Sidley Austin Podcasts
4. Taking Charge: Can Battery Energy Storage Systems Unlock the Full Potential of Renewable Energy?
November 18, 2024 Renewable energy can be intermittent, making it a challenging power source for power grid operators to manage. But the burgeoning technology of battery energy storage systems (BESS) is poised to help fill those critical gaps. BESS is expected to quintuple in capacity by the end of this decade. These systems play a…
44. How SCOTUS is Shaping How We Do Business
The Supreme Court made monumental moves last term, discarding the Chevron doctrine, and scrambling how regulation of the environment, public health, and consumer protection has worked for 40 years. And it granted the president of the United States vast immunity from criminal prosecution, raising alarm over how that expanded power might take shape. As the…
43. The Legal Battles Taking Shape in the Clash Over Internet Content
August 2024 A federal law known as Section 230 has provided a powerful legal shield for internet companies for nearly three decades. Designed to “promote the internet,” it protects platforms from civil liability for content posted to their sites by third parties. But the measure is inspiring lawsuits from plaintiffs who say it allows internet…
42. How the Regulatory State May Change in the Aftermath of the SCOTUS Chevron Ruling
The Supreme Court has discarded the Chevron doctrine. In a decision overturning a four-decades-long precedent, the high court now says courts will no longer so easily defer to federal agency interpretations of the statutes they implement. The demise of so-called “Chevron deference” could upend the regulation of nearly all aspects of American commerce, opening the…
41. Buyer Beware: What to Know About the DOJ’s Policy on Self-Reporting in M&A
What happens when you buy somebody else’s problems? A new policy from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is encouraging companies to disclose the misconduct of the companies they buy. The DOJ says it won’t prosecute businesses that voluntarily report wrongdoing found during the mergers and acquisitions process. The government especially wants to detect misconduct…
3. Tackling EV Infrastructure. Why Truck Manufacturers Are in for the Long Haul
APRIL 03, 2024 The future of commercial transportation is zero-emission. More than one million medium- and heavy-duty trucks are expected to hit the highways by 2031. But as the fleet of commercial zero-emission vehicles begins to grow, the infrastructure needed to power these trucks is struggling to keep up. In response to this reality, a…
40. Is Your Company Ready For the SEC’s New Climate Disclosure Rules? We Break Them Down
April 2024 The SEC had planned to usher in a new era of corporate disclosure but now it may be on hold. Its new rules would require public companies to report extensive climate-related information. They are intended to improve the consistency, comparability, and reliability of climate-related data and to provide detailed, decision-useful information for investors…
39. Enforcement is on the Rise Against Non-Compete Agreements. Is Your Business Ready?
January 2024 A whopping one in five workers in the U.S. has signed a non-compete agreement. Companies use these contracts to protect trade secrets, reduce employee turnover, and improve their business leverage. Detractors say non-competes decrease wages and are burdensome to workers. Private litigation is on the rise against non-competes and some states are now…
2. Accelerating Energy: Are Tax Incentives Enough to Spur the U.S. Energy Transition Forward?
The United States government is authorizing millions of dollars in grants to electric cooperatives in the hopes of promoting grid resiliency and alternative energy adoption. Will grants and other incentives entice businesses to adopt clean energy? Or will political uncertainty in this election year tamp down these efforts? In the second episode of Accelerating Energy, host…
38. Is Your M&A Contract Vulnerable to Post-Closing Litigation? We Break it Down
January 2024 When an M&A deal closes, is it done? Not always. More and more disputes are arising after closing, which results in lost time and expense for both buyers and sellers as they realize they don’t actually have a done deal. Not all disputes after closing can be avoided, but their effects can be…