Summit Insurance Company v. Strickland, et al., C.A. No. PC2012-5368 (Rhode Island Superior Court, January 19, 2017). Summit Insurance Company (Summit) brought this action seeking a declaration as to whether it has an obligation to pay prejudgment interest on a claim in excess of the policy limits. The question arose in connection with a separate...
As Rhode Island experiences an uptick in new commercial development from its capital city to its many vacation destinations, once settled land use issues have become a new challenge. The Rhode Island legislature passed the Comprehensive Planning and Land Use Regulation Act back in 1988 which established a system of statewide planning to ensure consistency...
Have you “had it up to here” with hearing about how much technology has impacted the way we live and work? Have you heard enough about how constant change is the new normal? We hope to take a step back from the barrage of clichés to address one lesser-known impact on day-to-day business under the...
If you shared with friends and family around your Thanksgiving table reasons to be grateful this year, here’s one you probably left out: the fact that you aren’t a management-side employment attorney. If you are such a lawyer, you would have spent the past several months getting your clients ready to comply with substantial, looming...
Nearly two-thirds of Americans now own smartphones, a massive increase from the 35% ownership reported in 2011. Smartphone users increasingly use their devices to identify, obtain, or communicate with a wide range of service providers. In 2015, 62% of smartphone users used their phone to look up information on a health condition; 57% used their...
St. John’s Holdings, LLC v. Two Electronics, LLC, Case No. 16 MISC 000090 (RBF) (Massachusetts Land Court, April 14, 2016). This is a departure from our usual review of recent cases involving the insurance industry. The case that is highlighted concerns a real estate transaction and is reported here because it underscores the cautions of...
Every agency today owns valuable intellectual property (IP) which should be protected. Unfortunately, the day-to-day rigors of running a successful business typically push IP protection to the bottom of the to-do list. But if you are selling or buying an agency, IP protection issues quickly become part of the due diligence review process. For sellers,...
Appraisal award upheld: Union Mutual Fire Insurance Company v. Anthony and Susan Pate, PC2013-1620 (Rhode Island Superior Court, August 2, 2016). This case involves the resolution of a coverage and damages dispute under a homeowners policy pursuant to the appraisal process provided in the policy in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 27-5-3. In 2003,...
As we enter the fourth quarter of 2016, it makes sense to look ahead at what is in store for commercial real estate in 2017. There are several factors that will impact the market in New England, and although surprises can always occur, I believe the outlook is generally positive. First, it appears that the...
One of the first pieces of advice I offer my clients is to resist giving away equity in their company. Oftentimes, however, clients have already granted or promised shares of stock in their corporation (or membership interests in their LLC) to an early benefactor who provided something of value to the company, an employee who...
