Insurance agencies rely on referrals as an important method of growing revenues, and many of those referrals happen organically from business-to-business relationships and personal introductions. In those circumstances, there are no written agreements and no expectations of compensation to the referral source. There may be times, however, when the unique relationship between an insurance agency...
According to The Global Risks Report 2018 by the World Economic Forum, 64 percent of all malicious phishing emails sent in 2017 contained malware. Colin A. Coleman, a partner at Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP in Providence, chairs the firm’s Cyber Liability and Data Security division. He spoke with Providence Business News about the importance...
Client AlertsCorporate & BusinessIntellectual PropertyCyber Insurance – Some Questions to Ask
January 15, 2018
Reports of large-scale data breaches, hacking and cyber attacks appear in the media almost daily. The recent Equifax breach alone has exposed sensitive personal information of over 143 million Americans. Phishing and ransomware attacks are also on the rise. Phishing attacks are used to steal user data, such as bank account or social security numbers...
CannabisClient AlertsCorporate & BusinessA Review Of Massachusetts’ Marijuana Industry In 2017
December 15, 2017
It has been a very exciting year for the marijuana industry in Massachusetts. A voter referendum in November 2016 approving the recreational use of marijuana culminated in legislation in July 2017. Various cities and towns are now determining whether to embrace the new economic development opportunities that are presented by the expansion of recreational marijuana...
Client AlertsCorporate & BusinessIntellectual PropertyMedium and Small Businesses are a Big Target for Cyber Attacks
October 13, 2017
October is “National Cyber Security Awareness Month.” How can anyone not be aware of cyber security? Reports of large-scale data breaches, hacking and cyberattacks appear in the media almost daily. The recent Equifax breach alone has exposed sensitive personal information of over 143 million Americans. Phishing and ransomware attacks are also on the rise. Phishing...
Client AlertsCorporate & BusinessStill Going S? Repeal of the ACA May Limit Benefits of S Corporations
October 6, 2017
Since the 2010 passage of the Affordable Care Act (the ACA), the use of S corporations has seen a steady increase in popularity among tax advisers, despite the fact that conventional wisdom provides that S corporations offer less operational flexibility than partnerships. Now that the ACA’s tax provisions are being targeted by both the Trump...
Client AlertsCorporate & BusinessBenefits and Challenges of a Mature Construction Cycle
September 22, 2017
Construction may be the most cyclical of all the major industries. Each cycle (i.e., recessionary, emerging, prime, and mature) presents benefits and challenges. We are currently in a “mature” construction cycle. Construction success hinges on identifying the current cycle and leveraging the benefits of that cycle. This article details tools to leverage those benefits. To...
On December 15, 2016, the Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act (the “MA Act”) became effective in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, decriminalizing marijuana ownership and use for private citizens and mandating the creation of a regulatory system able to sustain state-legal recreational marijuana businesses by January 1, 2018. The impact of such sweeping changes (along...
Client AlertsCorporate & BusinessLitigation & DisputesReal EstateViewpoint: No Damage for Delay Clause in Construction Contracts
May 2, 2017
The Massachusetts Appeals Court recently shed light on the parameters of “no damage for delay” clauses in Central Ceilings, Inc. v. Suffolk Construction Company, Inc. The March 29 decision is a “must read” for everyone drafting construction contracts to ensure the language used comports with the intended result. Before diving into the facts of that case,...
Client AlertsCorporate & BusinessStart with a Plan
April 24, 2017
In June 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued a proposed rule that would require investment advisors “to adopt and implement written business continuity and transition plans designed to address operational and other risks related to a significant disruption in the investment adviser’s operations.” Release No. IA-4439, 81 FR 43530. Similarly, the North American Securities...
