RopesTalk

Welcome to the second installment of Ropes & Gray’s podcast series, Controlling Opinions, focused on current trends and developments related to controlled substances that affect the health care and life sciences industries. On this episode, hear a cross-practice team of Ropes & Gray attorneys—Josh Oyster, David Peloquin, and Beth Weinman—discuss current developments related to research with cannabis. Discussion points include how researchers aim to understand the impact of consumer-level cannabis use on the overall health of individuals and their communities, why research with cannabis is different from research with other drugs, and what the regulatory landscape for cannabis research looks like. 

Despite the role lawyers play in compliance, only one law school clinic in the United States focuses exclusively on this area. On this episode of the Better Way? podcast, co-hosts Zach Coseglia and Hui Chen catch up with Ropes & Gray alum Danielle Pelfrey Duryea, founding director of the Compliance Policy Clinic at Boston University School of Law. Danielle discusses the clinic’s unique client-centric and experiential approach, which includes real-life client projects and a simulated internal investigation. They also explore the future of compliance education, envisioning collaborations between law schools and other professional programs to collectively address ethical issues with professionals in various industries.

In honor of Rare Disease Day, join Ropes & Gray attorneys Kellie Combs, Josh Oyster, and Sarah Blankstein for a special edition of Non-binding Guidance, a podcast series that focuses on current trends in life sciences regulatory law as well as other important developments affecting the life sciences industry. On this episode, they provide a preview of the Second Annual Ropes & Gray Rare Disease Forum, which will be held in Cambridge, Massachusetts on May 7, 2024.

On this episode of Women @ RopesTalk hosted by health care partner Christine Moundas, capital solutions and private credit partner Alyson Gal interviews Jenny Walsh, a managing director who co-leads the consumer investing team at Sixth Street, a San Francisco-based global investment firm with over $75 billion in assets under management. Jenny talks about her experience building Sixth Street’s consumer investing business, and highlights the collaborative and flexible nature of Sixth Street’s investment approach. The firm’s diverse range of investments in the consumer space—from traditional brick-and-mortar stores to technology-enabled businesses—as well as in sports teams like the San Antonio Spurs and Bay FC, speak to how Sixth Street marries a solutions-oriented approach with bigger picture themes. Jenny discusses the value of mentorship and networking, and what she and Sixth Street are doing to support the next generation of women investors.

Corporations are increasingly focused on issues related to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors. On this episode of the Better Way? podcast, co-hosts Hui Chen and Zach Coseglia explore the world of environmental crimes with Joe Poux, deputy chief of the Environmental Crimes Section at the U.S. Department of Justice. You will be fascinated to hear that environmental crimes encompass much more than pollution cases: worker safety, wildlife and timber trafficking, and animal welfare are all parts of this world that involves organized crime. You will also hear about international law enforcement collaboration in this area from Joe’s work with INTERPOL. It’s an episode not to be missed!

Training is an important part of any compliance program. Rarely, however, do we stop to meaningfully assess the effectiveness of the training. What are people getting out of them? What are the goals of the training and have those goals been achieved? And how can social science research inform how we design and evaluate training? On this episode of the Better Way? podcast, co-hosts Hui Chen and Zach Coseglia, along with the Lab’s behavioral scientist Nitish Upadhyaya, explore ways to reimagine training in order to achieve holistic outcomes for the organization. Along the way, they tackle the challenges of remote training, consider how emerging technology could revolutionize the training landscape, and reflect on how training offers organizations a unique opportunity to listen to employees.

On this episode of Fully Invested, Ropes & Gray asset management partners Chelsea Childs and Mike Doherty, along with associate Andrew Lawson, discuss regulatory considerations for “private equity operating companies” and other key features of these alternative investment vehicles.

Join Ropes & Gray’s asset management partners, Eve Ellis and Joel Wattenbarger, as they delve into key regulatory issues impacting clients with interests in both the United States and Europe. On this podcast, they explore pertinent topics and developments for private fund managers, such as new rules, firm culture, valuation practices, and the evolving landscape of ESG factors.

Join Ropes & Gray’s life sciences attorneys for a podcast series exploring regulatory, compliance, and enforcement changes emanating from Washington, D.C. and the potential impact on life sciences companies in 2024. In this fourth and final episode, attorneys Greg Levine, Sarah Blankstein, and Beth Weinman discuss key areas to watch related to FDA regulation of digital health tools in 2024. These include digital health technologies used in product development, artificial intelligence and machine learning-enabled medical devices, clinical decision support software, and medical device cybersecurity.

On this episode of the R&G Tech Studio podcast, asset management partner Melissa Bender engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Ropes & Gray’s technology strategy leader Ed Black. They delve into the firm's innovative artificial intelligence (AI) initiative, exploring the profound impact of AI on the legal services industry. Gain insights into the strategic integration of AI in client service and discover the evolving expectations of clients in this dynamic landscape. Tune in as they unravel the transformative intersection of law and technology.