Systems of government procurement are instrumental in mitigating the effects of the public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. First of all, well-organized cooperation between the government and the private sector can help address the most urgent problems, such as shortages of personal protective equipment and ventilators. Second, contracting out research and development projects [...]
The Prime Minister (PM) is the Chairman ex-officio of both the Prime Minister National Relief Fund (PMNRF) and the PM-CARES Fund, constituted to deal with disaster situations, like COVID-19 (which is also a “notified disaster”). Notably, the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (‘2005 Act,’ for short), pregnant with the statutory Fund, having all the trappings of [...]
As the 2020 general election approaches, the Trump Administration and Republican-controlled states have ramped-up efforts to keep people of color from exercising their right to vote. Leaders of the Republican Party favor suppressing the votes of minority people, knowing they likely support Democratic candidates. In March 2020, The Guardian reported that Texas leads the South [...]
Any nation that attacks a justice mechanism for following its lawful mandate supported by 123 nations is on the wrong side of the fence and of history. In this “wonderland” that we find ourselves where what is right is made wrong, what is good appears evil, and hate and fear the norm, it is only [...]
On June 3, 2020, the Senate passed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, H.R. 7010. The bill received bipartisan support in the House with a 417-1 vote. The bill attempts to ease restrictions on small businesses that seek loan forgiveness under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), a CARES Act initative. The initial $350 billion in [...]
On May 29, 2020, the Ninth Circuit continued the trend of courts more closely scrutinizing the plaintiff’s compliance with registration formalities in copyright infringement lawsuits. Registration formalities have received more attention since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Fourth Estate Public Benefit Corporation v. Wall-Street.com, LLC. There, the Supreme Court resolved a split in the Circuit [...]
As a police station representative in the United Kingdom the impact of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests is eliciting a negative reaction in police stations from police officers. A recent case illustrates a concerning effort from the police to erode the right to protest. A client arrested during the BLM protest in London was [...]
One of the focal points of the government health response to COVID-19 in India has been the extensive use of mobile phone applications such as the Aarogya Setu for contact tracing and quarantine. The applications have already been subject to widespread criticism for insufficient protection of user data. Notwithstanding the role of mobile phone applications, [...]
“We’re not in Kansas anymore.” –The Wizard of Oz The lay of the litigation land has morphed. Blurred lines divide roles in the courtroom now more than ever. Expert witnesses are increasingly responsible for more than just a reliable opinion. They are becoming an extension of counsel. Lies and omissions by experts now, alone, can [...]
Between a rock (trade wars) and a hard place (U.S. critiques), the WTO Appellate Body has been passing through some turbulent times. Due to the paralysis of the Appellate Body, the European Union (EU) and some other twenty countries have agreed on an arrangement, known as the Multiparty Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA), which allows [...]
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