It’s critical for anyone involved in contract management to monitor and optimize your contracts and contracting processes using key performance indicators (KPIs). But, how do you determine which KPIs are the most important to your business and how do you harness the data required to benchmark and track them?

Join Contract Logix on Friday, June 18th at 1:00 pm ET as our team discusses the top 10 contract management KPIs that every organization can gain valuable insights from. Our panel will discuss what they are, why they’re important, and how organizations like yours are implementing them.

By attending this webinar, you will learn:

-10 contract management KPIs every company should leverage
-Best practices for benchmarking and tracking them
-How to optimize your contracts and processes with data

Unable to attend? Register anyway and we will send you the webinar recording.

“A jury in Houston took just a few hours on Wednesday to find Baylor University and three former football players not responsible for the alleged sexual assault of a former female student athlete in 2017,” reports Paula Lavigne in ESPN Staff Writer

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“The University of West Florida has appointed Susan Woolf as general counsel for the University, effective August 15, 2021. Woolf is currently the city attorney for the City of Pensacola, a role she has held since 2019,” reports University of West Florida in their Blog

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“Firms have been busier than ever and this is one way to demonstrate an appreciation for their associates, but also to show more broadly the long-term financial strength of the firm. Compensation increases are a permanent change and I expect that the firms that see long-term financial growth will increase their salaries as well,” reports Staci Zaretsky in Above The Law

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“Last week, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed the $380.5M settlement in the Equifax data breach class actions – a settlement which the district court called “the largest and most comprehensive recovery in a data breach case in U.S. history by several orders of magnitude.” The appeal was brought by 6 objectors out of the 147 million class members whose data was involved in the breach,” reports Balch & Bingham LLP in JDSupra

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“Volkswagen (OTCPK:VWAGY) says former CEO Martin Winterkorn and other executives will pay it $351M to settle lawsuits for their alleged roles in the auto emissions fraud that rigged nearly 11M vehicles to cheat emissions tests and then cover it up,” reports Carl Surran in Seeking Alpha News

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Phillips Nizer Adds Four Real Estate Partners from Brill & Meisel
Four partners and an associate join top NY Real Estate practice
New York, NY (June 1, 2021) – Phillips Nizer LLP is pleased to announce that the partners at Brill & Meisel, a leading New York real estate practice with a specialization in cooperative and condominium law, have joined Phillips Nizer’s New York office.
Allen H. Brill and Elliott Meisel, who founded Brill & Meisel in 1979, partners Mark Axinn and Christopher Aldridge, and associate Amanda Benishai are joining forces with one of New York’s top real estate teams, including real estate practice co-chairs Marc Landis and Lisa Radetsky, real estate partners Jay Kim and Thomas Fuerth and land use and government relations co-chairs Christian Hylton and Kevin McGrath.
Landis, the firm’s managing partner, said, “Having worked collaboratively with one another for years, we are happy to welcome the Brill & Meisel attorneys to Phillips Nizer. They are highly respected in the real estate and co-op/condo field and allow us to expand our full-service offerings to our current and future clients.”

Axinn represents cooperative and condominium associations, sponsor/developers, holders of unsold shares and individual property owners and businesses. A graduate of Columbia College and Fordham Law School, he performs all aspects of cooperative and condominium association practice and also has extensive commercial litigation experience.

Brill, a graduate of Columbia College, Columbia Business School and Columbia Law School, represents individuals and businesses in the purchase, sale and leasing of cooperatives, condos, buildings, residential, office and retail spaces. His litigation work includes commercial and contract disputes, construction issues, real estate disputes and challenging real estate tax assessments.

Meisel, a graduate of Cornell University and Yale Law School, represents numerous New York cooperatives and condominiums in all aspects of their operations including financings, alterations, contract negotiations and the development and implementation of policies and shareholder and owner relations. Mr. Meisel, a nationally recognized authority in cooperative and condo law, has converted many buildings to cooperative and condo ownership and represented tenant associations in connection with the conversions of their buildings sponsored by others. He also represents owners and investors in all aspects of their real estate ownership, including optimizing their portfolios through the sale of air rights, Section 1031 exchanges and Opportunity Zone investments.

