With David Beavers and Aubree Eliza Weaver

Here are your second-quarter Lobbying Disclosure Act revenue rankings:

Story Continued Below

TOP FIRMS

1. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: $9.7 million (versus $9.4 million in Q1 2017 and $9.7 million in Q2 2016)
2. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck: $6.9 million (versus $6.7 million in Q1 2017 and $6.7 million in Q2 2016)
3. Squire Patton Boggs: $6.2 million (versus $5.8 million in Q1 2017 and $4.6 million in Q2 2016)
4. BGR Group: $5.7 million (versus $5 million in Q1 2017 and $4.5 million in Q2 2016)
5. Holland & Knight: $5.4 million (versus $5.1 million in Q1 2017 and $5 million in Q2 2016)
6. Podesta Group: $5.2 million (versus $5.5 million in Q1 2017 and $5.9 million in Q2 2016)
7. Van Scoyoc Associates: $4.9 million (versus $4 million in Q1 2017 and $5.7 million in Q2 2016)
8. Covington & Burling: $4.8 million (versus $4.2 million in Q1 2017 and $3.3 million in Q2 2016)
9. Cornerstone Government Affairs: $4.8 million (versus $4.5 million in Q1 2017 and $4.2 million in Q2 2016)
10. Capitol Counsel: $4.6 million (versus $4.2 million in Q1 2017 and $4.1 million in Q2 2016)
11. K&L Gates: $4.6 million (versus $4.3 million in Q1 2017 and $4.4 million in Q2 2016)
12. Williams & Jensen: $4.4 million (versus $3.9 million in Q1 2017 and $4.3 million in Q2 2016)
13. Mehlman Castagnetti: $3.8 million (versus $3.6 million in Q1 2017 and $3.3 million in Q2 2016)
14. Ernst & Young: $3.7 million* (versus $3.4 million in Q1 2017 and $3.3 million in Q2 2016)
15. Peck Madigan Jones: $3.6 million* (versus $3.3 million in Q1 2017 and $3.4 million in Q2 2016)
16. Capitol Tax Partners: $3.5 million (versus $3.3 million in Q1 2017 and $3.2 million in Q2 2016))
17. Cassidy & Associates: $3.5 million (versus $3.4 million in Q1 2017 and $3.3 million in Q2 2016)
18. American Continental Group: $3.3 million* (tie) (versus $2.4 million in Q1 2017 and $1.8 million in Q2 2016)
19. Fierce Government Relations: $3.3 million (tie) (versus $3.2 million in Q1 2017 and $3.3 million in Q2 2016.)
20. Crossroads Strategies: $2.9 million (versus $2.7 million in Q1 2017 and $2 million in Q2 2016)

Figures have been verified with the firms except for those marked with asterisks, which are estimated based on Senate disclosure filings.

TOP SPENDERS

1. U.S. Chamber of Commerce: $11.7 million
2. National Association of Realtors: $10.9 million
3. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America: $6 million
4. Google: $5.9 million
5. American Medical Association: $5.3 million
6. National Retail Federation: $5 million
7. Boeing: $4.8 million
8. AT&T: $4.2 million
9. Lockheed Martin: $3.9 million
10. American Hospital Association: $3.8 million
11. Comcast: $3.8 million
12. Amgen: $3.6 million
13. National Association of Broadcasters: $3.4 million
14. U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform: $3.3 million
15. Amazon: $3.2 million
16. The Business Roundtable: $3.2 million
17. NCTA: $3.1 million
18. Southern Company: $3.1 million
19. American Bankers Association: $3 million
20. Open Society Policy Center: $2.9 million

BIGGEST CONTRACTS:

1. Covington & Burling: Qualcomm ($880,000)
2. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Gila River Indian Community ($640,000)
3. McGuireWoods Consulting: Victims of Terrorism – East Africa ($600,000)
4. McGuiness & Yager: HR Policy Association ($590,000) (tie)
5. Monument Policy Group: Victims of Terrorism – East Africa ($590,000) (tie)
6. Morris J. Amitay: Victims of Terrorism – East Africa ($590,000) (tie)
7. Covington & Burling: Coalition for American Retirement ($490,000)
8. Covington & Burling: Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America ($430,000)
9. PricewaterhouseCoopers: TRGroup (Alliance for Competitive Taxation) ($400,000)
10. Venn Strategies: Employee-Owned S-Corporations of America ($390,000)

OTHER FIRMS OF NOTE:

— Avenue Strategies: $450,000 (versus $180,000 in Q1 2017)
— Ballard Partners: $2.3 million (versus $1.3 million in Q1 2017)
— Forbes Tate: $2.6 million (versus $2.9 million in Q1 2017 and $2.3 million in Q2 2016)
— King & Spalding: $997,500 (versus $985,000 in Q1 2017 and $977,500 in Q2 2016)
— Ogilvy Government Relations: $2.9 million (versus $2.9 million in Q1 2017 and $2.6 million in Q2 2016)
— Subject Matter: $2.1 million (versus $2.1 million in Q1 2017 and $2.5 million in Q2 2016)
— Thorn Run Partners: $2.4 million (versus $2.3 million in Q1 2017 and $2.2 million in Q2 2016)
— Venable: $2.2 million (versus $2.2 million in Q1 2017 and $2.8 million in Q2 2016)

Good afternoon, and welcome to PI. Got a tip? Get in touch: tmeyer@politico.com. You can also follow me on Twitter: @theodoricmeyer.

WHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN: Congress hasn’t moved major legislation in the first six months of Donald Trump’s presidency, but that isn’t holding K Street back. Most of the top lobbying firms saw modest bumps in business in the second quarter. Akin Gump, the top firm once again, brought in $9.7 million in the second quarter, up from $9.4 million in the first quarter. Brownstein Hyatt, the No. 2 firm, saw $6.9 million in revenue, up from $6.7 million in the first quarter. Congress may be stalled on the health care bill, but “we are still doing a lot of work on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue,” said Elizabeth Gore, the chairwoman of Brownstein Hyatt’s government relations practice. That includes regulatory work in the agencies and executive orders coming out of the White House.

