JD Scoop tag:scoop.jdsupra.com,2009-10-09://1 2010-03-15T23:35:32Z Movable Type 4.31-en Legal News: Recent Court Filings and Hot Docs on JD Supra tag:scoop.jdsupra.com,2010://1.291 2010-03-15T23:30:29Z 2010-03-15T23:35:32Z Adrian Lurssen http://scoop.jdsupra.com/
Noteworthy Filings & Court Documents on JD Supra:

In re Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.: Report of Court-Appointed Examiner - in nine volumes, the 2,200-page report by Anton Valukas, a senior partner at the Chicago law firm of Jenner & Block. Valukas spent approximately a year investigating the circumstances surrounding Lehman's stunning collapse and September 15, 2008 bankruptcy filing ... (by netDockets)

Intel Corporation v. Americas News Intel Publishing LLC - the motion to dismiss Intel Corporation's complaint for trademark infringement ... (by Ronald Coleman)

In The Matter of Google, Inc - Electronic Privacy Information Center's complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, urging the FTC to open an investigation into Google Buzz ... (by EPIC)

Laura Pendergest-Holt, et al v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyds of London - involves the question of whether the underwriters of D&O policies issued to Stanford Financial Group ("SFG") must advance defense costs for SFG executives who are defendants in certain criminal and SEC civil proceedings. The district court enjoined Underwriters from refusing to pay defense costs, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed, with modifications ... (by Hank Fasthoff)

US v. Bonventre: Criminal charges against Madoff Associate Daniel Bonventre - Bonventre is charged with fraud and conspiracy as part of his role in the Madoff Ponzi scheme. He was charged with doctoring records by creating a fictional ledger to cover up Madoff's Ponzi scheme ... (by Doug Cornelius)

Lenz v. Universal Music Corp., et al. - The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) filed suit against Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), asking a federal court to protect the fair use and free speech rights of a mother who posted a short video of her toddler son dancing to a Prince song on the Internet ... (by EFF)

Lebron v. Gottlieb Memorial Hospital - in a boon to plaintiff lawyers, the Illinois Supreme Court strikes down medical malpractice law ... (by Larry Bodine)

Social Guest v. Homeowner - court finds homeowner has no legal duty of care to social guest of co-resident under Massachusetts law. Million dollar premise liability lawsuit against homeowner dismissed ... (by George Bourguignon)

In re Celebrity Resorts, LLC: Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Case Summary - Celebrity Resorts was founded in 2003 and the group of debtors own and operate 13 vacation timeshare resorts in Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, New Jersey, Nevada, and Pennsylvania ... (by netDockets)

People of Ecuador v. Chevron - People of Ecuador petition to enjoin arbitration filed by Chevron at the Hague ... (by Santiago Cueto)

...

JD Supra Hot Docs are also available to follow by RSS or on Twitter.


Lawyers, showcase your expertise: upload filings, favorable decisions, briefs, blog posts, clients alerts, newsletters, articles, and other related docs on JD Supra.

]]> Lawyers & Law Firms on JD Supra: New Contributor Roundup tag:scoop.jdsupra.com,2010://1.277 2010-02-27T00:10:01Z 2010-02-27T00:13:57Z Aviva Cuyler http://scoop.jdsupra.com/ Babener.jpeg Babener & Associates, a law firm that represents companies headquartered throughout the United States and abroad. The firm is located in the Bank of America Financial Center in Portland, Oregon, where its practice includes representation of many of the major companies in the direct selling industry.

Featured Document: Oregon State MLM Law Divorce Collaborative.jpeg The Divorce Collaborative LLC, focused solely on Massachusetts divorce and domestic relations cases, including modifications and contempt actions surrounding child support, alimony, and custody matters.

Featured Document: Mediation to Stay Married Malone.jpeg Patrick Malone, a patient safety advocate and attorney who represents seriously injured people in medical malpractice lawsuits, product liability and other cases. He is the co-author of "Rules of the Road: A Plaintiff' Lawyer's Guide to Proving Liability."

Featured Document: Birth Injury - Exploring Legal Options Denise Brown.jpeg Denise Brown's Legal Direction, a full service law firm located in Louisville, Kentucky. Denise Brown and her team of bankruptcy, family and probate specialists are active in Louisville and throughout Kentucky business and legal communities.

Featured Document: What "Not To Do" Before Filing Bankruptcy Thumbnail image for Stephen Higgins.jpeg Finebloom and Haenel, which focuses exclusively on defending people charged with crimes. The firm has offices throughout Florida including Sarasota, Orlando, Tampa, and Clearwater, and defends people charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI), criminal traffic related offenses, driving while license suspended, possession of marijuana, and other drug related crimes and traffic tickets.

