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    Oct. 21, 2026

Navigating Cartel Contact Compliance and Disclosure in Mexico

In February 2025, the State Department designated six Mexican cartels and transnational criminal organizations as foreign terrorist organizations. More than 18 months later, multinational companies operating in Mexico are still waiting for a major corporate case to clarify how the DOJ will apply this new framework and, critically, where routine business activity could create terrorism-related exposure. In the meantime, companies are making high-stakes decisions about cartel contact before the DOJ has clearly defined the boundaries of that exposure. In a guest article, Barnes & Thornburg's Scott Hulsey and Jeff Lehtman, partners, and Maria Carpizo, senior staff attorney, review recent enforcement actions and explore the practical realities of cartel contact, self-reporting considerations and best practices for reducing organizational risk when doing business in Mexico. See “The Impact on Latin America of Designating Cartels As FTOs” (Jan. 14, 2026).

Export-Control Compliance Lessons From the BAE and GE ITAR Settlements

Recent ITAR settlements involving BAE Systems and GE Aerospace (Settlements) show how administrative failures – such as lapses in technical-data controls, authorization management, employee training and internal oversight – can trigger major enforcement actions with multimillion-dollar penalties and years of regulatory oversight, even for sophisticated companies with mature export-control compliance programs. The Settlements also show that internal audits, voluntary self-disclosure, cooperation and remediation are linked to more favorable outcomes. This article discusses the Settlements and their compliance implications, with insights from export-control lawyers at Barnes, Richardson; Bass, Berry; and McGovern Weems. See our series on trade controls for compliance professionals: “Definitions” (Jul. 29, 2026), “The Enforcement Landscape” (Aug. 12, 2026), and “Which Companies Are at Risk” (Oct. 7, 2026).

Complying With Changes to Canadian Competition Law

As large, consolidated companies make up an increasing proportion of the global economy, many countries have stepped up their antitrust enforcement regimes to help keep playing fields fair. Canada has taken steps to streamline and strengthen its laws to protect competition and, in turn, Canadian consumers. This article distills commentary from Majid Charania, director of the Compliance and Outreach Unit at the Competition Bureau Canada, made during SCCE’s Compliance & Ethics Institute 2026, on how the Canadian antitrust regime works, recent changes to that regime and compliance best practices for companies with connections to Canada. See our two-part series: “Insights From Antitrust Enforcers on an Evolving Landscape” (Nov. 19, 2025), and “Antitrust Enforcer Insights on Red Flags and Compliance Programs” (Dec. 17, 2025).

Navigating the AI Omnibus: Preparing for Compliance

When the E.U.’s Digital Omnibus on AI (AI Omnibus) entered into force on July 27, 2026, providers and deployers of AI systems breathed a sigh of relief as certain fast-approaching E.U. AI Act compliance deadlines, particularly those for high-risk AI systems, were extended. Despite the temporary relief, preparing for compliance remains a daunting undertaking. This second article in a two-part series on the AI Omnibus provides compliance steps that companies can take, discusses implementation challenges and addresses what enforcement may look like, with insights from Bird & Bird, Freshfields, Gibson Dunn, Orrick and Taylor Wessing. Part one provided an overview of the substantive changes to the AI Act effectuated by the AI Omnibus. See our three-part series with answers to top questions about the E.U. AI Act: “Reach and Unique Requirements” (May 22, 2024), “Risk Tiers and Big-Player Transparency” (Jun. 5, 2024), and “Practical Steps and What’s Next” (Jun. 19, 2024).

Gatekeepers Remain in the Crosshairs in Trump 2.0

Due to enhanced regulatory scrutiny and accelerating technological change, corporate gatekeepers – those with fiduciary or professional obligations to prevent, detect and respond to misconduct, such as compliance professionals, auditors, accountants, lawyers, directors and committee members – increasingly find themselves at the center of enforcement investigations even as priorities shift and change under the second Donald Trump presidential administration (Trump 2.0). Experts from Goldman Sachs, Gibson Dunn, LPL Financial, and Weil, Gotshal & Manges discussed how the SEC and DOJ think about gatekeepers and their roles in, and responsibilities for, corporate wrongdoing during a July 2026 Practicing Law Institute webinar. This article synthesizes the key takeaways. See “Answers to Six Key Questions About How Enforcers View Gatekeepers” (Oct. 9, 2024).

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