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☆ The CEO 'return to office or else' is having limited success in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Cheryl Winokur Munk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

This past week alone, Boeing and UPS called workers back to the office five days a week. A survey by the Conference Board found few U.S. CEOs saying they will prioritize bringing workers back to the office full time in the year ahead. Jotform, an online form-building platform with about 660 team members, recently made the decision to require employees to be in the office five days a week. A December Resume Builder poll of 800 business leaders found that 8 in 10 companies will track employee office attendance in 2024. In some cases, companies are also finding it difficult to crack down on lower-level employees because higher-ups also aren't complying.

Persons: it's, Elliott Sprecher, Morgan Chase, Davis Polk, What's, Laura Putnam, Henry Nothhaft, Betsy Henning, Finn, Putnam Organizations: Boeing, UPS, Conference Board, IBM, Google, Skadden, Finn Partners Locations: Slate, RTO

☆ 'The most taboo topic I've ever seen': Inside Microsoft's war over the war in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Ashley Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Viva Engage, Microsoft's slick message board designed to compete with Slack, is often touted as "Facebook for work." In October, according to internal messages viewed by BI, a Microsoft employee shared a post praising child tax credits as a way to reduce poverty. Employees with pro-Palestinian views have also used inflammatory language in their posts on Viva Engage. It has cut off the comments to Viva Engage posts it considered too incendiary. "It's important to recognize the pain and suffering of so many people, including our colleagues, as the events in Israel, Gaza, and the surrounding region continue to unfold," Nadella wrote.

Persons: Slack, —, Sandy Hook, chimed, George Floyd, Satya Nadella, Roe, Wade, Kathleen Hogan, Israel, Nadella, Benjamin Netanyahu, Charlie Bell, Scott Guthrie, Rajesh Jha, Microsoft's, Cherry, Davis Polk, Israel's, Ashley Stewart Organizations: Viva Engage, Facebook, Microsoft, Business, Engage, BI, Employees, Israel, Israel Defense Forces, Harvard, Hamas, Wardwell, Ivy League, New York Times, Apple, Amazon Web Services Locations: Israel, Gaza, Uvalde, Columbia, Silicon Valley, America, Haifa, Herzliya , Tel Aviv, Nazareth, Palestine, Gaza . Harvard, Tel Aviv, Seattle

Elite law firms send a messageWith universities across the United States grappling with a rise in antisemitism since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, elite law firms are putting schools on notice. In a letter to some of the nation’s top law schools obtained by DealBook, about two dozen major Wall Street firms warned that what happens on campus could have corporate consequences. The letter follows a series of recent antisemitic episodes at universities. Kathy Hochul of New York sought this week to reassure Jewish students at Cornell after online posts threatening violence against them. Students at other schools have said they feel increasingly unsafe amid rallies and other acts that, in some instances, have become violent.

Persons: Moore Debevoise, Plimpton Kirkland, Ellis Paul, Weiss, Garrison Simpson Thacher, Bartlett Skadden Wachtell, Lipton, Davis Polk, Israel, Kathy Hochul Organizations: DealBook, Rosen, Katz, Wardwell, Gov, New York, Cornell Locations: United States, Israel, Rifkind, Wharton, New

☆ The War on College Campuses
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Lauren Camera | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +16 min

College campuses have always been bastions of protest, where young, energetic students push older generations in the direction of the next social or political reform. Notably, the prevailing notions of the liberal bent of college campuses are not incorrect. According to a 2023 survey by FIRE of roughly 1,500 four-year college professors, 50% identify as liberal, 17% as moderate, and 26% as conservative. Analysts say the recent inflammatory examples that have not only riven college campuses but altered the way many Americans view them also underscore the increasing difficulty observers in the U.S. have of sitting with complex developments. Many of the country’s most elite schools actually perform the worst, according to the 2024 College Free Speech Ranking by FIRE.

