Connected With Latham

Founded in 2015, Shield AI uses technology and intelligence systems to protect service members and civilians. The venture-backed unicorn's flagship autonomy software, Hivemind, powers aircraft, drones, and other platforms to reliably support complex missions in contested environments. Latham represented Shield AI on its US$240 million strategic funding round, raising the company's valuation to US$...

The initial months of the Trump administration have been marked by a flurry of executive orders and significant activity by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The US Food and Drug Administration is a key target of these efforts. In this episode of Connected With Latham , Washington, D.C. partners Chris Schott  and Ben Haas and associate Danny Machado explore how FDA may be affected, p...

Stakeholders from across the healthcare and biopharmaceutical industry recently convened in San Francisco for the annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. In this episode of Connected With Latham, Washington, D.C. partners  Chris Schott and Jason B. Caron and associate Danny Machado share key takeaways from the conference, including a renewed optimism from the dealmaking world and the healthcare...

The deadline for the EU's Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) has arrived. This regulation applies to most financial entities operating in the EU market and impacts a broad range of third-party providers of technology-related services. In this episode of Connected with Latham , Christian McDermott and Alain Traill explore the key changes introduced by DORA, its broad territorial scope, the t...

In this episode of Connected with Latham, the final of three episodes complementing Latham's "10 Key Focus Areas for UK-Regulated Financial Services Firms in 2025" report, London partners  Rob Moulton and Nicola Higgs and counsel Becky Critchley discuss the key cross-sector trends for financial services firms in 2025. They provide their thoughts on what firms need to be thinking about in relation...

In this episode of Connected with Latham, the second of three episodes complementing Latham's "10 Key Focus Areas for UK-Regulated Financial Services Firms in 2025" report, London partners Rob Moulton and Nicola Higgs and counsel Becky Critchley discuss the upcoming reform agenda for retail markets in 2025. They break down the difficult challenge of balancing risk-taking and growth with consumer p...

In this episode of Connected with Latham , the first of three episodes complementing Latham's "10 Key Focus Areas for UK-Regulated Financial Services Firms in 2025" report, London partners Rob Moulton and Nicola Higgs and counsel Becky Critchley discuss what will likely appear on the reform agenda for wholesale markets in 2025. They examine capital markets reforms, changes to the remuneration rule...

In this episode of Connected With Latham , Haim Zaltzman , Global Vice Chair of Latham's Emerging Companies & Growth Practice, sits down with BridgeBio 's Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Neil Kumar and Chief Financial Officer Brian Stephenson. Since 2015, BridgeBio, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical, has maintained a mission to discover, create, test, and deliver transformative medicines...

FDA enforcement activities range from administrative actions like conducting establishment inspections and issuing warning letters to judicial enforcement through the Department of Justice, which can take the shape of civil or criminal actions. While we can expect the agency's core activities to continue, its priorities may shift under the incoming Trump Administration. One point of emphasis might...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently published its final rule to implement the Medicaid Services Investment and Accountability Act of 2019 (MSIAA). The final rule significantly deviates from the agency's 2023 proposal, with CMS backing off from "follow the pill" best price stacking, subjecting certain vaccines to Medicaid rebates, and creating a "shame list" of high-cost Med...

Manufacturers, government officials, and other stakeholders recently convened in Chicago for the annual Medicaid Drug Rebate Program Summit. In this episode of Connected with Latham, Washington, D.C. associate  Danny Machado interviews partner Chris Schott about takeaways from the conference, including thoughts on the new Medicaid regulation that CMS released just days before the conference.   Thi...

Recent Supreme Court decisions, such as the opinions in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentless v. Department of Commerce that overruled the long-standing Chevron doctrine, will likely impact how federal agencies interpret ambiguous statutes when regulating the pharmaceutical industry. And in Securities & Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy , the Court established a right to a jury trial fo...