Featured Document: Motion for Formal Review Hearing McKennon.jpeg McKennon|Schindler LLP, representing plaintiffs and defendants in insurance cases of all types - life, health, disability, property/casualty, commercial general liability, professional liability, officers and directors liability, employment practices liability, homeowners and business owners property and liability, specialty risks, excess, umbrella, and reinsurance.

Featured Document: Unfair Insurance Practices Act Can Give Rise To Private Cause Cameron Totten.jpeg Cameron Totten, a California lawyer specializing in consumer bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, mortgage lender liability and general civil litigation.

Featured Document: Plaintiff v. U.S. Bank, Credit Suisse, et al., Plaintiff's Opposition to Defendants' Demurrer to Complaint Wier.jpg Keith Wier, engaged in an active litigation practice which includes: (1) financial services litigation practice defending various professional and industry trade groups and their members; (2) commercial litigation practice; (3) professional malpractice/e&o practice; and insurance defense practice involving transportation and construction.

Featured Document: Castro v. Collecto, Inc.
Decision Granting Defendants' Motion to Dismiss McCammon.jpeg Shawn McCammon of Liberty Law, which offers outsourced general counsel services to Northern California businesses, and estate planning for individuals.

Featured Documents: CA Employers Must Reimburse Employees for Business Expenses Even When Policy Is Not Followed TexasCLE.jpg TexasBarCLE: Education by the Bar, for the Bar.

Featured Document: MCLE FAQ

What about you? Are you looking for an effective way to showcase expertise and connect with new clients, colleagues, and the media?


Join JD Supra. Create a professional profile and start posting your legal work online!


]]> RESPA Guidelines: Real Estate Reading List tag:scoop.jdsupra.com,2010://1.278 2010-02-25T04:55:59Z 2010-02-25T05:06:54Z For your reference, here is a list of recent articles and alerts to do with the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) regulations that went into effect at the beginning of this year. All documents posted on JD Supra by... Adrian Lurssen http://scoop.jdsupra.com/ Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) regulations that went into effect at the beginning of this year. All documents posted on JD Supra by participating lawyers and law firms:

RESPA Guidelines: A Real Estate Reading List

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Lawyers, do you have RESPA-related content to add to the mix? Post it now on JD Supra.

Real Estate Law: On Facebook | On Twitter | On JD Supra ... join us for content and connections!

]]> Law Firm PR via JD Supra: Recent Coverage for Our Contributors tag:scoop.jdsupra.com,2010://1.276 2010-02-18T19:23:00Z 2010-02-18T19:25:49Z File under: reputation management, public relations, press coverage - what you will. Here are three recent updates from JD Supra contributors who received press pickup after posting their content on the site. Delivered to you as we first saw this... Adrian Lurssen http://scoop.jdsupra.com/
Delivered to you as we first saw this pleasing feedback, via Twitter:

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The Lembi Group bankruptcy filing (posted by Randall Reese at netDockets) appeared in Andrew Ross' The Bottom Line in the San Francisco Chronicle, a daily look at what's happening in Bay Area business.

Oregon-based Practice Management advisor Beverly Michaelis' embezzlement article is titled: To Catch a Thief - How a Partner or Employee Can Steal from Your Firm. We featured it in the January edition of our legal alerts e-mail digest.

We asked agriculture lawyer Cari Rincker about her Brahman Journal pickup (coming on the heels of pickup she received last fall in ABA GP Solo Law Trends for an article on social media she also posted on JD Supra). Cari's email reply:

I wrote a Twitter Guide for Ag Producers and it has been extremely popular. A few livestock magazines contacted me for interviews and one cattle magazine is just going to print the article itself. I usually submit ag law articles to livestock magazines but this particular one I just posted on JD Supra only and the agriculture publications found me when they were searching for articles about Twitter and agriculture. Power of JD Supra!

Brahman Journal? Livestock magazines? Ag lawyers on JD Supra? There must be a joke for the occasion that ends "...and that's no bull."

...


Ready to expand reach and build your reputation via JD Supra? Start posting your documents now.

]]> Facebook as Major News Source: You Stand to Benefit tag:scoop.jdsupra.com,2010://1.274 2010-02-12T00:00:23Z 2010-02-12T00:26:26Z Social media about cocktail conversation not content? Really?Do you know that Facebook recently became the fourth largest source of traffic for News and Media sites, after Google, Yahoo!, and msn? (Source: Facebook Largest News Reader? Hitwise Intelligence.) Interesting numbers in... Adrian Lurssen http://scoop.jdsupra.com/ not content? Really?

Do you know that Facebook recently became the fourth largest source of traffic for News and Media sites, after Google, Yahoo!, and msn? (Source: Facebook Largest News Reader? Hitwise Intelligence.)

