Three Cheers for David Segal (“the Haggler”): A Rising Tide Against Class-Action Suits

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Steven Berk

It seems like people are finally realizing how truly awful the Concepcion decision is for consumers.  Read: scorched-earth, take-no-prisoners, atrociously awful-level bad.  David Segal, aka “the Haggler,” wrote in the Sunday New York Times about the of the plight of a war veteran who, like millions of consumers around the country, no longer has the right to bring a class action or any grievance to court regarding an ever-growing array of products and/or services. Full Story

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Former Illinois Governor’s Ryan’s Appeal Has New Life

Former Illinois Governor’s Ryan’s Appeal Has New Life

Posted on May 8, 2012 by James Lydon

On April 30, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the judgment against former Illinois Governor George Ryan, who was convicted of mail fraud, racketeering, tax evasion and lying to the FBI in 2006, and remanded the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The Seventh Circuit was directed to further consider its decision to deny Ryan’s habeas corpus petition, in light of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Wood v. Milyard, 132 S. Ct. 70 (2011). Full Story

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Naming Contests Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time…

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Duets Guest Blogger

Naming contests. Sounds like a good idea, right? A company needs a new name and it decides to engage its employees to come up with a new name. What could go wrong? Well, you could end up with a name like Mondelez. Just to be clear, I’m a professional name developer, so you might think I am against naming contests because they take dollars out of my wallet. Not true.

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Medical Marijuana Bill Includes Restrictions for Employers

Medical Marijuana Bill Includes Restrictions for Employers

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Daniel Schwartz

The General Assembly over the weekend passed a comprehensive bill that permits individuals to use marijuana for palliative purposes.  The bill is expected to be signed by the Governor this month. Besides just permitting individuals to use marijuana, it has several important provisions that will impact employers in Connecticut.  Unfortunately, as the history of medical marijuana bills in other states has shown, there are still many unanswered questions left.

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Should “Economically Significant” Inventions Be Subject to Secrecy Orders?

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Courtenay Brinckerhoff

As set forth in a Federal Register Notice issued April 20, 2012, Congress has asked the USPTO to consider whether it should take steps “to protect economically significant patents from discovery by foreign entities” by extending the current national security screening program to encompass patent applications that may be important to the “economic security” of the United States.  Full Story

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Judge Says "Pfau" To Literary Class Action

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Andrew Trask

Last week, the District of Montana ruled on the defendants’ motion to dismiss in Pfau v. Mortenson (the infamous “Three Cups of Tea” class action). The lawsuit alleged that author Greg Mortenson had made up aspects of his biography in writing and marketing his bestselling memoir Three Cups of Tea. Full Story

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Rating Agencies Must Defend Negligent Misrepresentation Claims for Toxic SIV Ratings

Rating Agencies Must Defend Negligent Misrepresentation Claims for Toxic SIV Ratings

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Kevin LaCroix

The rating agencies must defend against  claims for negligent misrepresentation in connection with the ratings the firms assigned to a pair of structured investments vehicles, Southern District of New York Judge Shira Scheindlin has ruled in a pair of May 4, 2012 decisions. Judge Scheindlin did grant the defendants’ motions to dismiss claims for negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and aiding and abetting, which substantially narrowed the plaintiffs’ claims. Full Story

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The NFL’s Elephant in the Room

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Hull and Hull LLP

As of last night, the parents of Junior Seau, who are from the island of Aunu’u, American Samoa, were meeting with Samoan elders to discuss how to respond to requests by researchers for the opportunity to study Seau’s brain. Last Wednesday, Seau, former linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, was found dead in his Oceanside, California home. His death was ruled a suicide. Full Story

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