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International Arbitration
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May 20, 2024
Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court
Delaware was full of drama last week, as proposed changes to the state's corporate law statutes raised eyebrows and a professor's friend-of-the-court brief sparked a very unfriendly public exchange. Delaware's court of equity banged the gavel on pipeline and social media disputes, and shareholders filed new suits alleging insider trading, vote bungling, unfair stock buybacks and merger shenanigans. In case you missed any of it, here's the recap of all the top news last week from Delaware's Chancery Court.
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May 20, 2024
Squire Patton Lands Ex-Polsinelli Latin America Head In Miami
The former head of Polsinelli PC's Latin America practice has joined Squire Patton Boggs LLP as a partner in its financial services practice in Miami after most recently practicing at his own boutique firm, the firm announced Monday.
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May 17, 2024
$440M Cruise Line Ruling Over Cuba Dock May Be In Jeopardy
An Eleventh Circuit panel appeared reluctant Friday to affirm a nearly half-billion-dollar judgment against four major cruise lines for "trafficking" in property seized by the communist Cuban government, as the underlying concession for a port facility in Havana expired in 2004.
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May 17, 2024
Fla. Investor Says Mining Co. Froze His Shares In Costly Error
An investor and former employee of a Canadian mining company alleged breach of fiduciary duty and negligence against the business, saying in a lawsuit in Florida federal court that he was wrongfully prevented from selling his shares and lost money when the stock price dropped following an unfavorable arbitration ruling.
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May 17, 2024
Glass Lewis, ISS Split On Chevron-Hess Deal Guidance
Hess Corp. shareholders got mixed advice from the two leading proxy advisory firms on whether to vote in favor of a $53 billion takeover by Chevron Corp., further muddling the oil and gas giants' path to closing the mega-deal amid an ongoing dispute with Exxon Mobil Corp.
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May 17, 2024
Sanctions Ruling Clarifies Force Majeure Contractual Rights
A decision by Britain's highest court that a shipowner could reject a client's attempt to sidestep payment restrictions imposed by U.S. sanctions has implications for disputes over force majeure clauses sparked by the effects of those measures, the war in Ukraine and the COVID pandemic on supply chains.
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May 16, 2024
Alberta Oil Marketing Co. Says Biden Ruined Keystone Deal
A Canadian oil-marketing company has formally accused President Joe Biden of destroying an energy infrastructure project deal with the province of Alberta by reversing course on the Keystone XL pipeline when he stepped into office, saying he has caused the company more than $1 billion in damages.
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May 16, 2024
High Court Decision Requiring A Stay Raises More Questions
The U.S. Supreme Court's unanimous decision Thursday finding that federal courts must honor a request to stay a case after ordering the dispute into arbitration leaves an important subsequent question unresolved: What happens if neither party requests a stay?
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May 16, 2024
Russian Wealth Fund Fails To Curb EU Sanctions
The European Union's General Court has upheld sanctions against a Russian sovereign wealth fund, ruling it is the "archetypal" company for attracting international investors who sustain the country's war in Ukraine.
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May 16, 2024
Justices Say Courts Must Stay Suits Sent To Arbitration
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously concluded Thursday that federal courts do not have discretion to toss a case once it's decided that the claims belong in arbitration, ruling in a wage and overtime suit brought by delivery drivers against their employer.
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May 16, 2024
Lithuania PM Wants Frozen Russian Assets To Help Ukraine
Lithuania's prime minister said Thursday that Russia's frozen assets should be used to help Ukraine fight off aggression from its larger neighbor, saying that a recent European decision to use profits from frozen assets should be only a first step.
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May 15, 2024
Peru Ducks $154M Claim Over Seized Gold Shipments
Peru has fended off a Miami-based gold trader's $154 million claim accusing the country of unlawfully seizing its gold shipments, after an international tribunal ruled Tuesday that it lacked jurisdiction and that the trader should be on the hook for all costs in the proceeding.
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May 15, 2024
High Court Urged To Take Up Hospital Construction Feud
A pair of arbitration scholars are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to finally resolve whether parties that agree to certain arbitral rules have also agreed to delegate jurisdictional questions to the arbitrator, in a case that centers on a $180 million project to expand a Mississippi childrens' hospital.