Interesting numbers in that report, well worth a read - and I agree entirely with analyst Heather Hopkins: "Facebook could be a major disruptor to the News and Media category."

 Much of what is being written about Facebook as a trusted news source in people's lives resonates with what we've thought (and said) for quite some time about the platform's 400-million-strong-and growing, engaged readers. (Not particularly smart of us, you'd have to be blind to miss Facebook's traffic-driving power in this regard. People see, read, and share links all day, every day, on Facebook. And that's a lot of people.)

Here's what Steve Rubel, noted writer and digital media analyst (with the enviable job title of Director of Insights) had to say in his recent post, Facebook Could Eat the Web (italics are mine):

In addition to using Facebook to check in on what my family, friends and colleagues are up to, I have been using it as a newsreader for months ... This is something that the company suggested everyone do here. Although I suspect that most users haven't taken the steps to create a dedicated news list as Facebook suggests, there's no doubt that the social network is becoming a critical source of information.
This is not limited to Facebook, although the numbers do show the platform leading the way. From Ken Doctor at the Niemen Journalism Lab, The Newsonomics of social media optimization:

A recent study I did with Outsell said that 44 percent of news readers say they use social networks to share news and information. Of those, half use Facebook to do it; one in five use Twitter.

...Clearly, there's something big going on here. In my book, I characterized it as Law #1: "In the Age of Darwinian Content, You Are Your Own Editor. The old gatekeepers are disappearing. We've become our own and one another's editors."

Great. Facebook and Twitter deliver a lot of readers. Terrific. I'm a busy lawyer, what does this mean to me?

A lot, actually. Especially if you are one of those lawyers who've come to see the value of showcasing professional expertise by producing and dispersing legal content (ie, putting online your own articles, blog posts, alerts, commentary, favorable decisions, briefs, etc.). You are, afterall, a member of the new media - with your particular legal expertise and your ability to show it in your writing.

Remember those days not too long ago when you figured out that email was actually a valuable communications tool? And then - stroke of brilliance! - you realized that if you collected the email addresses of clients, colleagues, and prospects to send regular news and analysis, that would be a terrific way to stay in touch (and market your service)?

And remember when you learned that every "subscriber" to your blog's RSS stream was in some way not unlike every subscriber to your email newsletter? (Both opted in to hear from you - both vetted you as a source of good information. Both said, yes: tell me what you know.)

When we talk about the content sharing strengths of Facebook, we are, among other things, talking about this. Only, now it is on steroids.

As I have said many times before, I am a big fan of Facebook business pages because they're the latest and greatest to allow meaningful engagement between readers and producers of content. (Mashable.com was quick to note this after last year's page changes.)
 
Calling a reader in Facebook a "fan" doesn't seem to sit well with some professionals - and yet these same people are growing more comfortable with words like "tweet" and Twitter and Flickr and ... other cute Web names some of which end in an exclamation point.

Fact is, on Facebook pages, our fans are also our readers, should we choose to think of them that way.

Anyone who becomes a fan of a Facebook page that promises to deliver regular, substantive, tasteful, informed, expert content is opting in (think email signups, RSS subscriptions) to hear from us.

And then there is the engagement. With email newsletters, engagement was limited: delete it, reply to it, forward it. (Think back to the days of the giant email forward - usually something funny, shared between friends.) Otherwise, who knows which emails we like, which ones move and inform us?

With blogs came a big leap forward in terms of engagement: you could write comments (you could begin conversations) and you could (with a click of a button or the cut and paste of a link) share the post with friend and colleagues. 

Facebook's engagement is exciting because, in many ways, it brings a new level of viral transparency. When I "like" a shared link (video, news story, legal article) in Facebook, everyone connected to me sees that. I don't need to forward it; I don't need to click any additional buttons. I just "like" it and people see it.

If I want to, I can also "share" that piece of content by mailing to friends, or posting it onto my own profile. Similarly, when I comment on something on Facebook, all of my connections are also made aware of it - and so begins the easy, viral process of drawing in new people to new content. ("If Adrian likes it, I'll check that out, too..." - click.)

Random sample: here is a snapshot taken from my Facebook stream at time of writing. I'm already a fan of Justia's Facebook page - but if I wasn't, that piece of news (showing my friends connecting to it) would draw me in:

Screen shot 2010-02-11 at 2.17.21 PM.png

Activity on Facebook leads to increased exposure. Take advantage of it. Give people something to talk about.

We've seen the power of information sharing on Facebook both in our analytics and in the anecdotal evidence filtering back to us. Most recently, for just one example, we featured a new JD Supra article on one of our subject-specific legal news pages (Immigration Law) and within half an hour the attorney who'd written the piece was contacted by a reader (who'd read it on Facebook) who was looking for help with an immigration issue.  

