The Prague Rules, also referred to as “Inquisitorial Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration,” will be officially launched on 14 December 2018 in Prague. These rules are intended to constitute a tool available to parties and arbitral tribunals to increase efficiency in international arbitration and to reduce costs.

The Prague Rules can be applied by arbitral tribunals as a binding document or be used as guidelines. Parties and arbitrators can also agree or decide to select or modify the elements they wish to apply.

Following the recent decision by the English Court of Appeal in SFO v ENRC (subject of this Legal Update) in relation to principles governing litigation privilege, the English High Court last week handed down a decision in Sotheby's v Weiss and others [2018] EWHC 3179 in which the "dominant purpose" test was applied to determine whether litigation privilege attached to certain correspondence passing between Sotheby's (the auction house and art dealer) and art experts regarding reports prepared in the context of an art dispute.

As we reported in a "digital economy" update earlier this year, digital taxation has been raising many debates at both the OECD and the EU levels.

In a recent decision, the Cour de cassation (the French civil and criminal Supreme Court) has ruled that a delivery rider using the services of an online platform and an app ("Take Eat Easy"), which connects restaurants, clients ordering food, and delivery riders, may be considered to be an employee of such a platform despite having self-employed status.

Employment & Benefits lawyer Pauline Moritz (Frankfurt) examines the additional contribution to health insurance employers are facing as of January 2019.

Please see the latest issue of The Pensions Brief.

The European General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"), which came into force over six months ago, illustrates a significant evolution in European data protection law marked by the extension of territorial scope.

Mayer Brown lawyers discuss New York’s “other reasonable method” for apportioning receipts and the opportunity it may provide for certain in-state taxpayers to reduce their New York apportionment percentages, even in light of some prior administrative law judge decisions holding that cost of performance is the only available method.

On November 30, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) adopted a new rule establishing a non-exclusive research report safe harbor (“Rule 139b”) for unaffiliated brokers or dealers that publish or distribute research reports regarding qualifying investment funds. The Commission took this action in furtherance of the mandate of the Fair Access to Investment Research Act of 2017 (the “FAIR Act”). The FAIR Act required that the Commission expand the Rule 139 safe harbor for research reports in order to cover research reports on investment funds.

Although the EU General Data Protecvtion Regularion (the "GDPR") entered into force on 25 May 2018, and the obligations under the GDPR have since taken effect, there remain significant uncertainties as regards enforcement.

This case relates to a dispute between two Seychellois companies, Eastern European Engineering Ltd (“EEEL”) and Vijay Construction (Proprietary) Ltd (“VCL”), arising out of the construction of a hotel complex.

On November 30, 2018, the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (“CADE”) published the agency's Compliance and Integrity Program*, which sets out measures to prevent, detect and remedy institutional risks.

Just one year ago, as you were contemplating what to do with your leftover Thanksgiving turkey, a storm was brewing at the agency formerly known as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Nick looks at the subject of non-disclosure clauses in contracts of employment and settlement agreement. Are they enforceable and should they still be included by employers after the concerns expressed about their misuse?

On November 29, 2018, the European Commission published a Notice to Stakeholders on the "Withdrawal of the United Kingdom and EU rules in the field of cosmetic products"

Frankfurt am Main (8. November 2018) – Das IGFM-Kuratoriumsmitglied Dr. Günter Wetzel, Staatssekretär a.D, ist am 28. November 2018 im Alter von 96 Jahren in seiner Wahlheimatstadt Darmstadt verstorben. Wegen "kritischer Haltung" zu Willy Brandt`s Ostpolitik wurde der altgediente Sozialdemokrat (seit 1946) als Staatssekretär im Bundesministerium für gesamtdeutsche Fragen 1971 zunächst ins Verteidigungsministerium abgeschoben, 1972 (mit 50 Jahren!) in den "vorläufigen Ruhestand" versetzt und wechselte zur CDU.  Dr. Günter Wetzel wurde 1980 in das Kuratorium der IGFM berufen und trat der IGFM auch als ordentliches Mitglied bei. Sein Interesse galt den politischen Gefangenen und Verfolgten in der DDR; sein engagiertes Eintreten gegen die Tötungsautomaten SM 70 an der innerdeutschen Grenze „Die Tötungsautomaten werden durch Kontaktschnüre ausgelöst und bringen dem Opfer durch Streufunktion der scharfkantigen Eisensplitter so schwere Wunden bei, dass es kaum Überlebenschancen hat“ (in „Menschenrechte“ 2/1982) führte maßgeblich zu deren Abbau. Auch nach der Überwindung der Mauer war Dr. Wetzel ein aufmerksamer Beobachter der Menschenrechtssituation weltweit; an nahezu jeder Jahresversammlung hat er aktiv teilgenommen und stand dem Vorstand bis an sein Lebensende mit Rat und Tat und als Förderer zur Seite. Ehre seinem Andenken!