Featured Stories
Ropes & Gray Advised GEM in $685 Million Close of Independent Sponsors Fund II
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Oct. 30 -- Ropes and Gray, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Ropes & Gray Advised GEM in $685 Million Close of Independent Sponsors Fund II
October 29, 2026
Ropes & Gray represented GEM in the formation and final close of GEM Independent Sponsors Fund II, LP, which closed at its hard cap with program commitments totaling $685 million. The fund close was announced on Oct. 22.
IS Fund II invests alongside independent sponsors in the lower middle market. It follows GEM's first independent sponsor fundraise of $450 million in 2025.
GEM is an independent investment
... Show Full Article
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Oct. 30 -- Ropes and Gray, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Ropes & Gray Advised GEM in $685 Million Close of Independent Sponsors Fund II
October 29, 2026
Ropes & Gray represented GEM in the formation and final close of GEM Independent Sponsors Fund II, LP, which closed at its hard cap with program commitments totaling $685 million. The fund close was announced on Oct. 22.
IS Fund II invests alongside independent sponsors in the lower middle market. It follows GEM's first independent sponsor fundraise of $450 million in 2025.
GEM is an independent investmentmanagement firm that provides customized solutions for long-term investors worldwide.
The team included asset management partners Leigh Fraser and Rachel O'Brien and tax partner Jim Brown.
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URL: GEM
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Original text here: https://www.ropesgray.com/en/news-and-events/news/2026/10/ropes-gray-advised-gem-in-close-of-independent-sponsors-fund-ii
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
New York Super Lawyers Recognizes 21 WilmerHale Lawyers in Its 2026 Lists
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- WilmerHale, a law firm, posted the following news:
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New York Super Lawyers Recognizes 21 WilmerHale Lawyers in Its 2026 Lists
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Super Lawyers has selected 21 WilmerHale lawyers for inclusion in its 2026 New York Metro Super Lawyers and New York Metro Rising Stars lists. Sixteen lawyers were named to the Super Lawyers list, and five were named to the Rising Stars list.
Super Lawyers recognizes attorneys from all firm sizes and over 70 practice areas throughout the United States. According to the publication, its "patented selection process
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- WilmerHale, a law firm, posted the following news:
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New York Super Lawyers Recognizes 21 WilmerHale Lawyers in Its 2026 Lists
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Super Lawyers has selected 21 WilmerHale lawyers for inclusion in its 2026 New York Metro Super Lawyers and New York Metro Rising Stars lists. Sixteen lawyers were named to the Super Lawyers list, and five were named to the Rising Stars list.
Super Lawyers recognizes attorneys from all firm sizes and over 70 practice areas throughout the United States. According to the publication, its "patented selection processis peer influenced and research driven, selecting the top 5% of attorneys to the Super Lawyers lists each year." Rising Stars uses the same selection process for attorneys who are 40 or younger or who have been in practice for 10 years or less, and it names the top 2.5% of lawyers in each state.
The WilmerHale New York Metro Super Lawyers honorees are:
* Debo Adegbile (Appellate)
* Philip Anker (Bankruptcy: Business)
* Michael Bongiorno (Securities Litigation)
* Robert Finkel (Technology Transactions)
* Robert Gunther (Intellectual Property Litigation)
* Jay Holtmeier (Criminal Defense: White Collar)
* Fraser Hunter (Securities Litigation)
* Boyd Johnson (Criminal Defense: White Collar)
* Tamar Kaplan-Marans (Securities Litigation)
* Omar Khan (Intellectual Property Litigation)
* Hallie Levin (Business Litigation)
* Lori Martin (Securities Litigation)
* Peter Neiman (Criminal Defense: White Collar)
* Christopher Noyes (Intellectual Property Litigation)
* Anjan Sahni (Criminal Defense: White Collar)
* Alan Schoenfeld (Business Litigation)
The WilmerHale New York Metro Rising Stars honorees are:
* Emma Bennett (Securities Litigation)
* Charles Bridge (Business Litigation)
* Sara Hershman (Business Litigation)
* Laura Macro (Intellectual Property)
* Andres Salinas (Appellate)
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Original text here: https://www.wilmerhale.com/en/insights/news/20261030-new-york-super-lawyers-recognizes-21-wilmerhale-lawyers-in-its-2026-lists
Kirkland Advises CBRE's Gateway Fiber on Inaugural Fiber Network Securitization
