Now more than ever, technology is influencing the way we do business, communicate, move through and around the world, access and manage our homes, receive and administer healthcare, make purchases, secure information, and protect our most valuable property. Morrison Foerster keeps pace with this rapidly evolving landscape across our internationally recognized corporate, finance, intellectual property, and litigation practices. MoFo Tech brings together our insights relating to fields such as blockchain and distributed ledger, cloud and as-a-service technologies, driverless cars, drones, fintech, computer hardware and software, the Internet of Things, semiconductors, and telecommunications. The MoFo Tech blog offers real-time, in-depth analyses of the trends and complex issues shaping the global technology industry.<h2>ABOUT MORRISON FOERSTER</h2>Morrison Foerster is a leading global law firm that transforms complexity into advantage for its clients. Our clients include some of the largest financial institutions, banks, consulting and accounting firms, and Fortune 100, technology, and life sciences companies. Highlighting the firm’s commitment to client service, leadership in market-changing deals and impact litigation, and values-based culture, Morrison Foerster has been repeatedly recognized as one of the top 10 firms on The American Lawyer’s A-List. Year after year, the firm receives significant recognition from Chambers and The Legal 500 across their various guides, including Global, USA, Asia‑Pacific, Europe, UK, Latin America, and FinTech Legal. Our lawyers passionately care about delivering legal excellence while living our values. Morrison Foerster has a long-standing commitment to creating a culture that respects and celebrates differences, while providing an inclusive environment. The firm has achieved Mansfield Certification Plus since 2018 as a result of successfully reaching at least 30 percent women, communities of color, and LGBTQ+ lawyer representation in a notable number of current leadership roles and committees. The firm also has a long history of commitment to the community and society through providing pro bono legal services, including litigating for civil rights and civil liberties, improving public education and fostering the wellbeing of children, advocating for veterans, promoting international human rights, enforcing the right to asylum, and safeguarding the environment.

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Scott Llewellyn’s practice focuses on complex litigation in federal and state courts around the country, with an emphasis on patent and trade secret disputes. Over the past decade, he has worked on some of the most significant, high–profile IP cases involving technology for televisions, smartphones, and self–driving cars, relying on 40 years of experience with computer hardware and software. Scott also has significant experience with business divorce cases before courts and arbitrators, involving a mix of trade secret, patent, tort, and contract claims relating to technology development and implementation.Scott also has successfully tried general commercial arbitration and agency matters, briefed and argued various appeals in federal appellate court, and tried more than 20 cases for the Denver City Attorney’s office, most of them jury trials.Scott also has an active pro bono practice, having worked on a variety of criminal and immigration appeals, and having represented Colorado criminal defense and mental health organizations in high–profile suits against the state of Colorado for violations of the constitutional rights of defendants.At MoFo, Scott serves on the board of the Morrison & Foerster Foundation. In the broader legal community, he serves on the boards of the Colorado Lawyers Committee and Drop in the Bucket (a charity that builds wells and sanitation systems in sub–Saharan Africa).After law school, Scott clerked for the Honorable Clarence A. Brimmer, District of Wyoming, and the Honorable Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain, Ninth Circuit. He was also previously an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center.

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Partner

Scott Llewellyn’s practice involves complex litigation before state and federal courts around the country, with an emphasis on patent and trade secret disputes for high-tech companies, to which he brings more than 35 years of experience with computer hardware and software, in particular relating to the processing and transmission of audio, video, voice, and other types of data. Mr. Llewellyn has also tried commercial arbitration and agency matters; briefed and argued various appeals in federal appellate court; and tried more than 20 cases for the Denver city attorney’s office, most of them jury trials.

Scott F. Llewellyn

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MoFo Tech brings together legal insights and in-depth analyses on trends and complex issues shaping the global technology industry, covering fields such as blockchain and distributed ledger, cloud and SaaS technologies, driverless cars, drones, FinTech, computer hardware and software, the IoT, semiconductors, and telecommunications.

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MoFo Tech brings together legal insights and in-depth analyses on trends and complex issues shaping the global technology industry, covering fields such as blockchain and distributed ledger, cloud and SaaS technologies, driverless cars, drones, FinTech, computer hardware and software, the IoT, semiconductors, and telecommunications.