So, what to do? A handful of suggestions:

  1. Set up a Facebook page and regularly program it with useful content that showcases your expertise (including content from your blog, if you have one).
  2. Post your work on JD Supra, because we'll also do this for you, via our subect-specific news channels/pages.
  3. Install the JD Supra Legal Publishing application on your page and profile (of course I'm going to say this! We created the app and the above pages to leverage the viral quality of the Facebook platform).
  4. Encourage your contacts, clients, and readers to connect with you on Facebook via a professional firm page.
  5. Use social media to make new friends and to converse. But also use it to deliver content that breaks the ice on your behalf and creates new friends, new contacts (new clients!) you otherwise might never have met. While you're busy at work being a lawyer, no less.

]]> Legal Marketing Blogs - A Reference List tag:scoop.jdsupra.com,2010://1.273 2010-02-09T01:20:01Z 2010-02-23T23:37:04Z Here's a list of some of the legal marketing blogs I read regularly. Such a list is personal and unlikely to be comprehensive; even so, I've compiled it with the hope you find value at the end of a few... Adrian Lurssen http://scoop.jdsupra.com/
The list reflects no more or less than what grabs my attention today, and yes I'm using "legal marketing" in a broad sense. (Some of these blogs, for example, also focus on Law Practice issues, among others.) And yes, I am missing a few. (Some blogs are popular enough already - I need not point you to them.)

Legal Marketing Blogs:


I plan to add others as the spirit moves. Suggestions? Please share your links in a comment. Or tell me via Twitter.

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Also see:

- JD Supra's Legal Marketing Articles
- Legal Marketing on Twitter | on Facebook

]]> Lane Powell's 'Legal Updates' iPhone App - Powered by JD Supra tag:scoop.jdsupra.com,2010://1.267 2010-02-02T20:40:40Z 2010-02-08T23:48:47Z Adrian Lurssen http://scoop.jdsupra.com/ Lane Powell Legal Updates, a new iPhone app that streams by subject the articles, alerts, analysis, and briefs posted on JD Supra by Seattle-based law firm Lane Powell.


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Freely available in the iTunes app store, Lane Powell's Legal Updates streams legal content (and expertise) covering bankruptcy, business law, construction, environmental law, health care, immigration, insurance, real estate, and other fields for which the multi-specialty, 135-year-old firm is known.

Lane Powell's mobile audience can read the firm's latest content using the iPhone's Safari browser or via PDF reader, which includes landscape (horizontal) view and zoom functionality for easy viewing. Readers can also easily contact Lane Powell lawyer-writers directly from the app, with the click of a button.

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We've written before about Lane Powell's excellent content marketing efforts (see Aviva Cuyler's: Lane Powell Knows the Landscape - Inside and Out). It seems a natural next step for a law firm that understands the marketing value of showcasing legal expertise via substantive commentary and analysis now to take their content to a growing mobile audience.

Download Lane Powell Legal Updates from iTunes

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Related:

- Lane Powell iPhone App Puts Legal Updates in Your Palm
- JD Supra's 'Legal Edge' iPhone App Allows Lawyers to Connect with Mobile Users


Want a custom iPhone app for your law firm? Find out more here:
Law Firm iPhone Apps by JD Supra: Your Legal Expertise Everywhere

 
]]> Lawyers & Law Firms on JD Supra: New Contributor Roundup tag:scoop.jdsupra.com,2010://1.266 2010-01-27T15:04:22Z 2010-01-27T15:08:06Z Aviva Cuyler http://scoop.jdsupra.com/ Here's a look at some of the latest lawyers and law firms to be publishing their work on JD Supra. We're happy to welcome them to the site:

 cole schotz.gif

Cole, Schotz, Meisel, Forman & Leonard, P.A. with offices in New Jersey, New York, Maryland and Delaware. The firm represents businesses, institutions and individuals.

Featured Doc: The Annual Real Property Tax Appeal Countdown Has Begun

 

Diaz Reus.jpgDiaz Reus' lawyers handle corporate formation, licensing, tax, mergers and acquisitions, immigration, trust and estate, and family law matters--in addition to litigating complex, high-profile business and commercial disputes, criminal and regulatory matters and government investigations and security portfolio analysis from offices in Miami, Shanghai, Caracas, and Frankfurt, and an affiliate in Bogota, Sao Paulo, and Monaco.

Featured Doc: China's Rising Interest in Latin America

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Shawn McCammon, attorney at Liberty Law, which offers outsourced general counsel services to Northern California businesses, and estate planning for individuals.

Featured Doc: Make sure your supervisors are implementing employees' accommodations 

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David Haenel, representing clients in DUI, criminal law, and traffic ticket matters at the firm of Finebloom and Haenel, which has offices througout Florida, particularly Sarasota, Orlando, Tampa, and Clearwater.

