Across New England, armchair attorneys and quarterbacks alike are talking spoliation, discovery, and cell phones. With National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell’s announcement of his decision on New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady’s appeal comes news that Mr. Brady destroyed his cell phone at almost the same time that he met with league investigators. This has...
Client AlertsRhode Island General Assembly Clarifies Intent of Foreclosure Mediation Law
July 21, 2015
In what can only be perceived as a response to a recent Superior Court decision, the Rhode Island General Assembly amended the applicability of the Foreclosure Mediation Law, R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-27-3.2, for the third time in as many years. Among other amendments to this statute, the General Assembly fortified an exemption for certain loans. Specifically,...
On June 29th, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (collectively, the “Agencies”) made waves when they published a new rule—the Clean Water Rule—clarifying and arguably expanding the types of waters the government can regulate under the Clean Water Act (“CWA”). Prior to the rule, the scope of the Agencies’ jurisdictional...
At the end of June, Governor Raimondo signed into law legislation that suspends the running and expiration of all development permits until June 30, 2016. This suspension further expands a permit toll that has been in place, through a series of legislative enactments, since November 9, 2009. Back then, the economy was in a recession, project financing was...
Client AlertsLending Industry Take Note: Federal Fair Housing Act Provides For Disparate-Impact Liability
July 15, 2015
The status quo stands, to a degree. By a 5-4 vote, the United States Supreme Court has concluded that the federal Fair Housing Act (“FHA”) authorizes lawsuits not just for intentional discrimination, but for conduct taken without an intent to discriminate that nonetheless has a discriminatory effect on groups sharing certain characteristics, such as race, handicap,...
Client AlertsReal Estate“What are some of the Key Factors to Consider When Hiring a Contractor?”
June 19, 2015
The success or failure of a project hinges on whether the owner retains the correct contractor. This article identifies the eight most important factors in the selection process. Basic Company Information 1. How long has your company been in business? a. To confirm: http://corp.sec.state.ma.us/corpweb/CorpSearch/CorpSearch.aspx 2. What are the typical cost, size, and types of projects your...
Client Alerts“President Obama Announces Proposed Sweeping Change to Federal Overtime Law”
June 15, 2015
On June 29, 2015, President Obama announced a Department of Labor rule change aimed at raising wages for up to five million people as soon as 2016. Currently, with some exceptions, Americans who make less than $23,660 automatically qualify for overtime pay. The proposed rule would more than double the salary level to $50,440 –...
Attorney General Maura Healey has revised the “safe harbor” provision for the new sick leave law which is effective on July 1, 2015. The original safe harbor allowed employers who already provided at least 30 hours of paid leave until Jan. 1, 2016, to comply with the new law by providing employees with the same minimum...
As we have previously indicated, the Massachusetts Sick Leave law will go into effect on July 1, 2015. The Attorney General’s office recently published a safe harbor provision for employers who currently have a sick leave policy to allow the business community to transition and implement the new law in a more orderly fashion. Summary...
