They say that the devil is in the details, and one of those details in a divorce is life insurance. Once all terms of an agreement are reached, the issue of life insurance has to be addressed. When cases do not settle, and a judge has to decide the issues of alimony and child support, the law governing support allows the judge to order life insurance to secure the obligation.…

The purpose of this blog is to discuss the first steps an executor should consider if a Will contest is filed either immediately before or after they are appointed an executor an Estate. When a Will contest is filed it is usually commenced by the filing of a verified complaint, which will set forth the rationale by which the party challenging the Will seeks to invalidate it. As discussed in some of my previous blogs…

Pursuant to the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act (the “Economic Aid Act”), on January 11, 2021 the latest round of Paycheck Protection Program Loans rolled out, with priority being given by the Small Business Administration via Community Development Financial Institutions, Minority Depository Institutions, Certified Development Companies and Microloan Intermediaries (“Priority Lenders”), to their customers that did not receive a funding under the original Paycheck Protection Program. On January 13, 2021,…

On December 22, 2020, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission adopted amendments to the rules under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 relating to advertisements. A copy of the adopting release is available here. This alert is to provide you with a high-level overview of the amendments and the new rule. Firms will have roughly 18 months to get into compliance with the new rules and we will be available to assist them with…

President Trump issued an Executive Order (the “Order”) on November 12, 2020 prohibiting “U.S. persons” from trading in securities, both in the U.S. and abroad, that finance Communist Chinese military companies (generally defined as companies owned or controlled by Chinese military or government services and supporting military services, manufacturing or production). There were about 30 companies initially identified by the U.S. government, but the list is fluid and is likely to expand over time. “U.S.…

Shape of Water, the winner of Best Picture, Best Director, and other Oscars, captivating audiences around the world, has come under fire for plagiarism. The 2017 film has been accused of borrowing heavily from a 1969 play called Let Me Hear You Whisper. The infringement claims were originally dismissed by the district court based on finding the two works shared merely a “basic premise” and “minor similarities.” Zindel v. Fox Searchlight Pictures, Inc., No. CV…