News from April 2019
LITTLER MENDELSON: Littler Adds Megan Brennan in Minneapolis
Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has added Megan I. Brennan to its Minneapolis office. She joins the firm as Of Counsel after spending four years as the Federal Contract Compliance Manager at Cargill, the largest privately held corporation in the United States.
HOLLAND & KNIGHT: Diane McDermott Appointed Executive Partner of Holland & Knight’s Boston Office
Holland & Knight announced that Diane McDermott has been named the new executive partner of its Boston office. Ms. McDermott will oversee the day-to-day management of the office, while continuing her real estate practice
SAUL EWING: Lipkowitz Named a 2019 Leader in Diversity by the Baltimore Business Journal
Michelle Lipkowitz, vice managing partner of the Firm’s Baltimore Office, was named a 2019 Leader in Diversity by The Baltimore Business Journal.
Baltimore court re-entry project celebrates sixth graduating class
Approximately 25 participants of the Baltimore City District Court Re-Entry Project (DCREP) will be honored for completing the program on Friday, April 12.
Free speech group supports conservative activist Eyman in battle with Washington attorney general
OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) – A First Amendment advocacy group's amicus brief and more details from Washington's attorney general are among recent filings ahead of Friday's hearing over a possible punishment for longtime conservative activist Tim Eyman.
Another state rejects ALI's controversial insurance Restatement; North Dakota joins Ohio as other states mull similar moves
PHILADELPHIA – State opposition to the American Law Institute’s Restatement of the Law of Liability Insurance continues to accumulate, as North Dakota recently passed a law striking down the document and Arkansas introduced similar legislation in its state senate.
Lawsuit: Boot Gorsuch from SCOTUS, put Garland on and let next Dem president stack the court
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) – It's a lawsuit that a constitutional law expert says doesn't stand much of a chance, but a New York man is suing two U.S. senators over allegations his rights were violated because they didn't conduct a confirmation process for Merrick Garland to become a U.S. Supreme Court justice.
Jury won't pin blame for nurse's lung cancer on R.J. Reynolds; Company argued she never tried to quit smoking
DEDHAM, Mass. (Legal Newsline) - A state court jury in Massachusetts has absolved R.J. Reynolds of all liability in the death of 54-year-old nurse Dawn O’Toole after lawyers for the tobacco industry giant stressed to jurors her habit of smoking was predicated on choice and she never really tried quitting.
Okla. AG's $260M opioid settlement could foreshadow future settlements and fights over who gets the money
OKLAHOMA CITY (Legal Newsline) - A week after Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter announced a $270 million settlement with Purdue Pharma, lawmakers are questioning why they weren’t consulted on the deal or how to distribute the money.
Lindsey Graham says 'litigation abuse is real,' class action reform should be considered
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee and receives backing from trial lawyers, said in a Tuesday hearing that lawsuit abuse “is real” and reform in the class action system should be explored.
Goodwill Industries allegedly failed to give janitor disability accommodations
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing Goodwill Industries of New York and New Jersey, alleging the organization failed to give an employee working as a janitor disability accommodations.
HELP USA settles EEOC lawsuit alleging sexual harassment of female workers
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) — Housing provider Help USA Inc., has agreed to settle claims by the federal government that it allowed a supervisor to sexually harass female employees.
CLARK HILL: Clark Hill Attorney Dr. Althea Lynn Simpson Honored as Role Model at 2019 Alternatives for Girls 30th Annual Dinner
Dr. Althea Lynn Simpson, Project Attorney in the Firm's Litigation group, was recently honored as a 2019 Role Model at the Alternatives for Girls 30th Annual Role Model Dinner.
Webinar on intellectual property available for entrepreneurs, business owners
Financial Poise's latest on-demand webinar titled IP-101, sponsored by EisnerAmper, encourages founders and entrepreneurs of blooming businesses to get educated on all things intellectual property.
Working With Experts webinar planned for April 24
The Working With Experts course will soon be available for Financial Poise Webinars' Newbie Litigator School’s Winter/Spring 2019 session. It will take place Wednesday, April 24 from 1-2 p.m. Central Standard Time.
Former Google exec's company gets caught in 'rent-a-tribe' class action lawsuits; Interest rates allegedly as high as 490%
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - While it awaits the results of an appeal, ZestFinance - a company founded by the former chief information officer of Google - is facing another claim over payday loans that allegedly featured triple-digit interest rates.
CareWell Urgent Care reaches $2.8 million deal over alleged false billing
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) — CareWell Urgent Care Centers has reached a $2.8 million combined settlement with the federal government and the states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island over alleged false claims for medical billing.
U.S. reaches $231M deal with German medical products business over bribery scheme
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — A German medical products and service provider has reached a $231 million settlement with the federal government for its part in operating a "corrupt scheme" to gain business in several foreign countries.
New York AG expands lawsuit against opioid manufacturers to include Purdue Pharma owners
ALBANY, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) — New York has filed a lawsuit against six prescription opioid manufacturers and the owners of Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family, alleging false and deceptive marketing and negligence in preventing "unlawful diversion" of controlled substances.
BRADLEY ARANT BOULT CUMMINGS: W. Wayne Drinkwater and Anne Marie Seibel Named 2019 BTI Client Service All-Stars
Bradley is pleased to announce that the firm’s partners W. Wayne Drinkwater and Anne Marie Seibel have been named 2019 BTI Client Service All-Stars for providing superior client service.