Features

Optional Safety Equipment
<b><i>Part Two of a Two-Part Article</b></i><p><p>In last month's newsletter, the author began a discussion of the manufacturer practice of making increased safety features available to purchasers — but only for a price. The discussion concludes herein.
Features

Legal Tech: e-Discovery: Judge Says 'NO' to Party's Bid to Force Use of Predictive Coding
Would Judge Peck's admiration and advocacy for predictive coding lead him, upon a request by the opposing party, to force a responding party to use it against that party's own wishes? Judge Peck recently faced this issue, putting potential use of predictive coding at odds with established precedent and procedure regarding how to conduct discovery.
Columns & Departments
Movers & Shakers
Movers & Shakers Law firm Venable recently announced the addition of former AOL Inc. chief counsel, Charles D. Curran, as a partner in…
Features

Protecting Counsel Privilege in a Post-Yates Memo World
<b><i>Part One of a Two-Part Article</b></i><p><p>While the Yates Memo makes no formal changes to the DOJ's position on privilege with respect to cooperation credit for businesses, its practical implications could be far-reaching.
Features

Late Notices of Claim on Behalf of Infants
<b><i>Two New York Case Studies</b></i><p><p>An application for a late notice of claim sounding in medical malpractice on behalf of an infant must be brought within the 10-year statute of limitations running from the date of the malpractice. This article examines two decisions from New York's highest court, the Court of Appeals, addressing such applications.
Columns & Departments
Med Mal News
For Nursing Home Patients, No More Compelled Arbitration
Features

Avoiding Tax Pitfalls in New York Real Property Transfers in Separation and Divorce
Most divorces involve the transfer of a marital residence between the parties as part of equitable distribution, especially when there are minor children who will continue to reside in the family home.There is a transfer tax payable on the transfer of real estate, including the marital residence, in connection with the implementation of the marital settlement agreement or divorce.
Features

Essential Qualities of Successful Rainmakers
Although a handful of law firms has hired non-lawyer sales teams, most still rely upon individual attorneys or practice groups to generate new client matters (i.e., to sell) even though the majority of them have never received business development skills training. This article describes some of the important characteristics and habits shared by attorneys who have built successful practices.
Features

Software and Business Method Inventions After <i>Alice</i>
As important as software and business method inventions are in the new digital economy, it is often unclear whether they can be patented. This uncertainty is largely due to a legal rule that “abstract ideas” are not eligible for patent protection, which is based on a long line of U.S. Supreme Court cases, with <i>Alice Corporation v. CLS Bank</i> being the most recent and influential.
Features

Drafting Film Production Compensation Clauses In Light of State Tax Credit Requirements
Compensation provisions in entertainment contracts are in one or two subparagraphs. To simplify drafting and to use “plain English,” the compensation provisions often contain introductory, governing language along the lines of: “In full and complete consideration for entering into and performing all of the terms hereof.” However, is such a “plain English” approach always a “best practice”?
Need Help?
- Prefer an IP authenticated environment? Request a transition or call 800-756-8993.
- Need other assistance? email Customer Service or call 1-877-256-2472.
MOST POPULAR STORIES
- Protecting Innovation in the Cyber World from Patent TrollsWith trillions of dollars to keep watch over, the last thing we need is the distraction of costly litigation brought on by patent assertion entities (PAEs or "patent trolls"), companies that don't make any products but instead seek royalties by asserting their patents against those who do make products.Read More ›
- Private Equity Valuation: A Significant DecisionInsiders (and others) in the private equity business are accustomed to seeing a good deal of discussion ' academic and trade ' on the question of the appropriate methods of valuing private equity positions and securities which are otherwise illiquid. An interesting recent decision in the Southern District has been brought to our attention. The case is <i>In Re Allied Capital Corp.</i>, CCH Fed. SEC L. Rep. 92411 (US DC, S.D.N.Y., Apr. 25, 2003). Judge Lynch's decision is well written, the Judge reviewing a motion to dismiss by a business development company, Allied Capital, against a strike suit claiming that Allied's method of valuing its portfolio failed adequately to account for i) conditions at the companies themselves and ii) market conditions. The complaint appears to be, as is often the case, slap dash, content to point out that Allied revalued some of its positions, marking them down for a variety of reasons, and the stock price went down - all this, in the view of plaintiff's counsel, amounting to violations of Rule 10b-5.Read More ›
- Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar InvestigationsThis article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.Read More ›
- The DOJ Goes Phishing: The Rise of False Claims Act Cybersecurity LitigationWhile the DOJ Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative is still in its early stages and cybersecurity regulations are evolving, whistleblower plaintiffs have already begun leveraging the FCA to pursue alleged noncompliance with government cybersecurity requirements.Read More ›
- What Does 2024 Hold for Cybersecurity?Our annual poll of experts on the trends and developments to watch out for in 2024 in AI, data privacy, cybersecurity, e-discovery and more.Read More ›