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May 15, 2024
Family, Cos. Seek $440M Zimbabwe Award Enforcement
Two forestry and sawmill companies plus a family have asked the D.C. Circuit to enforce approximately $440 million of arbitral awards they won against the Republic of Zimbabwe, saying the court "plainly" has jurisdiction under the arbitration exception contained in the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.
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May 15, 2024
Sanctions Give Shipper Force Majeure Escape From Contract
Britain's highest court ruled Wednesday that a shipowner should not be forced to vary the payment terms of a freight contract to overcome a potential force majeure event amid concerns about U.S. sanctions.
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May 14, 2024
Crystallex Special Master Fires Back Against Effort To DQ Him
The special master appointed to oversee the auction of Citgo's parent company to satisfy billions of dollars worth of Venezuelan debt bristled at the country's allegations that he improperly pressured the U.S. to change its sanctions policy to permit the sale to go through.
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May 14, 2024
Mexican Mine Labor Row Ruled Outside Trade Pact's Scope
An international tribunal formed under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement declined to examine if workers at a Mexican mine were denied collective bargaining rights, finding that much of the 17-year dispute had already been decided under now-defunct labor laws.
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May 14, 2024
Casino App User Can't Hide Arbitration Details, Chancery Says
A mobile app slot-machine player who lost an arbitration dispute with the game's operator may not keep the details of the arbitration award confidential in Delaware court filings, a Chancery Court vice chancellor said Tuesday, denying a request for ongoing confidential treatment.
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May 14, 2024
Insurer Files Another Suit Over Firm's Malpractice Coverage
After dropping a complaint in Washington federal court seeking a declaration that it does not have to indemnify Harris Sliwoski LLP for potential malpractice liability related to a $31 million judgment, Evanston Insurance Co. filed a similar action in New York on Tuesday.
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May 14, 2024
$330M Romania Award Must Be Enforced, DC Circ. Says
The D.C. Circuit on Tuesday refused to overturn a ruling enforcing a $330 million arbitral award against Romania based on a pair of decisions issued by Europe's highest court, saying a federal district judge was obligated under U.S. law to enforce the award.
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May 13, 2024
Deepfakes Could Be Arbitration's Next Gen AI Shake-Up
In a high-stakes arbitration, lawyers for one of the companies present what they say is surveillance video of a bribe being accepted by its opponent's president. They argue the video presents incontrovertible evidence that the case should be decided in their client's favor — and a tribunal might be inclined to agree. But what if it turns out that the video is a fake, generated by artificial intelligence?
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May 13, 2024
Construction Co. Says Guatemala Can't Exit $31M Award Suit
A construction and engineering firm has asked a D.C. federal court not to toss its litigation to enforce $31 million in arbitral awards against Guatemala that arose from unpaid public works contracts, saying local courts already denied the country's claim the awards violate domestic law.
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May 13, 2024
Diaz Reus Attys Dodge Sanctions Over Last-Minute Dismissal Bid
Citing a lack of good cause for sanctions, a south Florida federal judge determined Monday that shareholders in a Venezuela-linked bank cannot penalize Miami-based Diaz Reus & Targ LLP lawyers over allegations they delayed an expected October 2023 trial in a suit alleging the bank's directors breached their fiduciary duty.
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May 13, 2024
Chevron Says $268K Fine For Fake News Clips Must Stand
Chevron on Friday urged the Ninth Circuit to summarily toss a Seattle attorney's appeal challenging an order that he pay $268,000 for filing a fake newspaper article as a court exhibit, saying the attorney is raising arguments that have already been rejected.
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May 13, 2024
Barclays Can Keep $148M Russian Swaps Dispute In London
Barclays has secured a permanent London court order preventing sanctioned Russian state investment company VEB from taking its $147.7 million swaps dispute with the bank away from the U.K. to an arbitration court in Moscow.
Expert Analysis
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Practicing Law With Parkinson's Disease
This Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Adam Siegler at Greenberg Traurig discusses his experience working as a lawyer with Parkinson’s disease, sharing both lessons on how to cope with a diagnosis and advice for supporting colleagues who live with the disease.
