Changes to India data privacy laws have been a long time coming. A 2017 Supreme Court decision sparked legislative overhaul when concluding that privacy is a fundamental right. A bill was introduced soon thereafter leading to years of review, multiple versions, and debate. In August, India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act of 2023 (DPDPA) received presidential assent. The law was modeled after the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It was originally poised to be stricter than the GDPR but that did not come into fruition, as the final version of the law was scaled back.

On 6 September 2023, 2023 China Arbitration Summit and the 3rd Belt and Road Arbitration Institutions Forum (“Summit”) was successfully held in Beijing. The Summit was co-hosted by China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (“CIETAC”) and United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (“UNCITRAL”). Yu Jianlong, Vice Chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (“CCPIT”) and Vice Chairman of China Chamber of International Commerce (“CCOIC”), Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of UNCITRAL, Liu Guixiang, Permanent Member of the Supreme People’s Court (“SPC”)’s Judicial Committee (Vice-Minister Level) and Grand Justice of the Second Rank, attended the opening ceremony and delivered opening remarks. Wang Zhenjiang, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice (“MOJ”), delivered a speech via video. Zhang Shuming, Deputy Chief Judge of the Fourth Civil Division of the SPC, gave a keynote speech. Sun Chunying, First-Level Inspector of the Bureau of Public Legal Service Administration of the MOJ, Zhang Wen, Vice President of Beijing Higher People’s Court, as well as relevant leaders of Beijing Fourth Intermediate People’s Court, Beijing Financial Court and All China Lawyers Association (“ACLA”), attended the opening ceremony. Wang Chengjie, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of CIETAC, moderated the opening ceremony.

Arbitration, an internationally recognized dispute resolution method, plays an important role in protecting the legitimate rights and interests of parties, optimizing business environments, and promoting international economic and trade activities. The China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (“CIETAC”) fully respects the fundamental principles of arbitration, independently, fairly and efficiently examines different kinds of arbitration cases based on law, promoting the sound development of arbitration.

As the volume of data used in corporate activities continues to increase at an accelerating pace, and as new data preservation tools are developed, the volume of data involved in the eDiscovery process is also multiplying. Consequently, many organizations are concerned about reducing the cost of document review which typically accounts for more than half of the cost of eDiscovery. For more than a decade, companies and legal professionals have been exploring the use of Technology Assisted Review (TAR) and advanced technologies.

Lim Chong Kin, a managing director at Drew & Napier, was named one of ALB Asia's Top TMT Lawyers. He discusses his experience in the TMT sector, including Singapore's Telecom and Media Competition Code 2022. 

In Thailand, a significant spotlight is now directed toward the adoption of Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) principles, attracting the attention of regulators, investors, and other stakeholders. This resonates with the global implementation of ESG-related regulations and societal expectations. Thailand’s ESG policy framework consists of a series of guidelines that may be observed by enterprises in those relevant sectors.

Arbitration has long been favoured as a reliable alternative dispute resolution mechanism, providing parties with a means to resolve complex commercial disputes outside traditional court proceedings. However, what once was a faster and cheaper alternative to court proceedings is no longer always regarded as such – especially amongst parties who use arbitration for complex disputes, which require more time and resources to resolve. Additionally, the increasing number of arbitration cases has led to a backlog of cases, which can further delay the process.

Around the world, the volume of electronic data has been growing at an alarming rate as electronic data is created through everyday activities. Electronic documents can be easily duplicated, while the diversity of file types makes it difficult for companies to analyze their data without a unifying platform. As many companies have adapted to a work-from-home arrangement, electronic data is further proliferated as employees increase their use of emails and company chat applications to communicate with each other in lieu of face-to-face communication.

HOANG Nguyen Ha Quyen, managing partner at LNT & Partners, who was named as one of ALB Asia's Top 15 Female Lawyers for 2023, talks about the issues of equality in the legal profession.

Yvonne Tang, the director of intellectual property practice at Drew & Napier, has been named one of ALB Asia's Top 15 Female Lawyers for 2023. These women are shaping Asia's legal landscape and paving the way for others.