— Some firms have seen more significant leaps in business. BGR Group, a top Republican-leaning firm, did $5.7 million in business in the second quarter compared to $5 million in the first quarter and $4.5 million in the second quarter of 2016. American Continental Group, where Dave Urban, who helped Trump carry Pennsylvania, is a top lobbyist, brought in $3.3 million in the second quarter, up from $2.4 million in the first quarter and $1.8 million in the second quarter of 2016. Podesta Group, on the other hand, which was seen as close to President Barack Obama’s administration, saw its revenue decline to $5.2 million in the second quarter compared to $5.5 million in the first quarter and $5.9 million in the second quarter of 2016. David Marin, a principal at Podesta, said any declining in lobbying revenue was made up for by an increase in the firm’s communications work. “We’re much more than a quote-unquote lobbying firm,” Marin said. “We’re a strategic communications firm.”

— Lobbyists are bullish that the rest of the year will see their business pick up even more. Darrell Conner of K&L Gates said he expects the months after the August recess to be busy. Whether lobbying revenue hits the heady highs of 2009 “will really be dependent on whether Congress and the administration can come together on the big issues: tax reform, infrastructure, those kinds of things,” he said.

FILINGS THAT CAUGHT OUR EYE TODAY: Uber has hired Ballard Partners, the Florida firm run by Brian Ballard, a top fundraiser for Donald Trump’s campaign. Ballard has raked in business since opening a Washington office after Trump’s win, with $2.3 million in domestic lobbying revenue this quarter and another $660,000 in foreign revenue reported to the Justice Department, according to the firm. Uber also retains Capitol Tax Partners, the Federal Hill Group, Invariant and the Doerrer Group. Capitol Counsel, meanwhile, has landed AdvaMed as a client, and McGuireWoods Consulting will lobby for Hewlett-Packard, Intel and TripAdvisor.

NEW PARTNERS AT SMOOT TEWES: Smoot Tewes Group is promoting Dan Kanninen, Shoren Brown and Aaron Wells to partner, joining Julianna Smoot and Paul Tewes. Kanninen, who had worked for the firm before, rejoined late last year after advising Hillary Clinton’s campaign in North Carolina. Brown and Wells have been with the firm for three years. STG is also promoting Sabrina Neal to chief financial officer. More recent staff moves are outlined here.

CHAMBER PRODS CONGRESS ON TAX REFORM: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, sent a letter to Congress on Thursday urging members to get on with tax reform. “We are a quarter of the way through this Congress, but we are not yet where we need to be on key issues like health care, tax reform, and rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure,” Tom Donohue, the Chamber’s president and chief executive, wrote in the letter. “Promises were made; promises must be kept. At this point Congress must more fully turn its attention to and accelerate its effort to enact tax reform, which will grow the economy and create jobs.” While Donohue doesn’t explicitly tell members to give up on health care, he writes the “gridlock” on repealing Obamacare “is holding back progress” on tax reform. Here’s the full letter.

CAMPBELL LEAVES GROCERY MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION OVER GMO STANCE: “Campbell Soup Co. will leave the Grocery Manufacturers Association by the end of the year, Chief Executive Denise Morrison said Wednesday during a company investor event,” POLITICO’s Luis Sanchez reports. “The departure comes after Campbell last year publicly broke from GMA and other major food producers by supporting mandatory GMO labeling.” Full story.

JOBS REPORT

— United Airlines has tapped Terri Fariello as its next senior vice president of government affairs. She was previously vice president in ExxonMobil‘s Washington office. Julian Ha of Heidrick & Struggles handled the search. For those keeping track, Delta Air Lines is still hunting for a new top lobbyist.

— “Spotify is bringing on longtime Washington policy hand Emery Simon to be its first-ever global head of government relations, according to two industry sources,” POLITICO’s Nancy Scola reports. “Simon will start at Spotify in August, reporting to the company’s general counsel, and will also oversee the Brussels office, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the hire publicly.”

— Danielle Suber has joined Emerson as manager of government relations. She was previously a policy adviser to Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), who resigned from Congress on June 30.

— Orbital ATK is adding Suzy Sterner to its Washington office as senior director and chief lobbyist for civil space programs. She was previously a lobbyist for Science Applications International Corporation.

SPOTTED: At a fundraising dinner for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on Tuesday night at RPM in Mount Vernon Square that brought in $100,000, according to a PI tipster: Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), who was a special guest; Joe Wall of Goldman Sachs; Geoff Verhoff of Akin Gump; Carmen Spence of the Managed Funds Association; John Lively of AT&T; Scott Weaver of Wiley Rein; Jaime Hjort of CTIA; Robbie Aiken of Pinnacle West; Chris Chapel of NextEra Energy; Chris Berardini of Quicken Loans; Bill Behrens of General Electric; Jack Livingston of Raytheon; Nicole Gustafson of the National Association of Broadcasters; Kristin Bodenstedt of Bacardi; Guy Beeman of Marathon; and Joe Musker of Centene.

— At a Hispanic Leadership Fund reception at Bobby Van’s on Wednesday night welcoming Gus Portela to the staff, according to a PI tipster: Mario Lopez of the Hispanic Leadership Fund; Andrew Kovalcin of Advanced Advocacy; Jared Parks of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center; former New Hampshire state Rep. Marilinda Garcia; Tony Lis of Rep. Jack Bergman’s office; Jacquelyn Puente of Comcast; Matthew Kandrach of Consumer Action for a Strong Economy; and Alexandra Smith of America Rising.

