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The set of properties required for microwave packaging materials intended for aerospace applications is discussed in relation to the current range of materials that are commercially available. Initiatives are being taken to replace kovar, the established packaging material, with substitutes which are lighter, stiffer and offer superior heat‐sinking. Promising in this regard are new family of beryllium‐beryllia and also silicon‐aluminium (Si‐Al) alloys high in silicon, with ratios of constituents chosen such that they optimally complement gallium arsenide MMIC devices and alumina circuit boards. Both types of material are relatively easy to machine and electroplate. Demonstrator microwave amplifier modules incorporating the Si‐Al alloys have been designed for space applications and have been successfully produced and tested. The manufacturing technology that has been developed for this purpose is described.

To provide an overview of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (the “CFTC” or “Commission”) recent amendments to CFTC Rule 1.31, which sets forth recordkeeping requirements for all records required to be kept pursuant to the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) and Commission regulations.

This article discusses the significant May 2017 amendments to CFTC Rule 1.31 and the practical impact of these amendments for entities subject to the rule’s requirements.

The CFTC’s recordkeeping amendments do not impose any new substantive recordkeeping requirements, but modernize and make technology neutral the form and manner in which regulatory records must be kept. By eliminating a number of prescriptive and outdated requirements, the amendments should provide greater flexibility to “records entities” to adopt new technologies in response to evolving technological developments.

Practical guidance from experienced commodities, futures and derivatives lawyers.

To provide an overview of the guidance for proxy firms and investment advisers included in the Staff Legal Bulletin released this year by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after its four-year comprehensive review of the proxy system.

Discusses briefly the context in which the SEC’s review was conducted; the general themes of the guidance provided; the most notable aspects of the guidance; and the matters that were expected to be, but were not, addressed by the SEC.

The guidance does not go as far in regulating proxy advisory firms as many had anticipated it would. The key obligations specified in the guidance are imposed on the investment advisers who engage the proxy firms. The responsibilities, policies and procedures mandated do not change the fundamental paradigm that has supported the influence of proxy firms – that is, investment advisers continue to be permitted to fulfill their duty to vote client shares in a “conflict-free manner” by voting based on the recommendations of independent third parties, and continue to be exempted from the rules that generally apply to persons who solicit votes or make proxy recommendations.

The SEC staff states in the Bulletin that it expects that proxy firms and investment advisers will conform to the obligations imposed in the Bulletin “promptly, but in any event in advance of [the 2015] proxy season.”

Practical guidance from experienced M&A lawyers.

To provide an overview of a new, streamlined process from the Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight (DSIO) of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) by which a commodity pool operator (CPO) may request expedited no-action relief for failure to register under Section 4m(1) of the Commodity Exchange Act if such CPO has designated another, registered CPO to serve as the CPO of the commodity pool.

Explains the background to the CPO registration no-action relief related to CPO delegation and the streamlined process for requesting no-action relief, including the procedure for requesting relief and the applicable criteria that must be satisfied to utilize the streamlined process.

By providing an alternative, streamlined process for requesting no-action relief from CPO registration in the context of delegation arrangements in certain circumstances, the CFTC staff is attempting to facilitate obtaining such relief, particularly since relief may be sought on behalf of multiple commodity pools by means of a single request. However, the criteria that must be fulfilled in order to utilize the streamlined process are not necessarily applicable to all CPOs and in all scenarios. Thus, certain CPOs may need to request no-action relief outside of the new, streamlined process or consider alternative fund structures.

Practical guidance from experienced asset management lawyers.

President Bill Clinton has had many opponents and enemies, most of whom come from the political right wing. Clinton supporters contend that these opponents, throughout the Clinton presidency, systematically have sought to undermine this president with the goal of bringing down his presidency and running him out of office; and that they have sought non‐electoral means to remove him from office, including Travelgate, the death of Deputy White House Counsel Vincent Foster, the Filegate controversy, and the Monica Lewinsky matter. This bibliography identifies these and other means by presenting citations about these individuals and organizations that have opposed Clinton. The bibliography is divided into five sections: General; “The conspiracy stream of conspiracy commerce”, a White House‐produced “report” presenting its view of a right‐wing conspiracy against the Clinton presidency; Funding; Conservative organizations; and Publishing/media. Many of the annotations note the links among these key players.