HOW LONG SHOULD IT COOK?
There's an old saw, in the public relations business, about what you say to a new client for whom you haven't delivered what he or she expected in the first month of the contract. 'It's in the pipeline,' we used to say. It meant that we'd spent that first month understanding the firm and its story, developing the press material, planning the strategy and making presentations to the media. The groundwork. And in the second month, presumably, it would all come to fruition.
Features
Obstacles to Settlement of Land-Use Disputes
Article 78 proceedings between landowners and municipalities are a staple for New York's court system, often reaching the Appellate Division on disputes that seem insignificant to the outside observer.
Features
Estate Planning for Non-Citizens
In representing a person who is, or is married to, a non-citizen, it is important to recognize and understand the application of the United States estate and gift tax (as well as income tax) laws to non-citizens and persons married to non-citizens.
Features
Tactics for Seizing Rogue Web Sites
In cyberspace, the activities of ostensible rogue Web sites ' many attacking U.S. commercial interests or preying on our citizens in a variety of endeavors ' include copyright infringement, illegal gambling and pornography, to name a few. Web site domain seizures may be the 21st-century digital equivalent of 20th-Century gang busting police raids on the haunts of criminal organizations. In place of the remnants of destroyed contraband, a subsequent visitor to these targeted Web sites may instead confront a message left by court order, declaring that the site has been "taken down" for certain illegal activities.
Features
<b>Practice Notes: </b>Reality TV Shows Give Lawyers New Client Base
The rise of reality TV may have hurt the market for writers and actors, but it has provided an additional income stream for a select group of entertainment attorneys. One reason: union rules governing wages, breaks and time worked don't apply to reality shows. As a result, media companies can hire people who are happy, at least initially, to be on TV for little pay.
Features
<b><i>Persona Rights on Trial</b></i> Inside the Nevada Litigation by Bob Marley's Heirs Against the Unauthorized Use of Marley's Image
Celebrities have often used claims of unfair competition by false association or false endorsement under '43(a) of the federal Lanham Act as a basis for recourse against the unauthorized use of aspects of their identities and personas. The potency of a celebrity association claim was recently reinforced in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.
Features
Closing the Profit Motive in the CAN-SPAM Act
Recently, a number of small entities and e-mail service providers have sought to use the CAN-SPAM Act to profit from the receipt of spam, but have faced increased scrutiny from federal courts. This article discusses the CAN-SPAM Act generally, some notable spam judgments, and recent decisions interpreting the standing requirements under the federal statute.
Features
Responding to Bullying
With the advent of New York's recently amended legislation permitting Family Courts to issue orders of protection in certain bullying cases, attorneys in family practice have a new reason to assist clients with these matters.
Features
Retreating in Order to Advance
Law firms are increasingly turning to retreats to help solve their management problems, improve personal relationships, and increase team spirit. But a retreat will not succeed unless adequate time and effort have gone into the planning process.
Features
Managing Employees on Social Media
With social media here to stay and smart mobile devices abounding in offices, employers need to accept that they cannot legally or practically shut down the conversation. Here's what to do.
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MOST POPULAR STORIES
- New York's Latest Cybersecurity CommitmentOn Aug. 9, 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced New York's inaugural comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. In sum, the plan aims to update government networks, bolster county-level digital defenses, and regulate critical infrastructure.Read More ›
- INTERVIEWIn this exclusive interview with International Franchise Association (IFA) chairman Steve Siegel, Associate Editor Kevin Adler, asks about policy priorities for 2003, and other legislative and regulatory developments that affect the franchise industry.Read More ›
- Pension Plan Termination Premiums in BankruptcyIn a case of timely significance, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals has recently ruled that pension plan termination premiums are not "claims" subject to being discharged under a Chapter 11 plan, but rather, must be paid in full upon emergence from bankruptcy.Read More ›
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- <b><i>Social Media Scene:</i></b> How Social Are Your Social Media Activities?The modifier "social" is supposed to separate social media from other forms of marketing and PR. But the tactic's social aspect is also the part that either prevents us from using it or from using it as the two-way communication tool it's supposed to be.Read More ›