Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Presents New Risk for Franchisors
No U.S. franchisor has faced an action brought against it under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a 35-year-old law that prohibits U.S. firms and individuals from bribing foreign government officials. But that is just a matter of time.
Features
The Pathology of Failed Law Firms
A few of the problems that faced Dewey & LeBoeuf were unique, while others were not. Nor is Dewey alone; more than 10 large and prominent firms have failed in the past decade. This article focuses on the pathology of failed law firms.
The Effect of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 ' 408(b)(2)
With the effective date (July 1, 2012) upon us, the uproar surrounding the new disclosure regulations affecting retirement plans is beginning to gain momentum as the definitive question continues to be asked: Will the Pension Protection Act's § 408(b)(2) be a much-needed addition to the process surrounding opening the veil to plan expenses or will it simply cause further damage to an already weak overall retirement solution for millions of Americans?
Taxes 101 for New Law Firm Owners
This article addresses the key items a newly promoted law firm owner should know regarding his or her changed individual tax situation.
<b><i>Online Extra:</i> Client Audits: A Prelude to Growth and Profits</b>
Client audits have proven to be a valuable tool in support of a law firm's strategic plan and related client relationship expansion efforts.
Features
<B><i>Online Extra:<b></i> Doing Well By Doing Good: Law Firm Social Responsibility</b>
Corporations increasingly subscribe to the principle of corporate social responsibility. CSR is based on the belief that a demonstration of concern for the environment, human rights, community development and the welfare of their employees can make a corporation more profitable. And if not more profitable, at least a better place to work.
Features
<b><i>Online Extra:</i> A Baker's Dozen of the Top (Mostly Free) Useful Web Tools</b>
I've written in the past about free Web tools, and unsurprisingly, Google continues to top the charts. Sometimes, however, you want tools that are more comprehensive and can be tailored to your needs.
<B><i>Online Extra:</b></i> Doing Well By Doing Good: Law Firm Social Responsibility
Corporations increasingly subscribe to the principle of corporate social responsibility. CSR is based on the belief that a demonstration of concern for the environment, human rights, community development and the welfare of their employees can make a corporation more profitable. And if not more profitable, at least a better place to work.
<b><i>Online Extra:</b></i> A Baker's Dozen of the Top (Mostly Free) Useful Web Tools
I've written in the past about free Web tools, and unsurprisingly, Google continues to top the charts. Sometimes, however, you want tools that are more comprehensive and can be tailored to your needs.
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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 ›
- Meet the Lawyer Working on Inclusion Rider LanguageAt the Oscars in March, Best Actress winner Frances McDormand made “inclusion rider” go viral. But Kalpana Kotagal, a partner at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll had already worked for months to write the language for such provisions. Kotagal was developing legal language for contract provisions that Hollywood's elite could use to require studios and other partners to employ diverse workers on set.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 ›