Persons: Ron DeSantis –, “, ”, –, Zach Greenberg, Nikki Haley, Carolina Sen, Tim Scott, Pell Grant, Donald Trump, Strawn, Davis Polk, Sarah Lawrence, Samuel Abrams, ” Greenberg, Joe Biden, Peter Coleman, Morton, Coleman, “ We’re, Tony Banout, ” Banout, ” Coleman Organizations: Hamas, National Students for Justice, Florida Gov, College, Foundation, Rights, ”, U.S ., Harvard’s, for Palestine, Palestine Solidarity Committee, George Washington University, GOP, Former South Carolina Gov, Customs, Winston, Wardwell, Harvard University, Columbia University, Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, FIRE, Sarah Lawrence College, New York Times, Columbia, America – Democrats, Republicans, Jewish, Tulane University, Cornell University, FBI, White, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, Morton Deutsch International, for Cooperation, Israel, University of Chicago, University of Chicago Forum, Free Locations: Israel, Palestine, America, Florida, Gaza, U.S, Former, ., Carolina, Columbia, Costa Rica

☆ Harvard has become the poster child for American culture wars in the 11 days since Hamas' terrorist attack on Israel. Here's what's happened.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

Harvard University has become a flashpoint in the intergenerational divide on the Israel-Hamas war. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn the 11 days since Palestinian militant group Hamas launched its terrorist attack on Israel, Harvard University has become a flashpoint for intergenerational tensions about the war — and the broader culture war around campus free speech. Hamas launches terrorist attacks on IsraelPalestinian militant group Hamas launched a series of terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, with Israel retaliating. AdvertisementAdvertisement"These hateful Harvard students are the future leaders of our society," Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York wrote on X. Some student groups backtrackSome student groups that co-signed the original statement have since withdrawn their signatures.

Persons: Israel, —, Israel retaliating, Bill Ross, Ian Bremmer, Bremmer, Larry Summers, Tom Williams, Summers, Seth Moulton of, Moulton, Republican Sen, Ted Cruz, Rep, Ritchie Torres, Harvard Hillel, Bill Ackman, @harvard, Meredith Weenick, Weenick, Idan Ofer, Batia, Les Wexner, Ackman, Joe McCarthy, Claudine Gay, Craig F, Walker, Gay, Harvard Crimson, Israel's, Joseph Prezioso, Elise Stefanik, Win McNamee, Marc Rowan, Jon Huntsman Jr, Elizabeth Magill, Davis Polk, Wardwell, Winston, Strawn Organizations: Harvard University, Service, Hamas, Harvard, Republicans, Israel Palestinian, UN, Gaza's Hamas, Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups, Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee, Inc, Getty, Republican, New York, Palestine, Alpha, CNBC, Harvard Crimson, Conservative, Media, Harvard University Police Department, Quantum, Group, Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, CNN, Wexner Foundation, Bloomberg, Boston Globe, Nepali Student Association, Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity, Harvard Yard, New York Republican, New, Apollo Global Management, University of Pennsylvania, Huntsman, University, Columbia University, New York University, NYU Student Bar Association Locations: Israel, Gaza, Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Ted Cruz of Texas, Harvard's, Harvard, Cambridge , Massachusetts, AFP, New York, Utah, Columbia

☆ 3 law students from Harvard and Columbia lost their job offers over their student organizations' statements on the Israel-Hamas war
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Davis Polk has pulled job offers to three law students from Harvard and Columbia. The firm said the students were part of statements on the Israel-Hamas war that went against the firm's values. The move comes after an NYU law student also had a job offer revoked over a statement on Israel. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell has rescinded job offers to three students from Columbia University and Harvard University due to their involvement in student organizations whose statements on the Israel-Hamas war ran counter to the firm's values. The law firm Winston & Strawn withdrew its job offer to a New York University law student who also published a statement on the Hamas attacks on Israel.

Persons: Davis Polk, —, Neil Barr, Winston, Strawn, Israel Organizations: Harvard, Columbia, Service, Wardwell, Columbia University, Harvard University, law.com, Hamas, Israel Defense Forces, Ministry of Health, New York University, NYU Student Bar Association Locations: Israel, launchcounterattacks, Gaza, Europe

☆ Roblox tells employees they have to come to office three days a week or take severance package
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

David Baszucki, founder and CEO of Roblox, presents at the Roblox Developer Conference on August 10, 2019 in Burlingame, California. Roblox employees who don't want to work at the gaming company's physical office at least three days a week will need find a job elsewhere. Tuesday's announcement marks an about-face for Roblox, which told employees in May of last year that it was giving "employees the option to either come to the office regularly a few days a week, or to primarily work remotely," coming in for "quarterly get-togethers." Ultimately, however, he said working in an office strengthens the company culture and results in more innovative and productive employees. "A three-hour Group Review in person is much less exhausting than over video and brainstorming sessions are more fluid and creative," Baszucki wrote.

