A law firm that jettisoned a longtime client in order to hire lawyers representing a party suing that client violated the “hot potato doctrine,” a U.S. District Court judge has determined. The judge found that the doctrine, which bars attorneys from dropping one client in favor of another with adverse interests, disqualified Greenberg Traurig, along...
As seen in Providence Business News, June 17, 2016. Crossing your fingers and hoping you are not hit with a cyber attack is not the best line of defense for any business. Recent government enforcement actions, particularly in the financial-services industry, make it clear that hackers are not the only eyes scanning your security protocols and safeguards....
As seen in the Providence Business News on June 10, 2016. Every business 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. If you are selling or buying a company, IP protection issues quickly become part of...
Every time you visit a website to read the news, use a social media account, or buy a pair of shoes, you are binding yourself to online contractual terms. Courts routinely uphold those terms when a website user is required to click an “I agree” button signifying assent to those terms, and often uphold them,...
If you are a founder of an early stage company, the issue of raising money is likely top of mind and a material source of anxiety. My guess is that when you hatched your great idea and decided to launch your company, you knew that raising capital would be something you’d need to do, but...
As in The Anchor, First Quarter 2016 Is your organization prepared for a cyber-attack? No, this is not a tagline to promote or sell cyber security insurance (although the cyber-related insurance market is growing into the multiple of billions of dollars). It is a question for you and your customers. Increasing cyber threats and government regulations designed to protect against them, mean...
Rhode Islanders are fast becoming familiar with the Sharing Economy and the disruption in the marketplace that comes with it. The insurance industry is no exception. In fact, of all the policy and legal implications surrounding the Sharing Economy, issues relating to how, whether and when insurance will cover a claim or loss potentially touch all participants in this...
It has come to our attention that numerous Rhode Island corporate clients have received by mail, solicitation letters from a company indicating that it could assist in the corporation’s compliance with Rhode Island General Law 7-1.2-1502 by preparing an “Annual Meeting Disclosure Statement” for a fee of $125. We should additionally note that clients have...
Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee signed Chapter 145 “An Act Relating to Financial Institutions” (the “Act”) into law on June 29, 2011. The Act became effective immediately. The Act makes changes to the state’s financial institutions’ examination statute to allow the sharing of otherwise confidential and privileged information with the Conference of State Bank Supervisors...
