No Shortcuts: Fourth Circuit Invalidates Agreements to Curtail Statutory Filing Periods

In Thomas v. EOTech, LLC, the court aligned with Sixth Circuit jurisprudence in holding that judicial enforcement of such agreements would “disrupt the relevant statutes’ carefully integrated and uniform remedial schemes.” For employers with provisions in employment agreements shortening the statutes of limitations for such claims, this decision is a warning to review those documents and reassess the risk of litigation. Quick Hits Agreements that prospectively shorten the statutory filing…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:6 mins read
Continue ReadingNo Shortcuts: Fourth Circuit Invalidates Agreements to Curtail Statutory Filing Periods

Termination risk at the executive level: Lessons from Adelman v. IBM Canada Limited

Employers in Ontario are increasingly operating in a termination landscape that feels uncertain. A recent Ontario Superior Court (the Court) decision, Adelman v. IBM Canada Limited (Adelman), illustrates how common‑law notice exposure, discretionary compensation, and equity‑based incentives can intersect to produce significant liability where contractual protections are absent or unclear. While the case involved a senior executive at a large organization, the Court’s reasoning has broader implications for employers managing…

  • Post category:BLG law firm
  • Reading time:5 mins read
Continue ReadingTermination risk at the executive level: Lessons from Adelman v. IBM Canada Limited

Musk’s Twitter takeover highlights danger of owner-dominated social media platforms

A new study has suggested that the transformation of Twitter into X under Elon Musk marks the rise of a new, illiberal regime of governing social media platforms, which can be controlled by one person and used to push their own political agenda.Alongside researchers from the WZB Berlin Social Science Center and the Weizenbaum Institute, Dr João C. Magalhães of The University of Manchester studied over 1,500 events to track…

Continue ReadingMusk’s Twitter takeover highlights danger of owner-dominated social media platforms

California Appeals Court Ruling Provides Guidance on Arbitration Agreement Enforceability Under FAA

Quick Hits The California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, affirmed the trial court’s order compelling arbitration of individual employment claims, finding the parties’ arbitration agreement was governed by the FAA. The court upheld the dismissal of class claims, as the arbitration agreement expressly prohibited class, collective, or representative proceedings. The decision clarifies that parties may voluntarily elect to have the FAA govern their arbitration agreement, regardless of whether the…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:3 mins read
Continue ReadingCalifornia Appeals Court Ruling Provides Guidance on Arbitration Agreement Enforceability Under FAA

Removing Government Notices from Newspapers Reduces Citizen Participation in Decision-Making

In 1789, during the first session of the first U.S. Congress, lawmakers issued a requirement: every bill, order, resolution, or vote must be published in public newspapers. States followed suit with similar laws requiring notifications of government actions in the local papers—typically short announcements about public hearings or possible changes in areas such as construction, taxes, or education.More than two centuries after the passage of that first statute, some policymakers…

Continue ReadingRemoving Government Notices from Newspapers Reduces Citizen Participation in Decision-Making

Ethnic land rights fail to provide Afro-Colombians with economic security

The legal rights designed to protect Afro-Colombian communities are not lifting them out of economic precarity - and are leaving them vulnerable to the illegal drug trade and illicit mining as a result - according to new research from The University of Manchester.For decades, Colombia’s Pacific coast has been a battleground for ‘extractive capitalism’ - a world of illegal gold mining, industrial palm oil and drug smuggling. In 1993, a…

Continue ReadingEthnic land rights fail to provide Afro-Colombians with economic security

With Robotics Innovation Center, CMU and Hazelwood Partners Sustain Community Collaborations

The Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Innovation Center(opens in new window) (RIC) hummed with energy on Monday as it partnered with Hazelwood Local to host a family-friendly open house. The event, on the heels of the RIC’s opening celebration(opens in new window) last month, showcased robot demonstrations, offered guided tours and built direct connections with CMU to explore programs, relationships and resources.Zoie Pitzarella of Hazelwood watched her 6-year-old son, Kyng, use a video…

