Business Law and Corporate Law

Mary Ellen Powers reflects on her groundbreaking four-decade career at Jones Day, from becoming the first woman Firm Administrative Partner to leading major expansions across Europe and the Middle East. What lessons has she learned about leadership, client service, and advancing women in the legal profession?

A White male plaintiff has filed a lawsuit against Edward Jones, challenging the company's "Goodknight" diversity program that allegedly incentivizes financial advisors to transition clients to female or other diverse advisors. The case represents one of several recent reverse discrimination lawsuits targeting corporate DEI initiatives, raising questions about the legal boundaries of workplace diversity programs under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Human resources departments are rapidly adopting artificial intelligence to streamline operations, but this technological shift raises critical questions about algorithmic fairness and representation. When AI development remains concentrated among a handful of companies and excludes diverse perspectives, can these tools truly serve all employees equitably? The intersection of machine learning and workplace diversity reveals troubling patterns that demand immediate attention from HR professionals.

Maryland has amended its franchise registration and disclosure law with changes taking effect October 1, 2026. The amendments extend enforcement authority, expand franchisee claims periods, clarify jurisdictional scope, establish franchisee association rights, and codify a fast-track renewal program for franchise disclosure documents.

International restaurant expansion often generates legal problems before anyone believes there is much legal work to do. A team finds a location and negotiates the lease before confirming that the hours, the liquor service, and the patio are permitted at that address. An executive chef flies in to train the kitchen on a visitor stamp.

On July 9, 2026, the United States District Court for the Central District of California issued its decision in So Cal Storage, LLC et al. v. UNITS Franchising Group, Inc., 2026 WL 2045621 (C.D. Cal. July 9, 2026), granting a franchisor's motion to dismiss the franchisees’ claims arising from alleged misrepresentations, software failures, vendor restrictions, and misuse of advertising fund contributions.

Business development companies (BDCs) have become a critical financing source for private equity-backed small- and middle-market companies while offering investors attractive private credit exposure. As the BDC market matures, sponsors and investors are increasingly exploring alternative structures, joint ventures with institutional investors, and evolving co-investment arrangements. The regulatory landscape continues to shift with proposed SEC rulemakings that could expand retail access to private markets

Private equity investment in law firms through management services organizations is attracting regulatory scrutiny as legislators establish boundaries around outside capital. Sponsors must navigate professional conduct rules, economic structures, and governance frameworks that differ fundamentally from traditional PE investments while building platforms designed for growth and eventual exit.

The Federal Trade Commission's settlement of a merger between two leading micromarket kiosk providers combines structural divestitures with extensive software interoperability requirements, offering insights into how the agency evaluates deals and deploys behavioral remedies in highly concentrated markets. The order reveals enforcement priorities under the second Trump administration and provides a potential template for addressing vertical foreclosure concerns in technology-adjacent transactions.

The SEC's proposed amendments would fundamentally restructure how public companies determine their filer status, raising the large accelerated filer threshold from $700 million to $2 billion and extending scaled disclosure accommodations to approximately 81% of reporting companies.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) recently heard oral arguments in a case that could provide important guidance on the enforceability of noncompetition covenants embedded in executive equity agreements and the proper signatory to such covenants.

The SEC has submitted a rule proposal titled "Executive Compensation Disclosure Reform" to the White House's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, signaling imminent changes to executive compensation disclosure requirements. This development follows SEC Chairman Paul Atkins' earlier indication of broader reform plans, including potential simplification of pay-versus-performance disclosure and revisions to perquisite reporting.