Defective Pet Foods: New Litigation Theories Or Just the Same Old Chow? An Animal Law Attorney Argues for More Than Market Value Damages
May 30, 2007
One of the biggest stories in product liability in the past month has been the recall of tens of thousands of cans of food sold to consumers to feed to their companion animals. The news has attracted public attention because it is a tragedy of potentially epic proportion: Somewhere between 20 (according to the FDA) and 20,000-plus (by extrapolating statisticians) of the nation's nonhuman family members have developed serious illnesses and/or died from eating food containing something very toxic that has caused renal failure (still being debated). Furthermore, in the litigation arena, plaintiffs' attorneys ranging from sole practitioners to the large class action law firms most often in the headlines have all filed actions representing both individual clients and broad-ranging classes of thousands of individuals affected by the poisoned food. (At the time of this writing, more than 30 cases had supposedly been filed across the country.)
The Case for Mentorship
May 30, 2007
Career guidelines, career plans and mentors. These are familiar terms to most lawyers, especially law students and laterals looking for the right 'fit.' And many, if not most, large law firms highlight one or more of these career-planning tools on their Web sites and recruiting materials. But the 'inside' story of their effectiveness might not be as rosy. Several recent articles in legal journals and newspapers have bemoaned the state of mentoring programs at larger firms, saying that they are boilerplate, empty promises designed to recruit, and that they are usually unsuccessful due to lack of follow-up. Here's how our company overcame these problems.
Can Money Laundering 'Travel with the Business'?
May 30, 2007
It can often be difficult for a white-collar attorney, who may have at least a passing familiarity with money laundering, to explain to a corporate attorney colleague how federal money laundering laws can impact deals on which the corporate attorney is advising clients. This article provides an example that may help you explain to your corporate law colleagues the impact that the federal money laundering laws could have on their work.
A Data Discovery Department?
May 30, 2007
With the buzz surrounding electronic-data discovery ('EDD'), which grows only louder as the need to find data stored electronically to support litigation increases, law firms and corporate clients are facing an important operational decision that might cause some friction in this booming sector. The need for e-discovery processes and support to handle them cannot be disputed. Where the tension might arise is in more corporate counsel taking control of the e-discovery process as law firms continue staffing up for e-discovery.
The Employee Freedom of Choice Act
May 29, 2007
After years of lobbying, the Employee Free Choice Act was introduced in 2003, but did not advance. Similar legislation was proposed again in 2005, co-sponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Rep. George Miller (D-CA). While it did not pass either the House or Senate, it attracted widespread notice by gaining the support of 44 Senators and 215 Representatives (only three short of the 218 House votes required for passage). Predictably, in early February 2007, with the new Democratic Congress now in power, Rep. Miller, in his role as Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, reintroduced this proposed legislation (H.R. 800) containing all three items on the labor movement's wish list.
The 2007 Proxy Season
May 29, 2007
On July 26, 2006, the Securities and Exchange Commission ('SEC') formally adopted new executive compensation disclosure requirements under Item 402 of Regulations S-K ('Item 402'). With the ink barely dry, the SEC on Dec. 22, 2006, modified the reporting requirements related to stock options and stock awards on the Summary Compensation Table, the Director Compensation Table and the Grants of Plan Based Award Table (the 'Item 402 Amendment'). The new rules significantly increase the required disclosure for the 2007 proxy season and ensure that there will be plenty of interesting reading for shareholders, executives and regulators.
On the Razr's Edge: Mobile Marketing
May 25, 2007
Mobile marketing offers the best in advertising ' a direct, personal, measurable and dynamic means of engaging, informing, and entertaining consumers. But this mobile advertising frontier is hardly the Wild West. Plenty of federal and state laws regulate this direct-marketing vehicle. More than that, various industry groups ' most notably the Mobile Marketing Association ('MMA') ' have developed best practices designed to maximize advertising impact while minimizing potential legal entanglements.
Movers & Shakers
May 25, 2007
News about the people leading the e-commerce industry.