In this episode of Connected with Latham , we explore the remarkable story of Shabir Kabiri, an Afghan refugee who secured asylum in the United States with the help of a Latham pro bono team. Shabir shares his harrowing journey, his time as a cadet at West Point, and the dangers he faced upon returning home. When Kabul fell to the Taliban in 2021, Shabir experienced the chaos and fear firsthand, a...

The US healthcare landscape is undergoing significant changes as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) continues to implement the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). One key stakeholder group affected by the IRA drug price negotiations and Medicare Part D redesign are health insurance companies. In this episode of Connected with Latham, we delve into how these payers are responding to the...

Current developments grabbed much of the spotlight when key industry stakeholders met in New Orleans for the Pricing and Contracting USA Conference. In this episode of Connected With Latham , Washington, D.C. partner Chris Schott and associates Danny Machado and Elisabeth Crusey share their observations from the conference, concluding with four calls to action for pharmaceutical manufacturers.   T...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently updated its portal for Average Sales Price (ASP) reporting under Medicare Part B. Data collection portals are also essential for manufacturer compliance with the Inflation Reduction Act and for price reporting under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program. The 340B program operates yet another online data portal. In addition to these federal p...

As the energy tech sector continues to mature, venture capital offers an increasingly a viable path to growth as emerging energy tech companies seek to disrupt the energy space, often following a fundraising and growth trajectory similar to software and AI. Energy tech provides opportunities for financial institutions and strategic partners to invest early in the company and also at the project le...

Latham's recently released 2023 Pro Bono Annual Review highlights our public service initiatives around the world, including our ongoing relationship with Trees for Life . This conservation charity is dedicated to rewilding the Scottish Highlands through the restoration of the Caledonian Forest, which supports wildlife found nowhere else in Britain. In this episode of Connected with Latham , intro...

Following an array of ESG-focused regulation and escalating concerns of greenwashing risks in 2023, the year ahead looks to deliver significant industry developments at a rapid pace. In the UK, the FCA's Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR), investment labelling regime, and anti-greenwashing rule will take effect during 2024. The FCA also plans to consult this year on incorporating standar...

In 2023, the FCA brought more charges for fraud offences against individuals than any other year in the regulator's history, and secured several convictions related to fraudulent investment schemes. Yet while the FCA has signaled that economic crime is on its radar, recent years have been defined by relative inactivity, as the higher burden of proof for criminal convictions has resulted in fewer o...

The UK's announcement of the Edinburgh Reforms in 2022 made clear the government's intention to chart its own course in rulemaking for the UK financial services sector, and no longer prioritise equivalence with EU legislation. The UK is currently in the process of repealing and restating all retained EU legislation, which will result in divergence from the EU in several areas. Priority areas of re...

Two new Joint Executive Directors of Enforcement and Market Oversight appointed by the FCA in 2023 will settle into their roles over the year ahead. Following a period of enforcement defined by increased investigations and a willingness to push the envelope of legal interpretation, firms will look toward the coming year to resolve which areas of focus the FCA will prioritise. Recent activity sugge...

With the UK financial services regulators due to publish Policy Statements to their consultations on diversity and inclusion (D&I) this year, conduct and culture remain high on the regulators' agenda and connect closely to their other regulatory priorities. The regulators have proposed new D&I reporting and disclosure requirements for larger financial services firms, and the FCA is consulting on n...

The coming year looks poised to act as a pivotal junction for the UK financial services regulators in deciding how to approach the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI), as the financial services industry sees the continued expansion of AI-related capabilities and use cases. To avoid stifling innovation, the UK government plans to take an "agile and iterative" approach, focusing on regulating...

Since the announcement of the Edinburgh Reforms in 2022, the UK government has made progress on an assortment of measures spanning financial services regulation, with more developments expected in 2024. Though tabled initially as an ambitious suite of reforms, many of the proposals have not been particularly radical in reality. A recent Treasury Committee report found that completed work has had l...