The Week at Ropes & Gray: Homology Medicines Enters New Collaboration; Advocating for LGBTQ Equality in Mississippi; Welcoming Our New PIF Counsel; Looking Ahead in Asset Management; Preparing for Enforcement of the GDPR; Proposed CFIUS Legislation; 2018 Diversity Scholarship Recipients

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

• Genetics medicine company Homology Medicines entered into a research and development collaboration with Novartis to use Homology's proprietary gene editing technology to develop new treatments for select ophthalmic and hemoglobin blood diseases. Ropes & Gray represented Homology Medicines in the transaction.
• Also at the Supreme Court, Ropes & Gray filed an amicus curiae brief in Barber v. Bryant on behalf of GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders and the National Center for Lesbian Rights. Plaintiffs contend that HB 1523, Mississippi’s discriminatory anti-LGBT legislation, violates the Establishment and Equal Protection Clauses of the U.S. Constitution.
• In addition to fighting LGBTQ inequality through the court system, Ropes & Gray has a long-standing commitment to diversity within the firm. For the tenth consecutive year, the firm earned a perfect score on the Corporate Equality Index, a measure by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation of corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality.
• Ropes & Gray’s private investment funds practice expanded with the addition of Keren Rimon, an experienced fund investor counsel. Ms. Rimon arrives from Harvard Management Company and will work closely with our investor clients.
• Many industries are looking ahead to brace for potential challenges and prepare for new opportunities in the coming year. Several of our asset management partners co-authored the United States chapter of the 6^th Edition of The Asset Management Review. The comprehensive guide includes an overview of recent activity, key trends, and a 2018 outlook, among other topics.
• The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will become fully enforceable on May 25, imposing significant new obligations on organizations that control or process relevant personal data. In the time leading up to the deadline, and in the months that follow, companies will need to take important steps to prepare for enforcement of the GDPR and closely follow the evolving regulatory landscape related to data protection. Roadmap to Compliance, a workbook produced by Ropes & Gray's privacy & cybersecurity team, walks in-house teams through practical steps that address the new requirements and demonstrate compliance.
• A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers introduced identical bills in the House and Senate on Wednesday to broaden the authority of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), an interagency committee that reviews foreign investments in U.S. companies, to determine whether such investments pose a risk to national security. The proposed bill, called the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act, represents the most significant effort to revise the CFIUS process in more than a decade. Read more about the proposed bill in this new alert by our attorneys.
• The firm announced the five recipients of the 2018 Ropes & Gray Roscoe Trimmier Jr. Diversity Scholarship. The scholarship recipients will each receive a $25,000 award to offset the expenses of their legal education. Watch this video to learn more about Roscoe Trimmier Jr., the scholarship that carries forward his legacy of excellence, and Ropes & Gray’s ongoing commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.
• Follow us on Twitter @RopesGray for legal insights and the latest firm news.