Children are expensive. Moreover, expenses could mount dramatically when the parent-to-be needs to resort to surrogacy due to reasons like a medical condition or having a partner lacking the complementary reproductive capability. The cost of surrogacy could be especially heavy due to a rising phenomenon: Surrogacy insurance liens. The American medical insurance system is especially…
As the trans-Atlantic legal landscape sees an escalating lateral war, the focus is on a shift that is likely to turn heads. Three top partners from Kirkland & Ellis are making a move to rival firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, with their annual compensation expected to surpass the $10 million guarantees that have…
In the realm of employment law, July 2023 has marked several important decisions by Californian courts. The following are summaries of key judgments, unpacking their implications for legal professionals working in multinational corporations and the foremost law firms. Kuciemba v. Victory Woodworks Inc., 14 Cal. 4th 993 (2023): The details of the case remain undisclosed,…
Recent years have witnessed an ongoing debate about the validity of capping general damages via contract provisions for liquidated damages. This discussion gained momentum with a couple of contradictory verdicts in the last two years – casting ambiguity on a common feature of construction contracts. The topic came to light as liquidated damages clauses frequently…
A major legal battle is underway, with a coalition of 21 Attorneys General (AGs) throwing their weight behind former Saks retail store employees’ allegations in a no-poach agreement case. The AGs have filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, in support of the former employees who allege they…
In a crucial interpretation of longstanding legislation, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit recently addressed the scope of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) term “operator”, in a case headlined by MRP Properties Company, LLC v. United States. This examination brings into focus the role and responsibilities of…
In an emerging predicament, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has found himself in the midst of an ethics scandal, generated by his ties to affluent figures. According to a recent report, Thomas’s circle is far richer, featuring more billionaire associates than the average person’s network of less wealthy friends . The precise nature of the…
As the summer season is in full swing with record-breaking temperatures expected, employers in New Jersey are being urged to develop and implement measures to mitigate the risk of employees developing heat-related illnesses while working outside. These matters fall under New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Law, a critical area of focus for legal professionals serving corporations…
As the demand for privacy professionals continues to surge, industry professionals and companies alike, are keen to understand where the highest-paying privacy jobs exist. According to a recent webinar highlighting research findings from the 2023 IAPP Privacy Professionals Salary Survey, organizational size appears to be a crucial factor in determining compensation for these roles. The…
The summer of 2023 has been marked by labor movements and discussions of fair compensation. The legal field has not been left out of these discussions, with students pushing for remuneration for their work on law reviews and journals. Particularly, students of NYU Law embarked on this mission in March, requesting to be paid in…
Hawaii has recently joined the list of states to implement a pay transparency law, posing new requirements for large employers based in the state. Governor Josh Green signed the bill into law last month, and as it stands, the commencement date is specified for January 1, 2024. This new regulation demands that pay related information…
In a critical update for institutional investment managers filing Form 13F under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, a new requirement mandates that they will need to file their first Form N-PX as early as August 31, 2024. Engendered by Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP, this revelation reveals a significant progression in the regulatory…
Despite the attention often lavished on Biglaw, the truth of the matter is most private practice attorneys are operating within firms that employ less than 20 lawyers. However, reliable information on market rates for associates in these largest firms and the average earnings of partners tend to overshadow key remuneration data needed by attorneys in…
In a significant ruling, the California Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Kuciemba v. Victory Woodworks, Inc., No. S274191, 2023 WL 4360826 (Cal. July 6, 2023), directly affecting the responsibilities and potential liabilities of employers concerning the spread of COVID-19 among employees off the clock. The State’s highest court declared that employers are not…
New Jersey employers are now under increasing pressure, according to new amendments to the New Jersey Unemployment Compensation Act that came into effect on July 31, 2023. These changes highlight the growing seriousness of the consequences for employers who fail to issue Instructions For Claiming Unemployment Benefits, also known as Form BC-10, to separated employees….
Discussions around civil damage awards currently bring to the fore an intriguing concept behind a trend in growing verdict sizes – “social inflation”. This phrase has increasingly been mentioned in conversations around the persistent trend of escalating “nuclear verdicts”. It refers to a phenomenon where typical award levels have been consistently rising as society becomes…
Every year, leading legal news outlet Above the Law publishes a comprehensive compensation report for in-house attorneys. The purpose of this survey is to provide crucial benchmarking information for corporate counsel and their salaries across various factors. These factors include the size of the company they serve, the industry they work in, the size of…
The No Surprises Act (NSA) was enacted by Congress in 2020 with an intention to minimize surprising medical bills and to facilitate a swift and straightforward procedure for out-of-network healthcare providers to receive payment from insurers. Despite this, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other agencies created regulations to regulate this…
In the continually evolving environment of healthcare, there is a critical aspect rarely understood by even seasoned legal professionals – exclusion screening. Routine screening checks are compulsory in the healthcare sector. Still, the importance of exclusion screening trumps most compliance audits, especially concerning federally funded health care programs. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG)…
Designing compensation to operationalize compliance continues to be a vital and strategic topic for legal professionals. The shift towards incorporating compensation systems into a company’s compliance program is evident, highlighting the importance of alignment between monetary incentives and adherence to corporate compliance. In a recent podcast episode, compliance expert Tom Fox discusses the perspective of…
A recent libel suit filed by attorney Mark Geragos against the Los Angeles Times has come to an abrupt end. The suit concerned the Times’ reportage on payouts from a $37 million settlement for Armenian Genocide victims, which was also under investigation by the State Bar. A Californian state judge has now concluded this case,…
In October 2022, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted Rule 10D-1, a measure that compelled national securities exchanges to establish listing standards. According to this rule, the listing of certain company security classes could be prohibited if the company did not adopt effective policies for the recovery of erroneously paid incentive-based executive compensation,…
In 1963, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued a ruling suggesting that an individual does not have an expectation of privacy when a private investigator follows and photographs them on the street once they have claimed personal injuries sustained in a car accident. The argument was that the claimant “must expect reasonable inquiry and investigation to…
In the complex field of personal injury law, sometimes the most challenging cases are those involving semi-truck accidents. Victims can often face considerable uncertainty on how to proceed. In the state of Florida, it is critical to understand that negligence of multiple parties may contribute to these cases. This article aims to shed some light…
A recent survey published by the UK Association of Prison Lawyers (APL) reveals a concerning trend among prison lawyers, indicating a significant reduction in numbers due to inadequate legal fees. The exhaustive and underpaid work expected of these legal professionals have reportedly pushed prison law legal aid work past the point of sustainability. The survey…