As many workplaces shutter and transition to telecommuting in response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), we are reminded that change always brings with it compliance risk. Even if your company has an emergency plan in place, assessing its effectiveness early and making adjustments as needed can avoid lapses in compliance. So what should compliance professionals at energy trading companies be thinking about right now? First, ensure compliance with existing policies . Most companies limit out-of-office trading and after-hours-trading and may prohibit it except under limited circumstances...

The Trump Administration has issued a proposed rule, 85 Fed. Reg. 5915 (February 3, 2020), that would codify its interpretation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), 16 U.S.C. 703 et seq., as applying only to the direct take of birds subject to the Act. For decades, the federal government interpreted the MBTA as criminalizing both the direct (intentional) and incidental (unintentional and incident to an otherwise lawful activity) take of birds, their nests, and eggs covered by the Act. Permission could be obtained for direct take, for example for hunting or for control of nuisance birds,...