If the US Federal Trade Commission’s final rule on noncompetes comes into effect (despite ongoing legal challenges), it will impose a nationwide, nearly complete ban on worker noncompete agreements. This ties in with a broader trend which sees global antitrust regulators closely monitoring HR practices. Specifically, antitrust regulators are now looking beyond competition among companies offering similar products and services, to the competition between employers as they vie to attract and retain employees.

Against a backdrop of economic stagnation and geopolitical conflict, businesses are preparing for a challenging year. Global disputes will continue at pace, according to insights from more than 600 senior lawyers at large corporations, with ESG and employment risks the greatest areas of concern. Our seventh annual report provides detailed analysis of disputes trends, as well as sectoral and region-specific developments, to prepare your organization for The Year Ahead.

On 8 November 2023, join thought leaders from government, the judiciary, academia, and private practice for this timely gathering on the Georgetown Law campus in Washington, DC. Laws and policy surrounding the protection of trade secrets are changing as technology evolves. In this first-of-its-kind event at Georgetown, intellectual property experts will discuss the following topics: How generative AI is transforming the trade secret landscape, the role of non-competes, protecting against leaks of confidential information, the impact of China’s emerging trade secret protection landscape on global commerce, and the future of trade secrets in the US and abroad.

Through The Employer Report blog, our lawyers provide legal updates and practical insights to help clients understand, prepare for and respond to the latest domestic and cross-border Labor and Employment issues affecting US and multinational employers.

It has become clear that flexibility is currency in the new working world and legal frameworks are evolving to catch up with the changing working culture. Four-day work-weeks, flexible working arrangements and the right to disconnect are all on offer to employees, giving the opportunity for better work-life balance, and giving employers a competitive edge in talent retention.

In this four-part webinar series that took place throughout the month of May 2023, our US moderators welcomed colleagues from around the globe to share the latest labor and employment law updates and trends.

Through The Employer Report blog, our lawyers provide legal updates and practical insights to help clients understand, prepare for and respond to the latest domestic and cross-border Labor and Employment issues affecting US and multinational employers.

Employers have been keeping a close watch for rulemaking and action by the Federal Trade Commission restricting non-competes. The FTC answered the Executive Order’s call with enforcement activities and a proposed rule signaling a considerable effort to prioritize employer-employee non-compete covenants as an area for increased enforcement. In this video, our Labor & Employment, Antitrust & Competition and Trade Secrets lawyers discuss the FTC’s proposed rule and enforcement activity, what it means for employers, and what employers can do now to protect their trade secrets in light of what may be coming from the FTC.

Through The Employer Report blog, our lawyers provide legal updates and practical insights to help clients understand, prepare for and respond to the latest domestic and cross-border Labor and Employment issues affecting US and multinational employers.

As organizations settle into more flexible working arrangements in the wake of the pandemic, we are seeing a wave of changes in Inclusion, Diversity & Equity-related legislation. Across the globe, governments are seeking to augment long-established, generic laws on equality to promote inclusion and diversity in the workforce and keep up with measures that many organizations are already implementing. In this update, we summarize recent trends and developments in I,D&E, focusing in particular on those relating to women in the workplace and work-life balance.