RopesTalk

Welcome to Culture & Compliance Chronicles, a new Ropes & Gray podcast series focused on the behavioral sciences approach to risk management. In this inaugural episode—part one of a two-part series—Ropes & Gray litigation & enforcement attorneys Amanda Raad and Tina Yu are joined by special guests Richard Bistrong, CEO of Front-Line Anti-Bribery LLC, and Jules Colborne-Baber, a partner and forensic audit expert at Deloitte UK, to take a deep dive into behavioral sciences and compliance, with a focus on how organizations can develop more effective tools to identify misconduct.

In this Ropes & Gray podcast, benefits partners Loretta Richard and Josh Lichtenstein discuss the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (also known as the CARES Act) in the context of 401(k) plans and other tax-qualified defined contribution retirement plans, including coronavirus-related distributions and loans that can be taken from qualified defined contribution retirement plans, the issues plan sponsors should focus on under the CARES Act, and other issues and challenges for plan sponsors to consider related to the coronavirus more generally.

In this Ropes & Gray podcast, litigation & enforcement partner Dan Ward, ERISA and benefits partner Josh Lichtenstein, and benefits principal David Kirchner discuss the recent $12 million settlement that has been agreed to in the Oracle 401(k) fee litigation, which includes some non-monetary requirements that could have a ripple effect on the routine cross-selling activities of third-party recordkeepers and other service providers to plans.

In the latest episode of Ropes & Gray’s alumni podcast series, Alumni @ RopesTalk, IP litigation partner Matt Rizzolo interviews Alex Roberts, who left the firm eight years ago and is now an associate professor at the University of New Hampshire School of Law. In this lively conversation, Alex gives a vivid picture of her life as a professor—from teaching courses on trademark law and the intersection of pop culture and the law, to publishing cutting-edge scholarship about deceptive practices in influencer marketing. Reflecting on her time at Ropes & Gray, Alex also shares how her experience as an associate at Ropes & Gray helped develop her interest in—and prepare her well for—a career in teaching.

In this Ropes & Gray podcast, Isabel Dische, partner in the asset management group, and Molly Moore, counsel in the asset management group, discuss steps buy-side market participants can take to understand and mitigate possible implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on their derivatives contracts. Topics covered include events of default and termination events as well as super-collateral events that may be triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, credit-related considerations, force majeure provisions, and understanding how governmental and trading exchange actions such as market closures, may affect valuation and payment dates or otherwise trigger disruption events.

In this Ropes & Gray podcast, Ama Adams and Brendan Hanifin discuss new regulations implementing the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (“FIRRMA”). The new regulations, which took effect on February 13, 2020, significantly expanded the scope of CFIUS’s jurisdiction to review foreign investments in U.S. businesses. This podcast discusses the implications of FIRRMA for U.S. and non-U.S. investors, as well as U.S. businesses that seek foreign investment.

In this Ropes & Gray podcast, Ryan Rohlfsen, a litigation & enforcement partner and one of the co-leaders of the firm’s global anti-corruption and international risk practice, is joined by Momentum Events, the organizers of the annual ACES Compliance Summit. This year’s Summit will be hosted at American University’s College of Law on March 17-18, 2020 in Washington, D.C. The program will cover the intersection of anti-corruption, export controls and sanctions, with a focus on discussing practical solutions and cutting-edge strategies for conquering the latest obstacles currently posing a threat to domestic and global corporate operations. Ryan will be moderating a panel at the Summit discussing the five most significant global anti-corruption developments of the past year, including international enforcement actions, emerging regulations and legislation, trends and anti-corruption priorities worldwide.

In the latest installment of Ropes & Gray’s alumni podcast series, Alumni @ RopesTalk, health care partner Christine Moundas interviews her former colleague, Jennifer Bealer, who left Ropes & Gray in 2017 to become executive vice president and general counsel of Progyny, a leading fertility benefits management company. Within two years of joining Progyny, the company went public. In this engaging conversation, Jen shares her insights about the challenges and rewards of transitioning to an in-house position, executing an IPO and running the day-to-day legal operations of a mission-driven startup—all at the same time.

In this Ropes & Gray podcast, finance partner Leonard Klingbaum is joined by Colin Adams, a managing director and senior professional at the investment and advisory firm M3 Partners, to discuss one of the most critical issues for clients in the stressed and distressed space: attention to documentation, or the lack thereof. From both a legal and business perspective, this podcast explores the prevalent concerns lenders and borrowers have faced regarding (1) voting provisions, (2) pro rata provisions and (3) EBITDA, as well as the opportunities that arise when these areas are reviewed competently.

In December 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a report in relation to undue short-term pressure on companies. In this Ropes & Gray podcast—the latest in a series of podcasts on ESG and corporate social responsibility issues—asset management partner Eve Ellis will provide an overview of the ESMA report and analyze key issues addressed in the report, such as the need for greater institutional investor engagement; amending existing EU legislation to address ESG disclosures; and reducing the focus on short-term investment pressure to help companies meet sustainability goals.