Legal Bugle

The past year or two have firmly establish Latin America, and Brazil first and foremost, as very lucrative markets for corporate expansion. Enthusiasm over these markets is at times tempered by concerns over navigating complex international law issues or facing lax legal protection in these new markets, especially when it comes to issues relating to intellectual property and licensing.  In addition, there are very knotty labor and tax laws in these jurisdictions, and the United States has a relatively weak tax treaty structure with Latin America. (more…)

Defaulting on your student loans can have serious consequences. Pursuing an MBA is expensive and student loans are practically a must.  However, by defaulting on those loans you can face lawsuits, wage garnishments and detrimental effects to your credit. If you’ve defaulted on your business school loans, there are ways that you can rebuild your credit, though the process may be a slow one. (more…)

Navigating the ins and outs of filing for bankruptcy can be hard. While many online resources can simplify the laws for your basic understanding, it is impossible to know whether you’ve missed a key component of the law. Complications may arise if your research is incomplete, and you file for bankruptcy without realizing qualifications you may need or fees you may need to pay. Hiring a bankruptcy lawyer to ensure a smooth operation when filing for bankruptcy can eliminate these problems and speed up the process. (more…)

Part of interacting effectively with technology law is understanding what defenses courts will allow and taking appropriate steps based on that understanding. When it comes to issues like the storage of sensitive company and client data, employee mobile device policies, and data control, many companies need the expertise of a technology law firm to even identify relevant court holdings, as well as an onsite technology lawyer to identify where they can make changes to their policies and enforcement in light of these holdings. The overall goal is to avoid problems and especially to limit legal liability in case something goes wrong. (more…)

When a landscaper or any contractor fails to complete a project as promised, you should take legal action. But do not craft a personal episode of “Law and Order” before you have exhausted all your other options.

Your landscape contractor promised a garden fit for Architectural Digest, but he delivered work so sloppy and shoddy most overgrown vacant lots look better than your yard. You see telltale signs your contractor cut costs on materials and plants, and you see other signs that he simply failed to complete the job. Yet the contractor still demands payment according to your original agreement, and you feel a nasty dispute brewing. Take a few deep breaths and calmly consider your alternatives. (more…)

In the classic TV sitcom M*A*S*H, Jaime Farr played a young corporal named Klinger so desperate to get out of the military that he took to wearing women’s clothing in hopes of getting an eventual Section 8 discharge from his military service during the Korean War. Not surprisingly, it didn’t work then, and it won’t work now. The legal ramifications of ending a military commitment early can be quite serious. Going about it the wrong way can have an adverse effect on your future civilian life. (more…)

As a legal professional, prospective clients will come to you frequently, giving you the opportunity to discover more about their case and their specific situation. While understanding their problems and developing a solution is part of your job, getting a quality view of what makes their issues unique will help you gain a better idea of how you can help. Take a look at the following tips for getting the most from your legal interviews that will save you time and resources while giving you an idea of how you can help. (more…)

While “whiplash” may sound like the name of a professional wrestler (or indeed that of a different, rather more suspect kind of professional), it is actually a colloquial term used to describe a kind of neck injury caused by its sudden distortion. The latter is officially known as “cervical acceleration-deceleration”, while the injury itself and its symptoms are known to doctors as “whiplash associated disorders”. But in what circumstances are whiplash claims usually made, and how can you tell if your injury is one you can claim for? Read on to find out. (more…)

When it comes to scandals involving drug use in the sporting world, it’s generally a player that is being reprimanded by the league, not the other way around.  But following the deaths of several former players, with drug use cited as a contributing factor, retired footballers have come together to launch a lawsuit against the NFL, alleging that the organization is partially to blame for the situation and that measures need to be taken to protect the players from treatment that could be damaging down the road.  Granted, football itself is known as a profession in which players are called upon to abuse their bodies for as long as they can (and they’re often well-paid for it).  But the claimants in this case are alleging that drug-pushing in the locker room has led to many post-career conditions about which the players received no warning, and that something must be done to stop it. (more…)

The company that has become synonymous with meeting the entertainment and communication needs of consumers via their many iDevices (iPod, iPad, and iPhone) is facing big trouble in China thanks to an inability to secure the trademark for the iPad.  In their ongoing battle over trademark rights with Hong Kong company Proview Technology there has been quite a bit of back and forth (with lawsuits flying not only between the two companies, but also targeting retailers that sell Apple products in China), but recently a court decision came down saying that Proview is the lawful owner of the trademark, despite any previous agreements made between the two companies.  Apple, for its part, plans to appeal. (more…)