Most business owners and executives know they should have a regular business attorney, but know little about how to find a good one. How can you tell whether that lawyer your neighbor recommended or that lawyer you met at a cocktail party is really any good? Drawing on over twenty-five years of experience in large and small firms and from working with lawyers across the country and internationally, author John L. Watkins demystifies the process. He shatters the myth that lawyers are all the same. John then provides an easy to understand, step-by-step guide for locating, researching, evaluating and interviewing business attorneys. He explains how law firms work and key questions to ask in the process. He also covers the often touchy subject of legal fees, including alternative fee arrangements. Finally, John provides key tips on how to work effectively with your business attorney, so that the attorney may serve as a trusted adviser for many years to come. This book is an indispensable guide for any business owner or executive considering hiring counsel.

The informal sector in West Africa has some distinctive characteristics. Informality usually connotes small and unorganized producers operating on the fringes of the formal economy. In West African countries, however, the normal situation is to some extent reversed: a dynamic informal sector dominates the stagnant formal economy. Moreover, in these countries, small operators coexist with very large and politically well-connected informal enterprises and well-organized networks. Notwithstanding its importance, there have been relatively few systematic studies of this dual feature of the informal sector in West Africa, and consequently too little is known about it. One of our hypotheses is that determinants and appropriate policy responses are likely to differ between "large" and "small" informal operations. This volume focuses on the urban informal sector in three capital cities: Dakar (Senegal), Cotonou (Benin) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). These three countries have important differences and as a group, are quite representative of francophone West Africa and to a lesser extent West Africa as a whole. The authors use a mix of quantitative and qualitative approaches with data obtained from our new Bank surveys of 900 firms in the three cities, interviews with knowledgeable stakeholders and participants, and all available secondary data. For the surveys, the authors designed their sampling strategy to include three distinctive categories of firms: formal, small informal, and large informal. In addition, they developed a comprehensive definition of informality to reflect its complexity and heterogeneneity. The definition (Chapter 1) covers six components of informality, whereas previous definitions are generally limited to a binary classification based on one or two indicators. The results for West Africa corroborate many findings from earlier studies, particularly for small informal firms. In addition, the authors break new ground by shedding light on the large informal sector and the influence of institutional and socio-cultural factors in shaping the informal sector.

Cryptoassets represent one of the most high profile financial products in the world, and fastest growing financial products in history. From Bitcoin, Etherium and Ripple's XRP-so called "utility tokens" used to access financial services-to initial coin offerings that in 2017 rivalled venture capital in money raised for startups, with an estimated $5.6 billion (USD) raised worldwide across 435 ICOs. All the while, technologists have hailed the underlying blockchain technology for these assets as potentially game changing applications for financial payments and record-keeping. At the same time, cryptoassets have produced considerable controversy. Many have turned out to be lacklustre investments for investors. Others, especially ICOs, have also attracted noticeable fraud, failing firms, and alarming lapses in information-sharing with investors. Consequently, many commentators around the world have pressed that ICO tokens be considered securities, and that concomitant registration and disclosure requirements attach to their sales to the public. This volume assembles an impressive group of scholars, businesspersons and regulators to collectively write on cryptoassets. This volume represents perspectives from across the regulatory ecosystem, and includes technologists, venture capitalists, scholars, and practitioners in securities law and central banking.

There are over 60 offices of inspectors general in executive and legislative branch agencies, as well as special inspectors general, who are responsible for audits and investigations related to particular programs or expenditures. Inspectors General draw their authorities and duties from the Inspector General Act of 1978. This book addresses the duties and functions of statutory Inspectors General (IGs); the numbers of each type of IG; the differences between IGs appointed by the President and those appointed by the agency head; considerations for whether certain IGs should be appointed by the President as opposed to the agency head; and, the Inspector General Reform Act of 2008.

Credit rating agencies (CRAs) are expected to provide investors with an informed and unbiased view on securities' debt risk; the risk that issuers will fail to make promised interest or principal payments when they are due. The agencies provide judgements on the creditworthiness of bonds issued by a wide spectrum of entities, including corporations, non-profit firms, special purpose entities, sovereign nations and state and municipal governments. This book explores the regulation and reform of credit rating agencies with a focus on their performance and failures in recent years.

