Russia And The CIS: Eastern Approaches

A Russian commercial court's decision to uphold an LCIA arbitration clause in a dispute between VTB Bank and JP Morgan Chase marks an unusual departure from recent trends where Russian courts have asserted jurisdiction over sanctioned parties. The case raises questions about whether this signals a shift in approach or simply reflects the specific procedural circumstances where VTB chose not to contest the jurisdictional application after losing its English appeal against an anti-suit injunction.

On June 17, 2026, the Presidium of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation approved Thematic Review No. 8/2026 on the Application by Arbitrazh (Commercial) Courts of Legislation...

Russian Arbitration Center at the Russian Institute of Modern Arbitration has published the digest of arbitration news for the last month.

Russian Arbitration Center at the Russian Institute of Modern Arbitration has published the digest of arbitration news for the last month.

Yesterday, the Register of Damage for Ukraine (the "Register") officially launched, meaning that the claims submission process for those seeking compensation for the damage...

A Russian court refused to recognize and enforce two LCIA arbitration awards totaling over EUR 247 million against RUSAL and RTI Limited, finding that enforcement would violate Russian public order due to sanctions-related...

The Russian Institute of Modern Arbitration (RIMA) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Thailand Arbitration Center (THAC)...

Sanctions and counter-sanctions have transformed routine cross-border litigation into a challenging, strategic minefield. What can defendants do to protect their cost exposure...

During Paris Arbitration Week HKA hosted a panel that considered the options for compensation for damages loss or injury open to victims of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The USPTO has released its latest economic impact report on IP-intensive industries, announced a new community engagement office in North Carolina, and issued several administrative updates including relief for Japanese applicants affected by a severe earthquake. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board has also designated new precedential and informative decisions addressing obviousness-type double patenting and Markush groupings.

California's Air Resources Board has released significant modifications to its greenhouse gas emissions reporting regulation, deferring the first reporting deadline to November 10, 2026, and clarifying key requirements for companies doing business in California with over $1 billion in annual revenue. The updates provide additional flexibility for 2026 reporting while enforcement of the Climate-Related Financial Risk Act remains paused pending federal litigation.

The US International Trade Commission has opened a rare public comment period on how it should fulfill its data collection and reporting obligations under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, a long-dormant authority recently invoked by the Trump Administration to impose restrictions on Canadian imports. This presents a unique opportunity for companies and stakeholders to shape from the ground up how the Commission interprets discriminatory foreign trade practices, evaluates allegations, and reports findi

The sports and gaming industries are evolving faster than existing legal frameworks can accommodate, creating unprecedented jurisdictional battles, regulatory shifts, and commercial opportunities. From the escalating fight over prediction markets between federal regulators and states to the emergence of responsible gaming as a standalone policy priority, the first half of 2026 has reshaped the legal landscape governing these sectors while raising fundamental questions about innovation, consumer protection

As discussed in previous client alerts, the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and digital services has dramatically increased demand for data centers.

Washington Attorney General Nick Brown released the state's first Data Privacy Report, examining how the modern data economy incentivizes personal information collection and retention. The report catalogs resulting harms and recommends that lawmakers strengthen privacy protections, enforcement, and public education while highlighting Washington's continued lack of a comprehensive consumer privacy statute despite inspiring other states' privacy laws.

The SEC has proposed a comprehensive overhaul of transfer agent regulations that would formally recognize distributed ledger technology and blockchain-based recordkeeping systems within the existing regulatory framework. This modernization effort imposes enhanced operational, safeguarding, and compliance obligations while establishing technology-neutral standards that could significantly impact tokenization initiatives and digital asset market infrastructure.

As investment in data center infrastructure accelerates globally, disputes are emerging from contractual and investment-related risks that commonly accompany large-scale infrastructure projects. This analysis examines the growing wave of contractual claims among owners, contractors, and subcontractors, as well as investment treaty claims that may arise when governmental actions impact overseas data center developments.

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced three major settlements totaling over $558 million against healthcare providers partnering with Medicare Advantage plans for allegedly submitting false diagnosis codes. These enforcement actions reveal DOJ's intensified scrutiny of risk-sharing payment arrangements between Medicare Advantage plans and healthcare providers, while demonstrating the significant benefits that self-disclosure and cooperation can provide to companies facing potential False Claims Act l

The US Department of Justice has signaled a potential expansion of enforcement under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and Section 951, despite earlier indications of limited criminal enforcement. Recent regulatory developments, policy announcements, and high-profile prosecutions of US officials suggest a renewed focus on foreign agent disclosure requirements and potential criminal liability for undisclosed relationships with foreign governments.