Featured Doc: Motion to Terminate Florida Probation Early

 


Ronald Shapiro.jpg

Ronald Shapiro, whose immigration firm serves businesses and individuals in Illinois and nationwide.

Featured Doc: Naturalization and Citizenship - E-Newsletter January 25 2010




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Anne E. Raduns, whose firm provides marital and family law legal services to men and women, parents, and couples without children. The family law practice includes legal advice and representation in a range of family law matters, including: Divorce & Marital Dissolution, Paternity, Child Custody/Support, Property Division, Rights of Out of State Parents, Parental Relocation, Spousal Support, Child Visitation, Modifications, and Domestic Violence/ Restraining Orders.  

Featured Doc: Florida Contested Adoption: Helping Father's Get Their Child Back

Howard Ankin.jpgHoward Ankin, a workers compensation and personal injury attorney at Ankin Law Firm. 

Featured Doc: State Trial Practice - E-Newsletter January 25, 2010





Carolann Swanson.jpgCarolann Swanson, commercial litigation and agriculture. Partner and Senior Litigation Counsel at Stokes Law Office, concentrating in commercial litigation matters including agricultural trade and litigation and perishable agricultural commodities.

Featured Doc: Communicating for Business

Katz Friedman.jpg

Katz, Friedman, Eagle, Eisenstein, Johnson & Bareck, advising labor unions and individuals on the laws concerning the National Labor Relations Act, ERISA, insurance coverage, work-related injuries, employment discrimination, benefit and disability law, class action lawsuits and serious personal injury claims.

Featured Doc: A Summary of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act

 

Thumbnail image for Chris Chua.jpgChris Chua, a Singapore corporate lawyer with over 8 years' experience in commercial and corporate legal practice. She specializes in advising businesses in all stages of its life cycle - from start-up and growing it through acquisitions and restructures; to retiring from the business by selling or handing it over to the next generation.

Featured Doc: Doing Business in Singapore - Top 5 Issues in a Shareholders Agreement  

 

What about you? Are you looking for an effective way to showcase expertise and connect with new clients, colleagues, and the media?


Join JD Supra. Create a professional profile and start posting your legal work online! 

]]> New: Clio Facebook Page - Powered by JD Supra tag:scoop.jdsupra.com,2010://1.265 2010-01-26T23:45:43Z 2010-01-27T00:11:24Z Adrian Lurssen http://scoop.jdsupra.com/ a new Facebook page for Clio, the legal software as a service (Saas) company. As you know, Clio provides a suite of web-based online practice management tools for solo lawyers and small firms.

Powered by our own in-house applications, Clio's Facebook page:

  • automatically streams the company's blog and JD Supra document portfolio,
  • allows visitors to sign up for Clio's monthly newsletter (as well as connect to the firm's other online platforms, like LinkedIn and Twitter),
  • publishes a daily social transcript of tweets on any subject (at time of writing, all tweets for "goclio"), and
  • features a custom-built About Clio section, complete with press mentions, a tour of Clio's software offerings, and the ability to sign up for the Clio service.
In the words of company president and co-founder, Jack Newton:

We see this as an excellent way to engage with fans and clients on a more personal level, and look forward to building an active community around Clio on Facebook. We'll be able to keep our readers informed and up-to-date with daily posts and with the tools JD Supra has provided us, such as our Blog connection, Social Transcripts, and JD Supra Documents.
As we've noted elsewhere, we are big fans of the way Facebook pages allow businesses to engage with their readers by delivering "shared" content into Facebook news streams. Clio is able to create community with content using many of the apps we've built into their page.

For regular updates about software as a service, online practice management tools, company news and information, become a fan of Clio's Facebook page today!

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Related:

- You Should be on Facebook - Here's Why
- 3 Apps for Your Law Firm's Facebook Page
- Lawyers and Law Firms on Facebook

Want a custom, professional presence on Facebook? Start here.
]]> The COBRA Subsidy Extension - What It All Means tag:scoop.jdsupra.com,2010://1.261 2010-01-26T05:40:37Z 2010-01-26T05:47:45Z For your reference, here's what JD Supra contributors are writing about President Obama's December, 2009, extension of the COBRA premium subsidy program. JD Supra Employment Law Update: The COBRA Subsidy Extension The COBRA Premium Subsidy is Not Over! - by... Adrian Lurssen http://scoop.jdsupra.com/
JD Supra Employment Law Update: The COBRA Subsidy Extension

The COBRA Premium Subsidy is Not Over! - by Miller & Martin PLLC:

While the rest of us were busy putting the final touches on our Christmas packages, on December 19, 2009, President Obama signed into law the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2010 ("DDAA"). This law extends both the eligibility period and the length of the COBRA premium subsidy created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ("ARRA")...

