Thought Leadership - Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Kraken Crypto Staking Program for U.S. Investors Shut Down in Aggressive Expansion of the Howey Test

Payward Ventures, Inc., d/b/a Kraken, the cryptocurrency exchange, has entered into a $30 million settlement agreement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over allegations the company failed to register its cryptocurrency staking program, in violation of U.S. securities laws.

FTC Signals New Era of Enforcement with $1.5 Million Penalty for Unauthorized Sharing of Health Data

The Federal Trade Commission announced yesterday that it has brought its first-ever enforcement action under its Health Breach Notification Rule, against digital health platform GoodRx Holdings, Inc.

NYS Governor Hochul Delivers 2023 State of the State Address

On January 10, 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul delivered her second State of the State address, outlining her policy and fiscal agenda for the upcoming year.

California’s Independent Legislative Analyst’s Office Criticizes State’s New Climate Plan

The California Legislative Analyst’s Office criticized the California Air Resources Board’s recent and most sweeping revision of its Scoping Plan to achieve legislatively mandated greenhouse gas reductions.

Manatt Advances 19 Legal and Consulting Professionals Across Practices Nationwide

Manatt, Phelps @ Phillips, LLP, a multidisciplinary, integrated professional services firm, announced today the advancement of 19 professionals, effective January 1, 2023@nine attorneys to equity partnership, one consultant to senior managing director, four attorneys to partnership, four consultants to managing directors and one attorney to counsel. These elevations illustrate the power of...

California’s Climate Blueprint: ‘Hope,’ Mandates and Few Details

Calling for foundational reforms in every sector of California’s economy, now the fourth largest in the world, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) on December 15, 2022, adopted the latest and most sweeping version of the “Scoping Plan.”

Bots Beware: Website Chat Bots Become Latest Target for California Class Actions

California class action lawyers have turned their sights on a new target: websites that employ “chat bots,” digital assistants that allow companies to communicate with customers without employing live website customer service representatives.

DOL Releases New Rule on Worker Classification

On October 13, 2022, the Department of Labor released a new proposed rule on the question of whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

California Employers Face Privacy Law Requirements

Following the failure of a measure that would have delayed effectiveness of the California Privacy Rights Act, employers in California now must comply with the state’s privacy law beginning January 1, 2023.

New York Proposes Regulations for AI Use in Employment Decisions

After enacting a measure in 2021 restricting the use of artificial intelligence in employment-related decisions, New York City has released proposed regulations in advance of the new law’s effective date of January 1, 2023.