Nigeria: Transmutation of directors refers to the change or transition in the role of a director of a company or within a group structure from an executive capacity to a non-executive capacity and vice versa.

Dentons Lee has recently welcomed Senior Foreign Attorney Ki-Jeung Park and Senior Attorney Kyoung-Ho Kim, both of whom bring extensive hands-on experience in international construction contracts, disputes and arbitration.

Australia: As Australia’s data centre market continues to expand, sponsors are seeking scalable funding models that go beyond traditional bank loans and static securitisation structures. One such model is the Secured Data Centre Revenue Master Trust (DCMT) structure, which has gained traction in the U.S. for its flexibility and suitability for platform-style strategies. This article outlines the key features of the DCMT structure and its relevance to the Australian market.

United Kingdom: Dentons and BE News once again brought together a panel of leading voices from across the industrial and logistics landscape for a forward-looking roundtable at Dentons’ London offices. This year’s conversation focused on whether the sector is heading for a reset, resurgence or reinvention, with wide-ranging views on market performance, shifting occupier demands and the impact of macroeconomic forces.

Australia: Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are transforming Australia’s energy landscape by enabling the widespread adoption of renewable energy across diverse sectors. As innovation in BESS accelerates, safeguarding intellectual property (IP) becomes critical to maintaining competitive advantage and commercial value. This article outlines essential IP protection strategies for BESS products, including freedom to operate searches, registration of design, trade mark and patent rights, securing copyright and confidential information, managing BESS contracts and AI-related IP risks, and mitigating greenwashing concerns.

Berlin (DAV). Das Bundesinnenministerium (BMI) will bei Änderungen nach dem Selbstbestimmungsgesetz (SBGG) die früheren Eintragungen dauerhaft speichern und bei zahlreichen behördlichen Vorgängen als Information zur Verfügung stellen lassen. Der Deutsche Anwaltverein (DAV) kritisiert diesen Vorstoß scharf: Datenschutzrechtlich und mit Blick auf das Grundrecht auf informationelle Selbstbestimmung ist dieses Vorhaben höchst bedenklich. Die Notwendigkeit ist nicht ersichtlich. Dafür erhöht sich die Gefahr einer wiederholten Diskriminierung.

In einem Verordnungsentwurf hat das BMI vorgeschlagen, im Falle von Änderungen des Vornamens und Geschlechtseintrags nach dem SBGG die früheren Eintragungen in gesonderten Datenblättern zu speichern. Diese Informationen sollen beispielsweise bei jedem Umzug gegenüber der jeweiligen Anmeldebehörde mitgeteilt werden – um Personen leichter identifizieren zu können.

„Nicht alles, was ‚praktisch‘ wäre, ist auch rechtmäßig – gerade in puncto Datensammlung“, betont Prof. Niko Härting, Vorsitzender des Ausschusses Informationsrecht sowie Vielfaltsbeauftragter des DAV. Es gelte der Grundsatz der Datensparsamkeit – vor allem bei solchen Daten, die eine hohe Gefahr in sich tragen, für Diskriminierungen missbraucht zu werden.

Die geschlechtliche Identität gehört zu den besonderen Kategorien personenbezogener Daten im Sinne der DSGVO, geschützt durch das Grundrecht auf informationelle Selbstbestimmung. Eine zu sorglose Streuung solcher Informationen kann großen Schaden anrichten. „Viele irrationale Ängste wurden in den vergangenen Jahren auf trans, inter und nicht-binäre Menschen projiziert – Ängste, die zunehmend in Hass und Gewalt umschlagen. Der Staat sollte es unbedingt vermeiden, diese vulnerable Gruppe von Menschen systematisch zu outen, wenn er seiner Schutzpflicht nachkommen möchte“, mahnt Härting.

Es fehle auch schlicht an der Notwendigkeit einer gesonderten Datensammlung und -übermittlung, die sich durch die Einführung des SBGG ergeben haben könnte, wie der DAV-Vielfaltsbeauftrage erläutert: „Änderungen von Geschlechtseinträgen und Vornamen sind bereits seit dem Inkrafttreten des damaligen Transsexuellengesetzes im Jahr 1981 möglich und Realität. An der Identifizierbarkeit dieser Personen hat es in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten nicht gemangelt – auch weil sich etwa die Steuer-ID nicht ändert.“ Ein Mehrwert durch die zusätzlichen Datenblätter und die wiederkehrende Streuung dieser Daten sei nicht erkennbar – eine Diskriminierungsgefahr umso mehr.