NEW JOINT FUNDRAISERS:

Kennedy Club Committee (Sen. John Kennedy, Pelican PAC, NRSC)

NEW PACs:

America First Era (PAC)
John Cats Political Action Committee (Unknown)
Valent U.S.A. LLC Political Action Committee (PAC)
World Muhajir Congress PAC (PAC)

NEW LOBBYING REGISTRATIONS:

A1.9 Strategies LLC: FLIR Systems, Inc.
American Continental Group: Heckler & Koch Defense Inc.
Ballard Partners: AVE, LLC
Ballard Partners: Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Ballard Partners: Uber Technologies, Inc.
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: City of North Miami
Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.: The Latino Coalition
Capitol Counsel, LLC: Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed)
Commonwealth Care Alliance: Commonwealth Care Alliance
Continental Consulting Group Corporation: Hoffman Engineering
Crowell & Moring LLP: Medtronic, Inc.
District Economics Group: Employee-Owned S-Corporations of America
District Economics Group: Hartford Financial Services Group
Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Barrick Gold of North America, Inc.
Health Policy Source, Inc.: Blank Rome Government Relations LLC on behalf of ArcticDX
Hogan Lovells US LLP: Commercial Drone Alliance
Husch Blackwell, LLP: Cybernet Systems Corporation
Jack Ferguson Associates, Inc.: Arizona Minerals Inc.
Jefferson Business Consulting, LLC: Alana HealthCare, LLC
Kent Caperton Consulting: Rackspace Hosting
Kent Caperton Consulting: Texas Central Partners
Mayer Brown LLP: Weldbend Corporation
McGuireWoods Consulting (A Subsidiary of McGuireWoods LLP): Digital Content Next
McGuireWoods Consulting (A Subsidiary of McGuireWoods LLP): Fresh Air Educators, Inc.
McGuireWoods Consulting (A Subsidiary of McGuireWoods LLP): Hewlett Packard Enterprise
McGuireWoods Consulting (A Subsidiary of McGuireWoods LLP): Infosys Limited
McGuireWoods Consulting (A Subsidiary of McGuireWoods LLP): Intel Corporation
McGuireWoods Consulting (A Subsidiary of McGuireWoods LLP): Small UAV Coalition
McGuireWoods Consulting (A Subsidiary of McGuireWoods LLP): TripAdvisor Inc.
Merchant McIntyre & Associates, LLC: Averett University
Merchant McIntyre & Associates, LLC: City of Pompano Beach, Florida
Merchant McIntyre & Associates, LLC: East Central Indiana Regional Planning District
Merchant McIntyre & Associates, LLC: Town of Windsor, California
Merchant McIntyre & Associates, LLC: Trinity Baptist College
Mr. Gaylord Hughey: Fish & Richardson P. C.
Mr. Gaylord Hughey: Martin Operating Partnership, LP
Ms. Renee Rappaport: Association of Military Banks of America
Playmaker Strategies, LLC: Rio Valley Biofuels
RR&G, LLC: Walter Raheb Consulting
S-3 Group: The Internet Association Sabiston Consultants, LLC: Pilot Catastrophe Services, Inc.
Sextons Creek: Singh World Foundation
Signal Group Consulting, LLC: Kitty Hawk Corporation
Strategies 360: North Pacific Paper Company (NORPAC)
The Russell Group, Inc.: Michigan Sugar Company
Timothy Lovain: Crossroads Strategies LLC obo Washington State Department of Transportation
Timothy Lovain: Crossroads Strategies, LLC on behalf of City of Edmonds
Timothy Lovain: Crossroads Strategies, LLC on behalf of Intoxalock
Timothy Lovain: Crossroads Strategies, LLC on behalf of Port of Everett
Washington Advocacy Group: DCI Group
Washington Advocacy Group: Pafford EMS
Washington Advocacy Group: Rural AR Telecom
Washington Alliance Group: nLight
Washington Alliance Group: Synapse Technology Corporation

NEW LOBBYING TERMINATIONS:

