News & Legal Updates Archive

Criminal groups are increasingly using AI as a tool to launch greater cyber attacks. But could the key to cybersecuriy against these attacks, also be AI? Organizations are finding ways to strengthen and create new methods of cyber defense using AI, too. 

The United Kingdom Information Commissioner's Office recently announced the creation of its online resource for businesses with guidance on employer data protection.

A recent false claims settlement and consumer fraud alert are good reminders of the importance of medical necessity and respecting medical judgment when furnishing or billing for remote patient monitoring services.

To combat the vulnerabilities and potential exposure that Google has identified, the company is encouraging users, including corporations, to install the latest version of Chrome.

McDonald Hopkins' counsel Jason Faust explained the rules of ESOP shares to Cincinatti's WCPO ABC 9 News.

David Kall's take on Ohio's Issue 2 tax impact featured in Crain's Cleveland

The United States Department of Justice confirmed Tuesday that a recent outage of the ALPHAV cybercriminal group’s data leak site was part of a global law enforcement operation involving the FBI and several international law enforcement agencies.

Applicable businesses must comply with Utah's Consumer Privacy Act provisions before the start of the New Year when it goes into effect. Let's dive into what those businesses need to know.

The past year has been dominated by news of Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour but tickets have been incredibly difficult to come by. This is largely due to ticket scalpers,  however, the Internal Revenue Service, IRS, is taking action to help concert-goers.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments for Moore v. US earlier this month. Given the potential impacts of the impending ruling, taxpayers and tax professionals alike are eager for the decision.

Kathryn Hickey has been selected to the 2024 Maryland Super Lawyers list, and  Spencer Pollock and David Shafer are on the state's Rising Star list. 

On December 8, 2023, the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) Board unanimously voted to approve a legislative proposal that would require internet browsers to send consumers an opt-out preference signal.

The European Union's provisional agreement on the Artificial Intelligence Act represents a significant step towards the legal and ethical governance of AI technologies. 

Notorious ransomware group ALPHV’s public-facing leak site was knocked out of service late last week. The outage led security researchers to speculate that a law enforcement operation may disrupted the group’s activities.

Kate Wensink and Franklin Malemud recently shared insight on trust litigation and cross-state issues for the Estate Planning Council of Cleveland's Estate Planning Issue, published by Smart Business. 

Recently Russian national, Vladimir Dunaev, pleaded guilty to charges connected to his involvement in the development and deployment of Trickbot malware, asophisticated Trojan, developed and designed to steal financial data primarily through the use of phishing emails. 

McDonald Hopkins' Counsel Kevin Butler shares how a proposed Ohio bill could impact local municipalities implementing Ohio's new marijuana law

The headlines dominating the news this year touted wins in major strikes involving the United Auto Workers, SAG-AFTRA and the Teamsters, to name only a few. However, despite these apparent “wins,” did the unions genuinely succeed? What can employers learn from these recent events as we head into 2024? David Schelberg, an attorney in our Labor and Employment Department, weighs in.

On January 1, 2024, the process of forming a business entity in the U.S. will substantially change when the Corporate Transparency Act goes into effect. The CTA is a U.S. law that requires reporting companies to disclose company information and certain beneficial ownership information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

A recent decision by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals sheds light on the dynamic relationship between users’ social media activity and courts’ personal jurisdiction over users arising from such activity.

McDonald Hopkins is committed to being the first choice among its clients. With the addition of six new associates throughout several practice groups, it also continues to prove it is a destination firm for talented attorneys looking to establish their careers in a collaborative and inclusive work environment.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services updated Medicare billing standards for remote physiologic monitoring and remote therapeutic monitoring, and provided related guidance in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) 2024 Final Rule.

In a notable victory, Richard Blake, a Member with McDonald Hopkins and Chair of the firm’s Government Compliance, Investigations and White Collar Defense Practice Group, successfully defended his client against charges brought by the U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division.

Proactive steps employers can take to begin to prepare for a proposed salary level adjustment that aims to boost the minimum salary requirement for overtime exempt of executive, administrative, and professional workers under the FLSA by over 50%.

A new final rule from the NLRB will make it far easier for the organization to declare that joint employment status exists in commonplace business relationships like franchising, contracting, and supply chains.

In the rapidly changing landscape of cybersecurity, a recently discovered vulnerability affecting Citrix raises concerns about the effectiveness of multi-factor authentication for unpatched Citrix users.

