How <i>Disney Enterprises v. Hotfile</i> May Apply To Secondary Infringement Claims
While the full significance of the MPAA's victory in the <i>Hotfile</i> case, in defining how copyrighted works may be distributed over the Internet, remains to be seen, the court's decision suggests some winning ' and losing ' arguments for competing sides to mount in upcoming disputes.
Features
Practice Tip: Medical Expenses In CA
Damages in product liability personal injury cases inevitably involve medical expenses. Depending on the nature and extent of the injury, those medical expenses can generate extraordinarily high numbers. When it comes to recovering medical expenses, the question in determining the amount of damages often turns on what number can be presented to the jury.
Post-Termination Enforcement of Franchise Agreements
A particularly vexing issue for franchisors is enforcing the post-termination obligations against the former franchisee, and against others acting in concert to usurp the benefits of the franchise relationship after it has expired or terminated. A recent decision in New Jersey federal court provides some insight on how to address these issues.
Stop the Insanity!
The facts are that our disclosures are voluminous and getting more so every year (many companies' proxy statements are at or close to 100 pages, and some 10-Ks are in excess of 200 pages) that most investors don't have the time to read, much less digest, these documents and that those who do often find them overwhelming.
Features
States Criminalize Internet Identity Theft
Last year, CNN reported that more than 80 million fake/impostor Facebook profiles were in use. Among them was a New Jersey Facebook user who created a fake profile that depicted her ex-boyfriend as a criminal. Another user in California accessed and altered another's Facebook account without consent. These unlawful actions typify the two most common forms of Internet identity theft: e-impersonation by fraudulently creating a fake account or by deceptively using an existing account.
Columns & Departments
Court Watch
Preliminary Injunction Issued Against Franchisees That Disregarded Pricing Promotion <br>Noting New York City's Density, Court Enforces, But Limits, Restrictive Covenant<br>Presidential Executive Order Gives Ford Right to Terminate Syria Contract
Features
Why Your Associates (And Partners) Need Help Branding
Since the changes in the legal economy in 2008, distinguishing oneself from other lawyers is critical to getting a job, work from colleagues, and more clients. This is true for both partners and associates. It's not enough to be smart and hardworking. A lawyer must be known for what he or she does, and must be able to sell him or herself.
Features
The Duty of Good Faith in Franchise Agreements in European Civil Law
The duty of good faith seeks to deliver a degree of equilibrium to the inherent tension within the franchise relationship between the desire of both parties to obtain the best commercial deal for themselves and a need to have a good ongoing commercial relationship based upon a modicum of mutual trust. It is currently a topic of considerable interest in the United States as a number of states consider enacting legislation imposing a duty of good faith.
Features
E-mails and Privilege for In-House Counsel
Courts employ a heightened standard when companies attempt to shield their employee'in-house lawyer communications under the attorney-client privilege. The dominant reason for this scrutiny is the recognition that employees often involve in-house counsel in business and legal-related conversations, forcing courts to scrutinize whether the putatively privileged communication pertained to legal or business advice.
Features
Interest on Distributive Awards
Interest on distributive awards is an important ' and at times overlooked ' aspect of matrimonial practice. When a matrimonial action becomes protracted, an award of prejudgment interest, measured from the date of commencement of the action, may be substantial, especially if the award is at the statutory rate of 9%.
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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 ›