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EU Ruling Exposes Sovereignty Fissures In Int'l Arbitration
The European Court of Justice's recent ruling that the U.K. had breached EU law by allowing an arbitral award to proceed underscores the diminished influence of EU jurisprudence in the U.K., hinting at the EU courts' increasingly nominal sway in international arbitration within jurisdictions that prize legal autonomy, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray’s Inn.
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How Updated Int'l Arb Guidelines Clarify Conflicts Of Interest
The International Bar Association's recently updated Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest in International Arbitration encourage arbitrators and counsel to disclose a wider range of situations that could be seen as presenting conflicts — an essential step in harmonizing standards across international and cross-cultural contexts, says Flore Poloni at Signature Litigation.
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Series
Playing Hockey Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Nearly a lifetime of playing hockey taught me the importance of avoiding burnout in all aspects of life, and the game ultimately ended up providing me with the balance I needed to maintain success in my legal career, says John Riccione at Taft.
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UK Arbitration Ruling Offers Tips On Quelling Bias Concerns
An English court's recent decision in H1 v. W to remove an arbitrator because of impartiality concerns offers several lessons on mitigating bias, including striking a balance between arbitration experience and knowledge of a particular industry, and highlights the importance of careful arbitrator appointment, says Paul-Raphael Shehadeh at Duane Morris.
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For Lawyers, Pessimism Should Be A Job Skill, Not A Life Skill
A pessimistic mindset allows attorneys to be effective advocates for their clients, but it can come with serious costs for their personal well-being, so it’s crucial to exercise strategies that produce flexible optimism and connect lawyers with their core values, says Krista Larson at Stinson.
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Opinion
Requiring Leave To File Amicus Briefs Is A Bad Idea
A proposal to amend the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure that would require parties to get court permission before filing federal amicus briefs would eliminate the long-standing practice of consent filing and thereby make the process less open and democratic, says Lawrence Ebner at the Atlantic Legal Foundation and DRI Center.
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4 Ways To Motivate Junior Attorneys To Bring Their Best
As Gen Z and younger millennial attorneys increasingly express dissatisfaction with their work and head for the exits, the lawyers who manage them must understand and attend to their needs and priorities to boost engagement and increase retention, says Stacey Schwartz at Katten.
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Series
Serving As A Sheriff's Deputy Made Me A Better Lawyer
Skills developed during my work as a reserve deputy — where there was a need to always be prepared, decisive and articulate — transferred to my practice as an intellectual property litigator, and my experience taught me that clients often appreciate and relate to the desire to participate in extracurricular activities, says Michael Friedland at Friedland Cianfrani.
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Bias Ruling Offers Guidance On Disqualifying Arbitrators
An English court's recent decision in H1 v. W, removing an arbitrator due to bias concerns, reaffirms practical considerations when assessing an arbitrator's impartiality, and highlights how ill-chosen language by an arbitrator can clear the high bar for disqualification, say Andrew Connelly and Ian Meredith at K&L Gates.
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Former Minn. Chief Justice Instructs On Writing Better Briefs
Former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea, now at Greenberg Traurig, offers strategies on writing more effective appellate briefs from her time on the bench.
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Stay Interviews Are Key To Retaining Legal Talent
Even as the economy shifts and layoffs continue, law firms still want to retain their top attorneys, and so-called stay interviews — informal conversations with employees to identify potential issues before they lead to turnover — can be a crucial tool for improving retention and morale, say Tina Cohen Nicol and Kate Reder Sheikh at Major Lindsey.
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Series
Spray Painting Makes Me A Better Lawyer
My experiences as an abstract spray paint artist have made me a better litigator, demonstrating — in more ways than one — how fluidity and flexibility are necessary parts of a successful legal practice, says Erick Sandlin at Bracewell.
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Examining The Arbitration Clause Landscape Amid Risks
Amid a new wave of mass arbitrations, recent developments in the courts and from the American Arbitration Association suggest that companies should improve arbitration clause drafting to protect themselves against big-ticket settlements and avoid major potential liability, say attorneys at Benesch.
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Insurance Policy Takeaways From UK Lockdown Loss Ruling
An English court's recent decision in Unipolsai v. Covea, determining that insurers' losses from COVID-19 lockdowns were covered by reinsurance, highlights key issues on insurance policy wordings, including how to define a "catastrophe" in the context of the pandemic, says Daniel Healy at Brown Rudnick.