Recent Developments from Around the States
National cases you need to know.
After the Gulf Coast Hurricanes
In the 2005 Special Issue of <i>Employment Law Strategist</i>, we summarized key issues affecting employers following the Hurricane Katrina disaster, including the federal government's legislative and regulatory responses to the catastrophe. The following is an updated summary of relevant legislative and regulatory actions.
Features
Employers and Employees
When I entered law practice in 1971, it was common in corporate criminal investigations for a single law firm to represent the target corporation and all its relevant employees. They hung together lest they hang separately. Over time, practice changed, and such joint-representation arrangements mostly disappeared. The old paradigm was succeeded by a new one, which recognized the separate interests of the corporation and each of its relevant employees, but also provided a large measure of mutual support and good will on the defense side. This paradigm, too, has been attacked by prosecutors and now has largely disappeared in major federal and some state investigations. It has been succeeded by a new, far harsher paradigm.
Features
Freedom to Contract?
How much freedom does a party have to tell its service provider not to use a given employee to provide the services? Although the freedom to contract (or not contract) might suggest that this liberty is unfettered, a recent decision by the Second District Appellate Court of Illinois suggests that the answer is not so clear.
Leasing Seminars and Conferences
Information about upcoming seminars and conferences.
Features
Case Notes
Highlights of the latest product liability cases from around the country.
Features
Online: Learn About Punitive Damages on the Web
There is a wealth of information about punitive damages on the Internet, including the Web sites of various organizations and law schools, as well as blogs. Here is a sample of what's available.
Practice Tip: Navigating the FDA's Recent RiskMAP Guidance
As part of the Food and Drug Administration's ("FDA") ongoing and comprehensive efforts to minimize risks while preserving the benefits of medical products, the FDA recently released three industry guidance documents on risk management strategies. These final guidance documents, applicable to various stages of drug and biological product development, will assist manufacturers in developing and improving methods to assess and monitor the risks associated with drugs and biologics. The risk minimization action plan is one of these initiatives that promises to further tip the balance of the risk-benefit profile of drugs and devices.
A Primer for Successor Corporations on Avoiding Potential Product Liability Exposure
The first part of this article discussed traditional criteria for successor liability and the expanded theory of successor liability provided by the continuity of enterprise exception. The conclusion continues the discussion of expanded successor liability law pursuant to the product line exception.
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