Aldridge represents clients in a broad range of residential and commercial real estate matters, including hundreds of purchases, sales and financing of all types of properties. A graduate of Hofstra University and Fordham Law School, his experience includes representing boards of associations in general corporate governance, mortgage refinancing, contractor and architect agreements and shareholder and unit owner disputes.
Ms. Benishai, a graduate of Yeshiva University’s Stern College and New York Law School, is a real estate litigator focusing on commercial landlord-tenant disputes and cooperative corporation matters.

Onna Launches eDiscovery Cloud Transfer Capability To Increase Security And
Cut Export Management Overheads For Customers
The automated export workflow significantly reduces time and effort while increasing predictability and strengthening security

New York and Barcelona — June 7, 2021: Onna, the world’s first Knowledge Integration Platform on a mission to make enterprise information accessible, useful, and private, has today announced the availability of its eDiscovery Cloud Transfer capability and additional export enhancements. The new automated export workflow will enable Onna’s customers to save time and effort by streamlining the export process whilst also strengthening data security.

Traditionally, data exports are a manual and time-consuming process for legal and IT administrators who are required to monitor data downloads to a server or local machine before uploading to the desired review tool or location. With the new Cloud Transfer capability and export enhancements, Onna customers can send data directly to a secure cloud destination for loading into their chosen review tool, whilst also saving and using export templates to set export parameters faster and more accurately. Importantly, they will be able to maintain tighter control of data by bypassing the need to download sensitive exports to a local machine or server.

Key benefits of Cloud Transfer and export enhancements include:
● Faster document review by sending exported data directly to a chosen review tool via SFTP
● Strengthened security by automatically sending export files directly to where they’re needed, bypassing the need to stage sensitive data on individual machines or servers
● Easy monitoring of document transfers with a visual dashboard of progress and proactive notifications to individuals or groups when completed
● Export configuration templates, eradicating the repeated task of ensuring correct details are selected
● Shared exports with authorized individuals to offload the management burden from a single administrator
Salim Elkhou, Founder and CEO, Onna commented, “We are streamlining the Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM) by enabling integration with other eDiscovery technologies so customers can use best-of-breed tools.

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has announced that Tierney M. Chadwick, a Member at Wadleigh, Starr and Peters P.L.L.C. in Manchester, New Hampshire, has accepted an invitation to join the IADC, the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests.

Chadwick focuses her practice on medical malpractice, professional liability, products liability and toxic torts litigation. She serves on the Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association Board of Directors and the Suffolk University Alumni Board.

Chadwick received her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School and her Bachelor of Arts from Dickinson College.

Fitch, Even, Tabin & Flannery LLP will present a free webinar, “The Better Part of Valor? Discretionary Institution in PTAB Proceedings,” featuring Fitch Even partners David A. Gosse and Karen J. Wang.

The webinar will take place on Wednesday, June 30, 2021, at 9:00 am PDT / 10:00 am MDT / 11:00 am CDT / 12 noon EDT.

Filing a meritorious petition does not guarantee the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) will institute trial in inter partes review (IPR) or post-grant review (PGR) proceedings. Congress allowed that the PTAB “may not authorize” IPR proceedings unless they identify a reasonable likelihood that the petitioner would prevail with respect to at least one of the claims challenged. This leaves the PTAB with discretion over whether to institute if the relevant conditions are present. The PTAB has issued guidance and precedential decisions to help petitioners and patent owners evaluate whether the PTAB should apply its discretion to deny institution.

During this webinar, we will cover these topics and more:
• How the PTAB exercises its discretion to deny institution in the face of parallel district court proceedings, e.g., in the Western District of Texas “rocket docket”
• Whether prior reexamination, IPR, PGR, or even prosecution will cause the PTAB to exercise its discretion and deny institution
• Why the PTAB may or may not deny institution of multiple petitions challenging a single patent

CLE credit has been approved for California, Illinois, and Nebraska. Other states may also award CLE credit upon attendee request.

Register for the event.

Announcement: https://generalcounselnews.com/the-better-part-of-valor-discretionary-institution-in-ptab-proceedings/

Registration link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5364909073570065167

Following the live event, a recording of the webinar will be available to view for one year at www.fitcheven.com.

Pashman Stein Walder Hayden announced today that Chirali V. Patel has joined the firm as an associate in the firm’s Cannabis & Hemp Law practice and Litigation practice as of May 24, 2021.