A1.9 Strategies LLC: O’Brien, Gentry & Scott obo Prox Dynamics, a division of FLIR Systems
Akerman LLP: International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Amazon Prime Air
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Digital Content Next
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Foundation Medicine, Inc.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Fresh Air Educators, Inc.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Infosys Limited
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Intel Corporation
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: MAXIMUS Inc.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Small UAV Coalition
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: TripAdvisor Inc.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Macular Degeneration Association
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: PrecisionHawk USA, Inc.
Alpine Group, Inc.: National Association Clean Water Agencies
Alpine Group, Inc.: SAP America, Inc
Alston & Bird LLP: Air Methods Corporation
Alston & Bird LLP: American Health Care Association
Alston & Bird LLP: Fresenius Medical Care
Alston & Bird LLP: Health South Corporation
Alston & Bird LLP: Humacyte, Inc.
Alston & Bird LLP: Kidney Care Council
Alston & Bird LLP: Matrix Medical Network
Alston & Bird LLP: National Cardiovascular Partners
Alston & Bird LLP: OTP Consortium
Alston & Bird LLP: Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare
Alston & Bird LLP: SCAN Health Plan
Alston & Bird LLP: Verax Biomedical
Alston & Bird LLP: Crown Laboratories, Inc.
Alston & Bird LLP: Mohawk Industries, Inc.
Alston & Bird LLP: Rheem Manufacturing Company
Alston & Bird LLP: United Health Services – Pruitt Corporation
American Society of Consultant Pharmacists: American Society of Consultant Pharmacists
Arent Fox LLP: Greater New York Hospital Association
Ariale Strategies, L.L.C.: Becker & Poliakoff on behalf of ShotSpotter
Ariale Strategies, L.L.C.: Turbocombustor Technology, Inc. d/b/a Paradigm Precision
Armitage Consulting, LLC: Spectrum Public Affairs (on behalf of U.S. Coalition for Advanced Diesel Cars)
Ballard Partners: Veterans Evaluation Services, Inc
Banner Public Affairs, LLC: CKE Restaurants, Inc.
Best Best & Krieger LLP: City Of Laredo Texas
BGR Government Affairs: Families Against Mandatory Minimums
BGR Government Affairs: Roivant Sciences, Inc.
BGR Government Affairs: American Career College
BGR Government Affairs: National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Blank Rome Government Relations: Blank Rome LLP
Blank Rome Government Relations: Chambers Conlon and Hartwell (Municipality Of Anchorage/Port Of Anchorage)
Blank Rome Government Relations: Agfa HealthCare Corporation
Blank Rome Government Relations: Furie Operating Alaska
Bret Healy d/b/a Riverbluff Strategies: Ho-Chunk, Inc.
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: CH2M Hill Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Genomind
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Ingram Micro Inc.
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Intertek Testing Services NA, Inc.
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Val d’Or
Capitol Counsel, LLC: BI Incorporated
Capitol Hill Consulting Group: National Funeral Directors Association
Capitol Hill Consulting Group: Orbital ATK Inc Fka: Alliant Techsystems Operations LLC
CGCN Group, LLC (formerly known as Clark Geduldig Cranford & Nielsen, LLC): Aetna, Inc.
CGCN Group, LLC (formerly known as Clark Geduldig Cranford & Nielsen, LLC): Coalition for Patient Vision Care Safety
CGCN Group, LLC (formerly known as Clark Geduldig Cranford & Nielsen, LLC): Intersections, Inc.
CGCN Group, LLC (formerly known as Clark Geduldig Cranford & Nielsen, LLC): Lundback, Inc.
CGCN Group, LLC (formerly known as Clark Geduldig Cranford & Nielsen, LLC): ATG Americas Trading Group S.A.
Chambers, Conlon & Hartwell, LLC: Kansas Department Of Commerce
Chambers, Conlon & Hartwell, LLC: Omnitrax Inc
Champlin Washington Strategies: National Foreign Trade Council
Chicago Bridge & Iron Company N.V.: Chicago Bridge & Iron Company N V
Coffield Law PC: Canadian Sugar Institute
Complete Pharma Holdings LLC (CP) (Formerly: Marathon Pharmaceuticals, LLC): Complete Pharma Holdings LLC (CP) (Formerly: Marathon Pharmaceuticals LLC)
Congressional Strategies LLC: Innovative Federal Strategies, LLC
Cove Strategies: Motion Picture Association of America, Inc.
Covington & Burling LLP: Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc
Covington & Burling LLP: Illumina, Inc.
Crawford & Mauro Law Firm: Humane Society of the United States
Crossroads Strategies, LLC: Birdon America, Inc.
Crossroads Strategies, LLC: Brunswick Commercial and Government Products
Crossroads Strategies, LLC: iNSYS Therapeutics, Inc.
Crossroads Strategies, LLC: United Catcher Boats
Crossroads Strategies, LLC: Valero Energy Corporation
Crowell & Moring LLP: North Cypress Medical Center
Cypress Advocacy, LLC: Americans Standing for Simplification of the Estate Tax, Inc. (ASSET)
Cypress Advocacy, LLC: Edison Electric Institute
Dan Burton International LLC: ECM BioFilms, Inc., a corporation, also d/b/a Enviroplastics International
David Scott Partners, LLC: Duane Morris Government Strategies
DC Strategies Group, LLC: Ocean Dreams Holdings, LLC
Dentons US LLP: RAI Services Company
Dentons US LLP: Amerisourcebergen
Dentons US LLP: Lone Star Rail
Dentons US LLP: Pacific Seafood
Dentons US LLP: The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Dilworth Paxson LLP: FedBid, Inc.
Dilworth Paxson LLP: Bancroft
DLA Piper LLP (US): Modern Markets Initiative
DLA Piper LLP (US): CAN Capital, Inc.
DLA Piper LLP (US): Oracle Corporation
Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP: Broadcast Music Inc
Epplin Strategic Planning: Civitas Public Affairs Group
Epplin Strategic Planning: Van Heuvelen Strategies on behalf of Citizens for Responsible
Ernst & Young LLP (Washington Council Ernst & Young): CenturyLink, Inc.
Farragut Partners LLP: AmerisourceBergen Corporation
Fennemore Craig: American Share Insurance
Fierce Government Relations: Option Care
Fierce Government Relations: Project for Opportunity and Safety, Inc.
Flynn & Associates, Inc.: American Chemistry Council, Inc.
Foley & Lardner LLP: National Concrete Masonry Association
Foley & Lardner LLP: Center for Oral Health
FTI Government Affairs: MasterCard International Incorporated
Galileo Consulting Group, Inc.: Clover Health, LLC
Gavel Resources, LLC: Salishan – Mohegan, LLC.
Genzyme Corporation: Genzyme Corporation
Goldbug Strategies LLC: Cure Forward
Harry Holmes: Good Neighbor Healthcare Center
Harry Holmes: Harris County Healthcare Alliance
Health Policy Source, Inc.: Johnnston Group on behalf of Skagit Valley Hospital
Henley Strategies LLC: Coalition for Responsible Business Finance
Highground Inc: Ballard Spahr, LLP on behalf of Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association
Innovative Federal Strategies, LLC: Trident Systems Incorporated
Innovative Federal Strategies, LLC: City Of Redlands, Ca
J M Burkman & Associates: Conidia Inc
J M Burkman & Associates: ECM Holdings
J M Burkman & Associates: Elysium
J M Burkman & Associates: Rayblue Solutions
J M Burkman & Associates: Schluter Systems LP
J.A.Hill Group, LLC: COMPTEL dba INCOMPAS
John T. Doolittle, LLC: Dan Burton Int. LLC on behalf of ECM BioFilms, Inc., dba Enviroplastics Int
John T. Doolittle, LLC: Dan Burton International, LLC
John T. Doolittle, LLC: The Greenbriar Project Owner, LP
Keller McIntyre & Associates: Benedictine College
Keller McIntyre & Associates: CentraCare Health
Keller McIntyre & Associates: Hiwassee College
Keller McIntyre & Associates: Lexington-Fayette Urban County
Keller McIntyre & Associates: Williamsport Municipal Water Authority Williamsport Sanitation Authority
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC: University of Iowa
Lincoln Policy Group: NextEra Energy
Lindbergh Counsel LLC: Red River Waste Solutions
Mayer Brown LLP: Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P.
Mayer Brown LLP: Viamedia, Inc.
ML Strategies, LLC: CompTIA Certifications, LLC
ML Strategies, LLC: Exxon Mobil Corp
ML Strategies, LLC: Lockheed Martin Corporation
ML Strategies, LLC: The Northeast MAGLEV, LLC
ML Strategies, LLC: Alterna Capital Partners, LLC
Ms. Barbara Rohde: White Earth Tribal Nation
MSLGROUP Americas, Inc., d/b/a Qorvis MSLGROUP: Yamal LNG
MWW Group: WebMD Health
National Stripper Well Association: National Stripper Well Association
Nixon Peabody LLP: Bond Dealers of America
NMS Strategies: Innovative Federal Strategies
Nossaman LLP (Formerly Nossaman LLP/O’Connor & Hannan): Institute For Marine Mammal Studies
Nossaman LLP (Formerly Nossaman LLP/O’Connor & Hannan): Marine Conservation Alliance
Nossaman LLP (Formerly Nossaman LLP/O’Connor & Hannan): Southeast Regional Dive Fisheries Association
Nyprocoa, Inc.: Matrix Realty, Inc.
O’Brien, Gentry & Scott, LLC: Automotive Management Services
O’Brien, Gentry & Scott, LLC: Prox Dynamics As (Subsidiary Of Flir Systems)
Oldaker Law Group, LLP: Coqui Radiopharmaceuticals, Corp.
O’Rourke & Nappi, LLP: National Marine Manufacturers Association
Park Strategies, LLC: CliniComp International, Inc.
Peck Madigan Jones: American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Peck Madigan Jones: Anti-Defamation League
Podesta Group, Inc.: Delaware State University Foundation (on behalf of Council of 1890 Universities)
Podesta Group, Inc.: ZTE USA, Inc.
Podesta Group, Inc.: Leadership Conference On Civil Rights
Porterfield, Fettig & Sears, LLC: Comenity
Rampy Northrup LLC: Alkermes, Inc.
Roberti Global (fka Roberti White, LLC): Podesta Group, Inc. (on behalf of Hitomi Financial Ltd.)
Roberti Global (fka Roberti White, LLC): The Philadelphia Orchestra
Roberti Global (fka Roberti White, LLC): USA Living
Rubicon Advisors, LLC: Alliance to Prevent the Abuse of Medicines
Rubicon Advisors, LLC: College of American Pathologists
Runyan Public Affairs, LLC: Envelope Manufacturers Association
Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.: Borderfree
Sellery Associates: American Society For Quality
Signal Group Consulting, LLC: Afognak Native Corporation
Signal Group Consulting, LLC: International Fragrance Association North America
Signal Group Consulting, LLC: Specialized Training Consulting & Instruction
Signal Group Consulting, LLC: Border Trade Alliance
Signal Group Consulting, LLC: City and County of Denver Colorado
Sonoran Policy Group, LLC: EventTracker
Sonoran Policy Group, LLC: The Vinyl Institute
Split Rock Strategies: Lindbergh Counsel LLC
Steptoe & Johnson LLP: American Fuel Cell and Coated Fabric Company
Steptoe & Johnson LLP: Blend Labs, Inc.
Steptoe & Johnson LLP: Navigators Global LLC on behalf of Proctor Financial Inc.
Subject Matter (fka Elmendorf Ryan): Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP: Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
The Conafay Group, L.L.C.: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
The OB-C Group. LLC: Centrus Energy — Formerly Know As United States Enrichment Corporation
The OB-C Group. LLC: Orion Engineered Carbons, LLC
The Raben Group: AIDS United
The Raben Group: PACE Center for Girls
The Raben Group: The DoCanto Group (on behalf of The Nurse Family Partnership)
The Summerill Group LLC: Dallas County Sheriff’s Office
The Summerill Group LLC: Lackawanna County Prison
The Summerill Group LLC: St. Charles County Department of Corrections
Thompson Coburn LLP: KM LPTV of Chicago-13, LLC
Todd Strategy, LLC: Arbor Pharmaceuticals, LLC
Tonio Burgos & Associates of New Jersey LLC: City of Ocean City New Jersey
Tonio Burgos & Associates, Inc.: AHRC New York City
Tonio Burgos & Associates, Inc.: Univision Communications, Inc.
Troutman Sanders Public Affairs Group, LLC: American Peanut Shellers Association
Troutman Sanders Public Affairs Group, LLC: Dr. Ying Yue
Troutman Sanders Public Affairs Group, LLC: Fonterra Co-Operative Group Limited
Troutman Sanders Public Affairs Group, LLC: Georgia Farm Services, LLC
Troutman Sanders Public Affairs Group, LLC: Jean Francois Coste
Troutman Sanders Public Affairs Group, LLC: Knapp Chevrolet, LLC
Troutman Sanders Public Affairs Group, LLC: Marathon Petroleum Corp.
Troutman Sanders, LLP: Motivation, Inc.
University Of Pittsburgh: University Of Pittsburgh
US Policy Strategies: Akin, Gump, et.al on behalf of Hospitals for Accountability thru Judicial Review
Van Heuvelen Strategies, LLC: Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions
Van Scoyoc Associates: CSX Corporation
Van Scoyoc Associates: Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority
Van Scoyoc Associates: Rural County Representatives of California
VeriSign, Inc.: VeriSign, Inc.
Vulcan Inc.: Vulcan Inc.
Walsh Capitol Consulting LLC: Oriana House
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP: San Luis Rey River Indian Water Authority

