When the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced its first DEI-related False Claims Act (FCA) settlement in April 2026, a key question emerged: was this an isolated enforcement action or the start of a broader strategy? The answer is now
Baker McKenzie Blogs
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Global Carve-Outs: Why Workforce Execution Is Often the Critical Path
In today’s M&A market, carve-out transactions remain one of the most important tools for private equity sponsors and strategic acquirers seeking to acquire high-value businesses from larger corporate groups. Yet while the commercial rationale may be straightforward, workforce execution rarely
Settlement Is Not Surrendering: The Ontario Court of Appeal Protects Unpaid Settling Parties’ Equitable Claims
In Caroti v. Vuletic, 2026 ONCA 614, the Ontario Court of Appeal clarified an important point of trust law: a resulting trust does not require fraud, wrongdoing, or unjust enrichment. Instead, it can arise simply because someone contributed money
Australia: Consultation Opens on Modern Slavery Offence
In brief
In July, we flagged the proposed new modern slavery offence. The Government has now released a consultation paper seeking written submissions regarding the design of the regime.
The proposed criminal “failure to prevent” offence would apply to
EU Commission Adopts 2026 Delegated Regulation Updating Annex I of the EU Dual-Use Regulation
On September 14, 2026, the EU Commission adopted a Delegated Regulation updating Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2021/821 (“EU Dual-Use Regulation”). Although the changes have not yet entered into force, the Delegated Regulation sets out the expected amendments to the
National Security Science and Technology Strategy Highlights Expanded Role for Export Controls, Investment Screening, and Data Security
On August 20, 2026, the White House released the National Security Science and Technology Strategy (“NSSTS“), which establishes the Trump administration’s framework for maintaining US technological leadership and protecting critical and emerging technologies. The NSSTS is organized around four pillars:
The Crime-Fraud Exception to Solicitor-Client Privilege – It’s Not Just for Criminal Cases Anymore
In Sakab Saudi Holding Company v. Al Jabri, the Ontario Court of Appeal (ONCA) clarified the scope of solicitor-client privilege and the crime-fraud exception to the privilege. In doing so, the ONCA also provided important guidance that will inform
Canada: Ottawa Advances AI Strategy on Two Fronts
In early September 2026, the Government of Canada announced two further measures that build directly on its refreshed national AI strategy, AI for All (“AI Strategy“) (the latter was covered in an earlier client bulletin). On 3 September 2026, Canada’s Minister of
UK announces new sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank alongside allies
On 8 September 2026, the UK government designated five settlers under the existing Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 and announced that it will introduce a new sanctions regime targeting settlements in the occupied West Bank over the next six to nine months, under the powers conferred
New EU Reporting Obligation for Software Vulnerabilities
A new EU regulation requires all companies that provide software, as of 11 September 2026, to report actively exploited vulnerabilities and other security incidents to a designated governmental authority and to users. Breaches of this reporting obligation may result in