CHICAGO, Illinois, Oct. 30 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Kirkland and Ellis, a law firm, posted the following news release:
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Kirkland Advises CBRE's Gateway Fiber on Inaugural Fiber Network Securitization
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Kirkland & Ellis advised Gateway Fiber, a broadband infrastructure and services provider owned by CBRE, on the inaugural securitization of its fiber network assets through GW Issuer, LLC's $333.02 million offering of secured fiber network revenue notes, Series 2026-1, comprising $212.89 million of Class A-2 notes, $36.53 million of Class B notes and $83.6 million of Class C notes, together
... Show Full Article
CHICAGO, Illinois, Oct. 30 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Kirkland and Ellis, a law firm, posted the following news release:
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Kirkland Advises CBRE's Gateway Fiber on Inaugural Fiber Network Securitization
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Kirkland & Ellis advised Gateway Fiber, a broadband infrastructure and services provider owned by CBRE, on the inaugural securitization of its fiber network assets through GW Issuer, LLC's $333.02 million offering of secured fiber network revenue notes, Series 2026-1, comprising $212.89 million of Class A-2 notes, $36.53 million of Class B notes and $83.6 million of Class C notes, togetherwith a $7.5 million Class A-1-L liquidity funding note. The Class A-2 and Class A-1-L notes received expected ratings of A-, and the Class B notes received an expected rating of BBB-.
The liquidity funding note, undrawn at closing, provides liquidity support without negative carry. The master trust also accommodates future series of notes and the addition of new networks, giving Gateway a permanent, programmatic platform to finance its continued buildout.
The Kirkland team included structured finance lawyers Kelly Mellecker, Tad Bardenwerper, Brandon Karas, Emma Tall, Betsy Morris and Alissa Carbonara; corporate lawyers Darren Fernandez, Ethan Heben and Kyle Anderson; tax lawyers Jon Nelsen, Mike Beinus, Richard Husseini and Ben Schreiner; investment funds ERISA lawyers Joe Lifsics and Christine Matott; litigation lawyer Nick Niles; and investment funds regulatory lawyer Felix Jen.
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Original text here: https://www.kirkland.com/news/press-release/2026/10/kirkland-advises-cbres-gateway-fiber-on-inaugural-fiber-network-securitization
ITC Makes Affirmative Preliminary Determination in Trade Cases on Pizza Boxes from China, Malaysia, and Turkey
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Wiley Rein, a law firm, posted the following news release:
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ITC Makes Affirmative Preliminary Determination in Trade Cases on Pizza Boxes from China, Malaysia, and Turkey
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Washington, DC - In a victory for U.S. producers, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) today found that there is a reasonable indication that imports from China, Malaysia, and Turkey are materially injuring the U.S. pizza box industry.
The Commission's vote comes in response to petitions filed on September 9, 2026, by the American Pizza Boxes Manufacturers Coalition
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Wiley Rein, a law firm, posted the following news release:
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ITC Makes Affirmative Preliminary Determination in Trade Cases on Pizza Boxes from China, Malaysia, and Turkey
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Washington, DC - In a victory for U.S. producers, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) today found that there is a reasonable indication that imports from China, Malaysia, and Turkey are materially injuring the U.S. pizza box industry.
The Commission's vote comes in response to petitions filed on September 9, 2026, by the American Pizza Boxes Manufacturers Coalition- comprised of U.S. producers Smurfit Westrock and Pratt Industries - as well as the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union. The cases allege that unfairly dumped and subsidized imports of Chinese, Malaysian, and Turkish pizza boxes are injuring the domestic industry and threaten further injury. The case is titled Corrugated Die-Cut Cardboard boxes from China, Malaysia and Turkey, and the goods covered are overwhelmingly comprised of pizza boxes.
"U.S. pizza box producers and the thousands of American manufacturing jobs they support are being harmed as a result of dumped and subsidized imports from China, Malaysia, and Turkey," said Robert E. DeFrancesco, lead counsel to the Coalition and partner in Wiley's International Trade Practice. "We are encouraged by the Commission's vote, which takes the domestic industry one step closer to restoring a level playing field for U.S. manufacturers and their workers."
