Archive for June, 2016
Employee Pay and the Bankruptcy Stay – Potential Pitfalls for Employers
Insight
Businesses need to have written protocols in place to deal with bankruptcy filings by their employees and independent contractors, or they risk serious sanctions and, potentially, punitive damages for violations of the bankruptcy laws, according to a report in Hunton & Williams’ Employment & Labor Law Perspectives blog.
Foley Adds Labor & Employment Group in Boston
News
James Nicholas and Donald Schroeder joined the firm’s Boston office as partners in the Labor & Employment Practice. In addition, Jill Collins joined Foley as an associate in Washington, D.C. and Erin Horton as an associate in the Boston office.
DOJ Deputy Chief Gejaa Gobena Joins Hogan Lovells White Collar Practice
News
Prior to joining Hogan Lovells, Gobena served as Deputy Chief of the Fraud Section in the Criminal Division of the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ).
Quarles & Brady Obtains WILEF 2016 Gold Standard Six-Peat
News
The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP announced that it has achieved Gold Standard Re-Certification by the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) for the six consecutive year.
Biglaw Billing News Spells Opportunity for Others
Insight
With the many tools available today, smaller providers of legal services have the capacity to present (in both appearance and reality) truly viable alternatives to their elite competition.
Could Delegate’s New Lawsuit Derail Trump’s Nomination?
News
Plaintiffs are challenging state laws that require delegates to vote for a specific candidate, saying those rules are unconstitutional. They claim that delegates to the national convention should be allowed to vote for whomever they please.
For Conservatives, High Court’s Term Was a Letdown
News
The most high-profile cases, including affirmative action, abortion restrictions, labor union fees, gerrymandering and the use of executive power, ended either with liberal victories or draws that set no precedent.
Trial Attorney Lana Beverly Joins Dallas Office of Deans & Lyons
News
Texas trial law firm Deans & Lyons, LLP announces that civil litigation attorney Lana P. Beverly has joined the firm’s Dallas office as an associate.
Simon Greenstone’s Erin Nowell of Dallas Named Among Top Young Litigators
News
Litigation associate Erin Nowell from the Dallas office of Simon Greenstone Panatier Bartlett, PC, has earned a spot on the 2016 National Bar Association “40 Under 40 Best Advocates” list.
Michael Hearon Selected to 40 Under 40 Best LGBT Lawyers
News
J. Michael Hearon of Quarles & Brady has been included in the National LGBT Bar Association’s 2016 class of the 40 under 40 Best LGBT Lawyers.
Embrace Standards – Don’t Use Form Contracts
Insight
Jordan Couch, Seattle Lawyer, writes about why contract drafters should embrace standards but not use form contracts.
SEC Charges Breitling Energy, CEO, General Counsel in Fraud Case
News
The SEC charged Dallas-based Breitling Energy Corp. and its CEO, Chris Faulkner, of fraudulently spending tens of millions of dollars of investors’ money on lavish meals, expensive cars, strippers and escorts, reports Mark Curriden of The Texas Lawbook
Energy Investors Celebrate Price Jump, Then Call the Lawyers
News
With U.S. crude oil prices climbing and natural gas gaining about 38 percent just since May 26, stakeholders in at least three bankrupt energy companies are contending that corporate assets have risen so much in value that they deserve a bigger payout, reports Bloomberg News.
5 Writing Tips for Every Contract You Draft
Insight
The CEB Blog article offers advice on five writing tips that can apply to any type of contract: don’t use legalese, avoid ambiguity, don’t use sexist language, use consistent terminolog, and avoid redundancy.
Allstate Joins In-House Furor Over Associate Raises
News
Allstate’s general counsel warns of the potential for the salary increases to be more than a law firm’s cost structure can handle, leading to the costs getting passed on to clients, reports Sara Randazzo of The Wall Street Journal.
Trump Bankruptcy Math Doesn’t Add Up
News
Over the course of 18 years, Trump’s companies went into reorganization six times — five times in New Jersey, where he had his casino holdings, and once in New York, reports Tom Winter for NBC News.
Report: VW to Pay About $10.2B to Settle Emissions Claims
News
USA Today is reporting that German automaker Volkswagen Group is expected to deliver a $10 billion settlement to cover government fines and compensate owners of vehicles fitted with software that cheated emissions standards.
Get Your China Contracts Written In Chinese, Not Translated
Insight
The only people who can truly know how to use specialized and particular words and terms are lawyers who know both China’s contract laws and who are completely fluent in written and spoken Chinese, writes Dan Harris on Harris & Moure’s China Law Blog.
Benchmarking Your Compliance Program
Insight
Compliance professionals and auditors should monitor this promised guidance from the Justice Department’s Fraud Division on how it proposes to evaluate the existence and effectiveness of individual corporate compliance plans, writes Jose Tabuena.
California Employment Law Update
Event, July 20, 12 p.m. PDT
Hatmaker Law Group will present a free one-hour webinar covering new laws passed during 2016 impacting California employers and legislation pending on the horizon.
