Twombly's Plausibility Standard in Product Liability Cases
The <i>Twombly</i> decision significantly changed the accepted standard for a motion to dismiss from "no set of facts" to enough "plausible" facts. Now, to survive a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim, a complaint must allege "enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face."
Defending Automobile Manufacturers in Design Defect Cases
Counsel defending manufacturers who are alleged to have designed defective vehicles that have caused serious traffic accidents often have an uphill battle in convincing jurors that the design of their client's vehicle was not wholly responsible. But it's not all bad news.
Features
Polio Victim's 30-Year Crusade Garners $22.5 Million Award
Filed in 1981, <i>Tenuto v. Lederle Laboratories</i> is the oldest ongoing non-guardianship case in New York City, according to the Office of Court Administration. Now there's an award. But will it stand?
Features
Can Failure-to-Warn Claims Against Generic Drug Manufacturers Be Preempted?
The tension between the salutary purposes of the Hatch-Waxman Act (low-cost drugs widely and quickly available to patients) and the necessity to change label warnings when science or adverse event reports show a newly appreciated risk, presents a Hobson's choice to generic drug companies, complicated by the FDA's own interpretation of its CBE regulations as inapplicable to them.
Capturing the Current Mood
Implicit in all the stories about layoffs or hourly versus value billing, the fundamental question is whether the severity of the economic downturn will permanently change what law firms look like and how they operate. Can they ever again support the notorious salary structures and leverage strategies of the past?
Features
Business Plans: A New Reality
Now that the legal industry is reeling from losses, layoffs and downsizings, lateral hires are being run through an even more stringent gauntlet. Many firms now want to see business plans from all lateral partner candidates.
Professional Development for the Senior Associate
Senior associates ' who, by definition, are reaching higher levels of profitability for the firm and have developed practice expertise ' are often left behind when it comes to targeted professional development. But ignoring this population creates problems for a firm ...
Features
From Partnership to Personal Liability
When drafting a contract for a client, a lawyer knows to anticipate and address many issues that may arise under the binding agreement. Such attention avoids problems that may result from a breach or termination of the contract. However, in many cases, lawyers do not anticipate or address these concerns in their own agreements.
Supreme Court Again Broadens Scope of Fair Employment Anti-Retaliation Provisions
Recent statutory and regulatory enactments have been widely debated and publicized. Equally important, but without any of the public comment and debate, have been four U.S. Supreme Court decisions issued since June 2006, which have significantly expanded the scope of the anti-retaliation provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and 42 U.S.C. ' 1981
14 Penn Plaza's Impact on Collective Bargaining
In <i>14 Penn Plaza v. Pyett</i>, the Supreme Court clearly stated that a union-negotiated arbitration agreement can bind individual employees to arbitrate statutory discrimination claims. Accordingly, employers and unions should consider taking advantage of the benefits of arbitration ...
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- The 'Sophisticated Insured' DefenseA majority of courts consider the <i>contra proferentem</i> doctrine to be a pillar of insurance law. The doctrine requires ambiguous terms in an insurance policy to be construed against the insurer and in favor of coverage for the insured. A prominent rationale behind the doctrine is that insurance policies are usually standard-form contracts drafted entirely by insurers.Read More ›
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- Abandoned and Unused Cables: A Hidden Liability Under the 2002 National Electric CodeIn an effort to minimize the release of toxic gasses from cables in the event of fire, the 2002 version of the National Electric Code ("NEC"), promulgated by the National Fire Protection Association, sets forth new guidelines requiring that abandoned cables must be removed from buildings unless they are located in metal raceways or tagged "For Future Use." While the NEC is not, in itself, binding law, most jurisdictions in the United States adopt the NEC by reference in their state or local building and fire codes. Thus, noncompliance with the recent NEC guidelines will likely mean that a building is in violation of a building or fire code. If so, the building owner may also be in breach of agreements with tenants and lenders and may be jeopardizing its fire insurance coverage. Even in jurisdictions where the 2002 NEC has not been adopted, it may be argued that the guidelines represent the standard of reasonable care and could result in tort liability for the landlord if toxic gasses from abandoned cables are emitted in a fire. With these potential liabilities in mind, this article discusses: 1) how to address the abandoned wires and cables currently located within the risers, ceilings and other areas of properties, and 2) additional considerations in the placement and removal of telecommunications cables going forward.Read More ›
- Guidance on Distributions As 'Disbursements' and U.S. Trustee FeesIn a recent case from the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, In re Paragon Offshore PLC, the bankruptcy court provided guidance on whether a post-plan effective date litigation trust's distributions constituted disbursements subject to the U.S. Trustee fee "tax."Read More ›