  • Post category:Carnegie Mellon
  • Reading time:10 mins read
Continue ReadingWith Robotics Innovation Center, CMU and Hazelwood Partners Sustain Community Collaborations

Global Centres… of Language: On the Linguistic Dimension of Order, Chaos, and Polyphony

The asynchronicity of the present world order manifests itself not only in the spheres of finance, technology, or institutions, but to no lesser degree in the realm of direct human communication. Despite the end of the unipolar moment, representatives of the World Majority paradoxically continue to communicate with one another in English—a language foreign to each of them. Moreover, it is not the English of H. G. Wells or Arnold…

Continue ReadingGlobal Centres… of Language: On the Linguistic Dimension of Order, Chaos, and Polyphony

Oxford historian named 2026 Holberg Prize Laureate

Established by the Norwegian Parliament in 2003, the Holberg Prize is one of the largest annual international research prizes awarded for outstanding contributions to research in the humanities, social science, law or theology. Professor Roper will receive the award of NOK 6,000,000 (approx. £466,00) during a ceremony at the University of Bergen on 4 June. Professor Roper is internationally recognised as one of the leading scholars of early modern European history.…

Continue ReadingOxford historian named 2026 Holberg Prize Laureate

International trial finds rapid diagnostic testing alone does not reduce antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections

The results of the PRUDENCE trial, published in The Lancet Primary Care took place in 13 European countries. Part of the randomised controlled trial with 2,639 patients in all 13 countries was an in-depth qualitative evaluation involving clinicians and patients in six countries.Together, the studies provide the most comprehensive evaluation to date of whether rapid diagnostic testing can meaningfully decrease antibiotic use in real-world primary care settings without having a…

Continue ReadingInternational trial finds rapid diagnostic testing alone does not reduce antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections

Major Changes to New Zealand’s Employment Relations Framework

Quick Hits High-Income Threshold: Employees earning NZD 200,000 or more in total remuneration will lose unjustified dismissal protections. Remedies Reduced or Eliminated for Certain Conduct: Available remedies in personal grievance claims are limited where an employee’s conduct contributed to the situation, and authorities can reduce or eliminate compensation entirely where the employee engaged in serious misconduct, even if the employer’s process was flawed. Procedural Fairness Standard Loosened: A dismissal will…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:5 mins read
Continue ReadingMajor Changes to New Zealand’s Employment Relations Framework

The Cultural–Civilisational Factor in Greater Eurasia

It also determines how these peoples and their states respond to the decisions and actions of others, where they perceive the limits of their possibilities, and where, on the contrary, they believe that cultural proximity creates the foundation for deeper political cooperation. The interaction of cultures becomes particularly important when we are dealing with enormous spaces—continents that are home to dozens of states carrying their own cultural traditions. In this…

Continue ReadingThe Cultural–Civilisational Factor in Greater Eurasia

From strategy to delivery in a maturing sports ecosystem

Five macro trends shaping the next three years Our first Sports Report, From strategy to delivery in a maturing sports ecosystem, explores five macro trends shaping UK sport over the next three years. Drawing on insights from 40+ senior leaders, it examines how clubs, leagues and investors are evolving to balance performance, governance and long-term sustainability. Download the full report below. Reading time: 2 minutes UK sport is entering its…

  • Post category:Q5 Partners
  • Reading time:2 mins read
Continue ReadingFrom strategy to delivery in a maturing sports ecosystem

Washington State Poised to Ban Noncompetition Agreements: What Employers Need to Know

Washington State has long taken a skeptical view of noncompetition agreements—and that skepticism is now on the brink of becoming a complete ban. Both chambers of the Legislature have approved Engrossed Substitute House Bill (ESHB) 1155, and the bill now awaits Governor Bob Ferguson’s signature, which is widely expected. If signed, the law will dramatically reshape Washington’s restrictive covenant landscape. It would also position Washington State within a growing national trend to…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:5 mins read
Continue ReadingWashington State Poised to Ban Noncompetition Agreements: What Employers Need to Know