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AI Transparency in Healthcare: Navigating a Changing Regulatory Landscape

Recentive: Federal Circuit’s Patent-Eligibility Guideposts for Machine-Learning Inventions

Japan’s Approach to AI Regulation in 2025

Federal Circuit Clarifies Requirements for Prior Art Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. § 102(e)

AI Agent as a Service in Medtech - Key Considerations for Commercial Contracts

Nevada recently became the first state to follow California’s lead and enact legislation that includes privacy obligations similar to those that will be imposed by the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”). Specifically, on May 29, 2019, the Nevada Governor signed into law Senate Bill 220 (“SB 220”), amending the Nevada online privacy policy law effective October 1, 2019, to create a right for consumers to opt out of the “sale” of personal information collected over a website or online service.Read our <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/y8z5C68zGMSzyQ8PfmNjtS">client alert</a>.

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Recognized as an authority on financial privacy issues, Nathan helps financial institutions and other companies develop practical solutions for complying with privacy and data security laws. In partic

Nathan D. Taylor

Nathan Taylor

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Nevada Privacy Law: Considerations for Financial Institutions

UK Regulations: Urgent Action Required from Loan-Based Crowdfunding Platforms

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Nevada recently became the first state to follow California’s lead and enact legislation that includes privacy obligations similar to those that will be imposed

Nevada Privacy Law: Considerations for Financial Institutions

On May 27, 2019, the Japanese government published amended rules that aim to tighten the regulatory requirements applicable to foreign direct investment (tai nai chokusetsu toshi or FDI) under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act of Japan (gaitame ho, or the “Act”).  Specifically, while the FDI regime requires a Foreign Investor to file its transaction with the Japanese authorities before investing in a Japanese target company engaged in a “restricted business,” the amended rules will add businesses related to the information and communications technology sector to the prescribed types of “restricted businesses.”  The obligation to complete a prior filing in respect of investment in a Japanese company that is engaged in a “restricted business” under the widened scope will apply to transactions taking place on or after August 31, 2019.This client alert provides an overview of the FDI regime in Japan and the latest amendments to tighten the regulations.Read our <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/1-9DCn5N7lHv6vLYiNzjnE">client alert</a>.

Astellas Pharma Inc.

Aetos Capital Real Estate

Sekisui House Residential Investment Corporation

Charoen Pokphand Group

NEXON Co., Ltd.

Kenedix Retail REIT Corporation

Japan Retail Fund Investment Corporation

Olympus Corporation

Shinsei Bank, Limited

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Mitsutoshi Uchida is a partner in the Corporate Department of Morrison Foerster Law Offices.


Mitsutoshi Uchida

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Of Counsel

Fumihiko Hori is of counsel to Morrison Foerster Law Offices. Fumihiko’s practice covers a wide range of Japanese regulatory and policy matters, including energy and Japanese government initiatives on Green Transformation

Fumihiko Hori

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Associate

Shotaro Maruyama is an associate of Morrison & Foerster Law Offices.
Mr. Maruyama received his LL.B. from the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law in 2012.

Shotaro Maruyama

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Japan Is Tightening Regulations Applicable to Foreign Direct Investment in the Information and Communications Technology Sector

Chinese Interest High Despite Uncertainty

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On May 27, 2019, the Japanese government published amended rules that aim to tighten the regulatory requirements applicable to foreign direct investment (tai na

Japan Is Tightening Regulations Applicable to Foreign Direct Investment in the Information and Communications Technology Sector

Prior to the California Legislature’s May 31, 2019 deadline to pass bills out of their chamber of origin, the California Assembly passed six additional bills that would amend the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA” or “Act”). The California Senate now has until September 13, 2019 to consider and potentially pass these bills prior to the conclusion of the Legislature’s 2019 term.Read our <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/AEeJCDkJ6xUq3B32hAUT_O">client alert</a>.

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CCPA: California Assembly Passes Additional Bills to Amend the CCPA

California Supreme Court Clarifies Standards for Whistleblower Claims Under California Labor Code Section 1102.5

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Prior to the California Legislature’s May 31, 2019 deadline to pass bills out of their chamber of origin, the California Assembly passed six additional bills th

CCPA: California Assembly Passes Additional Bills to Amend the CCPA

A Nevada resident, Morgan Rockcoons, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California to 21 months in prison for wire fraud and unlicensed money transmission. In connection with the sentencing, Rockcoons will also be required to forfeit $80,600 in illicit proceeds. The sentencing of Rockcoons follows recent activity relating to the regulation of virtual currency businesses by FinCEN. Read our <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/SWxxCZ6mvgUlo3wyHKJOn8">client alert</a>.

