The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) provided recent updates to its public information concerning the Self-Referral Disclosure Protocol (SRDP) settlements, incorporating consolidated settlement data from calendar years 2021 and 2022. As detailed by Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, these updates marked a notable increase in the volume of SRDPs settled by CMS, as the…
Massachusetts has recently implemented amendments to its Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law. These changes, which take effect on November 1, 2023, offer employees a new supplementary income provision while receiving PFML benefits. Under the amended Massachusetts PFML law, employees will have the option to supplement their PFML benefits using accrued paid time off…
In an interesting development in Colorado, the state’s highest court has expressed its unease with a fee levied by a family law firm on attorneys for departing with their clients. Judges engaged in spirited questioning over why, as the legal firm asserts, such per-client fees do not impinge upon a lawyer’s right to practice. The…
On October 6, 2023, the Fourth District Court of Appeal (Division 3) certified for publication a judgment that exemplifies nuances of the California Environment Quality Act (CEQA). This court ruling positively affirms the trial court’s judgment, denying a CEQA writ petition, which contested the City of Laguna Beach’s decision that the Guidelines’ Class 31 categorical…
In the aftermath of the Evenstad family trial, the fiduciary-duty and shareholder-oppression claims brought by Serene Warren against her family’s company, ACOVA, and her relatives, including her parents and brother, have brought the application of Rule 408 into sharp relief. As covered by Robins Kaplan LLP, the 16-day bench trial, which took place in a…
It’s the era of modernization and even law firms are not untouched. A fresh perspective comes from a family-run law firm that has been successful in updating its operations and even creating a new niche. In an recent episode of the Non-Eventcast podcast, we had a chance to hear from Megan Sheehan. Running a family…
In an era where mobile payment platforms such as Apple Pay, Venmo, and Cash App are gaining popularity rapidly, professionals and clients alike need to be keen on how to report transactions through these mediums accurately. In a recent discussion spearheaded by Weber Gallagher’s Family Law Group, they shed light on this often-overlooked area. The…
As the structure of family wealth and property change over time, new challenges arise that demand every legal professional’s attention. A particular concern is the so-called “Doom Loop” scenario, a term introduced in a Forbes Magazine article. This involves a couple, typically reliant on dual incomes, entangling their assets and debts so precariously that the…
In a recent development, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has rekindled a dispute initiated by Airlines for America (“A4A”), an airline trade collective, on the Healthy Airport Ordinance brought forward by San Francisco. These mandates necessitate any airlines utilizing San Francisco International Airport, city-operated, to offer complete coverage of healthcare plan costs. This mandate…
A family court in Japan declared it unconstitutional to require an individual to undergo gender-affirming surgery to obtain identification in line with their gender. The Shizuoka Family Court in Central Japan struck down the law, previously upheld as constitutional by Japan’s Supreme Court in 2019. The verdict, originating from a lawsuit filed by transgender man,…
On Monday, the US government reported it will settle a 2018 class-action lawsuit after the controversial family separation practice during the Trump era at the US-Mexico border. A joint petition has been filed to court, asking for approval of the settlement. The proposed settlement would establish a systematic procedure to reunify the families separated due…
The Appellate court’s October 6 decision in RSK v. DLK, though non-precedential, has attracted attention due to its subject matter regarding transgender rights. The case involves parents of four children who have been divorced for a decade. Of these children, one, KK, was born female but identifies as a male. Remarkably, the appellate decision respectfully…
In a fast-paced, high-pressure world, personal issues can sometimes weigh heavily on the minds of even the most seasoned legal professionals. One such often stressful and convoluted issue is divorce, which demands both emotionally and financially, and further compounds the pressure when complicated decisions about housing and related financial matters arise. Here, a webinar, led…
Brazilian law firm, Mattos Filho, has recently chosen a new resident partner for its New York office. The long-serving M&A partner, Paula Vieira, will take up this role, according to the Law.com International Edition. In this new position, Vieira will be representing Mattos Filho with monthly visits to the New York office before a full-time…
Another tragedy struck the legal community when news emerged of a veteran Florida attorney’s death in a skydiving accident. The lawyer, well-regarded in his field for years, was reported to have died while participating in the extreme sport over the weekend. Skydiving, an activity loved by many for the adrenaline it offers, is also notorious…
Attorneys and legal professionals need to take note of a recent development which draws attention towards the personal sphere – this time involving a law student and son of a prominent co-founder of Buc-ee’s, a popular Texas convenience store chain. He has been taken into police custody in connection with an alleged secret filming of…
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the US District Attorney’s Office (USDAO) have recently declined to charge Border Patrol agents for the fatal shooting of Raymond Mattia, a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, according to announcements by tribal leadership. The decision has been vehemently criticized by the Tohono O’odham Nation Chairman Verlon M….
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) last week adopted five new resolutions and submitted one to the General Assembly. One key development was the extension of the UN’s mandate in Burundi, which came in the wake of the recent expiration of the UN’s mandate in Ethiopia. The resolution related to the “Situation of human…
Legal professionals serving Massachusetts employers need to be aware of two significant developments in the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFML). The changes are set to impact both the available benefits and the contributions rates. The Massachusetts government recently announced these changes, one of which permits employees to “top off” PFML benefits with…
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has officially amended provisions of its Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFMLA), a move set to create rippling effects across workplaces. Changes to the rules, initially enacted on January 1, 2021, come as further adjustment after careful observation and analysis since the act’s enforcement. In its founding layout, The PFMLA…
Recent amendments have been made to the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave law (PFML), impacting employees and employers across the board. The changes to the law now permit employees to supplement their weekly PFML benefit amount with any accrued paid leave, including vacation, sick time, and PTO. The updates to the PFML law are…
In a decisive move for the state of California’s housing sector, Governor Newsom has recently given his approval to various state housing bills. These bills were forwarded to him after gaining approval from both chambers of the state legislature, the Assembly and Senate. His endorsement of these pieces of legislation showcases his commitment to tackling…
John Kaercher, a private equity and M&A partner at Kirkland & Ellis in Austin, showcased an impressive example of professional dedication recently. Over the course of a single frenetic weekend, Kaercher served as the lead lawyer on three major deals, all of which neared completion between September 26 and 27. This already demanding window of…
A topic that often gets ignored in conversations within families but has long-term financial and emotional implications is estate planning. Estate planning is not merely for the affluent; households across all income strata can benefit from the clarity it provides, especially in avoiding a potential mess for the survivors to clean. In order to raise…
Frequently, legal professionals with a specialization in family law encounter complex situations that involve one parent seeking child support from the other. The regulation of the amount to be paid in child support is typically defined using specified child support guidelines. However, there are instances when certain costs related to the support of a child…