Business Law and Corporate Law

The U.S. Small Business Administration has set new annual fee rates for Small Business Investment Companies' debentures for fiscal year 2027, with standard debentures at 0.3000% and accrual debentures at 0.8710%. These fees apply to any SBIC receiving debenture commitments between October 1, 2026 and September 30, 2027, regardless of when the debentures are actually drawn.

Forget what you thought you knew about startup funding. According to Crunchbase, billion-dollar rounds have moved from anomaly to expectation. In the first half of 2026, 60% of global startup funding flowed to rounds of $1 billion or more — and in the U.S., that figure jumped to a staggering 73%.

Three major space and defense technology companies secured significant funding rounds in August, with investments totaling over $1.5 billion. The funding activity spans hypersonic defense systems, satellite manufacturing, and orbital computing infrastructure, attracting participation from major financial institutions and venture capital firms.

The U.S. Department of Energy is seeking public input on implementing Executive Order 14421, which grants sweeping authority to restrict foreign-produced electric equipment in the nation's bulk-power system. With broad implications for utilities, manufacturers, and energy infrastructure projects, stakeholders have until October 9, 2026, to shape regulations that could fundamentally alter supply chains and equipment procurement across the electric grid.

The transportation and logistics sector faces an unprecedented convergence of digital transformation and cyber threats as AI-enabled operations, autonomous vehicles, and connected infrastructure move from pilot programs to large-scale deployment. With regulatory frameworks rapidly evolving across the EU, United States, and Asia-Pacific regions, organizations must navigate complex cybersecurity, data governance, and AI compliance requirements while managing an expanding attack surface.

The U.S. government has dramatically expanded Iran-related sanctions through new sectoral determinations, entity designations, and the suspension of key authorizations, while simultaneously targeting third-country financial institutions that facilitate Iranian transactions. These measures significantly broaden secondary sanctions risks across aviation, digital assets, gold, shipping, and technology sectors, marking a comprehensive escalation in economic pressure against Iran and its international networks.

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.

The Treasury Department formally declined a request from a group of Senate Democrats to change the tax rules governing how employees value personal use of employer-provided aircraft, preserving the Standard Industry Fare Level (SIFL) valuation method.

The EEOC has shifted its enforcement priorities to focus on what it terms "DEI-related discrimination" cases, fundamentally changing how employers must approach diversity initiatives.

In this episode of Coffee Chats with WIN, hosts Jessica Stewart and Lauren Russell sit down with Lesley Adamo, Vice Chair of the Tax Group and New York Office Managing Partner at Lowenstein Sandler. Lesley shares her journey into tax law, the pivotal advice that shaped her path to partnership while balancing family life, and why bringing your authentic self to work matters.

Colorado regulates marijuana businesses through the state Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED), while local jurisdictions retain separate licensing and regulatory authority over marijuana businesses within their boundaries. The current Colorado Marijuana Rules are codified at 1 CCR 212-3 (version effective January 5, 2026). Because state rules, forms, fee schedules, and local ordinances can change, applicants should confirm relevant requirements before filing or closing a transaction.