Category Archives: Treatise Update

Treatise Update – Investment Adviser Regulation: A Step-by-Step Guide to Compliance and the Law (Third Edition)

Investment Adviser Regulation: A Step-by-Step Guide to Compliance and the Law is an essential resource for investment advisers, securities attorneys, compliance personnel, and federal and state regulators, and a useful reference for today’s investors. It guides practitioners through a maze of statutory, SEC, and state standards as well as provides advice on the practical aspects of building a practice.

This treatise update offers expanded coverage of the rules and regulations affecting investment advisers. Highlights of this new release include:

Chapter 9, Chapter 13, and Chapter 14 now present enhanced guidance on drafting advisory contracts and coverage of the SEC’s and DOL’s reexamination of recent rules related to proxy voting. Notably, Chapter 14, Privacy of Client Financial Information: An Overview, has been extensively updated to examine the federal, state, and foreign data privacy laws that are most relevant to investment advisers operating primarily in the United States, and, according to these laws, what those advisers must do to protect the privacy of their clients’ financial information.

Chapter 45, Chapter 46, Chapter 46A, Chapter 48 and Chapter 49B feature the latest counsel to managers, sponsors, and overlay managers of Model-Based Advisory Programs; the recent adoption of Rule 152 that contains a single safe harbor simplifying the integration framework for securities offerings under the Securities Act of 1933 (see section 46:4.1[I] of the Hedge Funds chapter); and updated coverage of the implications of federal registration for a hedge fund manager (see section 46A:5). These chapters provide updated information for advisers to private equity funds and collective trust funds and investment advisers in the retirement market.

Chapter 61, Chapter 63, Chapter 64, Chapter 65, Chapter 66, and Chapter 67 call attention to new information relevant to investment and digital advisers in the areas of marketing, blockchain and digital assets, data protection, and financial services cybersecurity. Additionally, a new Chapter 65 covers model risk considerations for investment advisers and Chapter 61 contains added discussion of the SEC’s redefinition of “readily available market quotations” as it is used throughout the Investment Company Act (see section 61:5).

The Table of Authorities and Index have been updated to aid in research.

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Treatise Update – Securities Investigations: Internal, Civil and Criminal

Securities Investigations: Internal, Civil and Criminal (Second Edition) provides the legal knowledge and practical strategies necessary to deal effectively with government and internal investigations. The new release of the treatise extensively updates it with the most recent developments governing internal, civil, and criminal investigations involving potential violation of the securities laws. It also shares nuances and practical tips from experts in such investigations.

Key developments covered in the new release include:

“Property” and “Personal Benefit” under the Securities Statutes. Due to the U.S. Supreme Court vacating and remanding United States v. Blaszczak to the Second Circuit in light of Kelly v. United States, the question remains whether confidential information constitutes “property” under the securities statutes and how that may impact the holding that there is no personal benefit requirement in Title 18 cases. See Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 for discussion.

Cross-Border Regulation of the Financial Markets. See Chapter 13 for numerous new case summaries of SEC cross-border enforcement actions on insider trading, securities fraud, market manipulation, and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).

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Treatise Update – Faber on Mechanics of Patent Claim Drafting (Seventh Edition)

Faber on Mechanics of Patent Claim Drafting spotlights proven claim drafting practices and techniques that have been firmly established by patent authorities and custom. The treatise provides full coverage of U.S. Supreme Court and other court decisions critical to claim drafting. It is an indispensable guide for patent specialists/intellectual property attorneys, corporate counsel, patent agents, patent officials, and inventors.

This new release updates and expands the treatise with practical information and commentary on a variety of issues affecting patent claim drafting. Highlights include:

Chapter 1

Abstract ideas: For complete analysis and implications of XY LLC v. Trans Ova Genetics, see §§ 1:4.8 and 1:5.7.
Software Inventions: See §§ 1:4.2[A] and 3:29.7 for treatment of Rain Computer, Inc. v. Samsung Electronics America, Inc.

Chapter 2

Claiming contrary positions: See new § 2:15 for a discussion of Infinity Computer Products, Inc. v. Oki Data Americas, Inc., and how inconsistent statements by the patentee in the prosecution history could limit the scope of the claim language or render the claims invalid.