Go to Source

Chinese business magnate Jack Ma has challenged international companies to play by the local rules if they want longer and better stay in foreign countries.

The e-commerce guru told international firms, including Chinese ones, to employ local workers, pay them well and remit their taxes if they want to have a healthy relationship in the countries where they operate.

The executive chairman of Alibaba Group was responding to a question by Chinese investor in Kenya who wanted to get tips on how to succeed in the country. “Most international companies in foreign countries are after short-term goals. They just want to make profits and then move out,” he said on Thursday during a public lecture at the University of Nairobi.

He regretted that most multinational companies are just after cheap materials and labour. “Cheap labour and materials can’t be better and local,” he said to a hall packed with students. The issue of using cheap labour has haunted Chinese companies in Kenya, with most being accused of paying local workers peanut salaries.

A recent report by management consulting firm McKinsey & Company found that, only 47 percent of the Chinese firms’ sourcing was from local African firms. This, the report said, represented a lost opportunity for local firms to benefit from Chinese investment.

ALSO READ:

Chinese e-commerce mogul Jack Ma tips Kenya’s budding entrepreneurs

The same was replicated at the management level with only 44 percent of local managers at the Chinese-owned companies surveyed being African. “There have been instances of major labour and environmental violations by Chinese owned businesses. These range from inhumane working conditions to illegal extraction of natural resources including timber and fish,” read part of the report.

Sourced locally

Reports showed that about 72 per cent of the materials used in the construction of the just-concluded Phase One of the Standard Gauge Railway were imported, thus denying local contractors a huge chunk of income.

This raised a storm in the country as the law requires that at least 40 per cent of materials used in project should be sourced locally under the Government’s Buy Kenya, Build Kenya initiative. China Roads and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) had been contracted to construct the over Sh400 billion project from Mombasa to Nairobi.

