Member Articles

A new bill in the California Assembly has the potential to alter substantially the existing legal framework of products liability for online retailers. Assembly Bill No. 1182 (“AB 1182”), which was introduced on February 18, 2021, would impose strict products liability on online retailers who (1) communicate offers of sale and (2) facilitate payment between a third-party seller and a purchaser, even if the online retailer never takes physical possession of the product ...

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) of the United States Department of the Treasury issued a “Geographic Targeting Order” on January 13, 2016, aimed at curbing money laundering in the real estate sector. The targeting order is an expression of the Treasury’s power under 31 U.S.C. § 5326 of the Bank Secrecy Act and will affect all-cash purchases of real estate valued at $3 million or more in Manhattan and $1 million or more in Miami-Dade County ...

On certified questions from the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire, the New Hampshire Supreme Court has decided that New Hampshire will allocate liability for long-tail environmental claims pro rata by years and limits among triggered policies. See EnergyNorth Natural Gas, Inc. v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s, No. 2006-745 (N.H. Oct. 18, 2007). BackgroundEnergyNorth Natural Gas, Inc ...

The wait is over. On January 17, 2013, the Department of Health and Human Services’ ("HHS’") Office for Civil Rights ("OCR") released its long-anticipated megarule ("Omnibus Rule") amending the HIPAA Privacy, Security, Breach Notification and Enforcement Rules. These amendments implement and expand on the requirements of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health ("HITECH") Act and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 ...

The State of North Carolina recently put into place policies to help encourage brownfields redevelopment. These policies respond to cuts in federal funding to states for brownfields programs while encouraging brownfield redevelopment projects. Though fees for the development of brownfield agreements have increased, programs have been developed to aid the marketing of brownfield properties in an effort to help fast track brownfield projects ...

The White House issued a proposed 2010 budget which includes the Obama administration’s plan to reform sections of the U.S. Tax Code on international transactions. One proposal includes a change in how international and domestic banks with foreign clients withhold tax and report to the Internal Revenue Service. The rule change is aimed at improving collection efforts on taxes owed by foreign investors and reducing tax evasion by U.S. citizens and residents ...

On January 16, 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) submitted the final 2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP) to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The 2013 VGP, which will be issued under the Clean Water Act (CWA), will replace the 2008 VGP and will regulate discharges incidental to the normal operation of commercial vessels greater than or equal to 79 feet in length. See 76 Fed. Reg. 76,716 (Dec. 8, 2011) ...

On May 7, 2009, the White House issued its proposed budget for fiscal year 2010, which outlines the Obama administration’s plan to reform certain of the Internal Revenue Code’s provisions on the taxation of international transactions. Proposed changes to the rules on withholding taxes, which are aimed at reducing tax evasion by U.S. citizens and residents and improving collection efforts for taxes owed by foreigners investing in the U.S ...