Chapter 3

Words of approximation: Section 3:19 is updated with a discussion of Par Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Hospira, Inc., in which the Federal Circuit said that “about” means approximately and is determined by using a functional approach, avoiding a strict numerical boundary, and confined to what one skilled in the art would consider to be “about” in the current case.
Singular and plural elements: § 3:11 discusses the meaning of the phrase “a plurality of.”
Means plus function: See new § 3:29.7[A] for a discussion of the implications of claiming elements in terms of function performed rather than physical structure in order to cover a broader range of structures.

Chapter 5

Product-by-Process Claims: Section 5:2 looks at Biogen MA Inc. v. EMD Serono, Inc., noting that the Federal Circuit is expanding product by process to cover a method of treatment claim that includes a product-by-process limitation.
Design claims: Section 5:4 notes that the patent office is considering whether design protection should extend to digital designs that do not require a display screen or other tangible article to be viewable.

Table of Authorities and Index

For this release, the Table of Authorities andIndex have been updated.

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Treatise Update – Sinclair on Federal Civil Practice (Fifth Edition)

Sinclair on Federal Civil Practice gives quick and authoritative answers for issues arising in federal civil litigation and serves as a guide to the principal rules and tactical considerations guiding lawsuits in the federal courts. This two-volume treatise explains the layout of the court system and the nature of its key personnel, jurisdiction and venue principles, and the sequence of litigation. It also provides insight into the rationale of the rules by citing the key interpretive cases and offering court-tested practice tips.

Highlights of the new release include:

Updates to the Additional Resources and Compendium of Recent Cases (Vol. 1 & Vol. 2): Numerous recent law review articles are added to the Additional Resources section at the end of each chapter, and the chronological circuit-by-circuit Compendium of Recent Cases is updated for each volume.

Section 2:8.1[D] Personal jurisdiction / minimum contacts: Discusses a 2021 Supreme Court decision on the issue of whether personal jurisdiction was appropriately exercised over a vehicle manufacturer incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in Michigan for claims that arose from severe injuries and death suffered as a result of accidents in Montana and Minnesota. The vehicles were previously owned, purchased by the plaintiffs at subsequent resales, and brought into Montana and Minnesota from other states.

New section 8:2.4 Standard of review for Rule 12 motions: A new section discusses the standards of review for a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6) and a motion for judgment on the pleadings under Rule 12(c). Federal appellate courts disagree as to whether a different standard of review applies to a motion to dismiss brought under Rule 12(b)(1), which challenges the subject matter jurisdiction to hear the claims at issue.

New section 8:2.8 Trial motions: A new section analyzes the motion for judgment on partial findings pursuant to Rule 52(c) and the motion for judgment as a matter of law pursuant to Rule 50(a) or 50(b). While both motions are aimed at expediting trials, they have distinct differences that litigators need to consider, including the type of proceeding (jury or non-jury) in which the motion is available and the applicable standard of review.

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Treatise Update – Mergers, Acquisitions and Tender Offers: Law and Strategies — Corporate, Securities, Taxation, Antitrust, Cross Border

Mergers, Acquisitions and Tender Offers provides battle-tested, real-world advice on the entire M&A process. Packed with best practices, planning tips, checklists, and sample documents/agreements, this treatise offers comprehensive coverage of all aspects of the deal for domestic and cross-border mergers.

Highlights of the new release include:

Section 1:7, “The Current M&A Scene,” presents recent data and information on the state of the M&A marketplace.
Section 2:1.2, “The Impact of COVID-19 on Drafting and Interpreting M&A Agreements,” provides a discussion of issues arising from the pandemic in the drafting of corporate acquisition agreements.
Section 4:5.12[D][4], “Recent Approaches to Determine Fair Value—AXA, Hanover, Golden, Ancestry, Dell, Ramtron, Merion, PetSmart, SWS, Sprint, DFC, Aruba, AOL, Solera, Stillwater, SourceHOV, Panera, Jarden, and Synapse,” briefly discusses several recent appraisal cases.
Section 5:5.2[B][16], “The Pill During COVID,” discusses the Williams Companies case in which the court enjoined a poison pill adopted by the company during the COVID-19 crisis.
Section 6:9, “Introduction to Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs),” introduces the fundamentals of SPACs and analyzes deal documents.
Section 9:1.4, “President Biden’s Business Tax Proposals,” looks at positions President Biden took on various tax issues during the campaign for the presidency in 2020.
Section 10:7, “Introduction to the SEC’s M&A Accounting Rules When the Consideration Is Stock and Cash; Followed by a Policy Prescription,” briefly explains the SEC rules governing financial disclosures in M&A transactions.
New summary updates to Volume 3 discuss some of the changes that will be made to chapters 14 through 28 in the next version of the treatise which will reflect developments after June 1, 2019.

