As companies dash toward year-end, scammers are also hard at work. In one common scam, known as “spoofing,” an employee receives an email that appears to be from within an organization in order to trick the recipient into sending the scammer money, sensitive information, or other materials of value. These emails are typically addressed from...
By David Wittmann and Brian Reilly Within the past few weeks, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has settled two enforcement actions against companies engaged in the sale of digital assets. It also separately settled actions against DJ Khaled and Floyd Mayweather for their failure to disclose payments they received in relation to promoting the sale of...
Building on our prior articles, there are many legal issues faced by early-stage companies. Business owners would be wise to address these important questions as they start-up and develop their business. What choice of entity is proper for your start-up company? For a new business, one of the key legal issues is how to structure...
Because of the complexities of the U.S. trademark registration system, many trademark owners from other countries, and their counsel, are reluctant to file national or international applications in the United States. One of the reasons often given is the higher cost of obtaining trademark protection in the United States due to the statutory requirements and...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