McDonald Hopkins’ unwavering commitment to safeguarding clients’ digital assets and sensitive information is attracting new talent to its versatile Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice Group with the hiring of two new associates - Aysha F. Allos and Arriana Sajjad.

The OIG recently arrived at an unfavorable determination, finding that a proposed arrangement between laboratories for the purchase of the technical component of anatomic pathology could generate prohibited remuneration under the federal Anti-Kickback Statute.

McDonald Hopkins’ members Kevin Washburn and Karina Conley were featured on the Cleveland's WKYC and WOIO’s evening shows to share their expertise and discuss the impact of Ohio’s passage of Issue 2.

The International Counter Ransomware Initiative, or CRI, recently announced that its member nations will pledge to no longer make ransomware payments to hackers, gangs and other criminals

The White House has issued a sweeping Executive Order concerning the safe, secure, and trustworthy development and use of artificial intelligence, laying out numerous prerogatives for federal agencies to circumvent the potentially harmful use and effects of AI.

Ohio’s Election Day is over and voters have spoken: Ohio is the 24th state to legalize recreational, or adult use, marijuana. But now that the polls have closed and the votes have been counted the burning question is what’s next? McDonald Hopkins’ experienced attorneys walk us through what employers, municipalities, and community members should know when it comes to the passage of Issue 2.

It is unclear how the SEC’s case against SolarWinds and Brown will play out, but what is clear is that regulators in the federal and state context have increasingly taken more aggressive action when organizations factually misstate or hide material failings in cybersecurity.

On November 1, 2023, the IRS released new cost of living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related items for the 2024 Tax Year. Unlike years past, the increase in the cost-of-living during the past 12 months has not been as significant. 

Covered entities should start to conduct internal assessments to determine any potential shortcomings in their policies, procedures, or overall governance structures to ensure compliance with the New York Department of Financial Services' amendment to its cybersecurity regulation 23 NYCRR §§ 500.0—500.24, or Part 500.

McDonald Hopkins LLC continues to expand its services and reach in southern Florida with the addition of Jeffrey Haut, an associate in the Litigation Department.

The latest amendments to the SafeGuard Rule, introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, reinforce the commitment to protect consumer data in an era of evolving cybersecurity threats.

McDonald Hopkins has once again been recognized as one of the nation’s top law firms by Best Lawyers® in 45 categories, with seven practices ranking nationally.

McDonald Hopkins LLC, a business advisory and advocacy law firm, has announced that Peter Bernhardt has been named the new Managing Member of the West Palm Beach office.

Employee training and awareness is the best investment an organization can make to insulate itself from the far-reaching impacts of a cyberattack. What does that look like?

The Michigan Offer of Judgment Rule under MCR 2.405 remains a powerful tool for encouraging the efficient settlement of disputes.

California continues to provide consumers with some of the strongest data privacy protections in the country, with Gov. Gavin Newsom having signed the Delete Act into law on October 10, 2023.

Resources and best practices to give educational institutions a head start in their battle to safeguard their systems against hackers.

Texas recently amended its data breach notification law, providing a few noteworthy changes.  The amended law took effect on September 1, 2023, and entities conducting business in the state should contemplate the provisions carefully. 

New guidance from the EEOC is intended to assist employers as they deal with the significant changes in the workplace and the law since the EEOC last issued guidance on workplace harassment in 1999.

McDonald Hopkins tax attorney and Managing Member of the Cleveland office, David Kall, shared his perspective on how Ohio HB 33 overhauls taxes, impacting individuals and businesses, in a commentary article published by Crain's Cleveland Business. 

McDonald Hopkins strategic advisory and restructuring attorney Maria Carr shared her perspective on changes in bankruptcy communications when the business in question operates within the cryptocurrency market, in an article published in the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal. 

A recent court decision in Michigan highlights the importance of jurisdictional considerations when it comes to litigation and what businesses need to consider to ensure their rights are protected and cases are tried in the appropriate venue.

California is rolling out a new restriction on non-compete agreements that incentivizes employees to file lawsuits in California to invalidate non-compete agreements .

How do you stay one-step ahead when you didn’t know you were even in the race? The unsavory truth is no business is safe from cyber threats, criminals target everyone whether you are a Fortune 500 company or the mom-and-pop shop on the corner. The extent of damage caused by a security incident can be mitigated by implementing a few key steps both before and during an incident.