Nearly a year after it was first agreed upon, a proposed merger of Comcast and Time Warner Cable (TWC) remains clouded with uncertainty. Like an overzealous bride and groom awaiting a conspicuously tardy priest at the alter, Comcast and TWC executives must receive the blessing of government officials in order to officially consummate the $45.2…
Month: February 2015
Cyber Security – The President’s Executive Order
The increasing number of high profile cyber attacks, such as those on Sony, J.P. Morgan Chase, and retail breaches (e.g., Staples and Home Depot) have made cyber security a pressing national issue.1 Many of the security breaches have resulted in the loss of sensitive information, such as credit card information, social security numbers, and internal…
The Ongoing Battle for Net Neutrality
Net neutrality is not a topic that is unfamiliar with controversy. And the controversy spreads across various different studies and disciplines—issues can range anywhere in the gamut from Constitutional questions about one’s right to freedom of speech or business concerns that arise due to unequal access to certain companies’ websites, among others. So what exactly…
Lions, and Tigers, and Tax Inversions! Oh, My!
This blog will address some potential legal challenges to the recent flux of corporate tax inversions. At first one might think that because a tax inversion may require you to pay your capital gains on a stock, and if you sold the stock you would have to pay your capital gains anyways, that this aspect…
Personal Benefit and Insider Trading
After getting more than 80 convictions on insider trading, the tide may be tilting against federal prosecutors at the Southern District of New York (SDNY).1 In United States v. Newman, a case concerning two portfolio managers (Todd Newman and Anthony Chiasson) from two different hedge funds firms, the government charged Newman and Chiasson with insider…
Increased Regulations on App-based Car Services
Uber, the fast-growing app-based car service, is becoming increasingly popular across the country and the world. Because of its critical mass, Uber is now a legitimate competitor to traditional taxi operators – competing on both price and service. But like a teenager, Uber is realizing that growing up fast can be a bit complicated. Going…
S&Ps Downgrade of Russian Sovereign Bonds
Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about the Standard & Poor downgrade of Russian bonds. But, does it really matter? What do credit ratings of bonds even mean? Let’s start with the basics. What is a bond? Bonds are a form of loan, which are a form of debt.1 To create a bond,…
National Attempts to Impose Sales Taxes on Online Retailers
Currently, there is no federal scheme in place that allows states to enforce their sales tax for online purchases. Because of this, many argue that there is a large competitive advantage for online retailers who are not required to pay these state sales taxes over their storefront counterparts.1 In an attempt to harmonize existing…
Delays in the Volcker Rule
The Volcker Rule was introduced in 2010 as one of the key backbones to the Dodd-Frank Act1 The rule was to prohibit banks from engaging in speculative trades and certain investments, a well-known cause to the financial collapse of 2007-2008 (Id.) However, the implementation of the Volcker Rule was recently delayed again until 2017, as…
Restoring the Luster to McDonald’s Golden Arches
McDonald’s remains mired in its worst sales slump in more than a decade.1 Revenue in the quarter ending on December 31 fell by 7% to $6.6 billion, while earnings dropped 21% from $1.4 billion to $1.1 billion in the same period a year ago.2 A major factor behind McDonald’s woes is the changing tastes of…