COBRA Subsidy to Continue - by Shawn McCammon:

...the 2010 DOD Act extended the COBRA premium reduction eligibility period for two months, through February 28, 2010 and increased the maximum period for receiving the subsidy from 9 to 15 months.

COBRA Premium Subsidy Provisions - by Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP:

The Department of Labor has just published the new model notice to be used for COBRA. The notice must be sent to all eligible individuals by February 17, 2010...

COBRA Subsidy Extended - by Dinsmore & Shohl LLP:

The Act also includes a period for the retroactive payment of premiums for individuals who were entitled to the subsidy but whose subsidy period expired on November 30 and who failed to pay their premium for December coverage. The retroactive period is 60 days, commencing with the enactment of the provision or, if later, 30 days after provision of notice...

Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Alert: COBRA Subsidy Extended - by Mintz Levin:

Not all COBRA "qualified beneficiaries" are entitled to take advantage of the subsidy. Rather, a qualified beneficiary is eligible if he or she is an "Assistance Eligible Individual" (AEI), defined as a COBRA qualified beneficiary who becomes eligible for COBRA, during the period beginning September 1, 2008 and ending February 28, 2010, due to the involuntary termination of employment of the covered employee...

- Earlier COBRA Updates & Related Commentary:


.....

Labor & Employment Law on: JD Supra | Facebook | Twitter

Ready to add your work to the mix? Do so now.

]]> Temporary Protected Status Granted to Haitians in U.S. tag:scoop.jdsupra.com,2010://1.260 2010-01-22T18:10:49Z 2010-01-22T18:21:42Z Adrian Lurssen http://scoop.jdsupra.com/ Temporary Protected Status to Haitian nationals residing in the United States as of the date of Haiti's devastating earthquake (January 12, 2010). For more information, see the following updates by JD Supra contributors: 

Temporary Protected Status for Haitians - by Sands Anderson Marks & Miller:

Temporary Protected Status is sometimes granted to countries when conditions temporarily prevent nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, when the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano temporarily halted the removal (deportations) of Haitians with standing removal orders. Those who do not have removal orders, but are detained in detention centers, will remain jailed...

Temporary Protected Status Granted for Haiti - by Collins & Collins, P.C.:

The Temporary Protected Status is for a period of 18 months. Individual nationals of Haiti are eligible. In addition, aliens having no nationality who habitually resided in Haiti are also eligible. To be eligible, the individual must have been continuously present and continually residing in the United States as of January 12, 2010, the date of the earthquake in Haiti. Eligible individuals have 180 days to register for Temporary Protected Status. Those eligible may also apply for employment and travel authorization...

More Information on Haitian Deportation - by Robert Kraft:

The administration has clarified the earlier announcement regarding the suspension of deportation of Haitian citizens. The Haitians must have been in the United States before the earthquake January 11, and any Haitians who arrive here illegally after that date will be deported...

Related:

Adoption Process of Haiti Orphans Expedited by Homeland Security - by Collins & Collins, P.C.:

DHS has announced a humanitarian parole policy to allow orphaned Haitian children to enter the United States under temporary protected status. The policy is part of the U.S. government's ongoing relief efforts to assist Haiti following the devastating earthquake. The humanitarian parole will allow eligible children entry to the United States on an expedited basis to insure that they receive the care they need...


For information on how you can support the disaster relief in Haiti start with Google's crisis response center.

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Immigration Law: JD Supra | Facebook | Twitter

 
]]> Quick Hits: Recommended Reading for the Week (Jan 15, 2010) tag:scoop.jdsupra.com,2010://1.259 2010-01-15T20:20:56Z 2010-01-15T20:28:32Z File under: weekend reading. Here's a quick look at some of the articles and news (mainly to do with online matters) that recently grabbed our attention. Meant to be helpful, this reading list is by no means comprehensive. Before we... Adrian Lurssen http://scoop.jdsupra.com/
Here's a quick look at some of the articles and news (mainly to do with online matters) that recently grabbed our attention.

Meant to be helpful, this reading list is by no means comprehensive. Before we file away, we thought we'd share with you:

...

]]> Federal Estate Tax in 2010: What's Happening? tag:scoop.jdsupra.com,2010://1.258 2010-01-14T21:01:01Z 2010-01-22T18:58:53Z [Updated January 22, 2010] For your reference, here's a look at how lawyers and law firms on JD Supra are making sense of the 2010 repeal of the Federal Estate Tax. For more information on why the estate tax was... Adrian Lurssen http://scoop.jdsupra.com/ Federal Estate Tax. For more information on why the estate tax was repealed, and the myriad of consequences, start with these articles:

2010 Federal Estate Tax: Estate Law Updates on JD Supra

Estate Tax Repeal is Here - by Cole Schotz:

To the surprise of most estate planning practitioners, the arrival of January 1, 2010 brought with it a federal estate tax repeal. Congress was unable to compromise prior to year end on legislation that would have either maintained the status quo ($3.5 million applicable exclusion amount and a 45% estate tax rate) or implemented new exclusion amounts and/or tax rates. As a result, the following rules apply in 2010...