Even President Uhuru Kenyatta questioned why local companies have not fully benefited from the provision of goods and services for the construction of the SGR. CRBC denied any wrongdoing saying that they only imported what they could not find locally.

Jack Ma who was on a two-day trip to Africa said that a 21st century company has to meet three objectives: It has to be inclusive, sustainable and be happy and healthy.

He also challenged Kenya, which has in recent times been on an industrialisation overdrive to come up with growth models that are unique to it rather than aping Chinese models that have made the Asian country be one of the most polluted in the world.

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Jack Ma, Asia’s richest person to address Kenyans at University of Nairobi

He urged Kenya to choose a growth model that would not destroy its environment. “It is easy to build buildings, but it is difficult to call animals back,” he said.

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July 21, 2017 /AccessWire/ —

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 21, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (“Chipotle” or the “Company”) (NYSE: CMG) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, District of Colorado, and docketed under 17-cv-01760, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Chipotle securities, seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants’ violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

If you are a shareholder who purchased Chipotle securities between February 5, 2016, and July 19, 2017, both dates inclusive, you have until September 18, 2017, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

[Click here to join this class action]

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. owns and operates quick-serve Mexican restaurants. The Company operates restaurants throughout the United States.

In 2015, numerous customers fell ill after eating at Chipotle restaurants, exposing the fact that Chipotle’s quality controls were not in compliance with applicable consumer and workplace safety regulations and were inadequate to safeguard consumer and employee health.

Facing a sharp drop-off in sales, Chipotle responded with widely publicized measures that the Company touted as improvements to its food safety protocols. On February 8, 2016, the Company closed all of its restaurants for several hours for an all-staff meeting regarding food safety. In addition, Chipotle hired a new head of food safety who implemented a number of changes to policies at the Company’s restaurants – for example, requiring all employees to wash their hands every half hour, mandating that two employees verified that certain ingredients had been immersed in hot water for at least five seconds to kill germs, and using Pascalization to pre-treat food ingredients. By touting these measures, along with free food promotions and increased advertising, Chipotle aimed to restore customer confidence in the safety of its food.

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company’s business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Chipotle’s purported improvements in its restaurants’ food safety policies were inadequate; (ii) accordingly, Chipotle’s quality controls were still not in compliance with applicable consumer and workplace safety regulations; (iii) in turn, Chipotle’s quality controls remained inadequate to safeguard consumer and employee health; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, Chipotle’s public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On July 18, 2017, media outlets reported that Chipotle had closed a restaurant in Sterling, Virginia due to a suspected norovirus outbreak. According to Business Insider, citing information from iwaspoisoned.com, a website on which consumers document suspected incidents of foodborne illness, at least 13 customers fell ill after eating at the Chipotle restaurant in question between July 14 and July 15. The Business Insider article further stated that customers who fell sick after eating at the restaurant reported “vomiting violently,” fevers, “violent stomach cramps,” and dizziness for several days.

On this news, Chipotle’s share price fell $17.02, or 4.34%, to close at $374.98 on July 18, 2017.

On July 20, 2017, The Wall Street Journal published an article entitled “Over 100 Report Being Sickened at Virginia Chipotle,” disclosing that the number of reports of illness associated with the restaurant-chain continues to rise.

On that same day, Reuters published an article entitled “Chipotle Virginia customer tested positive for norovirus – official,” reporting that a county health department official has confirmed norovirus in a customer who ate at the Virginia Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. restaurant.

Later in the day, CNBC published an article entitled “Rodents reportedly fall from ceiling of Dallas Chipotle,” reporting that rodents were spotted at a Dallas-area Chipotle on July 19, 2017. According to the article, diners captured the incident inside the restaurant on video, which shows “rodents crawling around the floor and one climbing up the wall,” and with customers claiming the rodents were falling from the ceiling.

On these disclosures, Chipotle’s share price fell $16.78, or 4.5%, to close at $356.05 on July 20, 2017.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com.

SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP

ReleaseID: 469263

Source URL: http://marketersmedia.com/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-reminds-shareholders-with-losses-on-their-investment-in-chipotle-mexican-grill-inc-of-class-action-lawsuit-and-upcoming-deadline-cmg/220488

Source: AccessWire

Release ID: 220488

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July 21, 2017 /AccessWire/ —

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 21, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Amec Foster Wheeler plc (“Amec” or the “Company”) (NYSE: AMFW). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 9980.

The investigation concerns whether Amec and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here to join a class action]

On July 11, 2017, Amec advised investors that the Company was under investigation by the U.K.’s Serious Fraud Office (“SFO”). In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Amec disclosed that the SFO’s investigation “focuses on the past use of third parties and possible bribery and corruption and related offences.”

On this news, Amec’s American Depositary Receipt price fell $0.27, or 4.57%, to close at $5.64 on July 11, 2017.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com.

SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP

ReleaseID: 469269

Source URL: http://marketersmedia.com/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-on-behalf-of-investors-of-amec-foster-wheeler-plc-amfw/220500

Source: AccessWire

Release ID: 220500

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July 21, 2017 /AccessWire/ —

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 21, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of AngioDynamics, Inc. (“AngioDynamics” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: ANGO). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 9980.

The investigation concerns whether AngioDynamics and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here to join a class action]

On July 17, 2017, post-market, AngioDynamics announced that its auditor has determined that a material weakness existed in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of May 31, 2016 because AngioDynamics did not design and maintain effective internal controls over the accounting for the annual goodwill impairment test. Specifically, the Company lacked effective controls to review in sufficient detail the cash flow projections and significant valuation model assumptions used in the goodwill impairment test as of December 31, 2015.

On this news, AngioDynamics’ share price has fell as much as $0.91, or 5.61%, during intraday trading on July 18, 2017

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com.

SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP

ReleaseID: 469257

Source URL: http://marketersmedia.com/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-on-behalf-of-investors-of-angiodynamics-inc-ango/220480

Source: AccessWire

Release ID: 220480

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LONDON: The law firms in Britain operate on weekends as well as on bank holidays and even provide services at home on request.

A debate started in Pakistan on Thursday if law firms in the UK carry out their business on weekends or not after the JIT report said in its observations that the “Trust Deed” between Maryam and Hussain Nawaz could be bogus because it was signed on February 4, 2006 on a weekend.

