The European Commission's (EU) recent decision to file antitrust claims against six major U.S. film studios is an aggressive approach at dismantling how Hollywood does business. Even so, it comes as little surprise to antitrust experts given the regulatory agency's push to unify consumer access to digital products in the European Union.
Encroachment" is a term used in the franchise industry to describe sales and revenues being transferred from one location to another because of their proximity. Litigants sometimes claim the encroachment is so extensive so as to threaten the viability of the existing location. In these instances, claims have been asserted for constructive termination because the existing location is alleged to no longer be viable. More likely, the claim for constructive termination is not viable.
Outside of bankruptcy, if the rights of a lessor against a lessee in default are to be enforced, there is a very material difference in the rights and obligations of both parties depending upon whether the UCC Article to be applied is Article 2A governing true leases or Article 9 governing secured transactions.
In a release this summer, the FTC announced it had brought and settled its first case involving crowd-funding. The defendant raised more than $122,000 through Kickstarter to produce a Monopoly-like board game geared toward H.P. Lovecraft fans. According to the FTC's complaint, defendant used the Kickstarter proceeds to pay for personal expenses, including his move to Oregon. The settlement order should serve as a reminder that strong legal remedies at both the state and federal level are available to defrauded contributors.
Versata Development Group v. SAP America was a closely watched case since it was the first appeal to the Federal Circuit of a Covered Business Methods review by the PTAB under Section 18 of the America Invents Act. This article addresses the court's reasoning regarding the definitions of a covered business method patent, and how that reasoning is at odds with norms of statutory construction, technological innovation, and claim drafting.
A cooperating witness in the Dewey & LeBoeuf criminal trial, Dianne Cascino, testified last month that she didn't believe she was breaking the law when she made accounting adjustments as the firm's director of revenue support.
Professional service organizations traditionally have elected a pass thru entity status (S Corp., LLC, LLP, partnership) in order to reduce double taxation at the principal's level. Similar additional taxation may occur with C Corps. and accumulated earnings tax as well as other confiscatory grabs. These issues create an impediment for the current accumulation of funds to satisfy a principal's buyout in future years.
This article is part of a series based on the BakerHostetler Data Security Incident Response Report. It focuses on developing and maintaining an information governance (IG) program. Look for further installments in future issues.
The electronic format that electronically stored information is produced in is a necessary component of e-discovery. This article offers a primer on production format issues by diagramming a template request in order to explain both the technical meaning and practical significance of the terms.
The reality of workers' compensation life is that "bias" is rampant in the system ' especially when it comes to medical proof presented in litigated matters. This inherent bias should be scrutinized in full context.