Companion website: www.oup.com/dewar Now in its third edition, International Project Finance is the definitive guide to legal and practical issues relating to international projects. The book considers the application of English and New York law in cross-border documentation and legal and practical matters associated with running financing projects in civil law jurisdictions. Different sources of funding are also examined, such as banking and international bond documentation, and Islamic financing practice, in particular the use of Murabaha financing techniques and Sukuk (Islamic bond) market. This includes the legal and documentation issues arising from the use of such financing techniques and how they interact with each other from a legal and contractual perspective. Equally significant, the book provides analysis of project defaults and work-outs giving guidance on how to manage projects when these circumstances arise. The book also contains extensive coverage of dispute resolution in international projects. New to this edition is a chapter on development finance institutions covering the work of bodies such as the World Bank and the African Development Bank. This chapter explains the key roles played by these institutions in international project finance, especially in emerging markets. It covers the key policy issues and the impact of such policies on project finance documentation. As well as addressing the basic principles which affect the structuring and documentation of project financings, the book also explains structural, legal and contractual differences between the various sectors such as transportation, infrastructure/Public Private Partnerships, conventional, renewable and nuclear power, mining, and oil and gas. Telcommunications, including broadband, are covered in more detail in a separate section for this edition This book provides the context of international project finance which underpins the understanding of legal analysis in this area. It includes detailed guidance on practical issues such as the identification and assessment of project risk, together with relevant documentation such as risk matrices and checklists covering both key project contracts and the major terms of a project financing. With its focus on international projects and emphasis on the practical application of the law, this book is an essential reference work for all practitioners in the field. International Project Finance 3e Digital Pack includes a copy of the hardback and a digital version available on PC, Mac, Android devices, iPad or iPhone for quick and easy access wherever you are.

SOUTHERN LAW JOURNAL is the official publication of the Southern Academy of Legal Studies in Business. It is published in hard copy and electronically on the SALSB website. The SLJ is deposited in hard volumes in over 100 public and university libraries (ISSN: 1056-2184), free of charge. Copyright to the contents of the articles published in SOUTHERN LAW JOURNAL is retained by the respective authors. Copyright to the design, format, logo and other aspects of this publication is claimed by the Southern Academy of Legal Studies in Business. The views expressed herein are to be attributed to the authors and not to this publication, the Southern Academy of Legal Studies in Business, its officers, the editors, or any named college or university. The material appearing in this publication is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice or be used as such. For a specific legal opinion readers must confer with their own legal counsel.

The Transformation of Wall Street is a comprehensive and insightful historical analysis of the Securities andamp; Exchange Commission from the perspective of a leader in securities regulation. The Transformation of Wall Street offers an in-depth look at the history of the SEC's origins, accomplishments, and failings since its creation in 1934. Each chapter in the book takes historical look at the tenure of the various SEC chairmen. The first edition, published in 1977, covered the SEC through the Nixon-Ford presidential administration. A revised edition was published in 1995, updating the book through 1992. Now, the third edition continues the history until 2001, the end of Arthur Levitt's Chairmanship, with a treatment of auditing issues through the enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (July 2002). In this revised edition, author Joel Seligman draws on unpublished SEC files and extensive personal interviews to provide a comprehensive examination of the origins, accomplishments, and failings of the SEC and its leaders, from the creation of the SEC in 1934 to the present. The new material, among other things, addresses: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, which has had a significant impact on private securities litigation after its passage in 1995 The structure of the securities markets (which are in an important transition because of Electronic Communications Networks; decimalization; international competition; and the continuing evolution to greater institutionalization of our markets as well as the growth of several new products, most recently security futures products) Municipal securities markets (which were largely ignored before the recently resigned Arthur Levitt) Several issues with respect to the accounting profession (most notably auditor independence and the independence of accounting standard-setting boards). In addition, this work focuses on Chairman Levitt, whom the author believes was one of the most accomplished of the post World War II chairs, and had the challenge of being a Chair appointed by a Democratic party president during a period when Republicans controlled both houses of Congress as well as a period of extraordinary ferment in the securities market.

