Volume 33 - Issue 2

South Korean Cryptocurrency Regulation: International Interference

By Amy Byrne, Staff Member In November 2017, eighty percent of global bitcoin trading[1] was accounted for in South Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.[2] South Korea, known as the most active cryptocurrency exchange in the world,[3] is reportedly “obsessed” with bitcoin.[4]  An estimated one in fifty South Koreans are trading cryptocurrency.[5] Consequently, South Korea’s recent cryptocurrency…

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Labor Reforms Spur Up in France in the Wake of High Unemployment Rates

By Hadley Simonett, Staff Member On August 31, 2017, France’s President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to reform the Code du Travail, France’s contested labor laws.[1] Macron, accompanied by Labour Minister Muriel Pénicaud, and government spokesman Christophe Castaner signed five decrees on September 22, 2017, implementing thirty-six changes to France’s labor law.[2]  By adopting the Ordinances,…

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G7 Fails to Agree to Additional Russian Sanctions

By Tim Peel, Articles Editor Following an allegedly deadly chemical weapon attack in the Syrian rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun that killed 80 and injured hundreds more last week,[1] The U.S. and U.K. had planned to push for additional punitive sanctions against Russia at a G7 meeting this week.[2] While there is no evidence of…

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Insolvency Law and Foreign Direct Investment

By Jason Jack, MJIL Staff Member Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) generally refers to the activities of corporations investing in projects outside of their own country’s borders. Factors commonly understood to influence FDI include economic conditions, diplomatic connections, and simple supply and demand. An additional factor that has often been overlooked is a country’s particular system…

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Changing Tides in the Global Landscape of Mergers and Acquisitions

By Braxton Roam, MJIL Staff Member The global mergers and acquisitions landscape has drastically transformed over the past half-century.[1] Hostile takeovers peaked at 40% of the total M&A market in 1967, but has dropped to just 8.6% by 2014.[2] To that end, investment banks have found other methods to create revenue, including advisement and financing…

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Can President-elect Trump Unilaterally Stop NAFTA?

By Cayla Ebert, MJIL Staff Member In President-elect Trump’s recently-released First 100 Days Plan, Trump promises to withdraw the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) if the three members cannot renegotiate more favorable terms.[1] As for many campaign promises made this past election season, people are asking: “Can he really do…

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Brexit Hits Snag with British High Court

By Russell Payne, MJIL Staff Member On November 3rd, a panel of judges from the Queen Bench Division of the High Court of Justice handed down a ruling that the Crown (and its representative ministers) is not entitled to trigger the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.[1] The principal question addressed was whether the…

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What is Behind the Chinese Demand for American Real Estate?

Cooper Johnson, MJIL Staff Member In the past two years Anbang, a Chinese insurer, has paid $2 billion for the St. Regis in New York City and $6.5 billion for Strategic Hotels.[1] Most recently, Anbang was in a bidding war with Marriot for Starwood Hotels where Anbang bid as high as $14 billion before mysteriously…

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