Featured Posts

China Announces $75 Billion in Additional Retaliatory Tariffs

By John Brew, Frances P. Hadfield & Walter (Sam) Boone on August 23, 2019

On August 23, the Customs Tariff Commission of China’s State Council announced the decision to impose approximately $75 billion in additional tariffs on the United States. Beijing’s latest retaliatory tariffs are in response to President Trump’s List 4 Trade Action of $300 billion dollars which USTR published earlier in August. Mirroring the rollout of U.S. tariffs, the Chinese tariffs will also be installed in two batches. Starting on September 1, tariffs of 5 and 10…

Retail Labor and Employment Law

New York State Expands Protections for Domestic Violence Victims

By Nancy Gunzenhauser Popper & Corben J. Green on August 23, 2019

On August 20, 2019, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed A5618/S1040 (the “Amendment”) into law, amending the New York State Human Rights Law (“NYSHRL”) with respect to protections for victims of domestic violence. The Amendment becomes effective November 18, 2019. The Amendment broadens the definition of “victim of domestic violence” to make it consistent with the Domestic Violence Prevention Act (NY Soc. Serv. L § 459-A). In addition, although the NYSHRL previously prohibited discrimination…

Animal Law Update

Survey Reveals Telling Data on Women in Leadership Roles in Science and Agriculture

By Nancy E. Halpern, D.V.M. on August 23, 2019

One of my previous blogs on April 5, 2019, “The Pecking order in a Straight Run Barn” mentioned some work my colleagues were conducting to survey women leaders in science and agriculture. The focus of this survey was to determine the barriers that exist for women moving into leadership roles. I received several email and comments asking about the results. The research was presented this summer at a scientific meeting and the results are ready…

LawSites

#ILTACON19: Post-Mortem Notes, Musings and Observations

By Bob Ambrogi on August 23, 2019

Home now from ILTACON, the annual conference of the International Legal Technology Association. It is five frenetic days of seminars, exhibitors and networking by legal technologists and vendors from all over the world. Here are some of my somewhat-random thoughts about the event. Let’s start with what many were thinking: Orlando in August? I mean, WTF? But, guess what – the weather gods cooperated and kept any significantly stifling heat at bay. The…

Comm Law Center

12 Large Telecom Companies and 50 State Attorneys General Agree on Anti-Robocall Principles

By Glenn S. Richards & Joseph A. Cohen on August 23, 2019

Twelve large telecom companies and the attorneys general of 50 states and the District of Columbia announced yesterday an agreement on eight voluntary principles that the companies will adopt to combat illegal and unwanted robocalls. The announcement comes as regulators, telecom companies, and legislators continue to grapple with a worsening robocall problem that has become a significant concern for consumers, generating more complaints at the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission than any…

Privacy Risk Report

More Than Just A Confusing Law? Defendant Argues Illinois’ Biometric Law Is Unconstitutional

By Todd Rowe on August 23, 2019

There is little dispute that the Illinois Biometric Information Protection Act (“BIPA”) is a unique privacy law to the extent that it creates a private cause of action for any failures to notify individuals before their biometric information is collected and stored. That is, BIPA potentially creates a liability regardless of whether there was a breach of private information. Further complicating matters is the fact that many data collectors that qualify as “financial institutions” or…

Workplace Privacy, Data Management & Security Report

Expansion of Technology at K-12 Schools Comes with Data Security Risks for Students and Parents

By Joseph J. Lazzarotti on August 23, 2019

A new school year is upon us and some students are already back at school. Upon their return, many students may experience new technologies and equipment rolled out by their schools districts, such as online education resources, district-provided equipment, etc. to enhance the education they provide and improve district administration. However, a recent report, “The State of K-12 Cybersecurity: 2018 Year in Review,” compiles sobering information about cybersecurity at K-12 schools. The report…

Kight on Cannabis

Legal Cannabis is a Huge Job Creation Machine

By Rod Kight on August 23, 2019

The cannabis industry is an enormous driver of new jobs. Emerging from the shadows into the legal marketplace, the cannabis business has become the greatest job creation machine in America. Jobs in the legal cannabis industry are coming by the hundreds of thousands and there’s no sign of halt. From 211,000 full-time jobs that legal marijuana has created, more than 64,000 have been added last year alone and this year will bring tens of thousands…

Vable

#IFLA: Libraries and Librarians as Knowledge Producers and Curators

By Clare Brown on August 23, 2019

Whenever a group of information professionals gather to share ideas, I generally experience a shower of thoughts and an immediate stimulation of “the little grey cells”. The IFLA CPDWL Satellite Meeting 2019 in Zagreb was no exception. With its international outlook and 160 attendees across different LIS disciplines, as I predicted in my conference preview, I learned something new in every session. Although I will return to the sessions on (1) mentoring, (2)…

Five Minute Workout

Long-awaited EU Preventive Restructuring Frameworks Directive takes effect amidst warnings of a European recession

By Dr Christian Herweg & Veronika Wetlitzky on August 23, 2019

The Preventive Restructuring Frameworks Directive (EU) 2019/1023 is finally in force. Following its implementation into EU member states’ national law, the directive will hopefully prove an effective tool for Europe’s restructuring practitioners, just as the continent’s economic outlook darkens.…