Legal Solutions  Blog

I don’t like the Kardashians. At all. In fact, I would avoid them entirely if I could. The problem is, reality TV’s most famous sisters seem to have a knack for possibly infringing on trademarks and copyrights with their assorted moneymaking ventures (like, say, makeup), so when you’re writing a column about topical intellectual property issues, ignoring [...]

The topic of same-sex marriage has become one of the most debated social issues in recent years. The Supreme Court itself is expected to issue decisions in two potentially landmark cases on the matter ( Hollingsworth v. Perry and U.S. v. Windsor ) by the end of June. Where many proponents of same-sex marriage rights frame the struggle as one [...]

258A Military Justice 258AII Punishable Offenses and Defenses to Charges 258Ak705 Larceny 258Ak709 k. Evidence. Evidence concerning larceny charge was sufficient to find that accused stole 13 refrigerators, 28 microwave ovens, 24 coffeemakers, and 31 boxed sets of pots and pans from warehouse; testimony of civilian witnesses indicated that accused took between 10 and 15 refrigerators, 15 and 20 microwave [...]

Over the last few decades online reviews have become an accepted part of online life. Consumers have a wealth of review information to choose from, and they can even post reviews directly to your Google+ Local profile. How can you manage reviews? Here are four steps to help. 1: Pay attention Set up search engine alerts for [...]

Since the December 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, a renewed debate over gun control has taken hold across the U.S. The typical arguments in this debate are whether and what types of new restrictions on gun ownership should be implemented (e.g. background checks, assault weapons and high capacity magazines, etc). To [...]

16 Admiralty 16II Remedies and Procedure in General 16k28 k. Grounds of Proceeding in Rem. Doctrine of in rem liability of vessel applies where owner of vessel has entrusted control to a third party, and under this doctrine, charterers, pilots, and stevedores are considered to be in lawful possession, whereas pirates, mutineers, and “like” people are not. Churchill v. F/V [...]

Westlaw Topical Highlights for Labor and Employment provides summaries of significant federal and state judicial decisions and legislative and administrative activities affecting labor and employment law.  A Westlaw subscription is required to access the documents linked from this page. 1. Benefit Plans: Fund and trustees were not entitled to default judgment for amounts purportedly owed as late contributions or [...]

The new  Westlaw Journals blog  brings you litigation headlines in over 30 substantive areas of law.  Here are some highlights from the past week: Supreme Court sides with Monsanto in seed patent case : In a victory for patent owner Monsanto Co., the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that farmers may not reproduce the company’s patented seeds by planting and [...]

Last week’s post discussed how to properly set your clients’ expectations to ensure that they are as satisfied with your work as possible. Although setting proper expectations serves many purposes, its use in the context of ensuring client satisfaction is to increase the likelihood that your clients will refer you to their family and friends. As [...]

145 Electricity 145k12 Injuries Incident to Production or Use 145k16 Defects, Acts, or Omissions Causing Injury 145k16(7) k. Proximate Cause of Injury. Height of first step on utility pole was not a cause in fact of accident which occurred when plaintiff came into contact with electrical line carrying approximately 8,000 volts where plaintiff’s decision to climb pole was made as [...]

This is the last of a short series of posts I’ve been doing on the substantial changes to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (“Rule”) in 16 C.F.R. Part 312 that become effective on July 1, 2013.  As you may know, the Rule has been developed and enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) to implement [...]

Securities and Exchange Comm’n v. Eli Lilly & Co. (D. D.C.) Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Pays SEC $29.4M for Illegal Foreign Bribes 2013 WL 1151851 Settlement Summary 2012 WL 6630871  Complaint Note: The links above are intended for Westlaw users. You will be asked to sign on to Westlaw before being taken directly to the document. Publish Your Cases [...]

35 Arrest 35II On Criminal Charges 35k60.4 What Constitutes a Seizure or Detention 35k60.4(2) k. Particular Cases. Driver of stolen car who was attempting to elude police was “seized” for purposes of Fourth Amendment, when police officers placed 18-wheel truck completely across highway in path of flight. Brower v. County of Inyo, 109 S.Ct. 1378 (1989) [...]

“Why should I read this?” Every time a reader or potential client visits your blog, this is likely to be the first thing that goes through their mind.  You have to quickly convince them that your content is interesting and valuable. Fail to provide useful content and you’ll lose readers. How can you keep your audience? [...]

(Editor’s note: We have previously covered the Supreme Court’s ruling in  Bowman v. Monsanto Co . last week.  Here’s another view on the case.) To paraphrase “Jurassic Park,” that enduring classic of 1990s cinema, nature always finds a way . But apparently, so do agribusiness giants. Last Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that farmers could not use copies of Monsanto’s genetically engineered [...]

Many pre-law students who are facing a tough legal job market say they plan on pursuing a law degree, not to practice, but to get a competitive edge in the business world. Kaplan Test Prep surveyed more than 200 pre-law students who took a Kaplan LSAT prep course. Only 5 percent of those surveyed listed salary as [...]

In response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, documents released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and various U.S. Attorneys’ offices paint a confused picture regarding the current state of electronic mail privacy.  The documents indicate that the FBI takes the position that it can review electronic communications, including [...]