RopesTalk

In this ESG-focused podcast, asset management partners Isabel Dische and Eve Ellis discuss the United Kingdom’s recently published Green Finance Strategy, the European Union’s Action Plan on Sustainable Finance and how these initiatives may impact asset managers.

The third installment of Ropes & Gray’s podcast series, Non-binding Guidance, highlights two recent federal district court decisions implicating enforcement efforts in the stem cell and compounding arenas. This episode, Ropes & Gray lawyers Greg Levine and Beth Weinman first explore the D.C. District Court’s decision to grant summary judgment to FDA in its efforts to enjoin a Florida clinic from administering unapproved adipose derived stem cell injections to patients to treat a number of serious diseases. Next they address a loss for the government in the decision by the Federal District Court for the District of Massachusetts to overturn the convictions of two former employees of the New England Compounding Center (NECC) for conspiracy to defraud FDA, on the basis of legal impossibility. Tune in to this discussion to learn more about these federal district court decisions, their impact on the industry, and how the Agency will move forward as a result of these findings.

Ropes & Gray’s podcast series, IP(DC), focuses on developments in intellectual property law from the vantage point of Ropes & Gray’s office on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.
June 19th marked the 5th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s impactful decision in Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank, which some argue shifted the landscape in an anti-patent direction. Currently, a bipartisan group of Congressional members are working to revise Section 101 of the Patent Act. In this episode, Washington, D.C.-based litigators Scott McKeown and Matt Rizzolo discuss the scope of the proposed legislation, its prospects for passage, and the actions that patent owners and potential defendants may want to take to minimize the uncertainty that comes with potential legislative action. Matt and Scott also discuss the recently proposed Term Act, which seeks to limit patent term for some Bio/Pharma patents as well as notable decisions of the Federal Circuit and SCOTUS.

We are pleased to introduce a new podcast series for our alumni interviews. Today’s podcast features Ropes & Gray alum Jeff Gleason in conversation with IP litigation partner Matt Rizzolo. Jeff and Matt were summer associates together back in 2007, and have stayed in touch over the years since Jeff left the firm to go in-house. Most recently, Jeff joined Delaware North, a global leader in hospitality and food services management, as assistant general counsel for gaming. Jeff discusses the challenges associated with moving in-house and offers advice to attorneys who may be looking to make the transition. Additionally, Jeff and Matt reminisce about their early days at Ropes & Gray. Tune in to hear more!

We are pleased to introduce a new podcast series, Alumni @ RopesTalk, for our alumni interviews. Today’s podcast features Ropes & Gray alum Jeff Gleason in conversation with IP litigation partner Matt Rizzolo. Jeff and Matt were summer associates together back in 2007, and have stayed in touch over the years since Jeff left the firm to go in-house. Most recently, Jeff joined Delaware North, a global leader in hospitality and food services management, as assistant general counsel for gaming. Jeff discusses the challenges associated with moving in-house and offers advice to attorneys who may be looking to make the transition. Additionally, Jeff and Matt reminisce about their early days at Ropes & Gray. Tune in to hear more!

In this podcast, Jill Kalish Levy and Joel Wattenbarger discuss the impending cessation of LIBOR at the end of 2021 and its proposed replacement, SOFR, and how they differ. Market participants are already taking different approaches to the replacement of LIBOR from the documentation and logistical perspectives. This podcast explains the pros and cons of the various approaches, including the advantages and challenges associated with the “amendment approach” and the “hardwired approach” in documentation, and what actions credit fund managers may want to consider taking in 2019 to begin the transition away from LIBOR.

This new Ropes & Gray podcast series, The PEP Talk, Ropes & Gray’s Private Equity Podcast, focuses on legal issues of interest to the private equity industry. In the first episode of the series, asset management partners Peter Laybourn and Debra Lussier are joined by Keith Higgins, chair of the firm’s securities and governance practice and former SEC director of corporation finance, to discuss the opportunity for private equity funds to engage in general solicitation during fundraising under Rule 506(c) of Regulation D of the Securities Act.

In this podcast, Isabel Dische and Melissa Bender discuss the recent impact investing standards published by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), an arm of the World Bank. This discussion provides a high-level overview of the IFC impact investing framework and related considerations for asset owners and managers.

In this podcast, Joanne De Silva and Alyson Gal discuss pro rata sharing provisions in loan agreements. Although the topic may seem straightforward, there are important variations in how broadly written these provisions are, as well as what lender consents are required to amend them. These variations can make material differences in whether non pro rata exchanges and other value swinging deals can be done. In this podcast, Joanne and Alyson review the nuances in the formulations of these provisions and why they matter to lenders and investors in distressed debt.