Commercial Law

For traditional institutional equity investors in leveraged and single-investor equipment lease transactions, solar equipment may offer an attractive investment opportunity. Leasing solar equipment may also provide an attractive investment structure for traditional investors in power projects looking to expand investments in renewable energy projects.

Franchisees complain about the imbalance of power between themselves and franchisors, especially when franchisor-franchisee relationships go awry. The Web has changed that dynamic significantly by giving franchisees an easy way to voice their complaints widely and anonymously. Sean Kelly is providing one of the most popular forums for franchisees to vent about franchisors ' whether fairly or unfairly. A 20-year veteran of the franchising industry who participated in the startup of more than 100 franchises concepts, Kelly started a series of franchise-related blogs in November 2006 that have quickly become must-reads for franchisors, franchisees, franchise counsel, and consumers.

Highlights of the latest commercial leasing cases from around the country.

Part One discussed what is and isn't covered by errors and omissions (E&O) insurance and examined general clearance guidelines for film and TV. Part Two continues the discussion with specific clearance procedures for production counsel to consider.

To paraphrase a line from a favorite song, you don't always get what you want, but sometimes, you get what you need. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) almost certainly did not get all that it wanted when the House of Representatives passed the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act (Pro IP Act), H.R. 4279, in May. What remains to be seen is whether the RIAA and other proponents of the legislation will get what they claim to need ' or anything at all.

Debates over intellectual property rights often heat up around confrontations between those wanting more protection and those wanting less. But perhaps more attention should be paid to the detailed structure of legal rules governing these assets as they are actually used in real-world transactions.

Business is always a battlefield, but few e-commerce proponents have fought campaigns as fierce as those to keep Internet auctioning license-free. So intense have been skirmishes between online sellers and state legislators that only one state has a law specifically requiring online auctioneer licensing.

Professional services requiring insight and judgment ' and application of sophisticated expertise on a case-by-case basis ' seemed immune to the e-commerce onslaught. After all, no one wants to trust the future welfare of one's family and affairs to a device that makes the phrase 'computer problem' a redundancy. And why would people who need to spend thousands of dollars on estate planning even think about trusting an online service just to save a few dollars ' even if only to pass on post-mortem thoughts from the grave?