It's hard to read a business publication these days without seeing headlines on Russia sanctions, crypto and the SEC's new climate-related disclosure rules. It is no different this week.

We weren't at all surprised to see the continued escalation of Russia sanctions, and as James Treanor and Duncan Grieve note in a “Take Five” commentary, even harsher measures are still at the disposal of the United States and the European Union.

On crypto, James Frazier, who leads our ERISA team and also serves as co-chair of our Financial Services Group, addresses the Department of Labor release last month cautioning ERISA plan fiduciaries to use “extreme care” when considering including a cryptocurrency or other related option as part of a self-directed 401(k) plan’s menu of investment choices. We also look at the UK government's plan to become a “global hub” for the cryptoasset industry.

This week's “In Depth” article provides a very helpful guide for public companies with regard to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's proposed amendments to Regulation S-K and Regulation S-X that would mandate significant additional climate-related disclosures for public companies. Peeling back some of the complexity, members of our Global Litigation, Corporate and Capital Markets teams − Jason Halper, Erica Hogan, Michael Ruder and Lauren Russo − offer next steps for public companies in advance of the new rules.

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Daniel Meade & Michael Sholem
Co-Editors, Cabinet News and Views