2010 Federal Estate Tax Repeal - What Does It Really Mean? - by Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP:

The 2010 federal estate tax repeal has been nine years in the making, yet we can honestly say that no one saw it coming. Congress did not act, and we now find ourselves in a system created by what some commentators are calling "congressional malpractice" and what the Senate Finance Committee Chairman describes as "massive, massive confusion." Here is the bottom line of how the estate tax landscape has changed and what to look out for over the next 12 months...

Estate Tax Uncertainty in 2010 - by McAfee & Taft:

The future of the federal estate tax laws remains uncertain. Many planners believe it is likely that legislation, when it is passed, will result in a return to something akin to the 2009 rules, which provided for a $3.5 million per person federal estate and GST tax exemption and a tax rate of 45%...

Estate and Gift Tax Update - Changes in 2010 and Beyond - by Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP:

"No matter what Congress does or does not do, many estate plans allocate assets among trusts or beneficiaries through the use of formulas that assume the existence of a federal estate tax. Plans prepared in the last several years may have anticipated the 2010 temporary repeal..."

Would Retroactive Reinstatement of the Federal Estate Tax be Constitutional? - by Randy Spiro:

The perfect storm for estate planning arrived on January 1, 2010 when the federal estate tax was repealed, but only for persons dying on and after January 1, 2010 but no later than December 31, 2010. Adding to the mystery is Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus' pledge that the Senate will pass a bill reinstating the tax, which legislation the House of Representatives previously passed on December 3, 2009. But would a retroactive reinstatement pass constitutional muster for persons dying on and after January 1, 2010 and before the date of the bill's passage and signing by the President?

The Stealth Estate Tax of 2010 - by Kaufman Law Group:

"In 2001, Congress revised the federal estate tax schedule, gradually increasing the individual exemption from estate tax from year to year. Pursuant to this legislation, the exemption was raised to $3.5 million per person ($7 M per couple) in 2009, and there is a scheduled one-year exemption from all federal estate tax for 2010. But not many people realize that this one-year "gift" is really a Trojan tax horse! " (Also from Kaufman Law Group: Avoiding the Stealth Estate Tax)

Is the Estate Tax Dead or Only Sleeping? - by Jeffrey Crown:

"For the present, there is no Federal estate tax. But there are two reasons not to celebrate yet. First, the estate tax is being replaced by a moratorium on "stepped up basis at death." Secondly, there is a possibility that Congress may reinstate the tax retroactively..."

Uncertainty On Existing Estate Plans And Gifting Strategies Due To Repeal Of The Federal Estate Tax - by Fox Rothschild:

"In the context of Federal Estate Tax repeal, some wills use technical language that may have the effect of reducing the surviving spouse's actual share of the decedent's estate to zero.This result may be completely unintended..."

Temporary Tax Repeals May Alter Your Estate Plan - by Dinsmore & Shohl LLP:

"Estate tax changes next year could include elimination or significant restriction of wealth-shifting opportunities currently available, including restrictions on valuation discounts and on the use of Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs). While current law applies, and values and interest rates remain low, planning opportunities are available..."

Tax Law Change May Reinstate Estate Rules - by Sands Anderson Marks & Miller:

Everyone expects (yes, that crowd of everyone again) Congress will pass a more permanent extension of the estate tax law setting the tax-free amount at a higher level, but Congress is full of surprises and, with an election coming up, Congress could easily do nothing about further estate taxes (just as happened this year) and let the exemption drop back to $1,000,000...

The Temporary Repeal Of The Federal Estate Tax And Its Effect On Your Estate Plan - by Morrison & Foerster LLP:

Although some would see this as another cause for celebration, for many the repeal will create more problems than it solves. In addition, the repeal of the estate and GST tax laws -- even though under current law it will only last for one year -- requires most individuals to consider whether their wills and trusts still operate as planned or instead leave their beneficiaries facing unintended consequences...

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]]> Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) - Increased Protections for Military Families tag:scoop.jdsupra.com,2010://1.255 2010-01-08T20:05:45Z 2010-01-20T20:45:45Z [Updated January 20, 2010] - For your reference, here's a reading list to make sense of recent amendments to the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) and how these latest changes have increased protections for military families:FMLA Amended... Adrian Lurssen http://scoop.jdsupra.com/ FMLA) and how these latest changes have increased protections for military families:

FMLA Amended Again By The National Defense Authorization Act for 2010 (by Duane Morris): On October 28, 2009, President Obama signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, Public Law 111-84 ("NDAA for 2010"). Primarily a defense appropriations law, the NDAA contains several amendments to the family military-leave provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act ("FMLA")...