Persons: David Baszucki, Baszucki, JPMorgan Chase, Davis Polk, We've, Barbara Messing Organizations: Roblox, Google, JPMorgan Locations: Burlingame , California, Roblox, San Mateo , California

☆ U.S. Steel explores options after rejecting $7.3 billion offer from Cleveland-Cliffs
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( Jyoti Narayan | Akanksha Khushi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

(Reuters) -United States Steel Corp on Sunday launched a formal review of its strategic options, after rebuffing a takeover offer from rival steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. FILE PHOTO: Steel workers at U.S. Steel Granite City Works in Granite City, Illinois, U.S., May 24, 2018. REUTERS/Lawrence Bryant/File PhotoThe unsolicited cash-and-stock offer from Ohio-based Cliffs values U.S. Steel at about $7.3 billion, representing a 43% premium to its closing price on Friday. Cliffs said its offer to acquire U.S. Steel had received the support of the United Steelworkers union, which is North America’s largest steel industry union. In a separate statement later Sunday, U.S. Steel confirmed it received an offer from Cliffs and other interested parties.

Persons: rebuffing, steelmaker, Lawrence Bryant, ”, Lourenco Goncalves, Davis Polk, Milbank, Lipton, Katz Organizations: Reuters, United States Steel Corp, Sunday, Cliffs, U.S . Steel, U.S . Steel Granite City, REUTERS, Steel, U.S, China . U.S . Steel, AK Steel Holding Corp, United Steelworkers, Company, UBS, Wardwell, . Steel, Barclays Capital, Goldman Sachs Group, Milbank LLP, Wachtell, Rosen Locations: steelmaker Cleveland, U.S . Steel Granite, Granite City , Illinois, U.S, Ohio, China . U.S, steelmaker, North, Wells Fargo, J.P.Morgan, Cleveland

☆ Peter Thiel paid staff an extra $1,000 a month if they lived close to the office so they were more likely to work late, book says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Peter Thiel paid staff an extra $1,000 a month if they lived near the office, a former worker said. The billionaire investor offered it so staff "were more likely to stay late," Michael Gibson wrote. Gibson made the claim in his book "Paper Belt on Fire: The Fight for Progress in an Age of Ashes." Peter Thiel offered his staff a monthly bonus of $1,000 if they lived close to the office, according to a former employee of the billionaire investor. It also offered employees with families a one-off payment of at least $15,000 for housing.

Persons: Peter Thiel, Michael Gibson, Gibson, Thiel, Meta, Davis Polk, Wardwell, they're, Insider's Aaron Mok, Meta didn't Organizations: Employees, Palantir Technologies, Guardian, Bloomberg, Facebook, Street Journal, ARC Locations: San Francisco, Menlo Park, Silicon Valley, ZipRecruiter

☆ In return to office messaging, there's now more stick, less carrot
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Cheryl Winokur Munk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

This marks a shift from the incentive culture that many companies have been using to lure workers back to the office post-pandemic. But workforce demographics vary widely when it comes to the benefits, and the desire, to return to the office. Employees who work from the office at least three times a week report feeling more connected to their colleagues, a company spokesman said. This could mean, for instance, spelling out to the sales team that Mondays and Wednesdays are in-office days because that's when the bulk of customer interactions happen, and making clear to engineering that Thursdays are in-office days because that's when code reviews happen. This comes as the company will start mandating employees be in the office four days a week, up from three days, after Labor Day.

Persons: Bradford, Bell, William J, Conaty, there's, slowdowns, Morgan Chase, Davis Polk, Sallie Krawcheck, Lynne C, Vincent, Jenny von Podewils, Podewils, Rubab Jafry O'Connor, Neil Barr Organizations: Resources, Center, Cornell University's ILR, Google, Skadden, Wardwell, LaSalle Network, Citi, Bank of America, CNBC, Companies, Whitman School of Management, Syracuse University, Employees, Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, Labor Locations: Slate

The preliminary report said Nissan had installed two sets of security cameras at the entrance to Gupta's house in Tokyo's Shibuya ward, the people said. Uchida and Gupta, who was still a Nissan director and chief operating officer on June 20, were recused from the board meeting. In his letter, Nada asked for an international law firm to be brought in to investigate the surveillance of Gupta. Reuters was unable to determine if either law firm had made any finding about the harassment claim itself, beyond how it was handled. Nada said in his letter he understood that Japanese law firm Anderson Mori & Tomotsune had investigated the claim.

