The Week at Ropes & Gray: a Win in “Docs v. Glocks”; Fighting for Equality in Arkansas; GDPR Impact on Life Sciences, Health Care; Investment Management Update

Weekly highlights of what’s happening at Ropes & Gray:

• In a highly anticipated decision in the “Docs v. Glocks” case, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday struck down the bulk of the Florida “gun gag” law that had curbed doctors from asking patients about firearm ownership. Ropes & Gray represented doctors and medical groups that challenged the law on First Amendment grounds, arguing successfully that it impermissibly restricted physician speech. The decision will have a direct impact on the health and safety of Florida families.

• The National Center for Lesbian Rights, together with Ropes & Gray and Arkansas attorney Cheryl Maples, asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review an Arkansas Supreme Court decision that prohibits the state from issuing birth certificates listing both spouses as parents when a child is born to a married same-sex couple. “It is clear that Obergefell confers on married same-sex couples not just some, but all, rights given to married opposite-sex couples as a consequence of their marriage,” said partner Doug Hallward-Driemeier, who argued the landmark marriage equality case before the Supreme Court in 2015.

• As the risk of enforcement actions keep in-house counsel up at night, a cross-office team of attorneys in our government enforcement practice co-authored two chapters for Global Investigations Review’s “Practitioner’s Guide to Global Investigations.” The chapters consider the advantages and disadvantages of self-reporting in the U.S. and the U.K., such as how the manner and timing of a self-report can make a crucial difference to mitigating potential penalties.

• The General Data Protection Regulation continues to impact entities conducting business within the European Union, with far-reaching implications for life sciences and health care-focused companies that frequently collect and use large amounts of sensitive health-related data. This new alert summarizes some of the more significant changes in the GDPR that are likely to impact businesses within these industries.

• Finally, our latest Investment Management Update brings clients up to speed on regulatory trends and developments, including the SEC staff's letter confirming that fund-of-funds may acquire shares of closed-end funds within the same group of investment companies; the SEC's no-action letter in connection to fund foreign currency transactions through an affiliated agent; amendments to FINRA that exempt fund MDFP from filing requirements; and a bankruptcy court ruling that requires disclosure of private funds’ 10-percent owners.