Top 10 Corporate/Company Law Headlines from All Regions The Finance Act 2009 introduced new rules regarding the taxation of foreign profits with the aim of maintaining the UK's competitive position in the global economy. In this article we consider the impact of these changes for investment trust companies and authorised investment funds. On Friday, Nov. 06, 2009, The Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 (the Act) was signed into law by President Obama. In a recent decision, the High Court has provided useful insight into the types of obligations an "all reasonable endeavours" clause will impose on a distributor, and a practical guide to the steps a distributor is likely to be required to take to fulfil the requirements of such a clause. The current financial crisis is making corporate directors nervous. However, quitting may not be the right response in many cases, especially since even former directors remain vulnerable on several liability fronts. The presence or absence of terms such as 'without prejudice' on correspondence does not necessarily determine whether it will be protected. The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a long-awaited decision that many practitioners had hoped would provide insight into the permissible breadth of third-party releases and injunctions often contained in confirmed chapter 11 plans. A derivative action is actually two causes of action: it is an action to compel the corporation to sue and it is an action brought by a shareholder on behalf of the corporation to redress harm to the corporation. In a continuing effort by Congress to address the perceived causes of the recent financial crisis, on November 10, 2009, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, through its Chairman, Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), introduced the Restoring American Financial Stability Act in the U.S. Senate. Financial advisors may be held liable to third-party beneficiaries for breach of contract and fiduciary duty claims based in part on the specific language in a form public-company engagement letter that was used for a private company transaction. Before addressing any development occurred in Brazil in 2009 which may affect mergers and acquisitions in general – the so-called M&A transactions - it is important outline the legal framework and current scenario in which these negotiations are conducted. | 
