Corporate Law

On August 7, 2023, the Lok Sabha passed the new Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023 ("Data Protection Bill") to provide for the processing of digital personal data. Currently, India does not have a standalone law on data protection. Use of personal data is currently regulated under the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000. ......

From an iconic toy, a mainstay for children around the world for decades, to an economic powerhouse in her own right, Barbie is undoubtedly an iconic pop culture figure. Created by Ruth Handler, the co-founder of Mattel Inc. ("Mattel"), after coming across Bild Lilli, a popular German novelty toy first created in 1952, while on a family vacation in Switzerland in 1956. ......

The Securities and Exchange Board of India ("SEBI"), by way of its notification dated June 14, 2023, amended the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 ("LODR Regulations"). Through this amendment, the SEBI introduced a crucial, timely and rather unique requirement for the top 100 and top 250 listed entities in India to address market rumours. ......

The Delhi High Court recently in the case of B.L. Kashyap and Sons Limited vs. Mist Avenue Private Limited held that when a new contract novates the original contract, the arbitration clause would also stand extinguished by virtue of the new agreement. This decision is based on the principle of novation of a contract which is enshrined in Section 62 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872. ......

A Canadian court recently encountered an intriguing case regarding contract law where it had to determine whether the use of the "thumbs-up" emoji (👍) in a contract constituted a valid acceptance of the contract. In this unique case, Justice T. J. Keene acknowledged that the thumbs-up (👍) emoji is an unconventional way of "signing" a document, but only under the circumstances where it conveyed both the identity of the signatory and acceptance of the flax contract. ......

Recently, on June 15, 2023, the Supreme Court of India upheld the largely disproportionate allotment of shares in favour of one group of shareholders of a private limited company, thereby leading to a substantially increased shareholding percentage of such group over the other group of shareholders. ......

Apple Inc. ("Apple") is taking on apples everywhere in a truly bizarre trademark battle. Apple has now initiated proceedings in order to secure proprietary rights to the image of apples, the fruit, in Switzerland. Arguably, Apple has now become synonymous with phones, laptops, and with the image of an apple with a bite taken out. ......

With the world available at your fingertips 24 hours a day and access to an estimated 1.13 billion websites available in the public domain, consumers are spoiled for choice. In the modern-day equivalent of the space race, engagement is the name of the game, with entire teams dedicated to creating the most addictive and easy-to-use platforms and applications. ......

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs, vide a notification dated May 15, 2023, notified the Companies (Compromises, Arrangements and Amalgamations) Amendment Rules, 2023 ("Amended Rules") to streamline certain parts of extant merger and amalgamation process under the Companies Act, 2013 ("Companies Act"); and consequently amend the Companies (Compromises, Arrangements and Amalgamations) Rules, 2016. ......