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Sullivan & Worcester was pleased to sponsor the 2026 ITFA Emerging Leader Award, presented at the Gala Dinner during ITFA’s 52nd Annual International Trade and Forfaiting Conference in Split, Croatia. Following presentations by the three shortlisted candidates and a vote by delegates attending the conference, Harry Thursby-Pelham at HSBC was named the 2026 winner for his project, ‘Fluent in Finance’. Sullivan partner and head of the firm’s Trade & Export Finance
On Friday, September 18, 2026, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (the “SJC”) affirmed the dismissal of the Town of Marshfield’s challenge to the MBTA Communities Act (the “Act” or “Section 3A”).[1] The decision confirms that covered municipalities must adopt and maintain zoning that permits multifamily housing as of right in at least one district. It also rejects Marshfield’s four principal theories for avoiding that obligation, which are explored in more
On September 16, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued two proposals that, if adopted, would represent significant changes to the federal proxy rules for U.S. public companies. The first proposal would eliminate Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act). Rule 14a-8 currently requires companies to include qualifying shareholder proposals in their proxy materials and has been part of the federal proxy rules for more than
The Massachusetts Appeals Court recently issued a useful reminder that aggressive discovery positions risk negative consequences far beyond facing motions to compel. In Old Ironsides Energy LLC v. Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC[1], the court affirmed summary judgment against a plaintiff seeking approximately $20 million in damages after concluding that the plaintiff lacked admissible expert testimony necessary to prove its claimed damages. The $20 million kicker? Expert testimony would have been admissible
Gregory Sampson was quoted in the Bisnow article, “Healey's New Data Center Rules Make Massachusetts A Tough Sell For Developers,” discussing Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey's executive order establishing new requirements for large-scale data center development in the Commonwealth. The article examines how the order will affect proposed data center projects, including requirements related to local approval, community benefit agreements, power infrastructure and environmental impacts. As discussed by Greg, the order was the
Sullivan & Worcester’s recently acquired award-winning European Growth Capital Team, led by James Shaw and Ben Williams, advised ETF Partners (Lead) and A&G in connection with their continued support and investment in Open Cosmos, a U.K.-headquartered satellite technology company, as part of the company's €300 million funding round announced on September 14, 2026. The financing was backed primarily by European investors and represents one of the most significant recent investments in Europe's growing
From October 5-9, the American Bar Association will host its 2026 Fall Tax Meeting. On October 9th, Richard Jones will participate in a panel program titled “Come As You Are: Residency Audits, Wealth Taxes, and State Revenue Strategies.” The special State and Local Tax sessions will be held at Perkins Coie LLP in Seattle, Washington, with a virtual attendance option also available. As taxpayers become increasingly mobile and states face mounting revenue
Richard Jones will speak on a panel discussion titled "Practitioner Feedback" on October 8, 2026, at the 46th Annual National Conference of State Tax Judges at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Conference meets annually to review recent state tax decisions, consider methods of dealing with complex tax and valuation disputes, and share experiences in case management. Rich's practitioner-focused panel will explore practical strategies and best practices
Partner Geoffrey Wynne will participate in The Trade Finance Compliance Conference hosted by leading global consultancy HKA and IIBLP (the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice) in London on October 6, the theme of which is “Inside Real-World Trade Finance Compliance Decision-Making.” Geoff will join the panel discussing “Fraud, TBML (Trade-Based Money Laundering) and credit risk - one fact pattern, three silos” which will be moderated by Lorna Strong (Associate
First, a crucial clarification. While The Princess Bride (the wonderful movie) has the frame narrative of a grandfather who reads the book to his grandson, The Princess Bride (the wonderful book) has the frame narrative of a man whose father read it to him, and who wants to share it with his own son. The book is out of print, and the man sends his lawyer to a used bookstore
Sullivan & Worcester was pleased to sponsor the 2026 ITFA Emerging Leader Award, presented at the Gala Dinner during ITFA’s 52nd Annual International Trade and Forfaiting Conference in Split, Croatia. Following presentations by the three shortlisted candidates and a vote by delegates attending the conference, Harry Thursby-Pelham at HSBC was named the 2026 winner for his project, ‘Fluent in Finance’. Sullivan partner and head of the firm’s Trade & Export Finance
On Friday, September 18, 2026, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (the “SJC”) affirmed the dismissal of the Town of Marshfield’s challenge to the MBTA Communities Act (the “Act” or “Section 3A”).[1] The decision confirms that covered municipalities must adopt and maintain zoning that permits multifamily housing as of right in at least one district. It also rejects Marshfield’s four principal theories for avoiding that obligation, which are explored in more
On September 16, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued two proposals that, if adopted, would represent significant changes to the federal proxy rules for U.S. public companies. The first proposal would eliminate Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act). Rule 14a-8 currently requires companies to include qualifying shareholder proposals in their proxy materials and has been part of the federal proxy rules for more than
The Massachusetts Appeals Court recently issued a useful reminder that aggressive discovery positions risk negative consequences far beyond facing motions to compel. In Old Ironsides Energy LLC v. Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC[1], the court affirmed summary judgment against a plaintiff seeking approximately $20 million in damages after concluding that the plaintiff lacked admissible expert testimony necessary to prove its claimed damages. The $20 million kicker? Expert testimony would have been admissible
Gregory Sampson was quoted in the Bisnow article, “Healey's New Data Center Rules Make Massachusetts A Tough Sell For Developers,” discussing Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey's executive order establishing new requirements for large-scale data center development in the Commonwealth. The article examines how the order will affect proposed data center projects, including requirements related to local approval, community benefit agreements, power infrastructure and environmental impacts. As discussed by Greg, the order was the
Sullivan & Worcester’s recently acquired award-winning European Growth Capital Team, led by James Shaw and Ben Williams, advised ETF Partners (Lead) and A&G in connection with their continued support and investment in Open Cosmos, a U.K.-headquartered satellite technology company, as part of the company's €300 million funding round announced on September 14, 2026. The financing was backed primarily by European investors and represents one of the most significant recent investments in Europe's growing
