarahMcClellan, and Yemisi Falade; and partners Sarah Ma and Stephen Ornstein.
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URL: Ready Capital
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Original text here: https://www.alston.com/en/insights/news/2026/10/ready-capital-225m-notes-offering
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
