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New York Allows Same-Sex Marriage, While National Case Law Evolves
New York's legislature's decision to permit same-sex partners to marry within the State came June 24, after a nail-biting lead-up. For weeks, many questioned whether the measure would come to a vote at all, and whether enough Republican senators could be persuaded to vote in favor, along with the majority of Democrats (only one Democrat, the Bronx's Ruben Diaz, voted against it). The bill passed after provisions were made to protect religious institutions from being sued or penalized by the State for declining to perform same-sex weddings or permit them to take place in their facilities. The legislation also contains a non-severability clause, which says that if any portion of the law is judicially declared invalid, the entire law will become invalid. This will prevent courts from declaring the religious institution exemptions unlawful while upholding the right of same-sex couples to marry in New York.
The law went into effect 30 days after passage, on July 24, and at press time, wedding plans were being made statewide and beyond (the law allows out-of-state same-sex couples to wed in New York). New York is now the Sixth and largest state to allow same-sex partners to marry; the others are Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. Same-sex marriages may also be entered into in the District of Columbia.
Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough
There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.
Law Firms are Reducing Redundant Real Estate by Bringing Support Services Back to the Office
A trend analysis of the benefits and challenges of bringing back administrative, word processing and billing services to law offices.
Bit Parts
Summary Judgment Denied Defendant in Declaratory Action by Producer of To Kill a Mockingbird Broadway Play Seeking Amateur Theatrical Rights
Risks of “Baseball Arbitration” in Resolving Real Estate Disputes
“Baseball arbitration” refers to the process used in Major League Baseball in which if an eligible player's representative and the club ownership cannot reach a compensation agreement through negotiation, each party enters a final submission and during a formal hearing each side — player and management — presents its case and then the designated panel of arbitrators chooses one of the salary bids with no other result being allowed. This method has become increasingly popular even beyond the sport of baseball.
One Overlooked Element of Executive Safety: Data Privacy
Executives have access to some of the company's most sensitive information, and they're increasingly being targeted by hackers looking to steal company secrets or to perpetrate cybercrimes.