Court Extends ACTS Deadline to March 25 for Plaintiff States as Legal Challenge Proceeds

Quick Hits Seventeen states (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin), led by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have sued the U.S. Department of Education (ED) over IPEDS’s Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS), alleging violations of the Administrative Procedure Act, the Paperwork Reduction Act, and the E-Government Act. On March 13, 2026, the U.S. District Court…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:4 mins read
Continue ReadingCourt Extends ACTS Deadline to March 25 for Plaintiff States as Legal Challenge Proceeds

How CMU Is Curbing Energy Demands From AI Data Centers

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are developing new technology that could lower how much energy data centers need to operate, reducing the strain on the energy grid that Americans rely on.Why it mattersThe electricity required to run data centers, specifically those powering artificial intelligence, is straining the U.S. energy grid. AI energy demands are projected to double or triple(opens in new window) in the next few years, according to the U.S.…

  • Post category:Carnegie Mellon
  • Reading time:4 mins read
Continue ReadingHow CMU Is Curbing Energy Demands From AI Data Centers

What Are the Consequences of the Iran War for the Developing World?

The headlines are focused on the effects of rising oil prices on rich countries like the United States. How does volatility in the energy markets affect developing countries, where individuals and governments may have less of a financial cushion?The Middle East is not only a source of oil to run cars but also an important source of other forms of energy, like natural gas used for electricity generation. For example,…

Continue ReadingWhat Are the Consequences of the Iran War for the Developing World?

Massachusetts Superior Court Holds That The MA PFMLA Does Not Provide For Individual Liability Or An Aiding And Abetting Claim

Seyfarth Synopsis: In a recent Massachusetts Superior Court decision, the Court held that there is no individual liability or aiding and abetting claim under the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFMLA). In Laughlin v. Binstar, Inc., et al., Binstar’s former CEO claimed that the company and its board members and investors violated the PFMLA by contacting him and asking him to perform work during his protected medical leave.…

  • Post category:Seyfarth Shaw LLP
  • Reading time:3 mins read
Continue ReadingMassachusetts Superior Court Holds That The MA PFMLA Does Not Provide For Individual Liability Or An Aiding And Abetting Claim

New Jersey Federal Court Says Employer’s Home State Proper Venue for Remote Worker’s Age Discrimination Claims

Quick Hits A New Jersey federal court granted a request to transfer venue in an age discrimination lawsuit involving a remote employee, transferring the lawsuit to a federal court in a district where the employer was located. The court determined that venue was appropriate where the employer is headquartered and where the alleged discriminatory decisions were made, rather than where the employee resides, and emphasized that litigation convenience weighed in…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:5 mins read
Continue ReadingNew Jersey Federal Court Says Employer’s Home State Proper Venue for Remote Worker’s Age Discrimination Claims

New research reveals why some oesophageal cancers are so hard to treat

Research published in Science Advances has uncovered new insights into why the most aggressive oesophageal cancers are so difficult to treat and how the body’s own defence systems are helping them to thrive. The study, led by Professor Eileen Parkes and her team in the Department of Oncology at the University of Oxford, analysed patient-donated tumour samples and found that the most dangerous types of oesophageal cancers share a key…

Continue ReadingNew research reveals why some oesophageal cancers are so hard to treat

CMU Professor Uses Data to Connect Energy Assistance with Those in Need

Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University attest that while the United States needs to lower system-wide costs and air pollution to shape the future of energy, the core priority should be ensuring individuals can afford and access that energy. Destenie Nock Destenie Nock(opens in new window), assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering(opens in new window) and engineering and public policy(opens in new window), leads a research group comprised of graduate students at CMU…

  • Post category:Carnegie Mellon
  • Reading time:4 mins read
Continue ReadingCMU Professor Uses Data to Connect Energy Assistance with Those in Need

