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Briefing Notes
Disputes
US federal court dismisses Vietnamese manufacturer Gilimex's $840m lawsuit against Amazon with prejudice after finding of fraud on the court
Electronic metadata forensics now make document fabrication during discovery near-impossible to sustain, fundamentally changing disclosure risk management.
International
US and UK among 14 nations reaffirming the 2016 arbitration ruling that invalidates China's South China Sea claims, as geopolitical tensions over maritime law intensify
A state's refusal to comply with an international arbitration award is the hardest enforcement problem in public international law, with no execution mechanism equivalent to domestic court judgments.
Capital Markets
Large private equity firms are pulling in a disproportionate share of new capital as a winner-takes-all dynamic tightens the fundraising market
Winner-takes-all fundraising compresses mid-market deal flow and concentrates leveraged finance mandates at a handful of relationships.
Banking & Finance
Quaise Energy raises $144m Series B for geothermal drilling technology as clean energy venture funding continues at scale
Deep geothermal's capital intensity means Series B rounds of this scale generate project finance and IP diligence work alongside standard venture documentation.
Energy & Tech
Renewable energy advocates push for cleaner alternatives as tech giants' demand for AI data centre power drives a gas plant resurgence in the US
Hyperscaler power demand is forcing regulators to retrofit clean energy obligations onto grid connection approvals, creating new conditionality in infrastructure licensing.
Regulation
US and Canada resolve toll dispute to open the Gordie Howe International Bridge on 27 July, ending a cross-border infrastructure stand-off
Binational infrastructure toll disputes expose gaps in concession agreements that only intergovernmental renegotiation can resolve, creating bespoke public law mandates.
AI & Law
Trump administration is targeting state-level AI laws it regards as ideologically motivated, raising questions about regulatory fragmentation in US AI governance
Federal preemption of state AI laws would force a reset of compliance programmes built around state-specific obligations, creating immediate advisory demand.
M&A
KKR-backed Barracuda Networks acquires identity security provider Evo Security as PE-backed add-on deals continue in cybersecurity
PE add-on acquisitions in IAM create immediate data protection and regulatory diligence workstreams that pure-play M&A teams rarely own alone.