Sheppard's Nota Bene

With crucial existing environmental regulations being threatened with rollbacks by the government and the Earth's sustainability becoming more dire, the Federal government, the states, and businesses are in a head to head battle for the future of environmental policies. Is there hope for our planet? My guest in this episode is Nicholas W. ("Nico") van Aelstyn, a partner in the Real Estate, Land Us...

We're celebrating our one year anniversary on the podcast! Thank you for listening and supporting this show over the past 49 episodes. As the healthcare industry redefines their missions, their services, and the delivery of their services, we're exploring the economic factors driving consolidation in the healthcare industry. Joining me is economist Susan H. Manning, Ph. D. is a Senior Managing Dir...

In this recap episode, I'm extracting the valuable lessons shared by our guests in the prior 5 episodes. I offer my two cents about the practical advice shared by our guests to help the C-Suite understand the legal, political, and economic underpinnings impacting the 21st intercontinental business landscape in which they operate. In Episodes 43 and 44 , we conducted our quarterly check-ins with ou...

There has been a resurgence and renewed vigor in the new economy securitization market, particularly on the U.S. west coast which has become the hub of FinTech activity. We're exploring this changing landscape of the securitization market with the increase of access to information through technology and the uptick in FinTech companies. Joining me for this conversation is Colleen McDonald. Colleen...

Some of the world's biggest tech companies, like Apple, Facebook, and Google, are facing much criticism about their size and behavior. Much of the criticism is from the U.S. Congress. In this episode, we're exploring the current state of Big Tech growth, the history and development of antitrust laws, and how the U.S. government is dealing with these major tech players. Joining me in this episode i...

In what is being called the largest admissions scams in U.S. history, referred to as the Varsity Blues Scandal, at least 50 people, including celebrities, were charged with felonies.  The scandal shook the American people's beliefs in the integrity of higher education institutions.   My guest today, Joseph Jay, author of Bloomberg Law article titled, "I Helped Investigate 18 Years of Paper Classes...

As we enter the third quarter of 2019, we're joined by our Executive Branch expert, Jon Meyer, to look at anticipated happenings during the second half of the year including what to expect from Mueller's testimony, the Congressional fiscal cliff, the results of the 2017 tax cuts, the Supreme Court's decisions regarding gerrymandering and its effect on the right to vote, and election year paralysis...

It's the start of Q3 of 2019 and we're looking back on the accomplishments of the 116th Congress during the first six months of the year. Also, my guest, Elizabeth Frazee, is returning to the show to share her insight on what's ahead for the U.S. Congress. Elizabeth Frazee was named a "Top Lobbyist" by The Hill newspaper and has a 30-year career in Washington that encompasses over a decade working...

In this recap episode, I'm extracting the valuable lessons shared by our guests in the prior 5 episodes. I offer my two cents about the practical advice shared by our guests to help the C-Suite understand the legal, political, and economic underpinnings impacting the 21st intercontinental business landscape in which they operate. In Episode 37 , we discussed business crimes with Chuck Kreindler. W...

While it is much simpler to gauge the reactions and perceptions of U.S. individuals and businesses toward the U.S.-China trade war, it is quite uncertain how Chinese citizens and businesses have been affected by the trade war. In this episode, we're exploring the effects of the U.S.-China trade war from the China perspective and the consequent Chinese market changes. This conversation follows the...

Less than a year following our first discussion about the U.S.- China trade war, we're revisiting the topic with former guest Scott Maberry. We're examining whether fears of China becoming a dominant world economic player are as accurate and threatening as many believe. We're also taking a closer look at some of the unanticipated and unexpected effects of the U.S.'s dealings (or lack thereof) with...

In an era of trade wars, espionage, and executive orders, how can companies who wish to dive into government procurement or are already involved in procurement abide by Federal laws and data security regulations and increase the likelihood of proper procurement? Joining me to explore the current government contracting legal landscape is Townsend Bourne. Townsend is a partner in the Government Cont...

