Cryptocurrency originally emerged as a rejection of traditional corporate finance. Early blockchain advocates promoted digital assets as tools that could bypass banks, weaken corporate gatekeepers, and decentralize economic power.¹ Over time, however, cryptocurrency has undergone a noticeable shift. Rather than replacing corporate finance, companies and financial institutions are increasingly integrating blockchain technology into existing financial systems.² Major corporations, financial institutions, and investment funds now view blockchain less as a disruption and more as infrastructure capable of improving capital formation, payment systems, and asset management.³ This shift raises a series of complicated legal questions. As companies continue to integrate blockchain into…
Author: Adetoun Adelana
In June 2025, technology-driven real estate brokerage firm Compass, Inc. (“Compass”) filed a lawsuit against the leading online real estate marketplace company Zillow, Inc. and its affiliates (“Zillow”) in the Southern District of New York, alleging use of anticompetitive tactics to protect its market dominance.[1] Tensions over control of home listings have long been simmering between real estate’s largest brokerages and home search engines.[2] The heart of this dispute centers on Zillow’s Listing Access Standards, or the so-called “Zillow Ban,” a mandate that requires home sellers to list their homes on Zillow’s platform within one day of being marketed, or…
Introduction Being a director or officer (“D&Os”) of a U.S. public company may be an unforgiving job. By virtue of their position in the company, D&Os open themselves up to personal liability for their decisions that affect the company’s financial performance.[1] As such, many of these individuals buy D&O liability insurance, which insures them against personal losses or defense costs if they are sued in their capacity as a D&O.[2] Companies also benefit from their key employees having this type of policy since the costs and legal fees of defending their D&Os in such lawsuits may also be reimbursed.[3] D&O…
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After Congress passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“SOX”) and established the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”), Congress continued to seek ways to safeguard U.S. investors as markets became increasingly global.[1] The Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act (“HFCAA”), passed in December 2020, builds on the efforts of SOX to protect investors by enhancing the accuracy of corporate disclosures.[2] It extends U.S. oversight standards to foreign issuers and closes a long-standing gap that allowed companies, particularly those based in China, to avoid PCAOB inspection.[3] The HFCAA directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) to identify companies whose auditors operate in…
In the midst of rising environmental concerns, climate-related financial disclosures have become a paramount focus within corporate governance as stakeholders and investors of public companies are calling on corporate leadership to integrate transparent business strategies that assess material climate-related risks, which pose legitimate impacts on corporate strategy and capital allocation.[1] In response to calls for transparent environmental-risk reporting, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC” or “Commission”) announced its finalized Climate-Related Risk Disclosure Rule (the “Rule”) in March of 2024.[2] At a high-level, the Rule was set to require public companies to report on material climate-related risks that affect business…
Ban or Buyout: How TikTok Shook Up Corporate Law Introduction In April 2024, Congress enacted the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (“PAFACA”), which requires ByteDance, Ltd., the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to divest its U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban of the app.¹ The statute reflects growing concerns over national security, foreign investment, and data privacy. In January 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld PAFACA, emphasizing the President’s broad discretion in regulating platforms owned by foreign adversaries.² This controversy raises pressing corporate law questions: How does foreign investment review reshape mergers and acquisitions (M&A)? What…