Research shows that almost all firms offer weekend services and this has been the case for many decades and all big and small firms open their offices when needed. Not only law firms but all banks, general practitioners, private doctors and officers of lawyers and solicitors work on weekends. Most law firms are closed on Sundays but services can be provided on Sunday depending on nature of work between a client and his lawyer.

Lawyers work throughout the week on court cases and even round the clock and that’s a standard practice.Britain’s most popular bank Barclays remains open on high streets on Saturday and other banks such as Lloyds TSB, Santander and others remain open on Saturdays and Metro Bank is open on Sundays as well until 8:00pm.

Law firms advertise on their website that they are available seven days a week and even have mobile phone numbers advertised for 24/7 contact. These contacts are promoted and advertised because a client can need assistance at any minute and law firms vie to get clients for all sorts of cases.

For some law firms, while they have skeleton staff working on weekends, they have trained and professional barristers and lawyers present for round-the-clock representations.Pakistan High Commission in London and Pakistan missions across the UK are available to facilitate urgent visas and verifications on weekends when needed.

A cursory look at the website of law firms show that law firms are in tough competition with one another to offer weekend services.One law firm says on its website: “We promise to make ourselves available to you on Saturdays. We know that taking time off work to see a solicitor can be awkward. It can often be inconvenient. Lunch-hours are never long enough to do all you need to do. Assuming you can take a full hour that is. People tell us this is one of their biggest frustrations with lawyers — they’re never available when you are.”

Another law firm says: “Saturday is a normal day for us. We provide weekend and out-of-hours service.”Another law firm advertises on its website: “We are open between 9.00am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday, however we can be flexible with earlier or later appointments by prior arrangement. A Notary Public is available over the weekends: Saturday and Sunday.”

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The cream of Swindon and Wiltshire’s law firms and their staff are to be recognised in a re-launched awards scheme.

 

The Gloucestershire & Wiltshire incorporated Law Society (GWILS) – the voice of solicitors, trainees, paralegals, legal secretaries and legal executives in the two counties – has brought back its Legal Excellence Awards.

 

GWILS, which was formed in 1817, was in danger of being wound up two years ago after a perceived lack of interest from younger members of the legal profession across the two counties.

 

However, a handful of determined members formed a new committee to breathe new life into the organisation. The Legal Excellence Awards are the latest initiative from GWILS as it regains its role as the voice of the legal profession in Gloucester and Wiltshire, providing functional and practical support to its members and liaising with the national Law Society to express their views.

 

Nominations for leading individuals and law firms are now being sought in seven award categories to celebrate and showcase the excellence and achievements of the legal profession across Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

 

The winners will be announced at a three-course, black-tie dinner at the De Vere Cotswold Water Park, South Cerney, on November 23 – with more than 100 members of the two counties’ legal communities and guests expected to attend.

 

The categories are: Support Team Member of the Year; Junior Lawyer of the Year; Lawyer of the Year; Team of the Year; CSR Firm of the Year; and Law Firm of the Year.

 

An independent panel of judges will decide on the winners based on their conduct, dedication, commitment to clients and colleagues, contribution to the profession and/or the wider community, professionalism, leadership, energy, and their ability to ‘go the extra mile’. 

 

GWILS president Ramona Derbyshire, pictured, a litigation partner in the Swindon office of regional law firm Thrings, will present the President’s Outstanding Achievement Award to the individual who she feels has made an exceptional contribution to the legal sector, their firm and/or clients during their career. All entrants to the awards will automatically be considered for this category.

 

Bristol-based legal recruitment specialist Chadwick Nott is headline sponsor and a number of categories have already attracted sponsors, including Wessex Water and investment management firm Brewin Dolphin. Sponsorship opportunities are still available.

 

GWILS committee member Joanna Apperley, an associate solicitor at Thrings, is organising the awards.

 

She said: “The awards are about legal professionals looking around at the colleagues they work with every day – trainees, paralegals, legal cashiers, secretaries, receptionists, office managers, assistants, associate solicitors or partners – and articulating what makes them special.

 

“The judges are very much looking forward to hearing about the great work being done in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and celebrating the many accomplishments and talent which operates across the legal profession in our region.”

 

Chadwick Nott senior consultant Sarah Wood added: “We are delighted to sponsor these awards as we work with Top 100 and leading law firms, and some fantastic lawyers across Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

 

“The dedicated Chadwick Nott team in the region is six-strong and many of us are lucky enough to have worked in this area for over 12 years with law firms of all shapes and sizes. It’s a region that can at times be overlooked when compared to the likes of Bristol or Cardiff, but with some great law firms in the region, there are many opportunities here.”

 

The awards ceremony will be hosted by legendary ITV West weatherman Bob Crampton. Proceeds from the evening will go to charity Maggie’s, which provides free practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer and their family and friends.

 

The awards will be taking place in GWIL’s 200th year and Ramona’s second as president. Last year under her leadership, GWILS’ membership rose by more than 25%, while its committee oversaw the re-branding of the organisation and the launch of a new website.  

 

Ramona said: “With GWILS having actively and successfully represented the views of its members and provided training and guidance on legal and regulatory issues in the legal community for two centuries, this year’s awards take on added significance.

 

“The society is very pleased to be relaunching the awards which provide an opportunity to recognise the finest talent and professional achievements of legal professionals and teams from across the two counties.”

 

Entrants to the awards can either self-nominate or be nominated by a friend, colleague or business organisation. The deadline for nominations is 4pm on September 21.

 

For more information, visit the GWILS website http://www.gwils.co.uk/ or contact Joanna Apperley on 01793 412542, japperley@thrings.com.

 

 

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The Supreme Court of Canada announced Thursday it will hear an appeal from the British Columbia government, of a production order, in a lawsuit seeking to recover health care costs from tobacco companies.

A B.C. court previously ordered the provincial government – which is suing several tobacco firms – to produce individual health records for Philip Morris International Inc., one of the defendants.

Those same defendants are being sued by other provinces. For example, the Ontario government is seeking $50 billion in damages in the action it commenced in 2009, Master Donald Short of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice wrote in 2016.

