Baker Botts

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Baker Botts!

At #COP29, developed countries agreed to fund $300B in climate projects in developing countries annually by 2035, up from a prior commitment of $100B annually. Partner Shailesh Sahay shares his thoughts:

The California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) continues to evolve as a central force in #privacy regulation, advancing new rules and enforcement priorities that carry significant implications for businesses operating in California and beyond. During its November 8, 2024, meeting, the #CPPA made notable progress in several areas, including data broker regulations under the Delete Act, automated decision-making technology rulemaking, and the announcement of impending leadership changes. Associate Justin Bryant breaks down these updates and what they mean for organizations subject to the CCPA and its related regulations:

For decades, there has been broad, bipartisan support for the Universal Service Fund and the FCC programs that help communications reach low-income households and the most rural and least-connected communities in the United States. A Supreme Court decision that undermines or unravels existing universal service programs would most likely require Congress to take action to continue to promote the availability and affordability of critical communications services for millions of rural and low-income consumers, rural health care facilities, and schools and libraries across the nation, according to partner Neil Torpey:

A familiar tale is unfolding in the venture capital industry as rapid investment in #AI startups is outpacing value generation – characterized by companies with sky-high valuations and accelerated cash burn rates. While a change in administration can certainly facilitate deal-making, it's not a silver bullet for sustainable value generation. Associate Henry Klimowicz shares his thoughts:

In his New York Law Journal article, Baker Botts partner Rob Maier discusses the classification of "patent trolls" within the United States patent system:

We were proud to advise the sole dealer manager in Calumet, Inc.'s exchange offer.

We are proud to be participating in the 25th Annual Berkeley-Stanford Advanced Patent Law Institute. Partner Matthew Avery will be speaking during a session on December 6th titled “Changing Continuation Practice: Best Practices and Preparing for the Future.” Baker Botts is proud to be a sponsor of the Berkeley Center for Law & Technology (BCLT), which organizes the Advanced Patent Law Institute along with Stanford Law School. Learn more: https://okt.to/EVMeum

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office has announced a conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $4.9 billion to Grain Belt Express LLC. The loan guarantee would help finance the high-voltage direct current Grain Belt Express Phase 1, a 2,500 MW, 578 mile interregional transmission line running from Ford County, Kansas to Callaway County, Missouri. If finalized, the project would bring more energy to the grid quickly, improve grid resilience, and expand import and export capabilities between the Southwest Power Pool, the Midcontinental Independent System Operator, and Associate Electric Cooperative Inc. Baker Botts, with a multidisciplinary team led by Caitlin Lawrence, John Papaspanos, and Michael Yuffee, is serving as lead counsel for DOE on this matter.

On November 21, 2024, the FCC approved a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to review regulations surrounding submarine cables, the backbone of global internet connectivity. This is the first major update since 2001. The proposed changes aim to streamline the licensing process, improve security for submarine cable infrastructure, and potentially shorten the 25-year license term. The FCC is also seeking input on a three-year periodic reporting requirement for cable landing licenses. Partner Jonathan Gordon shares his thoughts: https://okt.to/A7ZWub #DigitalInfrastructure