Block.

January 24, 2007 | Corporate Counsel

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Sen. Charles Schumer and Gov. Eliot Spitzer warned Monday that the Big Apple will lose its status as the world's financial capital within a decade if the U.S. doesn't change its accounting, legal and regulatory structure. The three officials unveiled a report that said the role will shift to rivals like London and Tokyo without reforms. The report's suggested areas of change include SOX, immigration policy and application of international accounting standards.

By Donna Block

3 minute read

July 02, 2009 | National Law Journal

In recent years, the Supreme Court has been quick to nullify federal and state laws, agency rules and presidential actions, say Jenner & Block's Paul M. Smith and Joshua Block. They write that it was thus an unexpected -- but welcome -- development for the Court to rely exclusively on statutory interpretation and to avoid the hotly contested constitutional question at the heart of Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District Number One v. Holder, a challenge to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.

By Paul M. Smith and Joshua Block

5 minute read

June 30, 2010 | New York Law Journal

Kenneth M. Block and John-Patrick Curran, partners of Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt, discuss how to resurrect a construction project after the general contractor has used the last requisition funded by the lender to pay subcontractors on a different project and is now closing its business, with several subcontractors prepared to file liens.

By Kenneth M. Block and John-Patrick Curran

9 minute read

September 29, 2010 | New York Law Journal

In their Construction Law column, Kenneth M. Block and John-Patrick Curran, partners of Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt, write that the common assumption is that the construction manager as advisor is acting solely as the owner's agent and, under standard principals of agency, is not liable for the obligations of its disclosed principal, the owner. However . . .

By Kenneth M. Block and John Patrick Curran

11 minute read

April 22, 2005 | Law.com

In what some observers are calling "a stunning move" the New York Stock Exchange announced Wednesday that it will merge with electronic trading company Archipelago Holdings Inc. and become a for-profit, publicly traded enterprise. Archipelago chairman Jerry Putnam acknowledged that more people are choosing to trade electronically but said the merger will give investors a choice -- the traditional floor-auction model for which the NYSE is famous, or the electronic model.

By Donna Block

3 minute read

September 13, 2006 | New York Law Journal

Kenneth M. Block and Jeffrey B. Steiner, partners at Brown Raysman Millstein Felder & Steiner, write that today's sophisticated financings are typically governed by thoroughly negotiated loan documents which, among other things, reserve to the lender virtually unlimited discretion in making decisions relating to the loan. The only limitation on this seemingly unbridled power is the judicially imposed implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing . . .

By Kenneth M. Block and Jeffrey B. Steiner

11 minute read

September 30, 2009 | New York Law Journal

Kenneth M. Block and John-Patrick Curran, members of Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt, write that, in the wake of the fatal Deutsche Bank fire, new regulations will begin to take effect next month that govern the way asbestos abatement projects are filed, performed and inspected in the City of New York. Questions remain, they caution, concerning how the new regulations are going to be interpreted and implemented by DEP and DOB.

By Kenneth M. Block and John-Patrick Curran

14 minute read

December 17, 2004 | Law.com

Ending 10 years of political wrangling and backpedaling, accounting rule makers issued a standard Thursday that will force companies to expense employee stock options starting in June. The Financial Accounting Standards Board now will require companies to deduct from earnings the cost of giving employees the right to buy stock at a predetermined price within a certain time frame. Despite the vote, the future of the rule remains in doubt.

By Donna Block

3 minute read

January 06, 2006 | Law.com

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced Tuesday that securities lawyer and former astrophysicist Brian Cartwright will take up the post of general counsel on Jan. 23. Cartwright succeeds Giovanni Prezioso, who said he plans to return to the private sector. Cartwright, 58, is a partner at Los Angeles-based international law firm Latham & Watkins, where he chaired the firm's public company practice and was one of five partners responsible for managing the firm.

By Donna Block

2 minute read

September 19, 2005 | Law.com

Congressional leaders are calling to enact relief for the ailing airline industry in the wake of bankruptcy filings by Delta and Northwest. Appeals have come from the chairman of the Commerce Committee to ease the heavy tax burden levied on both jet fuel and passenger tickets. Separately, authors of a pension reform bill, which would help the airlines cut costs, are urging House leaders to break their legislation free from a larger Social Security bill now stalled on Capitol Hill.

By Bill McConnell and Donna Block

5 minute read