Patel started her journey in the cannabis industry through self-education and organic networking in legal states such as Colorado as early as 2016. She went on to gain experience in facilitating vertical applications for medical cannabis licenses in New Jersey and in advising individuals on ancillary market opportunities. Patel is also an advocate in the community and was the South Asian liaison for NJ CAN 2020, the successful “vote yes” campaign led by the ACLU-NJ to legalize adult-use, for which Pashman Stein Walder Hayden served as pro bono counsel. Patel is an Executive Board Member for the New Jersey State Bar Association Cannabis Committee and is a member of its Legislative Subcommittee. She is also a member of several industry organizations and speaks frequently on the topic in her professional and personal capacity. In 2021, Patel was named by the Green Market Report as one of Cannabis’ Most Notable AAPI Leaders.

Patel’s litigation practice is focused on complex commercial litigation, including business torts and civil RICO claims against Fortune 500 companies, and complex class actions and mass tort litigation against pharmaceutical drug companies and automobile manufacturers.

She devoted the early years of her career to serving the public, previously working for the County of Bergen as assistant county counsel, for the City of Hoboken as assistant corporation counsel and assistant prosecutor, and for the County of Passaic as a legal associate.

Patel is a member of the Bergen County Bar Association and is a Trustee for the South Asian Bar Association-NJ. She earned her J.D. from Yeshiva University, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2015 and her B.A. from Rutgers University in 2011. She is admitted to practice in New Jersey and the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Trial Lawyer Jessica Dean Named to Lawdragon’s Top 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers of 2021

Dean Omar Branham Shirley lawyer selected as top attorney for consumer litigation

DALLAS – Trial lawyer Jessica Dean, name partner in Dallas’ Dean Omar Branham Shirley, LLP, has been recognized as one of Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers of 2021.

This is the third year in a row Dean has been selected for this honor. For nearly 18 years, she has represented those involved in personal injury lawsuits, mesothelioma claims, product liability cases, catastrophic injury and unpaid wages cases, as well as shareholder liability and consumer class action lawsuits. Ms. Dean has dedicated her practice to ensuring her clients have a voice against any injustice.

The Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers is committed to researching attorneys nominated by their peers who strive to fight for justice for those facing life-altering problems.

Global law firm Hogan Lovells announced today that Andrew Strong and Barry Burgdorf have joined the firm’s Corporate and Finance practice as partners in the Houston office. Strong will join the firm’s Global Life Sciences and Health Care leadership team.

Strong and Burgdorf represent life sciences/biotech and health care companies from early stage technology spinouts all the way through public exits or mergers and acquisitions. Strong previously served as the founding President and CEO of Kalon Biotherapeutics, a Texas A&M University biotech spin out which he successfully grew to a staff of over 120, financed and built three state of the art manufacturing facilities, and sold to Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies in 2015. Prior to that Strong was the General Counsel and Compliance Officer for the Texas A&M University System where he was responsible for, among other things, business transactions, technology commercialization, and litigation for the System’s 11 public universities, seven state agencies and health science center. Strong is also the co-founder and Chairman of K2 Biolabs, a drug development company accelerator located in the Texas Medical Center.

Burgdorf previously served as General Counsel of Samsung Austin Semiconductor where he worked on the construction of Samsung’s DRAM fabrication plant and multiple large financings. Burgdorf also served as Vice Chancellor and General Counsel of the University of Texas System, where, for over eight years, he was a key member of the leadership team and oversaw areas ranging from legal to real estate to IT security and technology transfer for the 14 campus university system. He has also spent time in the corporate suite for Remeditex Ventures and VuComp., Inc – a medical device technology company. Burgdorf was also a corporate securities partner at another global law firm.

Strong received his B.S. Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University and his J.D. from South Texas College of Law. Burgdorf graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a B.B.A, Southern Methodist University with a M.B.A and received his J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law

ROANOKE, Va. (June 9, 2021) – The Virginia law firm Gentry Locke is pleased to congratulate Catherine J. Huff on her recognition as the Roanoke Bar Association 2021 Young Lawyer of the Year.

Huff joined Gentry Locke in 2011 as an associate and became a partner in 2017. Since then, she has developed a successful practice, which focuses on employment, insurance, and workers’ compensation. She has litigated cases in both state and federal courts in Virginia and has also represented companies before the EEOC and the Department of Labor.

Huff serves as the 8th District Representative on the Board of Governors of the Virginia State Bar Young Lawyers Committee and has volunteered for a number of bar programs. She is also an engaged member of ALFA International, a global legal network of 150 law firms in the United States and other countries. She serves on the ALFA International Women’s Initiative Steering Committee, which promotes the professional development of women attorneys, and on the Steering Committee for the ALFA International Hospitality & Retail group.

