RopesTalk

In this Ropes & Gray podcast, members of the finance practice group discuss the rise of ESG-linked credit facilities and bonds in the corporate and private fund finance markets, provide an overview of the mechanics of sustainability-linked debt instruments, discuss the forces driving their recent surge in popularity and consider what to expect for them going forward.

In this episode of Women @ RopesTalk, hosted by IP transactions partner Megan Baca, health care partner Torrey McClary interviews Anne Garcia, senior vice president and general counsel of The Ohio State University. Anne talks about how she moved from private practice to in-house roles in universities. In thinking about the last year and a half, Anne discusses how COVID has affected the university and her team. She also reflects on why she is big on incorporating “action” into her office’s diversity and inclusion efforts, and looks forward to some exciting priorities of Ohio State’s president Kristina Johnson.

In the latest installment of our Ropes & Gray podcast series addressing emerging issues for fiduciaries of 401(k) and 403(b) plans to consider as part of their litigation risk management strategy, ERISA and benefits partner Josh Lichtenstein, benefits consulting group principal David Kirchner, and benefits consultant Aneisha Worrell revisit the Department of Labor’s (DOL) regulation of ERISA investment duties and ESG considerations, and in particular, its recently re-proposed rule. As compared to the prior rule passed by the Trump administration at the end of last year, which Messrs. Lichtenstein and Kirchner and Ms. Worrell discussed in the first episode of this series in February, the latest proposal signifies a major shift in the Department’s attitude towards ESG factors, and if finalized, would significantly alter the investment landscape for ERISA plan sponsors and fiduciaries.

This installation of Ropes & Gray’s podcast series Non-binding Guidance focuses on the Biden administration's recent proposal to repeal the Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technology ("MCIT") final rule, which was published in January 2021 and initially scheduled to become effective on December 15, 2021. This proposed rule, although published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS"), relates directly to FDA regulation of medical devices because it would provide automatic Medicare coverage to products that FDA approves or authorizes under its Breakthrough Device Program. In this episode, Ropes & Gray life sciences regulatory & compliance head, Greg Levine, and health care partner, Tom Bulleit, will discuss the significance of this development—a reversal of what would've been a significant innovation for Medicare coverage and payment of new device technology—and share some pathways manufacturers of breakthrough devices can use to obtain Medicare coverage after approval while FDA and CMS collect comments on a new program to replace the MCIT program.

In the latest installment of Ropes & Gray’s alumni podcast series, Alumni @ RopesTalk, life sciences and health care partner Michael Beauvais interviews Julie Constable, vice president of legal and compliance at Blackstone. Julie spent almost a decade at Ropes & Gray as an associate before taking a senior legal role at Blackstone. Julie talks about what a typical day looks like in-house as she leads transactions emerging from the Blackstone Life Sciences team. She reflects on how Ropes & Gray prepared her for her position now by training her to think more critically. Julie also talks about the unique pro bono partnership between Ropes & Gray and Blackstone that she helped to develop, benefitting organizations such as The Innocence Project.

In this Ropes & Gray podcast, litigation & enforcement partner Ryan Rohlfsen, who is co-chair of the firm’s global anti-corruption and international risk practice, is joined by Jerry Kral, SVP, chief risk, ethics & compliance officer at Brown-Forman Corporation, for an enthusiastic discussion about emerging risks and trends in the modern day market, as well as practical advice for the future.

In this episode of Women @ RopesTalk, IP transactions partner Megan Baca is joined by Kim McCaslin, a managing director at Bain Capital, for an in-depth conversation around Bain’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals and commitment to advance diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I). As the leader of Bain Capital’s portfolio group in North America, Kim discusses her group’s values-driven focus on growing great companies “in the right way”—with integrity, humility, respect for people, and a focus on citizenship and lasting impact. She breaks down how her group prioritizes ESG-related goals and provides insights about their innovative approach to strengthening diversity and inclusion, both at Bain and its portfolio companies.

In this seventh episode in a series of Ropes & Gray podcasts addressing emerging issues for fiduciaries of 401(k) and 403(b) plans to consider as part of their litigation risk management strategy, litigation & enforcement partner Dan Ward and ERISA and benefits partner Josh Lichtenstein discuss some recent updates on the continued ERISA retirement plan litigation landscape, including current trends and important takeaways for plan sponsors.

In this Ropes & Gray podcast, finance associate Justin Gaudenzi and counsel Patricia Teixeira update listeners on the recent fraud case involving JES Global Capital, providing insights into how subscription facility lenders are reacting to the case in their underwriting and diligence processes.

The Ropes & Gray Global Health Care Compliance Initiative’s virtual trip around the world podcast series highlights our collaboration with our local counsel contacts, in particular the Local Law Comparison Guide. The Local Law Comparison Guide (the “Guide”) is a resource tool providing country-specific surveys that analyze legal, regulatory and industry requirements governing industry interactions with health care professionals. As part of this series, Ropes & Gray attorneys interview our local counsel partners, who are based around the world and helped develop the Guide. These discussions highlight notable health care regulations and developments impacting compliance in our local counsel partners’ respective countries. In this episode, we are joined by Ana Cândida, partner, and Maira Materagia, attorney, at Mattos Filho, our local partners in Brazil. Alison Fethke, counsel at Ropes & Gray, discusses with Maira and Ana Brazil’s regulatory regime and changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.