Southwest Florida Business and IP Blog

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By: Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A.

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Amanda Ross
Carlos Kelly
Erin Houck-Toll
Gail Lamarche
Guy Whitesman
Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A.
Kyle Dudek
Miss Blu
Mark Nieds
Robert Forman
Robert Shearman
Sara Qureshi

Latest from Southwest Florida Business and IP Blog

A plaintiff asserting a discrimination claim under Title VII must make a preliminary showing that her claims have merit. She can do so in a variety of ways, one of which is by navigating the familiar burden-shifting framework established by the Supreme Court in McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792 (1973). Under that framework, the plaintiff bears the initial burden of establishing a prima facie case of discrimination by proving, among other…
Florida law requires all businesses to file an annual report with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (the “Department”). Annual reports are due between January 1 and May 1 of the year following the calendar year in which the business’ articles of organization/incorporation became effective or the foreign entity obtained a certificate of authority to transact business in this state. If annual reports are not filed, businesses could incur penalties or even worse,…
Henderson Franklin’s Employment Law and Workers’ Compensation attorneys will host the 27th Annual HR Law & Solutions on Friday, March 29, 2019 at the Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort & Spa. Florida Board Certified Civil Trial Expert Robert Shearman will moderate this annual seminar designed to update and educate business owners, managers, human resource professionals and in-house counsel on legal issues impacting the workplace.…
The First Amendment is commonly understood as protecting the right to free speech. But the First Amendment does not impact the ability of private citizens and organizations to punish or limit speech. This is why it’s permissible for a private employer to fire an employee for engaging in speech the employer disapproves of – private employers have the right to manage their employees as they see fit. The situation grows more complicated when the government…
Copyright is the exclusive right to reproduce, adapt, distribute, perform, and display works of original expression. These rights accrue upon creation of the work and a copyright registration is not required to own a copyright or acquire these rights. U.S. Copyright Act The U.S. Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. 101, et seq. provides a means for registering copyrights with the U.S. Copyright Office, which is a part of the Library of Congress. The…
Obtaining a survey before purchasing a vessel is always advised. Any offer to purchase a boat should always be made contingent on a satisfactory survey and in some cases a sea trial. Courts have recognized the critical role of marine surveyors in maintaining safe sea travels. Hull Survey vs. Full Survey The type of survey required will depend on the boat age, condition, value, and date of last survey. It may be that a hull…
Recreational boat owners in Florida are required to either register their vessels with the state of Florida or document their vessels with the U.S. Coast Guard. There are many factors to consider when choosing between state registration and U.S. documentation. Registration Chapter 328, Florida Statutes, designates that DHSMV is responsible for issuing vessel registrations and titles. Applications for titles and registrations must be filed at a county tax collector or license plate agent office.…
In order to better protect yourself and your property, it’s a good idea to have a discussion with your insurance agent and/or your maritime lawyer about your vessel, its intended use and operation, the potential for claims and the marine insurance coverage that may be available to you. Hidden Exclusions Many people with significant claims after an accident, that could and/or should have been insured against and covered from, are not covered because of an…
Whether you are buying a boat for the first time, or simply have not been boat shopping in ages, it is important to understand the technicalities of purchasing a boat. Over the next several weeks, we will discuss a few issues to consider, including insurance, registration and documentation, surveys and contract terms. Today, we will begin the series discussing options to obtaining title to a new boat or vessel. How to Obtain Title to a…
Dan Schwartz of the Connecticut Employment Law blog posted yesterday about an interesting medical marijuana case in Connecticut. For the first time, a Connecticut court ruled that an employer could not refuse to hire an applicant simply because she was a medical marijuana user, despite the employer’s drug-free workplace program. This applicant, who used medical marijuana for PTSD, had her offer revoked after she tested positive for marijuana on the pre-employment drug screen. She then…