Government officials, judges, industry experts to headline ABA Business Law conference

The American Bar Association Business Law Section Annual Meeting 2019 being held this week in Washington, D.C., brings together business law experts, federal judges, representatives from the Federal Reserve Board, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to discuss the latest developments, regulations and enforcement actions in banking law, cryptocurrency, bankruptcy, cannabis law and cybersecurity, among other topics.

 Program highlights include:

 • “Understanding and Ensuring Compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)” — This panel will identify activities that may trigger FARA registration and reporting beyond representation of foreign governments, as well as applicable exemptions that impact the business lawyer and their clients; address Department of Justice interpretation of FARA and recent enforcement trends for FARA violations, as practice tips for the business lawyer; and will include best practices for the business lawyer to avoid FARA violations and ensure compliance.

• “The Supreme Court in Review: Cases Affecting Business from the October 2018 Term” — The panelists, including former U.S. Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr., will explore trends evident in recent business law SCOTUS opinions and the impact on current practices, regulatory and governance concerns and federalism. Signals from the October 2018 term will be reviewed for potential results in pending SCOTUS docketed cases for the upcoming term.

• “The Impact of Robocalling Legislation on Legitimate Business” — Robocalls are the No. 1 consumer complaint made to the Federal Communications Commission, Congress and states attorney general. The political intent behind robocall legislation is clear, but often cloud the practical implications on legitimate business. Panelists will discuss hot legislative actions and the impact on business.

• “The Future of Financial Regulatory Innovation and Reform from a State and Federal Perspective” — The panel will address the current regulations that affect banks from a state and federal perspective. It will highlight regulatory developments, review whether there are inconsistencies between state and federal regulations and discuss the path forward within the banking industry.

• “Banking on Guns N’ Drugs: Social Policy Meets Financial Services” — This panel, including Judge Elizabeth S. Stong of U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn, will review and discuss bankruptcy case decisions from the Supreme Court of the United States, Circuit Court of Appeals and Bankruptcy Appellate Panels from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019. Our panel will discuss the decisions form the viewpoints of the debtor, creditor and bench.

• “Digging Deeper Into Blockchain Regulatory & Legislative Updates” — Each week a wave of new blockchain-related legislative, regulatory and lawsuit activity rolls out. This program will build on prior “blockchain basics for business lawyers” programming by offering a robust discussion of the cutting-edge issues that keep the most prominent crypto-lawyers up at night.

• “Navigating the Conflicting Federal and State Laws for Doing Business with Cannabis Companies” — While cannabis is legal for medical and/or recreational use in over 33 states plus the District of Columbia, marijuana sales remain illegal under federal law, thus creating legal risks not only for dispensers but also for companies doing business with them. This panel will discuss the issues that need to be addressed when counseling clients about working with cannabis companies in this fast-growing industry. Such companies include any level of service providers including landlords, bankers, insurance companies, power suppliers, greenhouse materials, delivery services and software companies.