While we may be nearing the end of 2020 we are not yet done with the pandemic. This situation has created new responsibilities for employers in California who will now be required to follow strict health and safety processes as well as conforming with new reporting requirements. As of the beginning of 2021, all California … Read Article
46 New York’s supreme court justices are being forced to retire this year due to their age and due to pandemic-caused shortfalls. These judges are considering banding together and suing the state. This could be a very challenging case for the justices as state law says that they can be retired at the age of … Read Article
California Assembly Bill 979 now requires that public companies include members of underrepresented communities on their boards of directors. The intentions of the bill include addressing the ethnic pay gap, promoting diversification and “upward mobility of diverse technical talent,” as well as retention of that talent. It is no surprise that the bill has elicited … Read Article
Since the pandemic started, online shopping has been seen as a safer option than braving supermarkets and other brick and mortar retailers. But during the first few months of the pandemic, workers called Amazon’s health and safety practices into question, claiming that Amazon was not following local, state, and federal public health guidelines. When employees’ … Read Article
Feeling safe and comfortable when using a restroom is something we all want. Yet when you add modern gender identities to the mix, the issue becomes quite complex. In the most recent court case on this issue, Virginia’s Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals found that the Gloucester school board acted unconstitutionally by preventing students from … Read Article
There has been yet another win in the legal battle against drug companies for promoting the opioid crisis in our country. Indivior Solutions, a pharmaceutical company known for its drug Suboxone which is used to treat opiate addiction and is itself addictive, agreed to pay $600 million to settle accusations of fraudulent marketing. Its parent … Read Article
Our courts have been busy updating Local Rules and procedures. At SmartRules we have an extensive library and network of court resources that we put to work for you. We monitor courts and compile all Local Rule changes into easy-to-use guides. Here are some of the changes that have taken place so far this year: … Read Article
A Pro Hac Vice motion is a motion requesting permission for a lawyer to appear in a jurisdiction wherein he/she is not a licensed attorney.
A measure of justice is in store for the victims of Flint, Michigan for the devastating water crisis that came to light in 2014. The state of Michigan has offered a $600 million settlement to Flint residents. Once legal fees are taken out, the settlement is to be distributed to the members of the class … Read Article