SEC's Proposed Climate Risk Disclosure Rules (Video)

The SEC has granted petitions for review of Nasdaq's $5 million MVLS listing standard, keeping the controversial rule on hold while extending the review period for NYSE American's similar market capitalization requirement. Microcap companies trading near these thresholds face potential delisting consequences if these proposed rule changes are ultimately approved, making it critical to understand the compliance strategies and ongoing regulatory developments.

The SEC is proposing to substantively overhaul the securities transfer agent regulatory framework, which has largely remained unchanged since the paperwork-based system of the mid-1970s.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has set new annual fee rates for Small Business Investment Companies' debentures for fiscal year 2027, with standard debentures at 0.3000% and accrual debentures at 0.8710%. These fees apply to any SBIC receiving debenture commitments between October 1, 2026 and September 30, 2027, regardless of when the debentures are actually drawn.

Financial services firms, healthcare organizations, and businesses across industries are investing heavily in AI and data analytics, yet many struggle to translate these investments into measurable returns. The gap between AI ambition and execution often begins with governance, workforce readiness, and the ability to turn insights into actionable business outcomes.

FinCEN has renewed its Geographic Targeting Order for Minnesota, extending enhanced reporting requirements for financial institutions in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties through February 2027. The order mandates detailed recordkeeping for international fund transfers of $3,000 or more, with exemptions for certain lower-risk transactions. What are the compliance implications for banks and money services businesses operating in these jurisdictions?

The SEC's Division of Examinations has identified six critical areas where investment advisers commonly fall short in their annual compliance reviews, from timing failures to inadequate documentation and unimplemented corrective actions. Understanding these deficiencies is essential for advisers seeking to strengthen their compliance infrastructure and avoid examination risks.

The federal banking agencies have proposed new third-party risk management guidance that is more prescriptive than its emphasis on a “risk-based” approach might suggest. In addition to calling for risk-based oversight, the proposal identifies specific elements that banks should address in board-approved policies and throughout the life cycle of third-party relationships, including due diligence, contracting, ongoing monitoring, documentation, remediation, and termination.

Forget what you thought you knew about startup funding. According to Crunchbase, billion-dollar rounds have moved from anomaly to expectation. In the first half of 2026, 60% of global startup funding flowed to rounds of $1 billion or more — and in the U.S., that figure jumped to a staggering 73%.

Federal banking regulators have proposed new interagency guidance that fundamentally reshapes how financial institutions should manage third-party relationships, moving away from process-driven oversight toward risk-based assessments tailored to actual harm potential. The proposal emphasizes that banks should focus resources on relationships presenting genuine financial, operational, or compliance risks rather than applying uniform heightened standards across all vendor arrangements.

The U.S. Senate's failed cloture vote on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act has prompted a flurry of regulatory activity from federal agencies seeking to establish frameworks for cryptocurrency markets. In response, the SEC issued groundbreaking exemptions for tokenized securities trading, the CFTC extended relief to crypto wallet providers, and Congress advanced new tax legislation for digital assets.

In In re Nussbaum Lowinger LLP, the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the Court) dismissed Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases commenced by two law firms and did so in favor of their assignment for the benefit of creditors proceeding already pending in New York state court. This decision provides useful guidance for creditors, assignees, and debtors evaluating whether to move from a state law assignment for the benefit of creditors to a federal bankruptcy case.

The FDA is advancing significant changes to drug manufacturing oversight through proposed PDUFA VIII commitments, new registration pathways for distributed manufacturing, and enhanced inspection protocols. These developments aim to strengthen supply chain transparency, streamline facility readiness assessments, and reinforce good clinical practice standards in an increasingly globalized clinical trial landscape.

The SEC's Division of Corporation Finance has announced a significant policy shift regarding shareholder proposals under Exchange Act Rule 14a-8, eliminating its longstanding practice of responding to company...

The Fifth Circuit's decision in East Fork Enterprises v. EPA vacates EPA's methylene chloride risk management rule and underlying unreasonable risk determination, fundamentally challenging the agency's approach to TSCA administration. The ruling addresses critical issues including the "whole chemical" versus "condition of use" methodology, EPA's treatment of personal protective equipment in risk assessments, and the interpretation of "unreasonable risk" under TSCA.

Hospital and health system counsel face unprecedented challenges as AI transforms patient data into a critical asset, requiring navigation of complex de-identification strategies, state AI and privacy law compliance, and model ownership issues. This session provides in-house legal teams with a practical framework for managing AI-driven healthcare data transactions and governance structures they were never formally trained to handle.

The Federal Trade Commission has proposed a new enforcement policy targeting personalized pricing practices, signaling heightened scrutiny of businesses that use consumer data to set individualized prices. As states simultaneously advance their own surveillance pricing legislation—ranging from disclosure mandates to outright bans—companies face an increasingly complex regulatory landscape that demands...

On August 27, 2026, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) (together, the Agencies) issued a final rule (the Final Rule) adopting a regulatory definition for the term “unsafe or unsound practice” and revising the supervisory framework for issuing matters requiring attention (MRAs), as part of the Agencies’ more comprehensive efforts to focus supervisory and institution attention on material financial risks. On the same date, the OCC issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (the MRA Rule) to establish regulatory standards for the types of legal violations that can support an MRA.

A federal court in Illinois recently dismissed a cybersecurity-related False Claims Act qui tam complaint against Archer Daniels Midland Company, primarily on materiality grounds. The decision highlights the stringent requirements relators face when pursuing cybersecurity FCA claims, particularly the need to demonstrate that alleged cybersecurity deficiencies would have significantly affected the government's payment decisions. The court's analysis provides critical guidance on pleading requirements for fal

A federal district court has preliminarily enjoined the EPA from reclassifying California's Clean Air Act preemption waiver orders as "rules" subject to the Congressional Review Act. The court found that EPA's reclassification likely violated the Administrative Procedure Act and exceeded the agency's authority, though the order does not prevent Congress from proceeding with pending disapproval resolutions.

The U.S. Treasury and IRS have proposed regulations that would deny tax-exempt status to private schools maintaining discriminatory policies based on race, color, or national origin, including affirmative action programs ruled unconstitutional in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.