£9.6M SATURN-2 programme launched to deliver the UK’s next generation of nuclear experts

The University of Manchester, together with six leading UK universities and 22 industry partners, has secured £9.6 million from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to launch SATURN-2, a major expansion of the national nuclear doctoral training pipeline that will help deliver the skills required for the UK’s clean energy, security and defence ambitions.SATURN-2 (Skills and Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear) builds on the success of the original SATURN Centre…

Continue Reading£9.6M SATURN-2 programme launched to deliver the UK’s next generation of nuclear experts

Oxford and Serum Institute of India sign IP license agreement to advance NipahB vaccine candidate

Under the terms of the agreement, SII has been granted a non-exclusive, worldwide licence in the field of Nipah virus vaccines, enabling the company to support the development, manufacture and potential future supply of the vaccine candidate developed at the University of Oxford.Nipah virus is a zoonotic pathogen associated with severe disease and high mortality, with outbreaks reported primarily in South and Southeast Asia since it was first identified in…

Continue ReadingOxford and Serum Institute of India sign IP license agreement to advance NipahB vaccine candidate

Faye Holland joins pioneering Cambridge x Manchester collaboration as Partnership Director

Faye Holland will lead the groundbreaking partnership between two of the UK’s leading innovation cities as the newly-appointed Cambridge x Manchester Partnership Director.Faye brings extensive experience in the Cambridge innovation cluster to the role, having worked across communications consultancy, innovation and economic development over the course of her career.She founded and directed cofinitive – a communication consultancy at the forefront of innovation – for a decade before selling and exiting…

Continue ReadingFaye Holland joins pioneering Cambridge x Manchester collaboration as Partnership Director

SJC Affirms Whistleblower Protection for Employees Involved in the Wrongdoing They Report

Background Under the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, colleges and universities that receive federal financial aid are required to collect and disclose statistics for certain “reported” crimes, including sex offenses. In Galvin, the plaintiff employee, Thomas Galvin, served as the defendant college’s primary campus security authority and chief compliance officer for the Clery Act. As such, Galvin was responsible for making Clery Act disclosures. In November 2010, Galvin learned of…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:3 mins read
Continue ReadingSJC Affirms Whistleblower Protection for Employees Involved in the Wrongdoing They Report

The Era of Chaos and a New Crisis Around Iran

This could include internal opposition forces popular in major cities and among educated strata, émigrés (many highly educated and talented individuals who wield significant influence abroad yet remain concerned about their homeland—US politicians cannot ignore the two-million-strong, highly active Iranian diaspora), and parts of the current elite, most likely mid- and lower-level bureaucrats. Prince Reza Pahlavi—the son of the last Shah—is viewed as a potential leader. While his political activity…

Continue ReadingThe Era of Chaos and a New Crisis Around Iran

Sixth Circuit Finds Sexual Harassment Claim Can Bar Entire Case From Arbitration

Quick Hits In Bruce v. Adams and Reese, LLP, a former employee sued a law firm for disability discrimination, retaliation, sexual harassment, and hostile work environment. The Sixth Circuit recently concluded that a mandatory pre-dispute arbitration agreement is voidable when a plaintiff brings multiple claims in a case that includes sexual harassment and/or sexual assault. This is the first federal appellate ruling to find that an entire lawsuit is barred…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:4 mins read
Continue ReadingSixth Circuit Finds Sexual Harassment Claim Can Bar Entire Case From Arbitration

Hold the housewarming party: Three FHSA considerations before making a down payment

The First Home Savings Account (FHSA) emerged as a federal policy response to the growing housing affordability challenges faced by first time home buyers, particularly younger Canadians. Legislation establishing the FHSA received royal assent in late 2022, formally embedding the account into Canada’s registered savings framework. Since its launch, the FHSA has been administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) who has provided guidance via interpretive updates and technical clarifications.…

  • Post category:BLG law firm
  • Reading time:8 mins read
Continue ReadingHold the housewarming party: Three FHSA considerations before making a down payment