Since the publication of the first edition of this book in 2005, the world of financial investment has experienced an unprecedented boom followed by a spectacular bust. Significant changes have been proposed and in some cases implemented in areas such as the structure of regulation, the organisation of markets, supervision of market participants and the protection of consumers. The second edition takes account of these developments, integrating them into an analytical framework that enables the reader to develop a critical overview of the role of general legal rules and specialised systems of regulation in financial investment. The framework focuses on the role of contract, trusts and regulation as the primary legal influences for financial investment. The first part explores the relationship between investment, law and regulation. The second part examines the nature of investments and investors, both professional and private. The third part discusses the central role of corporate finance and corporate governance in linking investors with enterprises that require external capital. The fourth part examines the nature, operation and regulation of markets and the participants that support the functioning of the markets. The objective remains to provide a broadly-based and critical account of the role of law in financial investment. "MacNeil's eloquent and informative distillation of the regulatory fundamentals of investment law gives his book much international relevance...a timely contribution to help readers decipher the seemingly inextricable maze of financial regulation...Practitioners and legal policy advisers will..welcome it. They should find enlightening the book's careful scrutiny of the trust and contractual foundations of investment law and practice." Benjamin J Richardson Journal of International Banking Law and Regulation, Vol 22 Issue 1, 2007 ...a fascinating and informative book...thoroughly recommended as a learned but at the same time very readable introduction to the law of financial investment Gerard McCormack Banking and Finance Law Review, Volume 21 No 2, June 2006 ...very informative tool that introduces in a very friendly and accessible manner the nearly inextricable world of financial investment laws. Fadi Moghaizel International Company and Commercial Law Review, Vol. 17 No 2, February 2006

The Budget Control Act (BCA) is the result of negotiations between the President and Congress held in response to the federal government having nearly reached its borrowing capacity. The BCA authorised increases in the debt limit of at least $2.1 trillion dollars (and up to $2.4 trillion under certain conditions), subject to a disapproval process that would likely require securing the support of two-thirds of each chamber to prevent a debt limit increase. It established caps on the amount of money that could be spent through the annual appropriations process for the next 10 years, which the CBO estimates will reduce federal spending by $917 billion. This book provides an overview of the essential features of the Budget Control Act, a history and recent increases of the debt limit and the potential effects on government operations.

The Center for Labor and Employment Law is a program established at New York University School of Law. Professor Samuel Estreicher, Dwight D. Opperman Professor of Law at New York University and an internationally recognized expert on labor and employment law, serves as the Center's director. The objectives of the Center are (a) to promote workplace efficiency and productivity, while at the same time recognizing the need for justice and safety in the workplace and respecting the dignity of work and employees; (b) to promote independent, nonpartisan research that would improve understanding of employment issues generally, with particular emphasis on the connections between human resources decisions and organizational performance; (c) to sponsor a graduate program for the next generation of law teachers and leading practitioners in the fields; and (d) to provide a forum for bringing together leaders from unions, employees, and companies, as well as representatives of plaintiff and defense perspectives, for informal discussion exploring new frameworks for labor- management relations, workplace justice, fair and efficient resolution of employment disputes, and representation in the workplace.

This book contains all the legal forms and guides to protect anyone involved in or considering entering into partnership with another.

The US and EU Comparative Company Law monograph contains the extensive research the author has done on the corporate governance systems of the USA, EU, UK, Germany, France, Slovenia and some other countries of the EU and out of EU. It analyses the differences and similarities, advantages and disadvantages, of the US single board or one-tier system in comparison with the European two-tier corporate governance systems. Following an in-depth presentation of corporate governance in general, provided with chapters on the general theory on corporate governance, the main opened issues of corporate governance, sources of law, OECD principles of corporate governance and OECD guidelines for state owned enterprises, the book focuses on the types of business organizations and ownership structures both in the US and EU corporations, and then concentrates on explaining and analysing the corporate governance systems in the EU, the USA, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Slovenia, emphasising the features inherent to each of these systems.

This book introduces a dynamic, new framework for using law, litigation, regulation and lobbying as part of competitive business strategy. Every business strategist, entrepreneur, and corporate lawyer needs to understand a basic truth of the modern market -- you must make the legal rules that govern your products and services or one of your competitors will. And it is much easier to stay in business if you are the one writing the rules. Written in a lively style with a host of stories and examples drawn from business history as well as contemporary events, professor G. Richard Shell of the world-famous Wharton School of Business shows how business leaders from Henry Ford and Bill Gates and corporate rivals from Coke to Pepsi have fought and won the battle for legal supremacy.