In B.C., Philip Morris “seeks access to the raw data from a number of government databases that the Province plans to use to produce statistical evidence in support of its claim on causation and damages,” Justice Nathan Smith of the Supreme Court of B.C. wrote in a decision released May 20, 2015.

The province had argued such disclosure “would violate doctor-patient confidentiality and would be ‘a massive unjustifiable intrusion into the privacy of millions of people’” Justice Smith added.

But Justice Smith did order the B.C. government to provide Philip Morris with individual-level data, with names and other personally identifying information removed.

That order was upheld on appeal.

“If the Province seeks to recover the health care costs of particular individual insured persons, the medical records of those particular individual insured persons are producible as they would be in any other action,” wrote Justice Richard Goepel of the B.C. Court of Appeal in a ruling released Feb. 14, 2017. “If, alternatively, the Province proceeds on an aggregate basis, as it has in this action, the health records and documents of particular individual insured persons relating to the provision of health care benefits for such particular individual insured persons are generally speaking not compellable.”

Nonetheless, Justice Goepel agreed with the B.C. Supreme Court finding that the data sought by Philip Morris is “highly relevant” and that restrictions sought by the province, on the data to be produced to the cigarette maker, would be “inherently unfair.”

Concurring were Justices Peter Wilcock and Mary Newbury.

The province applied for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada, which announced July 20, 2017 that leave to appeal is granted.

In its lawsuit against the tobacco firms, the B.C. government “offered to make data available to the defendants’ experts in a restricted setting under the control of Statistics Canada, a federal agency,” Justice Smith wrote in 2015. “Other defendants have accepted this arrangement, but (Philip Morris) says it cannot accept the restrictions and conditions that the Province and Statistics Canada have demanded.”

Other defendants include Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc., RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company, JTI Macdonald Corp. and Imperial Tobacco Canada Limited, among others.

The province had argued that in providing individual healthcare data to a defendant, “even with personal identifiers removed, cross-referencing of data from all of these databases would allow the defendants to put together a fairly detailed picture of an individual’s medical history,” Justice Smith wrote.

The lawsuit was filed shortly after the passage in 2001 of the B.C. Tobacco Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act, Justice Smith wrote in 2014 in a separate ruling in that case.

Among other things, the defendants have argued that the provincial government has benefited from the taxes imposed tobacco.

The Tobacco Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act stipulates that where the province seeks to recover health care costs, on an aggregate basis, it is not necessary to either identify “particular individual insured persons,” to prove the cause of tobacco related disease in any “particular individual insured person,” or to prove the cost of health care benefits for any particular individual insured person.

But a court has the power to “order discovery of a statistically meaningful sample” of such documents if a defendant applies. The Tobacco Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act also stipulates that for aggregate actions, records for health care benefits for individuals are not compellable “except as provided under a rule of law, practice or procedure that requires the production of documents relied on by an expert witness.”

One expert on applied math and statistics was retained by Philip Morris. That defence exper witness “says errors or lack of specificity frequently arise from the use of standard diagnostic codes,” Justice Smith wrote. “One such common problem he has identified in other jurisdictions is the use of the same code for both the diagnosis of lung cancer and testing for the disease. That means aggregate statistics purporting to show the prevalence of lung cancer may include many people who were tested for lung cancer but did not have it.”

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ISLAMABAD: The Senate witnessed on Thursday a heated debate between the opposition and treasury benches on the report submitted recently by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and members of his family.

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Aitzaz Ahsan said that under the law, if a prime minister failed to justify his assets the law was to take its course. He said that in cases of forgery, its beneficiary was accountable.

The PPP leader said that under Section 193 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the forgery in cases involving judicial proceedings carried a punishment up to seven years.

He cited a judgement given by former chief justice Afzal Zullah in 1992, according to which it makes no difference if evidence is collected through wrong means.

Two volumes consumed on a case quashed by a high court, minister tells Senate

Farhatullah Babar of the Pakistan Peoples Party demanded the prime minister’s resignation, but also criticised the ISPR for its tweet that claimed ‘to stand by the side of law and justice and against corruption’.

“While I demand the prime minister’s resignation, I cannot endorse ISPR’s lecture on law and justice. One wishes that when General Pervez Musharraf fled the court and sought shelter in a Rawalpindi hospital, the ISPR had then stood by the side of law and justice,” he said.

Mr Babar said there was no tweet from the ISPR denouncing corruption when the issue of a scam in the DHA Lahore was raised in this house on Wednesday.

He said standing by the rule of law only selectively was a mockery of the rule of law and justice.

He said that after the prime minister had been accused of perjury and filing false documents there was no option for him but to step aside and let the law take its course.

The PPP leader said it would be wrong to say that the prime minister’s resignation would pose a threat to democracy.

Former ministers Pervez Rasheed and Mushahidullah Khan criticised the JIT and referred to hiring of services of a London-based litigation firm owned by JIT’s head Wajid Zia to secure certain documents under mutual legal assistance against a hefty payment of 49,000 pounds.

Winding up the discussion, Law Minister Zahid Hamid said there was no question of the prime minister stepping down, adding that the basis for resignation’s demand was the JIT report which could not be relied upon.

He read out the order of the Supreme Court giving direction to the JIT for collecting evidence against respondent No. 1 (Nawaz Sharif) and said the JIT had exceeded its mandate.

“They have gone so far. Hudaibiya Paper Mill and Chaudhry Sugar Mill have no nexus with the order,” the minister remarked and termed the entire process mala fide.

He said the JIT shared no documents with the respondent to provide him an opportunity for giving an explanation and rebuttal. He said most of the documents and statements were inadmissible as the same had been illegally collected. He said the mutual legal assistance was meant to procure documents from governments, and not from private firms.

Mr Hamid said the JIT assumed the role of a court and gave findings on the 13 questions given by the Supreme Court. No incriminating evidence had been framed against the prime minister, he added.

The minister said two volumes had been prepared on a case quashed by a high court. He said Ishaq Dar had been accused of evading taxes even though he provided to the JIT the statements sought by it two days prior to the submission of its report to the Supreme Court.

Before reading out the prorogation order, Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani said the country’s salvation lay in democracy, democratic system and rule of law, which would be protected at all costs.

He made it clear that if an attempt was made to cause harm to parliament, he would be on the forefront for its protection.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2017

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