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October issue in PDF format Image

October issue in PDF format

ALM Staff & Law Journal Newsletters

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Features

Muniauction v. Thomson Image

Muniauction v. Thomson

John M. Cone

The <i>Muniauction v. Thomson</i> decision illustrates the Federal Circuit's application of the Supreme Court's decision on obviousness in <i>KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex, Inc.</i> and confirms the Federal Circuit's own decision on "joint or divided" infringement in <i>BMC Resources, Inc. v. Paymentech</i>.

Features

Lessons Learned from a Gum Licensing Agreement Image

Lessons Learned from a Gum Licensing Agreement

Daretia Austin

More than a decade after the license agreement between The Topps Company and Stani expired, the question of who owns the rights to manufacture and distribute the original Bazooka' bubble gum formula in South America is still unresolved.

Six Strategies to Protect Clients Against IP Theft Image

Six Strategies to Protect Clients Against IP Theft

Stefano Vranca

This article outlines strategies for protecting clients against IP theft.

Predominance Requirement for Class Certification Image

Predominance Requirement for Class Certification

Martin Flumenbaum & Brad S. Karp

Recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed the district court's certification of a class action by smokers alleging they were deceived by the defendant tobacco companies' marketing of so-called light cigarettes as a healthier alternative to regular, or "full-flavored," cigarettes.

Pharmaceutical And Medical Device Litigation Image

Pharmaceutical And Medical Device Litigation

Lori G. Cohen & John B. Merchant, III

Part One of this article described some general principles regarding the concept of fraudulent joinder and the patchwork of conflicting definitions and procedures for analyzing fraudulent joinder that has developed in the Circuit Courts. This conclusion offers strategies for defeating fraudulent joinder.

October issue in PDF Format Image

October issue in PDF Format

ALM Staff & Law Journal Newsletters

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Features

ERRATUM Image

ERRATUM

ALM Staff & Law Journal Newsletters

In an article that appeared in the September 2008 issue, <i>Measuring Realization to Improve Firm Profits</i> by K. Jennie Kinnevy, the author's biography was inadvertently omitted.

Unreasonable Compensation to PC Shareholders: The IRS Gains a Victory Image

Unreasonable Compensation to PC Shareholders: The IRS Gains a Victory

James D. Cotterman

The general view has been that unreasonable compensation claims against shareholder employees of professional corporations was not an issue. In <i>Pediatric Surgical Associates P.C. v. Commissioner</i>, the Tax Court determined that compensation paid to the shareholder physicians was unreasonably high because it exceeded the value of the services performed. Many law firm professional corporations could face this same issue.

Partner Care Image

Partner Care

Nancy Regan & Stanley Kolodziejczak

In an ever-increasing competitive environment, it becomes more and more difficult for law firms to distinguish themselves from their competitors. A quick scan of some of the better-known firm Web sites shows that many firms often look and sound alike. However, it is the quality and caliber of the attorneys that set the firms apart. Saying you're distinctive is much easier than proving it to the marketplace, your partners and staff. One area in which your firm can build distinction and establish itself as a leader is Partner Care.

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    In 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.
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