The life science industry has experienced a large increase in size and convergence of traditional industries. This has resulted in a reduction of the space to operate for start-up biotech companies, and in innovative ways to solve the challenges. The purpose of this book is to investigate four aspects in relation to personalized medicine based on stem cells - the current IP landscape, the path to market, the possibility to generate protection around the personalized part of the medicine and the commercialization of the product. This has been analyzed by conducting a case study of a start-up biotech company in combination with literature studies and discussions with professionals within the field. The outcome of the analysis shows that the current landscape creates great hurdles for biotech companies but that there still are good opportunities to reach market within the field for personalized medicine. Conclusions that can be drawn are that personalized medicine offers viable alternatives and that the role of intellectual property should not be underestimated.

Collection of Articles on Business Development, Marketing, and Sales for Lawyers

I have confined my Endeavour to study "The Copyright Aspects of the Internet with Special Reference to Piracy." With proliferation of internet it seems obvious that a new kind of copyright violation is challenging the traditional notions of copyright. By and large, despite the difficulties and complexities of addressing copyright violations committed through the Internet, copyrights remain valuable intellectual property in the Internet age. Thus far at least, copyright owners have largely succeeded in protecting their intellectual property despite the proliferation of Internet-based infringements

The concept of well-known trademark though recent development but has attain extreme importance in present scenario. In this market driven economies well-known trademarks play a highly complex role, their functions not remain to indicate origin of goods or services now it appeal to consumers and some of them went to create mythical status for consumers. Taking its importance several efforts have been made to protect it at international as well as domestic level and courts too played important role in it protection. This book, therefore, analyse the meaning and concept of well-known trademarks, protection provided to it at international forum and in Indian Trademark Law along with leading cases of Supreme Court and high courts. It discusses various implications of recognition of well-known trademarks and suggests some measures to be exercise while recognising it. The analysis will help to understand the strategies behind its strong protection and how can these marks be beneficial and detrimental to our national interests.

In today's global market place, companies are struggling to adapt to the emerging knowledge economy. Enforcement of patent rights is often complicated, expensive and time consuming; something which could leave the full potential of the patent protection unexploited. The use of patents needs to be efficient in order for the company to extract maximum value from these rights. A pro-active enforcement strategy is needed to ensure that the company is utilizing their patents to the fullest extent, in order to extract the most value. By outlining the judicial framework surrounding patent infringement in four different jurisdictions, a more clear understanding of risks and benefits can be discovered. The understanding of these differences that exist between these jurisdictions will ensure that companies locate their resources to the most efficient areas when enforcing and utilizing patents. By examining the approach companies have towards the use of their patents, some key areas when dealing with patent litigation strategy were assessed and a framework assisting a company to utilize its IP more efficiently was constructed.

Globalization of business has driven a paradigm shift in corporate legal services internationally, changing how multinational corporations, their in-house legal departments and their law firms interrelate. The demands caused by international business growth require companies to confront scores of legal issues in many different countries, at the same time. Numerous factors have converged to elevate the impact of law and compliance on global business today. Understanding and responding to these factors is paramount to the success of inside and outside counsel. In this book, E. Leigh Dance presents 26 essays written by current and past heads of legal at global companies including: Azko Nobel, EADS, Fiat, FMC Technologies, Hilton, Honeywell, Lenovo, Marsh & McLennan and Schering-Plough, as well as leaders of global law firms including DLA, Eversheds, K&L Gates, Latham & Watkins, Orrick, Paul Hastings and other top legal industry experts. "This collection of 26 impressive essays, skillfully edited by Leigh Dance, creates a superb textbook for leaders as they consider current and future strategies, whether as global law firms or corporate law departments. A unique compendium of global perspectives and ideas, it makes very useful reading for all who are working to chart a course in these unprecedented times." -Ralph Baxter, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Orrick "Leigh Dance has managed to replicate in a book the excitement of a rich roundtable discussion among industry leaders. Reading it is like sitting in on an intimate exchange of practical experience, personal insights, and critical thinking about global business law, now and into the future. I highly recommend 'Bright Ideas.'" -Nino Cusimano, General Counsel, Telecom Italia "The legal industry is a time machine speeding through generations of change in a blink of an eye. Leigh Dance and her collaborators understand that such movement doesn't count as progress unless it is infused with bright ideas and intelligent execution. She has collected and presented those ideas in a highly readable form." -Peter Kalis, Chairman and Global Managing Partner, K&L Gates "Jump in, and profit from the many superb ideas and thought-provoking perspectives advanced in these pages, by an outstanding list of legal luminaries." -Jan Eijsbouts, former General Counsel, Akzo Nobel