On October 19, 2026, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced the initiation of antidumping (AD) investigations into imports of corrugated die-cut cardboard boxes from China, Malaysia, and Turkey, as well as a countervailing duty (CVD) investigation into such imports from Turkey. The petitions allege significant dumping margins, and Commerce is examining a large number of subsidy programs - including tax breaks, grants, and discounted inputs provided by the government of Turkey, as well as "transnational" subsidies provided by the Russian government.
The ITC's affirmative preliminary injury determination paves the way for Commerce to move forward with its investigations. Assuming extensions, Commerce is expected to issue its preliminary CVD determination in February 2027 and its preliminary AD determinations in April 2027. If Commerce also reaches affirmative preliminary determinations in these cases, provisional AD and CVD duties will be collected from importers based on the preliminary margins calculated.
If both Commerce and the ITC ultimately reach affirmative final determinations, AD and CVD orders on pizza boxes from China, Malaysia, and Turkey will be issued, imposing duties on the unfairly traded imports for a minimum of five years. Duty evasion, absorption, and circumvention are strictly illegal.
The Wiley team representing the Coalition also includes International Trade partners Laura El-Sabaawi and Theodore P. Brackemyre; associates Paul A. Devamithran and Alexis Berg; and international trade analysts Richard F. DiDonna, Amy E. Sherman, and Alex W. Wood.
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Original text here: https://www.wiley.law/pressrelease-ITC-Makes-Affirmative-Preliminary-Determination-in-Trade-Cases-on-Pizza-Boxes-from-China-Malaysia-and-Turkey
Husch Blackwell Assists Arevon Energy in Closing Tax Equity Financing for 124 MW Big Muddy Solar Project in Southwestern Illinois
KANSAS CITY, Missouri, Oct. 30 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Husch Blackwell, a law firm, posted the following news release:
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Husch Blackwell Assists Arevon Energy in Closing Tax Equity Financing for 124 MW Big Muddy Solar Project in Southwestern Illinois
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Husch Blackwell's renewable energy team assisted Arevon Energy in the closing of a $120 million tax equity commitment from Wells Fargo Bank for the 124 MW Big Muddy Solar Project located in Southwestern Illinois.
Husch Blackwell served as project development and local counsel to Arevon through the development, debt financing, and tax
... Show Full Article
KANSAS CITY, Missouri, Oct. 30 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Husch Blackwell, a law firm, posted the following news release:
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Husch Blackwell Assists Arevon Energy in Closing Tax Equity Financing for 124 MW Big Muddy Solar Project in Southwestern Illinois
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Husch Blackwell's renewable energy team assisted Arevon Energy in the closing of a $120 million tax equity commitment from Wells Fargo Bank for the 124 MW Big Muddy Solar Project located in Southwestern Illinois.
Husch Blackwell served as project development and local counsel to Arevon through the development, debt financing, and taxequity financing of the Big Muddy Solar Project, which is Arevon's first utility-scale energy facility in Illinois.
In February, Arevon secured a $183 million debt package that included a tax equity bridge loan, construction-to-term loan, and a letter of credit. Big Muddy Solar will generate a host of economic benefits in Jackson County, Illinois and surrounding areas including the creation of an estimated 250 jobs during peak construction to build the project. Over its operating life, Big Muddy Solar is expected to deliver more than $12.6 million in property tax payments that will help fund schools, roads, and other area initiatives, while generating enough domestically produced electricity to power more than 24,000 Illinois homes annually.
The Husch Blackwell team was led by senior associate Riley Nickel and included attorneys Kirsten Large, Ben Murphy, Sarah Milocco, Michael Blackwell, Kevin Valenzuela, Leah Kaiser, Lizzy Warner, Mara Pollets, and Page Arbuckle, and paralegals Tina Chamblee, Cassidy Van Houtan, and Brandy Hutchison. Anna Kimbrell served as the supervising partner.