Auch die Regelung im Verordnungswege ist bedenklich, da es an parlamentarischer Kontrolle fehlt.

New Zealand: In this edition of the Echo, we provide an update on the slew of employment law changes that have been announced, as well as breaking down the findings in the Employment Relations Authority Annual Report for 2024. We also cover a case demonstrating the strict approach the Authority is taking to the implementation of trial periods and bring you the latest on The Athletes’ Cooperative Inc’s ongoing bargaining litigation. 

CEE: In this August 2025 edition, we examine key industry trends, significant issues, legislative developments, and how they translate into risks, challenges and opportunities for all stakeholders involved in the transition of the energy sector in the CEE region.

On July 2, 2025, the Federal Court of Canada (the Court) dismissed the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) appeal of a decision of the Trademarks Opposition Board (the TMOB) regarding UBC’s opposition to a trademark registration by Sage Dining Services Inc. (Sage Dining), a food services company (the TMOB Decision).

United Kingdom: English law requires leases to have a term certain i.e. that the maximum duration of the letting is ascertainable at the outset. While this may seem a rather technical requirement, the commercial consequences of not satisfying it can be significant, as demonstrated by the recent Court of Appeal decision in AP Wireless II (UK) Limited v. On Tower (UK) Limited.

United Kingdom: In the second challenge against the UK's national security investment screening laws, FTDI Holding Limited (FTDI HL) has lost its High Court appeal to overturn an order requiring a full divestment of its shareholding in a Scottish semiconductor company. 

United Kingdom: Our latest round-up of developments on building safety regulation and news in Wales.

New Zealand: The New Zealand Privacy Commissioner has now issued the Biometric Processing Privacy Code, which will come into force on 3 November 2025 for new biometric processing activities. Agencies already undertaking biometric processing activities will have until 3 August 2026 to comply with the Code.

United Kingdom: London International Disputes Week's programme offered an array of excellent panels. Here is a summary of the expertise and insights on the relative advantages and disadvantages of arbitration and litigation shared by the panellists in Shifting Sands of Construction Disputes: is litigation back in fashion.

Singapore: On 26 June 2025, MAS issued a circular (IID 04/2025) on governance and management of Variable Capital Companies (VCCs), following its thematic review of VCCs (the Circular). This article will set out the key regulatory requirements highlighted in the Circular, observations by the MAS and next steps for fund managers.

Slovak Republic: We are pleased to present you with a new issue of the Life Sciences Newsletter with interesting events and key news from the decision-making practice of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic and legislation.

United Kingdom: A significant element of the building safety reform proposed by the Welsh Government (WG) is focused on the safety of existing buildings and their occupiers. After considerable consultation, WG published its draft Building Safety (Wales) Bill (the Bill) on 7 July 2025.

United Kingdom: The press now features news of innovation on a daily basis. Examples include: Garfield AI obtaining regulatory approval to use AI in its practice to deliver small debt recovery services; “Consult”, part of the Humphrey suite, the government-developed AI tool being used to review public consultation responses; and 92% of students using AI tools in their studies (according to HEPI).

United Kingdom: The Building Safety Act 2022 (the Act) represents a significant overhaul of the regulatory framework governing building safety in England. Central to the Act's new regime are the requirements for mandatory occurrence reporting (MOR) and voluntary occurrence reporting (VOR), both of which aim to foster a culture of transparency and proactive risk management within the built environment. 

Dentons, Canada’s Global Law Firm, congratulates Justice McKenzie, the recipient of the 2025 Dentons-Canadian Association of Urban Financial Professionals (CAUFP) Scholarship. Justice, a second-year Juris Doctor candidate at Western University and founder of a successful computer-building startup, is committed to supporting fellow entrepreneurs and underrepresented founders to help strengthen the business landscape.