Persons: Ashwani Gupta, Makoto Uchida, Davis Polk, Gupta, Uchida, Nissan, Akira Takeuchi, Hari Nada, Nada, Iwata Godo, Motoo Nagai, Nagai, Anderson Mori, Tomotsune, Daniel Leussink, Maki Shiraki, Kevin Krolicki, David Clarke Organizations: Nissan, Renault, Reuters, NEW, Senior Renault, Thomson Locations: Yokohama, Tokyo's Shibuya, Tokyo, French, Austin , Texas

☆ Pyrex kitchenware maker files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 12 (Reuters) - Instant Brands, the maker of Pyrex kitchenware, filed for bankruptcy on Monday, saying it had too much debt to withstand rising interest rates and tighter credit conditions. Instant Brands said it plans to keep operating while it restructures, and toward that end has lined up $132.5 million in financing. "Tightening of credit terms and higher interest rates impacted our liquidity levels and made our capital structure unsustainable," Chief Executive Ben Gadbois said in s statement. Instant Brands' portfolio also includes products such as Instant Pot pressure cookers and Corningware. The case is In re: Instant Brands Acquisition Holdings Inc, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Texas, No.

Persons: Pyrex kitchenware, Ben Gadbois, Davis Polk, Jonathan Stempel, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Brands, Cornell Capital LLC, Instant Brands, Federal Trade Commission, Holdings Inc, Bankruptcy, Southern District of, bk, Thomson Locations: Texas, United States, Canada, Downers Grove , Illinois, USA, China, Southern District, Southern District of Texas, New York

☆ Exclusive: US regulators worried about uninsured deposits before March crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Douglas Gillison | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Officials had yet to do the same for regional banks, some of which had grown to considerable size and complexity, said Gruenberg. One member, Timothy Mayopoulos, who within months would quickly be named chief executive of Silicon Valley Bank after it failed in March, queried regulators about dealing with regional banks' high proportion of uninsured deposits. Banking regulators have come under criticism since March for failing to stave off the crisis triggered by a run on Silicon Valley Bank, most of whose deposit base was uninsured. The Fed and FDIC are expected to release reports on Friday on their supervision of Silicon Valley and Signature Bank. The meeting was the first since the creation of the panel more than a decade ago to consider policy responses to failures in the middle-tier of large financial institutions.

☆ Meet a teacher who quit her job to avoid returning in person — and found a position at a remote-only public school
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A New York City teacher quit her job in March after 12 years at the school. She teaches music and describes the shift to remote learning at the beginning of the pandemic as one that triggered a professional change, too. Parkis is one of many Americans who prefer remote working, even as companies have attempted to entice — and in some cases, strong-arm — employees back to the office. She was teaching full time at a Brooklyn, New York, middle school for 12 years and said her school ended remote learning last year. When she did, she quit right away and began her post at a fully online public school.

☆ Return to the office or see a pay cut: More and more companies are forcing remote workers to choose
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell might cut employees' bonuses if they don't return to the office. "We're very focused on having our team in at the same time," Neil Barr, chair and managing partner at Davis Polk, told the Wall Street Journal. The era of widespread remote work might be coming to a close economy-wide, as firms tighten their belts and try to get their workers back in. As mass layoffs sweep some sectors that embraced remote work — like tech — companies that are letting workers go are increasingly asking for their remaining workforce to come back in. That's because even companies that have chosen to embrace remote work may be doing so in part because it allows them to pay workers less.

☆ Emerson Electric to buy NI Corp for $8.2 bln to deepen automation push
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Nathan Gomes | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 12 (Reuters) - U.S. industrial conglomerate Emerson Electric Co (EMR.N) said on Wednesday it will buy measurement tools maker NI Corp (NATI.O) for $8.2 billion in a bid to boost its automation capabilities. The purchase will allow Emerson to tap NI's software-connected automated test and measurement systems for higher growth and margins in its automation portfolio. Emerson has executed a string of deals over the last few years to streamline itself into an industrial automation provider. The NI deal is expected to close in the first half of Emerson's fiscal 2024. Goldman Sachs & Co LLC and Centerview Partners LLC were financial advisers to Emerson on the deal, while Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP was its legal adviser.

☆ Emerson Electric to buy NI for $8.2 bln to deepen automation push
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 12 (Reuters) - U.S. industrial conglomerate Emerson Electric Co (EMR.N) on Wednesday said it would buy measurement tools maker NI Corp (NATI.O) for $8.2 billion in an effort to boost its automation capabilities. Emerson has executed a string of deals over the last few years to streamline itself into an industrial automation provider. The NI deal is expected to close in the first half of Emerson's fiscal 2024. Shares of Emerson, which already owns an about 2% stake in NI, fell more than 2% to $82.55 in premarket trade. NI launched a formal sale process in January after Emerson threatened to challenge its board if it did not engage in deal negotiations.