Gentry Locke Managing Partner Monica T. Monday presented Huff the award at the Roanoke Bar Association 96th Annual Meeting. “Cate is an excellent trial lawyer who is well-versed in all aspects of litigation. She is a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom and a tremendous advocate for her clients. She’s a valued colleague within our firm and the legal community, and it was my pleasure to present this award to her,” said Monday.

Huff was a member of the 2019 “Up & Coming Lawyers” Class for Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s Leaders in the Law awards. Since 2015, she has been named a Rising Star by Virginia Super Lawyers and was honored as a Legal Elite by Virginia Business magazine. She frequently speaks on employment-related issues across the country.

The 2021 Young Lawyer of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding attorney age 36 and under, or those admitted to practice three years or less, who has demonstrated dedicated service to the community and the profession.

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., is pleased to announce that Paul F. Woody has joined the firm as counsel in the Franchising & Distribution and Business Services groups, based in Greensfelder’s St. Louis office.

A Certified Franchise Executive through the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives, Woody works with franchisors in a variety of industries to help ensure their compliance with federal and state laws and proactively avoid disputes. He focuses on all aspects of the franchisor-franchisee relationship, as well as franchise litigation and litigation avoidance and prevention.

Previously, Woody served as general counsel for a large sports and recreation franchisor with more than 300 franchises throughout the United States, Canada and Japan. In that role, he provided legal guidance and contributed to strategic planning and key decisions, oversaw compliance and litigation strategies, and managed franchisee relationships, including franchise transfers, rectifying compliance issues, and franchise terminations. His experience also includes corporate and employment litigation. Prior to practicing law, he worked in state and local government and political communications.

Woody also teaches franchise law at Saint Louis University School of Law, from which he received his J.D. He received his Bachelor of Arts from St. Louis University.

Duane Morris LLP has appointed Dr. Nguyen Thi Lang as chair of Duane Morris Vietnam LLC. Duane Morris opened offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in 2007.

Dr. Lang focuses her practice on all aspects of corporate and commercial matters, with an emphasis on M&A, cross-border investment, real estate, pharmaceutical and infrastructure projects. She has advised a wide variety of multinational businesses from all parts of the world, counseling many leading foreign and local investors in Vietnam. Dr. Lang has lectured on a wide range of subjects including corporate governance, investment, commercial, competition and anti-corruption law. She has written extensively on foreign investment in Vietnam, and in particular, on BOT contracts.

Additionally, the EU Commission selected a team led by Dr. Oliver Massmann from Duane Morris to support the implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, which is expected to achieve business expansion, employment gains and increased opportunities for economic growth. Duane Morris is advising the EU Commission and the Vietnamese government on free trade for the next two years. The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement has been recognized as one of the most significant free trade agreements the Vietnamese government has ever signed, providing a stronger link between Europe and Southeast Asia, and offering new economic and trade potential that will aid in the recovery of commerce and development after the coronavirus pandemic.

“Immunic, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMUX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of selective oral immunology therapies aimed at treating chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, announced the appointment of Inderpal Singh as General Counsel, effective today. In his new role, Mr. Singh will be responsible for legal and compliance matters and will become part of the management team of Immunic,” reports Immunic, Inc in their blog.

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“American casino giant Las Vegas Sands is facing a $12 billion lawsuit in a Macau court. Former partner Asian American Entertainment Corporation alleges that Sands breached their contract in order to obtain a casino license in Macau,” reports Reuters in Yahoo News.

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“Throughout its nearly 40-year history, Public Justice has specialized in taking on corporate behemoths on behalf of consumers, workers, and others who are determined to fight back against dangerous products, dangerous workplaces and dangerous attempts to block the courthouse doors. On May 14, we scored a major victory against one of the biggest behemoths of all: Monsanto, manufacturer of the weed killer Roundup,” reports Leslie A. Brueckner in LA Progressive.

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“The Supreme Court said on Tuesday that it won’t review a lower court opinion that awarded a $2 billion verdict in a case brought by a group of women who sued Johnson & Johnson after developing ovarian cancer which they say stemmed from exposure to asbestos in the company’s talc powder.,” reports Ariane de Vogue in CNN.

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