Master's Thesis from the year 2009 in the subject Law - Civil / Private / Trade / Anti Trust Law / Business Law, grade: gut, Tilburg University (Faculty of Law), course: International Business Law, language: English, comment: Benotung in NL 8,0 (entspricht "gut"), abstract: The ENIC judgement of the Court of Arbitration for Sports clarified in 1999 that the UEFA regulations on multi-club ownership are necessary to maintain the integrity of football, in particular, the authenticity of results. Under the UEFA regulations, controlling interests in more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition are prohibited. However, it is not only multi-club ownership that may influence the so-called integrity of the game. Investments of clubs in other clubs (cross ownership) and shareholdings of "club-involved" persons in a club different from their own also raise issues. The following paper therefore examines the current regulations on those shareholdings for UEFA competitions (Champions' League and Europa League) and for national leagues in England, Spain, and Germany. The analysis provides a detailed overview of how the game's integrity is protected and shows whether improvements seem necessary.

The Uniform Commercial Code Made Easy marks the first time in the history of legal education that a novel has been used as a vehicle for delivering the content of a substantive body of law; in this case, a pervasive statutory scheme The Uniform Commercial Code, law in all fifty states. Mirroring the factual assumptions upon which the UCC was drafted, The Uniform Commercial Code Made Easy places the application of these laws in concrete and interesting commercial settings where they come to life. Logical reader questions are anticipated, and answered through a variety of communication channels uniquely available to the format chosen: dialogue, memoranda of law, texting and emails, are illustrative. If you are in business, the Uniform Commercial Code directly, impacts your business hundreds, perhaps thousands of times per day. Virtually every phase of a transaction in goods, from sale or lease through financing, is impacted by the laws of the UCC. Of particular significance are those provisions which can literally save a business from going under. These potential landmines need to be identified before they are stepped on. The Uniform Commercial Code Made Easy accomplishes this important task. Consumers should understand the basic laws the surround and govern their purchases leases and financing of goods. They should also understand, as should businesses, the impact of signing a promissory note, how the transfer of that note can affect one 's rights, and how to protect one 's rights when promissory notes are executed. Understanding how to protect your rights in these transactions is both empowering and essential. The mass and complexity of the Uniform Commercial Code has made comprehension and learning the content very challenging. The ease of learning is greatly enhanced by the approach utilized in The Uniform Commercial Code Made Easy. As one prominent attorney and author wrote in a recently published book review: Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus In this case, he comes in the form of former University of Miami School of Law professor Robert M. LeVine, who has made one of the most complicated bodies of law in the United States the Uniform Commercial Code not only comprehensible but entertaining. Tom Shuck, Esq. Past President, Federal Bar Association Federal Bar Association Journal, August 2111 Law students, business students, and CPA 's must know the Uniform Commercial Code. It is essential to graduate from law school and is on the bar examination of every state, and the CPA examination as well. The following are illustrative of testimonials received on The Uniform Commercial Code Made Easy: It 's true. The UCC is just as daunting as it looks, and this book is the key to unlocking its mysteries. Infused with practicality, The Uniform Commercial Code Made Easy combines every day transactions with straightforward law, allowing students to not only navigate the UCC with ease, but also develop a lasting understanding of the material. The Uniform Commercial Code Made Easy 's revolutionary approach to the UCC has extensive application both in and out of the classroom as a resource for professors and a study aid for students. The Uniform Commercial Code Made Easy by LeVine was my key to success in understanding the UCC, and enjoying it Melissa Carroll Stetson University College of Law I was amazed. I never thought it possible to make the UCC interesting but I was wrong. For once I had found a book which made me understand the meaning and interrelationships among sections, and at the same time, I enjoyed reading it. F. William Harvey JD, MBA, Wharton School of Business The knowledge contained in the Uniform Commercial Code is invaluable to anyone in business, or any American who is involved in basic consumer transactions. The Uniform Commercial Code Made Easy creates a pathway to this level in a unique and entertaining manner.

White-Collar Crime describes white-collar crime and criminals. It discusses executive knowledge of white-collar crime, and white-collar crime theories are presented. Executive positions involved in crime, white-collar crime analysis, response to crime suspicion, corporate social responsibility, and corporate reputation damage and repair are some of the core topics of this book. Knowledge strategy, intelligence strategy, and systems strategy are also presented from a strategic management perspective.