The Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced that it will not enforce its own rule on investment duties under ERISA. The rule makes it more difficult for investment fiduciaries to consider environmental, social, governance and similar (“ESG”) issues in their decision-making. The ESG rule was finalized under the Trump administration…
A flurry of recent climate-related announcements from the SEC forecasts an upcoming policy battle at the agency. Acting Chair Allison Herren Lee has signaled that “ESG” will clearly be in focus across the SEC’s various divisions, including Examinations, Corporation Finance, and Enforcement. Presumptive incoming SEC Chairman Gary Gensler also indicated…
The past few weeks have ushered in signs of what’s likely to come from the SEC’s Division of Enforcement under the Biden Administration, including a greater number of investigations and a tougher path to “bad boy” waivers for issuers. The SEC’s enforcement program plays a critical role in the agency’s…
On February 8, 2021, staff in the SEC Division of Corporation Finance (Corp Fin) issued a letter cautioning that market and stock volatility can create risk for companies and investors, especially when companies are raising capital during these periods. In the letter, Corp Fin staff identifies several examples of comments…
On January 20, 2021, the Biden White House issued a memorandum to the heads of U.S. federal executive departments and agencies requesting a broad regulatory freeze of new and pending rules that were advanced in the final weeks under the Trump Administration. In the memorandum, Ron Klain, Chief of Staff…
On December 15, 2020, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (“DPC”) announced its decision to fine Twitter International Company (“Twitter”) €450,000 for failing to notify the DPC promptly of a data breach affecting EU personal data in compliance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”). The decision received all the press coverage that…
On January 11, the OCC issued an interpretive letter in which it took the position that Section 27(a) of the National Bank Act permits the OCC to charter a national bank that limits its operations to those of a trust company and activities related thereto. According to the interpretive letter, activities of…
On December 22, the SEC adopted amendments to modernize and combine the existing advertising and cash solicitation rules for advisers registered or required to be registered with the SEC. Among many other things, the amendments: Streamline the advertising and cash solicitation requirements under the newly named “Investment Adviser Marketing Rule” (numerous long-standing…
On December 27, 2020, the President signed into law the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021” (H.R. 133) (or the “2021 CAA”), which modifies and reopens the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program initially created under the CARES Act. The reopened Paycheck Protection Program is available through March 31, 2021 and,…
On December 15, the FDIC approved a final rule to revise and modernize its regulations relating to brokered deposits. The final rule establishes a new framework for analyzing whether deposits made through deposit arrangements qualify as brokered deposits, including those between insured depository institutions (IDIs) and third parties, such as financial technology companies. Specifically,…