Family and Medical Leave Act Further Helps Military Families (by Sheppard Mullin): The bill increases protections for families of military personnel who wish to take leave from work under the Family and Medical Leave Act. The new amendments expand on changes implemented less than a year ago requiring that certain employers provide unpaid leave for qualifying family members of military personnel...

Recent FMLA Amendments Regarding Military Leave (by Dinsmore & Shohl): This new entitlement is now extended to an employee whose spouse, son, daughter or parent is a member of the regular Armed Forces - not just the National Guard or Reserves - and is deployed to a foreign country, rather than only when deployed in support of a contingency operation.

FMLA's Military Leave Provisions Expanded (by Ford & Harrison): The NDAA also extends the scope of military caregiver leave to families of certain veterans, who previously were not covered by the provision. It also permits military caregiver leave for serious injuries or illnesses that are the result of pre-existing conditions that were aggravated by service while on active duty.

The FMLA Gets (Yet ANOTHER) Facelift! (by Miller & Martin PLLC): Most of the news media's focus has been on the financial and other "support for our troops" aspects of this law. However, it has serious human resource implications as well...

FMLA - Background Reading & Archived Updates:


Additional information is available in JD Supra's Military Law center, or by following @MilitaryLaw on Twitter.

Got FMLA-related news and analysis to add to the mix? Please do so now.

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]]> Lawyers & Law Firms on JD Supra: New Contributor Roundup tag:scoop.jdsupra.com,2009://1.251 2009-12-28T18:05:40Z 2010-01-27T07:10:08Z Aviva Cuyler http://scoop.jdsupra.com/ Here's a look at some of the latest lawyers and law firms to be publishing their work on JD Supra. We're happy to welcome them to the site:

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Daryl Thompson, a DUI attorney in Orange County, California, who has been representing clients charged with misdemeanor and felony DUIs for more than 33 years.

Featured Doc: California Ignition Interlock Devices...

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New York law firm, Melito & Adolfsen, which handles complex commercial litigation, including insurance coverage, reinsurance arbitrations and litigations, all types of tort defense, labor law cases, nursing home claims, products liability, professional liability...

Featured Doc: CGL vs. Workers' Comp 1B - Coverage In Construction Cases...

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Collins & Collins, P.C., which represents clients in personal injury, immigration, and criminal law matters throughout New Mexico.

Featured Doc: Protection of Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence in New Mexico...

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Fox Rothschild, whose 450 lawyers in 15 offices coast to coast deliver a full range of legal services - from the traditional (Litigation, Corporate, Labor and Employment) to the emerging services (Intellectual Property and Tech and Venture Finance)...

Featured Doc: Key Developments In Executive Compensation: What Should A Public Company Do Now And In 2010?

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Catherine Bertram, handling personal injury, products liability, and professional malpractice cases in Washington, D.C.

Featured Doc: Copyright Grants: as Powerful as Kryptonite?

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Sands Anderson Marks & Miller, a Virginia and North Carolina firm that offers a comprehensive range of transactional and litigation legal services to businesses, business owners and company executives, financial institutions, governments, healthcare providers, professional service firms and practitioners, the insurance industry and individuals.

Featured Doc: Talk is Cheap: Except When You Are Sued for Cellphone Usage... 

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Kaufman Law Group, providing estate and asset protection plans to clients in Illinois..

Featured Doc: Checklist Of Items To Bring To Initial Estate Planning Meeting...

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David Wolf, partner at Wood, Atter & Wolf, which represents clients and their families in personal injury, criminal law and family law matters throughout Florida. 

Featured Doc: Advice for Parents : What To Look For In a Day Care Center?

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Miller & Martin PLLC,  a leading Southeastern full-service law firm with almost 200 attorneys in three cities. Clients range from individuals to multi-national corporations. 

Featured Doc: Law Firms Targeting Nurses For FLSA Claims...

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Partridge, Snow & Hahn, LLP, one of the largest law firms in Southeastern New England. The firm represents privately and publicly held businesses, family-owned businesses, not-for-profit institutions, government agencies, regulated industries, educational institutions, and high-net-worth individuals.

Featured Doc: 2009 Year-End Tax Tips...

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W. Andrew Arnold, a solo practitioner, with over 17 years experience as a litigator, with experience in employment law, nursing home abuse and neglect cases, business litigation and non-compete disputes.

Featured Doc: Legal Memorandum in Wage Payment Case: Oral and Written Terms...

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Jonathan Ginsberg, a Georgia-based social security disability attorney . 

Featured Doc: Migraine Headaches in the Workplace...

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