TODAY’S TOP STORIES

Next-Gen General Counsel: Redefining Legal Leadership Amid Estonia’s Digital Transformation of Legal Services Delivery Model
Estonia’s reputation as a “digital nation” stem from its ambitious e-Estonia initiative, which integrates technology into governance and society. With services like the X-Road data exchange, e-Residency program, e-registers, e-tax, and e-court, Estonia has redefined how nations interact with their citizens.

European Commission Launching Sanctions Helpdesk for SMEs
The EU Sanctions Helpdesk aims to support companies by offering various resources and personalised help to performing relevant due diligence checks.

ABA calls for American lawyers to oppose attacks on the rule of law
It calls for the government to adhere to four major principles of law that have guided the country for over 200 years: Defending Judges and Courts, Acknowledging the Role of the Courts, Adhering to the Rule of Law, and Respecting the Separation of Powers and the three co-equal branches of government with distinct duties and responsibilities.

Trump Starts Targeting Law Firms
The targeting of Perkins Coie LLP, who had worked with Hillary Clinton and whose two lawyers were associated with the eventual FBI investigation into potential ties by the Trump campaign with Russian operatives to influence the election, signals a monumental step concerning an attack on the rule of law and is deeply worrying as to how a head of state can divert public funds and pressure towards personal grudges.

An overview of Feburary 2025 State aid developments
From groundbreaking investments in semiconductor manufacturing and nuclear energy to ambitious schemes promoting decarbonisation and circular economy practices, by outlining what measures were approved and what is being investigated, one can get a clearer picture on how modern State aid rules operate and what type of schemes currently fall under investigation.

A bolder, simpler, and faster EU for 2025
Europe stands at a crossroads, facing an era of profound instability and high expectations, with combined societal, financial, energy-related, and geopolitical challenges all intertwined.

General Counsel Insights – Regulations and Innovation in the European Financial Sector
This interview was conducted with Andrea Brancatelli, Legal Director at Moneygram International, an international peer-to-peer payments and money transfer company. With that in mind, the interview and comments focus more on the financial services sector, which is already one of the most tightly regulated industries in the EU.

The European Commission’s Latest Infringement Package
The announcement at hand concerns all 27 Member States and 11 EU Directives in the fields of environment, financial stability, financial services and capital markets union, justice, taxation, mobility and transport, with Member States now having two months to reply and complete the transpositions.

Embedded Law – On the Future of Legal Services
This In Practice article is a thought experiment on the future of legal services. Technology is changing and changing us. It will have implications for the work of lawyers. Our natural assumption is that if change is incremental, it is not radical.