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Original text here: https://www.huschblackwell.com/inthenews/husch-blackwell-assists-arevon-energy-in-closing-tax-equity-financing-for-124-mw-big-muddy-solar-project-in-southwestern-illinois (TNSmlt)
Fisher Phillips Issues Insight: Bipartisan Bill Would Ban Noncompetes Below $100,000 - 4 Steps for Employers to Prepare
ATLANTA, Georgia, Oct. 30 -- Fisher Phillips, a law firm, issued the following Insight:
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Bipartisan Bill Would Ban Noncompetes Below $100,000: 4 Steps for Employers to Prepare
Oct 29, 2026
A new bipartisan proposal in Congress would prohibit noncompete agreements for employees and contractors earning less than $100,000 in annualized cash compensation. If enacted, The Workers' Right to Compete Act would require written notices to workers within 30 days, give federal and state regulators enforcement authority, and apply retroactively. Previous noncompete bans have made little headway in
... Show Full Article
ATLANTA, Georgia, Oct. 30 -- Fisher Phillips, a law firm, issued the following Insight:
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Bipartisan Bill Would Ban Noncompetes Below $100,000: 4 Steps for Employers to Prepare
Oct 29, 2026
A new bipartisan proposal in Congress would prohibit noncompete agreements for employees and contractors earning less than $100,000 in annualized cash compensation. If enacted, The Workers' Right to Compete Act would require written notices to workers within 30 days, give federal and state regulators enforcement authority, and apply retroactively. Previous noncompete bans have made little headway inCongress, but this bill's compensation rules and short notice deadlines give employers several reasons to pay attention. Here is what you need to know about the proposal and four steps you can take now.
What Would the Bill Do?
Representatives Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) introduced H.R. 10879 on October 22. As currently written, it would prohibit entering into, enforcing, or attempting to enforce a noncompete against a covered worker whose actual or expected annualized cash compensation from the employer or contracting business falls below $100,000. That threshold would be adjusted annually for inflation after 2026.
The proposal covers both employees and individuals performing work under contract, including former workers. Its definition of a noncompete focuses on agreements restricting someone's ability to perform work after the working relationship ends. Those restrictions include:
* working for another person for a specified period,
* working in a specified geographic area, or
* performing work for another person similar to the work performed for the original business.
Notably, the bill has no explicit exclusion for noncompetes entered into during the sale of a business. Additionally, although the bill specifically addresses confidentiality agreements, it does not provide an express exception for non-solicitation provisions applying to either customers or employees.
How Would Compensation Be Calculated?
When it comes to what's included in the $100,000 threshold, the bill spells out both what compensation counts and when it would be measured. The legislation would define cash compensation as:
* including salary, wages, overtime pay, commissions, cash bonuses, and fees for services performed under contract; and
* excluding equity, equity-based compensation, and other compensation tied to stock value or appreciation, even if paid or settled in cash.
The compensation determination is made:
* For current employees and contractors, at the time the noncompete is imposed as a condition of employment, or when enforcement is sought.
* For former employees and contractors, at the end of the employment or contractual relationship.
The proposal also sets different rules for counting commissions, bonuses, and other variable cash compensation for current workers:
* At least 12 months of service. Variable cash compensation would be calculated using the amount earned during the preceding 12 months.
* Fewer than 12 months of service. Variable cash compensation would count only to the extent it is guaranteed.
Existing Agreements and Expansive Notice Requirements
The bill expressly states that prohibited noncompetes would be unenforceable even if those agreements are signed before the law is enacted, and covered businesses would be required to provide written notice that any noncompete prohibited by the act is unenforceable. The bill sets two deadlines:
* Existing and former relationships. Notice would be due within 30 days after enactment.
* New relationships beginning after enactment. Notice would be due within 30 days after the employment or contractual relationship begins.
It's unclear why the bill contains a separate notice period for new relationships, since it will be unlawful for employers to enter into new noncompetes with the prohibited worker group after the effective date of the new law.
The current draft also does not clarify whether notice must go to employees whose existing noncompete obligations have expired. The notice requirement applies to any company that "previously . . . entered into a noncompete agreement" with a worker making less than the monetary threshold, with no "look back" period.
However, the legislation will have to go through committee and may face several amendments before passage.
Who Would Enforce the Restrictions?
The proposal assigns enforcement to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state attorneys general. Violations of the noncompete prohibition or notice requirement would be treated as violations of an FTC rule defining an unfair or deceptive act or practice, with the enforcement powers, penalties, privileges, and immunities incorporated from the FTC Act.