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Treatise Update: Hillman on Documenting Secured Transactions

As case law exposes costly and needless drafting errors and as courts wrestle with applying a complex law to increasingly intricate deals, Hillman on Documenting Secured Transactions: Effective Drafting and Litigation aims to share best practices in documenting secured transactions within the broad legal framework and to maintain its role as the leading practical guide for attorneys drafting and litigating under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code.

Updated content from the new release includes:

Expanded § 2:4, Rights in the Collateral, explains that a debtor may not grant a security interest in property that is in custodia legis even if the property belongs to the debtor.
Expanded § 3:8.2, Leases Under Current Law, discusses how excise tax cases may provide useful guidance on whether the economic realities of the transaction make it a lease or a secured loan.
Expanded § 14:3, Generic and Other Broad Descriptions, explores the risks in using terms that are similar, but not the same as, the Code generics.
Expanded § 19:2.2, The Superior Rights of Purchase-Money Secured Parties, explains that the starting date of the twenty-day clock for a PMSI claimant to perfect depends on whether the debtor receives the goods in a single lot or in multiple lots on different days.

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Treatise Update – Trade Secrets: A Practitioner’s Guide (Second Edition)

Trade Secrets: A Practitioner’s Guide discusses all aspects of protecting trade secrets. It provides sample forms, checklists, and trial testimony from actual cases. The treatise compares and contrasts trade-secret protection with other forms of intellectual property such as copyright, patents, and trademarks.

This release contains new discussions of the law of trade secrets and related topics. Highlights include:

Chapter 4

Secrecy ended by disclosure: Updates to § 4:9.3 include coverage of Attia v. Google LLC, where the Ninth Circuit affirmed dismissal of a claim under the DTSA, finding that disclosure of the subject matter of a trade secret in a published patent application vitiated its trade secret status.
Security measures: Updates to § 4:13 include coverage of Inteliclear, LLC v. ETC Global Holdings, Inc., where the Ninth Circuit reversed summary judgment for the defendant in a trade-secret misappropriation case, disagreeing with the district court’s conclusion that insufficient secrecy was pleaded.

Chapter 5

Ownership: New § 5:11 focuses on Advanced Fluid Systems, Inc. v. Huber, where the Third Circuit ruled that a contractor on a NASA project that possessed trade secrets but did not own them could bring a misappropriation claim. (Other issues in this case are covered in § 4:13 on security measures and § 13:3.7 on punitive damages.)

Chapter 6

Wrongful means: New § 6:12 examines Compulife Software Inc. v. Newman, a case involving a misappropriation-by-use claim in which the Eleventh Circuit ruled, among other things, that a magistrate judge had erred in reasoning that the public availability of quotes on the plaintiff’s site automatically precluded a finding that scraping those quotes constituted misappropriation.

Chapter 10

Identifying trade secrets with specificity: Updates to § 10:9.1 include discussion of TLS Management and Marketing Services, LLC v. Rodriguez-Toledo, an appellate decision addressing the plaintiff’s burden of establishing that a trade secret exists and the enforceability of nondisclosure agreements.

Chapter 13

Unjust enrichment: Updates to chapter 13 include discussion of Epic Systems Corp. v. Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., where the court of appeals affirmed an award of unjust enrichment damages (see § 13:3.5) and found that the punitive damages award was justified by the evidence but unconstitutional in amount (see § 13:3.7).

Table Authorities and Index

In addition, this release includes an updated Table of Authorities and Index.

