Welcome to Horizon, DLA Piper’s monthly bulletin reporting on late-breaking legislative and policy developments in ESG. Our aim is to scan the litigation, enforcement, and regulatory horizon to help inform business decisions....more
7/31/2025
/ California ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Sustainability
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has asked the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to lift its stay and issue a ruling in Iowa v. SEC, the case challenging the validity of its landmark Climate Disclosure Rules...more
This periodic bulletin is designed to help companies identify important legal developments governing the use and acceptance of blockchain technology, smart contracts, and digital assets....more
7/29/2025
/ AML/CFT ,
Blockchain ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Fraud ,
Investment Management ,
Investors ,
New Legislation ,
Ponzi Scheme ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Stablecoins
On July 17, 2025, the US Congress passed the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act (Genius Act or Act) by 308–122 vote, a landmark piece of legislation establishing the first federal regulatory...more
Welcome to Horizon, DLA Piper’s monthly bulletin reporting on late-breaking legislative and policy developments in ESG. Our aim is to scan the litigation, enforcement, and regulatory horizon to help inform business decisions....more
6/30/2025
/ California ,
Canada ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) ,
Greenwashing ,
Plastics ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainability
Adopted in July 2023, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s cybersecurity disclosure rules require public companies to report material cybersecurity incidents on Form 8-K and to annually report on their...more
On May 23, President Donald Trump announced that he was recommending a new “straight 50% tariff” on all goods from the European Union beginning June 1. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he hoped this decision would “light...more
6/3/2025
/ Clean Air Act ,
Congressional Review Act ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Drinking Water ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Industrial Sector ,
International Trade ,
Manufacturers ,
PFAS ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Tariffs ,
Trump Administration ,
US Trade Policies
EPA announces details of its reorganization. On May 2, the EPA announced a major reorganization that will eliminate several key offices, including the Office of Atmospheric Protection (OAP), Office of Air Quality Planning and...more
6/2/2025
/ Carbon Emissions ,
Climate Change ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) ,
Executive Orders ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Greenwashing ,
Oil & Gas ,
Popular ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Trump Administration
The US government’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, unveiled on April 2, 2025 to force a rebalancing of global trade in favor of the United States, have unleashed significant market volatility and global economic disruption. The...more
The US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit recently granted the Motion to Hold Case in Abeyance (the Motion) in Iowa v. US Securities and Exchange Commission – the case challenging the SEC’s 2024 climate disclosure rules...more
The Governor of Delaware has signed into law Senate Bill 21 (SB 21), which amends certain sections of the Delaware General Corporation Law (DGCL) governing controlling stockholder transactions under DGCL Section 144 and...more
5/7/2025
/ Books & Records ,
Controlling Stockholders ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Governance ,
Delaware ,
Delaware General Corporation Law ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
New Amendments ,
New Legislation ,
Shareholder Litigation ,
Shareholder Rights
This periodic bulletin is designed to help companies identify important legal developments governing the use and acceptance of blockchain technology, smart contracts, and digital assets. While the use cases for blockchain...more
4/22/2025
/ Blockchain ,
CFTC ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Popular ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation
The staff of the Division of Corporation Finance (Corp Fin) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued new Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations (C&DIs) relating to the clawback disclosures required in an...more
4/21/2025
/ Clawbacks ,
Corp Fin ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Executive Compensation ,
Form 10-K ,
Regulation S-K ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ,
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs)
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s March 27, 2025 decision (the Decision) to withdraw the defense of its landmark climate-related disclosure rules adopted in March of 2024 (the Rules) did not formally pause or...more
On April 10, 2025, the staff of the Division of Corporation Finance of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a statement (Staff Statement) expressing its observations regarding certain disclosure requirements...more
The Division of Corporation Finance at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently issued guidance regarding the application of federal securities laws to certain stablecoins. While this guidance, released on...more
SEC withdraws defense of US climate disclosure rules; Uyeda speaks on ESG and materiality. On March 27, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) notified the US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit that the SEC...more
3/31/2025
/ Child Labor ,
Clean Energy ,
Climate Change ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Energy Policy ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Greenwashing ,
Minerals ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Supply Chain ,
Trump Administration
Yesterday, March 27, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) notified the US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit that the SEC wishes to withdraw its defense of its landmark Climate Disclosure Rules (Climate...more
The proxy statement has become an integral component of a public company’s preparation for its annual meeting of shareholders. The rules and regulations under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act),...more
3/28/2025
/ Board of Directors ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Executive Compensation ,
Insider Trading ,
Proxy Statements ,
Regulation S-K ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ,
Securities Regulation ,
Shareholders
This is the third part of a series covering certain securities law, corporate governance, and tax considerations related to stock options and restricted stock unit (RSU) awards granted by public companies....more
3/17/2025
/ Compliance ,
Corporate Governance ,
Employee Benefits ,
Executive Compensation ,
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) ,
IRS ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Qualified Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) ,
Section 16 ,
Securities Regulation ,
Stock Options ,
Tax Liability ,
Tax Planning ,
Withholding Tax
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently issued a new Compliance and Disclosure Interpretation, Question 103.12 (C&DI), that may significantly impact how public companies engage with their shareholders....more
US formally submits notification of withdrawal from Paris Agreement. On January 27, 2025, Dorothy Camille Shea, the US acting ambassador to the United Nations, submitted a notification of withdrawal from the Paris Agreement...more
2/28/2025
/ Climate Change ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Executive Orders ,
Green Finance ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Greenwashing ,
Net Zero ,
Paris Agreement ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
Trump Administration
On February 18, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order (EO), entitled, “Restoring Democracy and Accountability in Government,” which asserts greater authority over all federal agencies, including those...more
2/28/2025
/ Article II ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Executive Orders ,
FCC ,
Federal Reserve ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Government Agencies ,
NLRB ,
Regulatory Authority ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Trump Administration
On February 21, 2025, President Donald Trump issued the America First Investment Policy memorandum (Investment Policy Memo), outlining the US policy on investment security and directing substantial changes with regard to both...more
2/26/2025
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
CFIUS ,
China ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Executive Orders ,
Foreign Investment ,
Investment ,
National Security ,
Outbound Transactions ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Trump Administration
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted landmark final rules (Climate Disclosure Rules, or Rules) in March 2024 intended to enhance and standardize climate-related disclosures for publicly listed companies....more
2/5/2025
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Biden Administration ,
Climate Change ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Policies ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Trump Administration