State attorneys general could bring actions in state or federal court on behalf of residents. Available relief would include injunctions, orders compelling compliance, damages, restitution, and other appropriate equitable relief. The bill also preserves state attorneys general's existing powers.
Notably: The bill does not expressly create a private right of action for individual workers.
What About State Laws and Other Agreements?
The bill expressly preserves state laws providing greater protection against noncompetes. Employers would therefore still need to account for those stronger protections when assessing their agreements.
Agreements prohibiting disclosure of trade secrets or "confidential business information" are also preserved in the legislation. Confidential business information would cover: nonpublic commercial, financial, operational, or proprietary information that is not generally known or readily ascertainable, that the employer has a legitimate business interest in keeping confidential, and that the employer takes reasonable measures to protect.
The definition excludes general knowledge, skills, training, and experience acquired during employment. It also excludes publicly available information and information otherwise lawfully obtained without a confidentiality obligation.
4 Steps Employers Can Take Now
Federal lawmakers have proposed many bills to ban or substantially limit noncompetes in the past, and none has gained traction. While this bill proposes some novel regulations, it has a long way to go before becoming law, so employers shouldn't panic. Here are four steps for you to take to make sure your business protection agreements are in good order.
1. Monitor This Bill and Other Legislative Changes
The Workers' Right to Compete Act is just one of many pending state or federal bills that would significantly change restrictive covenant laws. This area has been a hotbed of new legislation in the last five years, so be sure to sign up for Fisher Phillips' alerts to stay on top of the latest developments.
2. Make Sure Your Agreements Comply with State Law
Several states already ban noncompetes outright and impose steep penalties for noncompliance, like California and Washington (with its new ban taking effect June 30, 2027). This bill would not change those laws. Work with your Fisher Phillips attorney to ensure your current agreements are legal in states where they are used.
3. Don't Forget About the Other Covenants
This bill mentions noncompetes and confidentiality agreements, but there are a wide range of options available to companies to prevent unfair competition, including forfeiture-for-competition clauses (recently given a boost in Texas), customer non-solicitation and non-servicing provisions, non-recruitment provisions, and IP assignment provisions. Ensure your agreements contain appropriate safeguards across the spectrum of potentially harmful activities.
4. Protect Trade Secrets in the AI Era
Advances in artificial intelligence have made the job of protecting trade secrets significantly more difficult for employers. To combat these risks, employers should ensure they have up-to-date policies, procedures, and contracts that contain AI-specific guardrails.
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Related People
Jonathan Crook
Partner
jcrook@fisherphillips.com
704/334-9313
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Original text here: https://www.fisherphillips.com/en/insights/insights/bipartisan-bill-would-ban-noncompetes-below-100k
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Akin Attorneys Author Corporate Counsel Article on White Collar Considerations in Congressional Investigations
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Akin Gump, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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Akin Attorneys Author Corporate Counsel Article on White Collar Considerations in Congressional Investigations
October 29, 2026
Law.com's Corporate Counsel has published an article titled, "Congressional Corruption Probes Call for a White Collar Playbook," authored by Akin congressional investigations co-head Abigail Kohlman, white collar defense & government investigations partner Gerald Moody and congressional investigations co-head Marcus Childress.
The authors examine why companies facing congressional
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Akin Gump, a law firm, issued the following news release:
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Akin Attorneys Author Corporate Counsel Article on White Collar Considerations in Congressional Investigations
October 29, 2026
Law.com's Corporate Counsel has published an article titled, "Congressional Corruption Probes Call for a White Collar Playbook," authored by Akin congressional investigations co-head Abigail Kohlman, white collar defense & government investigations partner Gerald Moody and congressional investigations co-head Marcus Childress.
The authors examine why companies facing congressionalcorruption probes should integrate their congressional response and white collar defense strategies from the outset, particularly because congressional records may later be used by prosecutors, and identify key considerations for document production, witness preparation and public communications.
The authors highlight that "A congressional investigation of alleged corruption can be both an oversight exercise and the first draft of an enforcement record."
To read the full piece, please click here (https://www.law.com/corpcounsel/2026/10/28/congressional-corruption-probes-call-for-a-white-collar-playbook/).
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Original text here: https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/media-mentions/akin-attorneys-author-corporate-counsel-article-on-white-collar-considerations-in-congressional-investigations
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