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Marc–Alain’s practice focuses on advising and counseling global banks, financial holding companies, bank holding companies, and other financial institutions on a variety of bank regulatory, Bank Secre

Marc-Alain Galeazzi

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Nevada Resident Sentenced for Fraud and Unlicensed Money Transmission in Case Involving Bitcoin

Why Should Your Startup Care About Intellectual Property?

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A Nevada resident, Morgan Rockcoons, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California to 21 months in prison for wire fraud and 

Nevada Resident Sentenced for Fraud and Unlicensed Money Transmission in Case Involving Bitcoin

California is now one step closer to excluding information relating to employees from the scope of the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”). On May 29, 2019, the California Assembly passed Assembly Bill 25 (“AB 25”), which would narrow the CCPA’s definition of “consumer” to exclude, among others, employees. AB 25 now goes to the Senate for its consideration. As a result, how big of a step this represents, and how much closer we are to an amendment widely supported by companies across industries, remains to be seen.Read our <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/c8fjCrkMBpUED8zRc4IqLN">client alert</a>.

CCPA: One Step Closer to Excluding Employee Data

California is now one step closer to excluding information relating to employees from the scope of the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”). On May 29, 2019

CCPA: One Step Closer to Excluding Employee Data

Last week, German regulators decided to no longer accept the widely used “JusProg” software as a sufficient means for online service providers to comply with statutory youth protection requirements. The decision is effective immediately, although it will most likely be challenged in court. If it prevails, it puts video-sharing platforms, distributors of gaming content, and online media services at risk of being held accountable for not properly protecting minors from potentially harmful content. For the affected providers, this is particularly challenging because it will be hard, if not impossible, to implement alternative youth protection tools that will meet the redefined regulatory standards.Our alert provides the legal background for the decision and discusses its implications in more detail. It is relevant to all online service providers that target German users.Read our <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/4yOVCJ67z1U3YM4Wuz3hjP">client alert</a>.

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Managing Partner, Berlin

Andreas is managing partner of Morrison & Foerster’s German office in Berlin and a member of the firm’s worldwide board of directors. He heads the German antitrust and regulatory practice from our Ber

Andreas Grünwald

Andreas Grünwald is a partner in the Global Antitrust Law Practice Group, and head of Morrison & Foerster’s German antitrust practice. He covers a wide range of antitrust and regulatory matters, with a particular focus on the telecommunications, media and technology (TMT) sector. Based in our Berlin and Brussels offices, Mr. Grünwald provides antitrust advice on M&A strategy, represents public and private corporations in merger control proceedings before the German Federal Cartel Office and the European Commission, and he has notable experience in coordinating multi-jurisdictional merger filings involving European, U.S., and Asian authorities. He also advises on other transactional matters such as sector-specific permit requirements as they often arise in regulated industries.

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Counsel

Christoph advises national and international clients on a broad range of regulatory questions and has particular industry-specific experience in the areas of technology, media, and telecommunication.


Christoph Nüßing

Christoph Nüßing is a senior associate at Morrison Foerster’s German office in Berlin. He advises German and international clients on a broad range of regulatory questions and has particular industry-specific experience in the areas of technology, media and telecommunication.

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Youth Protection in Germany: Online Age Checks and Daytime Blackouts Ahead?

Don’t Get Caught by the Phisherman’s Hook This Tax Season

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Last week, German regulators decided to no longer accept the widely used “JusProg” software as a sufficient means for online service providers to comply with st

Youth Protection in Germany: Online Age Checks and Daytime Blackouts Ahead?

The Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued a 90-day temporary general license exempting a set of transactions from the Entity List designation of Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (“Huawei”) and its affiliates worldwide, which was effective May 16, 2019. The Entity List designation effectively prohibits the export, re-export, or transfer of hardware, software, and technology subject to the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to Huawei and its affiliates, as explained in our earlier client alert. The temporary general license aims to mitigate the impact of the Entity List designation on the operations of U.S. and foreign telecommunications providers with Huawei hardware and software, but does not provide broad relief from Entity List prohibitions. The general license is effective from May 20, 2019, to August 19, 2019.Read our <a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/Q1E5CjRO5BiKLOvqf5sH6n">client alert</a>

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John E. Smith, former Director of the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), is co-head of Morrison Foerster’s National Security practice, and a member of the Crisis Management group and Investigations + White Collar group.

John E. Smith

John E. Smith, former Director of the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), is co-head of Morrison Foerster’s National Security practice, and a member of the Global Risk + Crisis Management group and Investigations + White Collar group.