Behavioural economists have in recent years been examining the complex relationship between survey design and the responses that different types of questionnaires can elicit. In this issue of Raising the Bar, A&M’s Tasneem Azad discusses some of the biases that may influence how individuals respond to certain questions and explores survey design best practice tips for framing questions in order to counteract them. A&M has supported clients in the design and execution of surveys, particularly in respect of potentially emotive and polarising subjects - such as personal finances and access to banking facilities - where addressing behavioural considerations can be crucial for ensuring reliable and meaningful results.

The Trump administration’s policies toward Cuba have recently shifted, creating some urgency for U.S. firms that do business with the embattled country and its regional partners. Michael Carter and Drew Marrocco detail what American companies need to do to maintain compliance.

On Friday, June 14 (“Flag Day”), the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and the Treasury Department issued several pieces of guidance under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA). This includes final, temporary, and proposed regulations (collectively referred to as the “Regulations”). The Regulations cover a wide variety of topics affecting U.S. based multinational organizations, private equity funds, U.S. individual owners of foreign corporations, and others.

Alvarez & Marsal Middle East Limited (A&M) is delighted to publish the Q1’19 edition of the UAE Banking Pulse (“The Pulse”). In this quarterly series, we share results from our research examining the 9 largest listed UAE banks, and highlight key performance indicators of the UAE banking industry. The Pulse aims to help banking executives and board members stay current on industry trends.

The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (“PATH Act”) provided a tax exemption from gain or loss on certain dispositions of U.S. real property interests (“USRPIs”) for Qualified Foreign Pension Funds (“QFPFs”) under section 897(l) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

In a recent article published by Insurance Journal, A&M Senior Director John deCraen examines the background and enforcement of this piece of cybersecurity legislation, and discusses the significance of South Carolina serving as the first state to adopt it.

Like other sectors within supply management, manufacturing is transforming. Faced with new technologies and changing business models and processes, manufacturers must react more quickly to the changing marketplace and adjust their manufacturing base to support new products and categories, two Alvarez & Marsal managing directors say.

Based on a presentation by Neil Beaton at the BVR-American Association of Matrimonial Lawyers’ National Divorce Financial Conference, we have produced a glossary of financial terms for divorce attorneys covering options, warrants, hybrid securities and dilution.

The Euro Banking Pulse is a report based on analysis by A&M into the 24 largest European banks in 2018, scoring each of them against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) linked to both profitability and resilience using proprietary calibration based on the European Banking Authority (EBA) and A&M thresholds.

As an industry, real estate is heavily dependent on lawyers. Law firms provide a variety of legal services to the real estate industry and such services are dependent on a multitude of factors; real estate needs lawyers when times are good or bad. 

Read the 2019 A&M Who's Who Legal Guide. An overview of A&M Disputes and Investigations experts around the globe who are recognised by clients for outstanding work and contribution to thought leadership in their given practice areas.

At the annual 13D Monitor conference in New York in April, one of the year’s key gatherings for the industry, activist investors set out new priorities for their investment decisions, including greater diversity on boards, environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards at target companies, and an increasing interest in the energy sector.

To assist companies entering bankruptcy with their key executive and employee compensation program designs, Alvarez & Marsal has developed a database containing detailed bankruptcy compensation information from the last 14 years.