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Dealing With Employees Who 'Switch Sides'

Like the free agents of professional sports, corporate employees are switching 'teams' at an unprecedented rate. Today's employee may be tomorrow's competitor, and his loyalty may 'switch sides' even before he formally changes companies. He might misuse his current employer's confidential...

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The Trans-Border Discussion: A Former Ambassador's Perspective

Editor: Ambassador Giffin, since leaving Canada five years ago as U.S. Ambassador, you have been sought after by various corporations to serve as a director. Would you share with us how you go about determining whether to join a particular board of directors? Giffin: I have been honored to be...

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Corporate Compliance: Casting A Wide Net

Editor: "Compliance readiness" is a term that was unknown to most of our readers just a few years ago. As one of the leading practitioners in the field of corporate governance, what do you mean by the term? Wardell: In attempting to define compliance readiness, I ask myself two questions. First...

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ADR: A Practitioner's View Of A Changing Landscape

Editor: Mr. Watkins, would you tell our readers something about your professional background and experience? Watkins: I graduated from the University of Georgia Law School in 1982. Following law school I practiced at another firm, which was then either the largest or second largest firm in...

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Meeting The Challenge Of Avian Flu - A Blueprint For Global Pandemics?

McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP (MLA) has had the privilege over the past few years of taking a leading role in the development of a market for vaccines, detection devices, diagnostics, information technology, and other countermeasures to be used against infectious diseases. This market has...

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How Do I Know If There Is A Back-Dated Options Problem And What Do I Do?

So, you're a General Counsel of a public company, and you've received one of those "back-dated options" letters from the Council for Institutional Investors - Or maybe CALPERS or another pension fund. Do you call the SEC? DOJ? Outside counsel? The Board? Your shrink? The letter says benignly, "We...

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The Positive Use Of Independent Investigations To Lower Risk And Create A More Effective Business Model

The typical investigation is reactive, conducted with a prosecution mindset and imposes legalistic rules and a watchdog. The more effective model is to conduct the investigation as a proactive tool to solve a business problem and add significant value by effecting change of culture and remediating...

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