☆ Emerson Electric to buy NI Corp for $8.2 billion in automation push
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 12 (Reuters) - U.S. industrial conglomerate Emerson Electric Co (EMR.N) on Wednesday said it would buy measurement equipment maker NI Corp (NATI.O) for $8.2 billion in an effort to boost its automation capabilities. The purchase of Texas-based NI, which provides software-connected automated test and measurement systems, will help Emerson achieve a higher-growth and higher-margin automation portfolio. NI launched a formal sale process in January after Emerson threatened to challenge its board if it did not engage in deal negotiations. Reuters reported on Tuesday that Emerson was in advanced talks to acquire NI. Goldman Sachs & Co LLC and Centerview Partners LLC are serving as financial advisors to Emerson, while Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is serving as legal advisor.

"Meta's discovery gluttony confirms its request of eBay is not worthy of the burden Meta seeks to impose," eBay's lawyers told the California court. EBay's Quinn Emanuel attorneys derided Meta as a "litigant that has completely disregarded the bounds of reason and proportionality" in seeking information from third parties. A representative from eBay and its attorneys at Quinn Emanuel did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lawyers for eBay contend the company doesn't compete with Meta on social networking but does face off over the Facebook Marketplace e-commerce service. The case is Federal Trade Commission v. Meta Platforms Inc, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No.

☆ The judge in the FTX fraud case stepped down because her husband works for a firm that advised Sam Bankman-Fried's crypto exchange last year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ronnie Abrams, the US district judge in the FTX fraud case, stepped down and has been replaced. She said that her husband is a partner at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, which last year advised FTX. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan has taken over the FTX case. Ronnie Abrams, a judge at the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, said in a filing on Friday that she was stepping down. On Tuesday, the case was reassigned to Lewis A. Kaplan, a senior judge at the court, legal filings show.

Law firms Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP FollowDec 27 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried's criminal case over the collapse of his FTX cryptocurrency exchange has been reassigned to a judge recently known for handling defamation lawsuits against former U.S. President Donald Trump and a sexual abuse lawsuit against Britain's Prince Andrew. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan replaces his colleague Ronnie Abrams, who recused herself on Friday after learning that the law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell, where her husband is a partner, advised FTX in 2021. Trump has sought the dismissal of both lawsuits, including a battery claim. Kaplan also recently oversaw Virginia Giuffre's civil lawsuit accusing Prince Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was 17 at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell, the now-convicted former associate of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware and Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Ellison and FTX co-founder Gary Wang both pleaded guilty and are cooperating with prosecutors as part of their plea agreements. Roos said Bankman-Fried carried out a "fraud of epic proportions" that led to the loss of billions of dollars of customer and investor funds. Bankman-Fried has acknowledged risk-management failures at FTX but said he does not believe he has criminal liability. A flurry of customer withdrawals in early November amid concerns about commingling of FTX funds with Alameda prompted FTX to declare bankruptcy on Nov. 11. Bankman-Fried was arrested in the capital Nassau on Dec. 12 and arrived in the United States on Wednesday after consenting to extradition.

☆ Fed Rate Increases Upended Funding Markets in 2022. Here’s What CFOs Can Expect in 2023.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Nina Trentmann | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +9 min

Here’s a look at how different financing instruments fared in 2022 and what’s ahead for 2023. Activity in the convertible debt market has picked up in recent weeks. Still, there could be financing opportunities for deals in 2023 in the form of syndicated loans, bankers said. “CFOs have to be aware of that and focus on cash conversion and margins,” he said, pointing to the increase in financing costs. “We expect deals will continue to get done,” he said, adding that those could however come with more oversight from lenders.

☆ Nutella maker Ferrero scoops up owner of Blue Bunny ice creams
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Wells, which was founded in 1913 as a dairy delivery wagon business, has become the world's largest family owned and managed ice cream company. "This represents a win-win partnership, bringing together ice cream experts and confectionery champions," Giovanni Ferrero said in a statement. "Together, we have the power of one and are well placed to grow and compete in the ice cream market," he added. Ferrero bought Spanish ice cream company ICFC in a two-stage deal in 2019 and 2021. The Wells' transaction, subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close in early 2023.

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