Welcome to the April 2026 edition of Dentons Capitol Insights – Sounding the Drumbeat in Washington.

United Kingdom: With D-Day for regulation set at 25 October 2027 and with the regulators publishing various consultations on the regulatory regime ahead of the authorisations window opening in September this year, our experts return to cryptoasset regulation to examine some of the things firms in this space will need to consider, ranging from the territorial scope of the perimeter to tips for preparing your authorisation application.

Dentons Lee and Dentons Rodyk participated as speakers at the “2026 KENCA International Contract Seminar” hosted by the Korea Engineering & Consulting Association (KENCA) in Seoul.

New Zealand: Are we leading the way in construction with our retentions regime under the Construction Contracts Act 2002 when compared to the recent sledgehammer approach in the UK to ban retentions altogether? That is somewhat of a rhetorical question as why would we now throw out the current retentions regime?

This article examines unilateral termination of employment by conduct, or "silent dismissal," where employers end relationships through actions like blocking office access or cutting off emails instead of formal notice. Though not explicitly in the Labor Code, judicial practice and Procuracy guidance now recognize these acts as unlawful termination, exposing firms to lawsuits and heavy compensation. 

Australia: Recent cases and legislative reforms have expanded employer tax obligations across multiple fronts, increasing cost, complexity and compliance risk for a wide range of businesses. This article highlights three recent developments with direct consequences for employers.

Dentons Lee has published an article with The Legal 500 titled “Legal Landscape – Employment & Labour – Korea.”

UAE: The UAE Movables Security Register is a crucial tool in any financing transaction to establish priority and enforceability of security interests over movable assets (e.g. receivables, equipment, bank accounts) against third parties.

US Customs and Border Protection has issued instructions for how and when importers should submit refund requests for emergency International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariffs that were ruled invalid by the US Supreme Court.

The Texas Business Court recently issued summary judgment opinions in two cases relating to the internal affairs of limited liability companies—Quintero v. Urban Infraconstruction, LLC and Crain v. Northern.

On March 30, the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF, Quebec’s securities regulator) published a decision establishing its Guideline for the Use of Artificial Intelligence (the Guideline).

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has announced that Dr. Stephanie Pantelidaki has joined the firm as partner (non-legal) and Head of Transfer Pricing for EMEAPAC, based in London.

The impacts of climate change are proposed to become a key consideration for planning and development decisions in NSW. Recently, the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) released the first details of a new Climate Change and Natural Hazards State Environmental Planning Policy (Climate Change SEPP) by exhibiting an Explanation of Intended Effects (EIE) for public comment.

India: In March 2026, India continued to witness significant developments in competition law enforcement and merger control. On the enforcement front, the Supreme Court declined to interfere with the Delhi High Court’s ruling in CCI v. Geep Industries, leaving the question of law open while reaffirming procedural safeguards in respect of penalty enforcement. The Delhi High Court, in a petition filed by AGI Greenpac Limited, directed the Competition Commission of India to consider and decide pending representations within a stipulated timeline.

GCC: A Non-Disturbance Agreement (NDA) is critical in hotel financing. However, in GCC jurisdictions, the effectiveness of an NDA can be materially impacted by court-driven enforcement regimes.

Nova Scotia, under Premier Tim Houston, is betting big on Wind West – and it’s a winning bet.

Canada: The Ontario government is proposing significant changes to the province’s land use planning and transportation frameworks to get more people in Ontario housed and moving. On March 30, 2026, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Rob Flack, presented Bill 98, Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act, 2026.

Dentons, Canada’s Global Law Firm, is pleased to highlight its role in advising the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) in securing a loan of CA$1.16 billion from the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) for the MPA’s expansion project in Contrecœur, which will develop an advanced new container terminal able to handle 1.15 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) by 2030.

United States: Dentons Cannabis Practice Leader Eric Berlin co-authored an op-ed in Marijuana Moment with Adam Rosenberg from the National Cannabis Industry Association on the work of the "Commission," an informal coalition of marijuana and hemp industry leaders who reached consensus on ten key policy principles.

United States: Dentons Cannabis Practice Leader Eric Berlin co-authored an op-ed in Marijuana Moment with Adam Rosenberg from the National Cannabis Industry Association on the work of the "Commission," an informal coalition of marijuana and hemp industry leaders who reached consensus on ten key policy principles.