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Treatise Update: Hedge Fund Regulation (Second Edition)

Covering one of the most dynamic sectors of the asset management industry, Hedge Fund Regulation (Second Edition) is a comprehensive guide providing insight into the history, investment strategies, structure, management, and market activities of hedge funds. It addresses current regulatory concerns that impact these innovative investment vehicles, their managers, and investors.

This seventeenth release to the treatise updates it with the latest considerations in structuring, launching, and operating a hedge fund. Highlights include:

Chapter 4, Private Placement. Now discusses the recent adoption of new Rule 152 that contains a single safe harbor simplifying the integration framework for securities offerings under the Securities Act of 1933.
Chapter 5, Commodity Pools. Revised in conjunction with other chapter updates.
Chapter 6, Marketing the Manager. Significantly updated to address the new Marketing Rule under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
Chapter 8, Anti-Money Laundering Regulations. Adds a discussion of the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020.
Chapter 13, Compliance. Revised to reflect revisions to the SEC’s whistleblower program.
Chapter 14, Books and Records. Updated with changes resulting from the SEC’s new Marketing Rule and revisions to CFTC Form CPO-PQR.
Chapter 18, Commodity Pool Operators and Commodity Trading Advisers. Adds discussion of amendments to CFTC Regulation 3.10(c) that provides a registration exemption for non-U.S. commodity pool operators (CPOs); new NFA Compliance Rule 2-50 requiring registered CPOs to notify the NFA upon the occurrence of certain events affecting a commodity pool operated by the CPO; and a new NFA requirement requiring Registered CPOs and Commodity Trading Advisers to adopt a written supervisory framework for outsourcing the performance of regulatory functions to third parties.
Chapter 24, Disclosures of Market Participation. Expanded discussion of Sections 13(d) and 16 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and a new section addressing the CFTC’s Speculative Position Limits.
Chapter 26, Derivatives Markets Participants. Revisions including those addressing final CFTC regulations imposing capital requirements on swap dealers and major swap participants that are not subject to the capital requirements of a prudential regulator, and those governing real-time swaps public reporting, swaps regulatory reporting, and swaps data verification.

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New Edition! Thinking Like a Writer: A Lawyer’s Guide to Effective Writing and Editing

PLI Press is proud to announce the publication of Thinking Like a Writer: A Lawyer’s Guide to Effective Writing and Editing (Fourth Edition).

A longtime favorite among PLI customers, this book provides practical advice to help lawyers strengthen their writing skills by “thinking like a writer” as effectively as they already think like a lawyer. It highlights guiding principles for writing clearly about complicated material and establishing credibility with demanding readers, and then turns those principles into specific techniques that apply to many types of documents and audiences.

Part I introduces the approach and principles that can guide lawyers in “thinking like a writer.”
Part II applies the guiding principles to a document’s organization.
Part III applies guiding principles to specific types of legal writing: letters, memoranda, and emails; briefs; and judicial opinions.
Part IV applies the principles to the smaller scale of paragraphs and sentences.
Part V applies the principles to the editing process, for both self-editing and editing the work of others.

Throughout, chapters include before-and-after examples to demonstrate how writing and editing can be improved by following the advice offered in the book.

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Treatise Update: Proskauer on Privacy

Proskauer on Privacy: A Guide to Privacy and Data Security Law in the Information Age provides essential guidance to organizations on how to develop compliance programs, ensure data privacy and security, prevent cybercrime, and avoid or minimize fines, penalties, litigation, damages, and negative publicity.

Updated content from the new release includes:

Chapter 3, Medical Privacy, notes proposed changes to the HIPAA Privacy Rule to support individuals’ engagement in their care, remove barriers to coordinated care, and reduce regulatory burdens on the health care industry.
Chapter 9, Workplace Privacy, updates discussion of privacy concerns regarding COVID-19 infections; cannabis screening of employees and potential hires; use of biometrics; and recent NLRB rulings.
Chapter 13, Canadian Privacy Law, adds discussion of the statutory tort of invasion of privacy enacted in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland; proposed amendments to PIPEDA under Bill C-11, which takes some lead from the GDPR; and proposed amendments to Quebec’s PIPA.
Chapter 17, Data Breach Litigation, incorporates summaries of recent significant data breach litigation, and expands circuit-specific discussions of the courts’ approaches to various issues including standing, causes of action, and damages.

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