As the way food is grown, processed, distributed, and consumed by the public continues to change and evolve with the proliferation of technology and awareness of environmental impacts, more and more lawyers are moving into this space to help solve legal issues associated with food.  Joining me to explore the evolving regulations surrounding the food industry are two guests, Michael Roberts and Sas...

As companies continue to grow and expand across the world, the need to remain vigilant about protecting and defending against business crimes such as trade secret theft and human trafficking becomes increasingly important. We're exploring how companies can best protect against theft of intellectual property and confidential information. We're also discussing what companies can do to combat human t...

In this recap episode, I'm extracting the valuable lessons shared by our guests in the prior 5 episodes. I offer my two cents about the practical advice shared by our guests to help the C-Suite understand the legal, political, and economic underpinnings impacting the 21st intercontinental business landscape in which they operate. In Episode 31 and Episode 33 , we checked in on the Executive and Co...

Blockchain stands to be the most disruptive technology in the world. Its adoption by multinationals is crucial to their success. How can the C-Suite best use this technology to improve the efficiency of operations and gain advantages in areas including security, shipping, payments, and supply chain? Joining us to share his insight on this topic is James Gatto. Jim is a partner in Sheppard Mullin's...

Given the European Union's recent blocking of the merger proposal between Siemens and Alstom, we're exploring how the German and French companies' deal would have challenged European Union competition laws. Joining me for this conversation is Robert Klotz. Robert is a partner in the Antitrust & Competition Practice Group in Sheppard Mullin's Brussels office. He concentrates on all aspects of EU an...

As Congress marks its 100th day in session and we make our way through Q2 of 2019, we're taking a closer look at several of the important issues that Congress will be addressing, from the Paris Accord to the review of judicial nominees and natural disaster relief for Puerto Rico. My guest, Elizabeth Frazee, is joining me for the second time on this podcast to share her insight and updates on the 1...

The core responsibilities of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are to promote public health by reviewing and assuring the safety, effectiveness, quality, and security of drugs, vaccines, medical devices, and several other products. In this episode, we're exploring how the FDA operates in the U.S., the types of products it regulates, and how multinational companies can better understand the re...

It can often be difficult to understand all of the ramifications of the current administration's political actions and the effect on U.S. companies doing business across borders. We're taking a closer look at several trending events including the potential Mexican border closure, another government shutdown, Obamacare, the Mueller report, and current Congressional oversight. Joining me today is re...

In this recap episode, I'm extracting the valuable lessons shared by our guests in the prior 5 episodes. I offer my two cents about the practical advice shared by our guests to help the C-Suite understand the legal, political, and economic underpinnings impacting the 21st Century intercontinental business landscape in which they operate. In Episode 25 , we were brought up to speed on privacy laws...

Corporate compliance is increasingly becoming an important part of corporate culture and existence. However, there is a great deal of mystery around what compliance truly means, why it's important, and what needs to be done to meet legal guidelines.    I'm joined by Jim McGinnis, a member of the Antitrust and Competition Practice Group in Sheppard Mullin's San Francisco office. Jim was formerly an...

With cannabis quickly becoming big business for new and established companies alike, we're turning out attention to one of the largest cannabis markets in the world - California. From trademark and cultivation licensing to banking, the laws and regulations of the state of California are ever-evolving in order to keep up with this growing field. Joining me to discuss the evolution of the cannabis i...

The past couple of years have proven to be banner years for private equity and merger and acquisition activity, with no signs of slow down in 2019. With cash on hand to invest and the increase in Representation and Warranty Insurance policies, forecasters expect these trends to continue. I'm joined by Luca Salvi to discuss the current state of the M&A and private equity trends in the United States...

Is Brexit happening or not? As the world takes a wait-and-see approach regarding the United Kingdom's potential withdrawal from the European Union, we're bringing past guest (from Episode 5 ) Oliver Heinisch back to discuss the latest updates on the negotiations between the UK and the EU. Oliver shares his insight on the implications of a withdrawal on UK financial services companies and multinati...