The U.S. Supreme Court recently rendered a decision that has sent ripples through higher education and beyond. In the case Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, No. 20-1199, the court struck down affirmative action in undergraduate admissions, a move with significant implications. While the case directly affects higher education,…
The transfer and management of a family vacation property like a summer cottage to the next generation can be an emotionally charged task and often one laden with complex legal challenges. Not only is it about continuing a tradition, it’s also a matter of navigating intra-family dynamics, allocating responsibilities, and understanding the tax implications of…
In a move aimed at effectively controlling the prices of certain prescription drugs, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, the first set of ten drugs that will be liable to price negotiation with manufacturers under the newly applied Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) Medicare Drug Price…
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has recently announced its intent to propose a new rule, aiming to raise the salary threshold for “white collar” minimum wage and overtime pay exemptions. Currently, many executive, administrative, and professional positions qualify as exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) minimum wage and overtime requirements provided they…
On August 25, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) made a significant decision regarding the rights of union workers. It ruled that employers are required to either recognize a new union or promptly file for an election, when a union asks for recognition derived from the majority of workers displaying their support. This resolution…
As summer temperatures surge and so-called ‘heat dome’ weather phenomena become more frequent, increasing environmental concerns are pushing corporations to reevaluate their carbon footprints. Much of the discourse around this issue is not novel – we’re familiar with the calls to drive less, recycle more, and curb our consumption of plastics. However, an often-overlooked contributor…
In a move that came as significant, yet not unexpected, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on August 30, 2023, proposing to increase the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA’s) minimum salary threshold for white-collar overtime exemptions. This was reported by Kelley Drye & Warren LLP on their legal news page,…
Traditional career paths may be the most commonly pursued routes in any profession, but they don’t necessarily lead to success or satisfaction for everyone. This certainly was the case for Krista Bordatto, who shared her unconventional journey from the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps to academia in a recent editorial on Above the Law. Bordatto’s…
In a significant development, the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has issued a recommendation to categorize cannabis as a Schedule III controlled substance under federal law. The recommendation came forth on Wednesday, August 30. This is a noteworthy shift considering the contentious status of cannabis in the country’s legal and social contexts….
The latest episode of the llumination Zone podcast, brought to us by EDRM (Electronic Discovery Reference Model), features special guests Sharon D. Nelson, Esq., President, and John Simek, Vice President of Sensei Enterprises, Inc., a nationally recognized managed IT service provider, digital forensics, and managed cybersecurity firm based in Fairfax, VA. Get to know more…
There has recently been significant development on the front of “catch-up” contributions. In a measure that gives a sigh of relief to many plan sponsors and high-paid participants, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 23-62 on Friday, August 25, 2023. The notice carries two crucial clarifications related to “age 50” catch-up contributions and the…
In an unprecedented move, the First Tier Tribunal in the UK has issued the first remediation order under the Building Safety Act 2022. This landmark order compels a landlord to undertake necessary works to rectify fire safety defects in a building. The development is being regarded as a decisive step towards enhanced fire safety enforcement…
On May 25, 2023, in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision that has significantly affected the long-debated definition of “waters of the United States” and, by extension, the jurisdictional scope of the Clean Water Act (CWA). In response to this ruling, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the…
On August 14, 2023, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the final guidance on implementing the statutory requirements of the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117-58). This guidance was later published as the final rule in the Federal Register on August 23,…
On September 14th at 1:00 pm EDT, The Association of Certified E-Discovery is hosting a webinar titled ‘Document Review Workflows that Work for Everyone’. A well-structured, efficient document review process plays a critical role in legal matters; it impacts strategy, budget, timelines, and ultimately, case outcomes. However, managing this process effectively among diverse groups such…
The United States Department of Labor (DOL) has recently proposed a rule seeking to substantially broaden the scope of overtime pay entitlement for employees. The notice for this transformative proposal was issued on August 30, 2023. Accompanying the proposal, the DOL also released a Q&A document to address concerns and questions surrounding the proposed rule….
With Intellectual Property (IP) assuming increasing importance in the AI and Power Electronics industry, leading law firm, Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck, P.C. announced a free-of-charge webinar on the subject. Entitled “Intellectual Property Protection Strategies for AI in the Power Electronics Industry”, the seminar will take place on September 7, 2023, at 11 am ET….
Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to revolutionize modern professions and reshape the job landscape, prompting discussions on the ethical and legal implications centered around AI’s increasing role in the workforce. An upcoming webinar, scheduled for September 12th, between 12:00 pm and 1:30 pm CT, sets out to address these consequential matters. Presented by the Society of…
In an intriguing development in the world of franchising, a Virginia district court recently ruled in favor of a franchisor, dismissing a lawsuit filed by 360 Painting. Known for its vast portfolio in residential and commercial painting services, the operation’s legal challenge was based on allegations of breach of contract and a call for equitable…
In a recent development, employers might find themselves having to adjust their remuneration policies due to the Labor Department’s proposal to increase the salary bar for exempt employees. The proposal could impact the way overtime premiums are processed and allocated across various roles and positions in organizations. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has unveiled…
In the complex world of health care, where patient privacy frequently collides with law-enforcement needs, understanding how to navigate these interactions is paramount. On September 25th, from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm CT, a webinar titled ‘Managing the Disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI) to Law Enforcement during Crisis Encounters’ aims to clarify these often…
On September 14th, Chicago will host the roundtable event “Guardians of Generative AI: Upholding Ethics and Law in an Age of Unreliable Output”. Organized by the Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS), the event aims to deepen the understanding of the intersection between technology, law, and ethics, particularly within the realm of generative artificial intelligence….
In a major step towards streamlining the energy sector, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has implemented significant generator interconnection reforms. Last month FERC approved Order No. 2023, a decision anticipated to alleviate nationwide interconnection backlogs. This key Order places new, strenuous requirements on transmission providers and interconnection customers alike, an aggressive approach designed to…
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced a welcomed delay of two years for plan sponsors to comply with a requirement under the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) 2.0 Act of 2022, relating to Roth Catch-Up contributions. The requirement stipulates that catch-up contributions made on behalf of certain eligible participants must be…
A recent amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) introduces new regulatory standards for U.S. documented commercial vessels. Effective from 2023, owners, masters, and managing operators are now obligated to report incidents of harassment, sexual harassment, and sexual assault immediately. The amendments were published by McGlinchey Stafford and hint towards a substantial shift in…