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Marijuana and Bankruptcy? Not Really

Robert C. Yan

Like many others, parties engaged in or deriving income from the legal commercialization of medical marijuana, either directly or through another party are not immune to financial distress, and sometimes, seeking bankruptcy relief may be strategic or necessary. Unfortunately, Marijuana-Related Parties have found elusive the protections and benefits under the Bankruptcy Code.

Features

Nursing Homes, Long-Term and Advanced Care Facilities

Nathan C. Volpi

If you are advising a health care provider entity, such as a nursing home, what can you tell them regarding their liability? Is the institution itself at risk because of the personal failings of certain employees? What if it is staffed by independent contractors? Can a uniform plan or employee manual be developed, and will that help?

Columns & Departments

IP News

Jeffrey S. Ginsberg & Sheng T. Li

Fed. Cir.: PTAB Panel That Institutes <i>Inter Partes</i> Review May Also Make Final Decision on the Merits <br>Federal Circuit: Ambiguous Testimony Failed To Show Infringement

Features

What Remedies Are Available Under ERISA When a Plan Participant Spends the Settlement Proceeds in a Subrogation Case?

Jennifer S. Kiesewetter

In January, the United States Supreme Court rendered its decision, in an 8-1 vote, in <I>Montanile v. Board of Trustees of the National Elevator Industry Health Benefit Plan</I>, an Eleventh Circuit case in which an ERISA health plan sought to recover medical benefits paid to an injured participant after that participant's personal injury settlement funds had already been spent. Here's an analysis of that ruling.

Features

<i>TriVascular, Inc. v. Samuels</i>

Nathan D. Renov

On Feb. 5, 2016, in <i>TriVascular, Inc. v. Samuels, </i> the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the written decision of the PTABin an <i>Inter Partes</i> Review. In particular, the court affirmed the Board's conclusion that the '575 patent was not invalid as being obvious over the prior art of record despite the Board's initial institution of the IPR based on obviousness grounds.

Fed. Circuit: Consultant's Pre-Agreement Work Falls Outside Assignment Provision

Lincoln C. Lo

On Feb. 5, 2016, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a unanimous decision in <i>TriReme Med., LLC. v. AngioScore, Inc.,</i> holding that AngioScore's consulting agreement had failed to assign inventive contributions made by a consultant before the effective date of the agreement. The decision highlights the need for attentive drafting of agreements with new employees and contractors, especially if they may have engaged in relevant inventive activity before the start of the employment or contractor relationship.

Features

Tech Advances Have Led to More Traces of Deadly Microbes

David A. Oliver & Natalia Steele

A number of recent discoveries are challenging the idea that infectious diseases are sporadic and relatively rare causes of illness and death, and those discoveries are revolutionizing our understanding of the microbial world around us and presage significant changes in the legal landscape.

Features

Ninth Circuit Finds No Publicity Claim In <i>Hurt Locker</i>

Scott Graham

The producers of the movie <i>The Hurt Locker</i> had a First Amendment right to fictionalize the experience of a U.S. Army explosives technician in the Iraq war, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled.

Features

i.think Therefore i.am? Not Exactly

Scott J. Slavick & Arturo Ishbak Gonzalez

Fame, they say, is fleeting ' but the brands and value they create are not. Little wonder the adopted names of certain stars become not only brands in the popular imagination, but also legally defended rights and trademarks.

Features

Can an Applicant With a Criminal History Buy a Franchise?

Craig R. Tractenberg

The character of a franchise prospect seems relevant. Franchisors want trustworthy participants in the franchise system. A credit report and a criminal history search seem reasonable to screen out undesirables. Roughly one in four adults has some criminal history that would show up on a search, and some of these crimes have since been decriminalized. Using searches of criminal histories and credit reports can also be racially discriminatory.

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