01/22/2019
Mediation is often confused with arbitration. They have similarities, including that both are overseen by third-party neutrals that do not have financial stakes in the outcomes. The key difference is that while arbitration results in the neutral evaluating the outcome (which typically is binding, but by agreement can be non-binding), while in mediation the third-party… Read more »
01/18/2019
In PNC Bank N.A. v. Dominion Energy Mgm’t Inc., 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 62577 (E.D. Va. April 12, 2018), the Eastern District of Virginia held that an individual has the opportunity and capacity to read loan documents cannot avoid liability by claiming fraudulent inducement based on oral statements allegedly made by bank representatives different from… Read more »
01/17/2019
One day, you receive a letter from a company or law firm accusing your business of patent infringement. The letter states that in order to avoid a costly lawsuit, you must pay the company a licensing fee. You ask yourself whether this is some type of scam and you consider simply throwing the letter away… Read more »
01/16/2019
(PART TWO) This is the second and last of a multi-part series regarding the implications that Constitutional Appointment Clause challenges have for prior and current administrative hearings before the Department of Labor. As Appointments Clause Challenges Continue to Rise, Should Employers and Insurance Companies be Concerned about Re-litigating the Decisions Where an ALJ has Denied… Read more »
01/15/2019
(PART ONE) This is the first part of a multi-part series regarding the implications that Constitutional Appointment Clause challenges have for prior and current administrative hearings before the Department of Labor. Lucia v. SEC On June 21, 2018, the Supreme Court issued Lucia v. SEC, an important case clarifying the definition of “inferior officers” under… Read more »
01/13/2019
In recent years, a variety of external factors—including, regulatory costs, political headwinds, falling oil prices, and the increased utilization of natural gas—have placed significant stress on domestic coal companies. Those external factors, in conjunction with significant pension and healthcare liabilities and debt burdens, led to numerous bankruptcy filings within the coal industry. The Bankruptcy Code… Read more »
01/11/2019
Most sophisticated commercial real estate (“CRE”) transactions, including leases, acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, and loans, usually start with a letter of intent (“LOI”). Depending on the transaction and the parties involved, lawyers may or may not be involved in preparing the LOI. The LOI is designed to summarize key business terms and is generally non-binding… Read more »
01/04/2019
Under the Small Business Runway Extension Act of 2018, the measure for small business qualification is the average of five years’ gross receipts, instead of the previous average of three years. Many contractors will now retain small business status for a longer period. However, according to the SBA the change is not currently effective. See… Read more »
