News & Legal Updates Archive

Recently, the Department of Labor issued proposed regulations which will provide employers with a more efficient “safe harbor” method to provide Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) required information and disclosures electronically.

As part of McDonald Hopkins’ upcoming 90th anniversary in 2020, the firm invites you to get to know Q-Lab Corporation, a manufacturer of scientific chambers for testing the long term durability of paints and plastics that are exposed to sunlight and corrosion.

On Sept. 10, 2019, California legislators passed a controversial bill that requires companies like Uber, Lyft and DoorDash to recognize independent contractors as employees. The app-based companies attempted to negotiate an exemption from the bill but failed to reach a solution with legislators.

Genetic testing continues to be a hot button issue for enforcement, both in the government arena and by private payors. Recently, the Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General announced charges against 35 individuals – including nine doctors – for their alleged participation in fraudulent genetic testing that cost Medicare more than $2 billion in unnecessary charges.

McDonald Hopkins attorneys, David Hales and Alec Davidson, feature article in Cleveland Metropolitan Law Journal's Real Estate Law "Cleveland: A growing metropolis - Public finance and tax incentives fuel Cleveland's development".

"We heard that we could get rid of our trusts," are familiar words heard in our law offices today. We use certain trusts to minimize federal estate taxes or “death taxes” as they are known.  The much publicized American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 instituted a federal estate tax exemption of $5 million that was indexed for inflation as well as the concept of “portability.”

A recent ruling from the Federal Circuit serves as a reminder that when filing a design patent, you should broadly claim the design for which you are protecting. If you’ve already filed your design patent, before you bring an infringement suit confirm that your patent covers the specific article of manufacture in question.

In an effort to make Chapter 11 relevant again, on August 23, 2019, the president signed into law the Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 (SBRA), which adds a new subchapter to Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code intended to streamline the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process for companies that might not otherwise be able to afford the Chapter 11. The provisions of SBRA are scheduled to become effective in February 2020.

In Ohio, a consistent failure to comply with sales tax filing and payment requirements may result in a business' tax account being placed in the Habitual Offenders Program (HOP), a statutory mandated tax delinquency program that can have devastating effects on any business.

Using a social media influencer marketing campaign may seem like an organic or seamless way to promote a business, and the potential for growth - and exposure to a new group of customers - is great. However, using influencer marketing may have legal implications for franchisors and franchisees subject to business opportunity laws and other federal regulations.

Many, if not all, franchise agreements have provisions giving the franchisor sole and absolute discretion to take or approve some action. On its face, an agreement in which the parties agree in advance to give sole discretion in decision making would appear to be virtually bullet proof from attack. However, there are exceptions.

To help unravel some of the mystery around litigation finance, McDonald Hopkins' Marc Carmel recently joined Debtwire’s Richard Goldman for the latest episode of Debtwire Radio.

McDonald Hopkins attorney Jim Giszczak was a guest on Live on Lakeside on WKYC TV-3 in Cleveland on Wednesday, Sept. 11. The co-chair of MH's national Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice Group discussed cybersecurity tips for parents of students who recently started the new school year.

Jim Giszczak joins host Mike Witzke to discuss how parents can help students keep important information safe while online

Subcontractors should consider whether to be insured under the general contractor’s self-insurance workers’ compensation policy and general contractors should consider the benefits, risks and costs of providing the self-insurance coverage to the subcontractor.

Attorneys from the Detroit office of McDonald Hopkins LLC spent more than two hours networking with students from Wayne State Law School on Wednesday night, Sept. 4, during a meet and greet with the school’s diversity groups.

Back-to-school season is in full swing, and McDonald Hopkins’ national Data Privacy and Cybersecurity team has prepared 12 tips for parents on how to keep your children safe and your information protected.

Carla Erskine has been accepted into the 2019-20 Leadership Palm Beach County Engage program, providing the McDonald Hopkins attorney one more opportunity to help children in the community find the drive to push through roadblocks and recognize they may be “crazy enough” to achieve their most ambitious goals.