There’s An App (But Maybe Not A Copyright) For That

With the software copyright case Google LLC, v. Oracle America, Inc. now being decided by the Supreme Court after hearing oral arguments on October 7, 2020, software developers and the general public may wonder about the potential impact a decision in the case may have on the tech industry. At stake for the parties are the copyright protections afforded to Oracle’s application programing interface (API) previously used by Google to provide the functionality of Google’s highly popular Android mobile operating system installed on billions of mobile devices worldwide.

SEC Proposed Exemption Provides Regulatory Clarity For Unregistered Finders

On October 7, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted to provide much needed clarity to the regulatory status of so-called “finders” who assist small businesses in raising capital. In a 3-to-2 vote, the SEC proposed a Finder exemption to the broker-dealer registration requirements of Section 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to allow unregistered natural persons, referred to as finders, to engage in certain limited activities to assist issuers in raising capital from accredited investors.

The Compliance Monthly: How To Empower Local Ethics and Compliance Champions With The Right Technology

This Month from the Temple Law Center for Compliance and Ethics: Ethics and compliance champions play a critical role in enhancing program effectiveness with technology and personal leadership. A trusted champion can encourage more people to speak up internally, early and often. A human review system in business units and local offices where risks occur is one of the biggest opportunities for an organization.

The Compliance Monthly: Fraud Emerges as Telemedicine Surges – Compliance Guidance for Telemedicine Providers

Telemedicine providers should examine the type of conduct DOJ has recently
focused on and adapt their compliance systems accordingly. Providers should also consider the
cybersecurity dimension of a robust compliance system and ensure that their network is
protected from malicious cyber actors.

SEC Expands the Definition of Accredited Investor

SEC rules governing accredited investors are designed to protect individual investors from risks that could result from the lack of regulatory oversight associated with unregistered private securities offerings. By expanding the definition of “accredited investor,” the SEC has provided more investors with the opportunity to access alternative investments and given companies, private-equity firms, and hedge funds access to a larger pool of investors.

SEC Adopts Amendments to Regulation S-K Items 101, 103, and 105

Under the rule amendments, the SEC significantly revised public company business disclosure rules for the first time in more than 30 years. The amendments were crafted from a proposed rule released in August 2019 that was part of a comprehensive review by the SEC of the disclosure requirements per a study mandated by the JOBS Act.

IRS Issues Proposed Regulations for Tax on Nonprofit Executive Compensation

The Internal Revenue Service has issued proposed regulations describing the rules regarding the 21 percent excise tax on compensation over $1 million and excess parachute payments paid by tax-exempt organizations to certain covered employees. The proposed regulations affect certain tax-exempt organizations, government entities, and certain entities that are treated as related to those organizations.