CMU Researchers Help Reduce Energy Grid Uncertainty

At Carnegie Mellon University, researchers are helping cities learn how to make room for too much of a good thing: renewable energy.Shixiang (Woody) Zhu(opens in new window), an assistant professor of data analytics within the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy(opens in new window), is using his expertise in statistics and operations research to help one Midwestern city, Indianapolis, rethink its grid. Zhu and his research colleagues partnered with utility…

  • Post category:Carnegie Mellon
  • Reading time:6 mins read
Continue ReadingCMU Researchers Help Reduce Energy Grid Uncertainty

Income of High-Skill Workers Growing in Rural Areas, Student Research on ‘Brain Drain’ Finds

In rural areas, the number of low-wage jobs, such as those in retail or warehousing, has increased, research by a Carnegie Mellon University junior found. At the same time, income in rural areas from high-wage jobs, such as those in health care and professional services, has also grown.Kausthub Satluri set out to study “brain drain,” or the movement of skilled and intelligent workers from rural to urban areas, and the…

  • Post category:Carnegie Mellon
  • Reading time:5 mins read
Continue ReadingIncome of High-Skill Workers Growing in Rural Areas, Student Research on ‘Brain Drain’ Finds

Researchers reveal a new class of molten planet

Artistic conception of the James Webb Space Telescope. Credit: NASA GSFC/CIL/Adriana Manrique Gutierre. The exoplanet (a planet that orbits a star outside the Solar System), known as L 98-59 d, orbits a small red star about 35 light-years from Earth. Recent observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and ground-based observatories suggested something unusual: the planet has an especially low density, given its size (which is about 1.6 times…

Continue ReadingResearchers reveal a new class of molten planet

Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences designated as the WHO Collaborating Centre on Primary Health Care

The four-year designation formalises and builds on the Department’s longstanding collaboration with the WHO, acknowledging its many years of expert support to countries working to strengthen primary health care.With internationally recognised expertise in health systems analysis, evidence synthesis, clinical trials, digital health, qualitative research and implementation science, the Department is well placed to support the WHO and its Member States in strengthening primary health care-oriented health systems worldwide.This latest designation…

Continue ReadingNuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences designated as the WHO Collaborating Centre on Primary Health Care

40-Hour Workweek Is Now a Reality in Mexico: Dos and Don’ts for Employers

Quick Hits The standard workweek in Mexico will decrease from forty-eight to forty hours, by two hours per year starting in 2027. Wages and benefits cannot be reduced. Overtime is restructured. A six-day schedule remains permissible. Key Changes Under the Reform Reduced weekly hours. The standard workweek will decrease to forty hours per week in 2030. The reform does not mandate two rest days per week. Hence, the current structure…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:3 mins read
Continue Reading40-Hour Workweek Is Now a Reality in Mexico: Dos and Don’ts for Employers

Permanent establishment and remote work: OECD’s 2025 update and your organization

Since COVID-19, remote and hybrid work have permanently reshaped where people work, leading to real tax consequences for employers. On Nov. 19, 2025, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released updates to the Model Tax Convention and its Commentary, introducing a clearer framework for assessing when a remote employee's home office may constitute a "permanent establishment" (PE) of their employer in another jurisdiction. Canadian organizations with cross‑border workforces…

  • Post category:BLG law firm
  • Reading time:5 mins read
Continue ReadingPermanent establishment and remote work: OECD’s 2025 update and your organization

Piero Cipollone: A highway for the future of Europe’s digital finance

12 March 2026By Piero Cipollone, Member of the Executive Board of the ECBAs payments and financial markets go digital, central bank money must evolve too. Through initiatives such as Pontes and Appia, the Eurosystem is working with market participants to ensure that tokenised finance can settle safely in central bank money, supporting innovation, integration and Europe’s financial sovereignty.Technology is transforming how we communicate, travel, work and pay. The way that…

Continue ReadingPiero Cipollone: A highway for the future of Europe’s digital finance