Newark Partner Afsha Noran and Managing Partner Colin P. Hackett recently obtained a unanimous (6-0) “no cause” jury verdict on behalf of a national restaurant chain following a fully virtual, five-day trial. This victory concludes an odyssey that began several years ago. 

Corporate social responsibility, or CSR, is a form of self-regulation that reflects a business' accountability and commitment to contributing to the well-being of communities and society through various environmental and social measures. What does CSR have to do with employment law? According to Deloitte’s 2021 Millennial and Gen Z Survey, everything. The study found that the modern workforce prioritizes culture, diversity, and high impact over financial benefits.

On July 19, 2022, the California Court of Appeal issued an opinion in Meda v. AutoZoners, Inc. that further defined an employer’s obligation to “provide” its employees with suitable seating pursuant to the Industrial Welfare Commissions’ Wage Orders. The Court of Appeal reversed the trial court’s granting of summary judgment, holding that where an employer has not expressly advised its employees of the availability of seating, and where the employer has not provided a seat at a workstation, the question of whether an employer has provided suitable seating is fact-intensive and not subject to summary judgment.

As outlined by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in its proposed changes to rules regarding disclosure of cybersecurity incidents, there has been a steady increase in cyberattacks, some of which have had devasting effects on businesses, consumers, and investors. The SEC proposal is premised on the belief that investors would benefit from more timely and consistent disclosure about material cybersecurity incidents and greater availability and comparability of disclosure by public companies.

Over the last year, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has stepped up enforcement proceedings in traditional high-priority areas, including tipped employee wages, employee meal break and rest periods, and misclassification of workers as independent contractors. Now, the DOL WHD is poised to raise the compensation threshold level for white-collar exemptions to the Fair Labor Standards Act overtime requirements, with a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by October 2022.

Boston Associate Timothy Brown was recently selected as a Norfolk County Delegate for the Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA) Young Lawyers Division for the 2022-2023 year.  

After two (or more) years of companies having to cancel the time-honored tradition of the company summer picnic and BBQ due to COVID-19 shutdowns and restrictions, both companies and their employees are eager to get back out in the summer weather and get together for water balloon fights and three-legged races. And while such celebrations are a welcome addition to the summer schedule, employers would be wise to keep in mind the following tips to ensure a safe, fun, and low-risk (legally speaking) event.

Fort Lauderdale and Chicago Partner Michael Gnesin recently spoke with Law360 Pulse for an article, titled "Lewis Brisbois Atty, Soviet Expat On Ukraine Conflict Work," which discusses how Mr. Gnesin's experience emigrating from the Soviet Union to the United States has informed his work on Lewis Brisbois' Ukraine Conflict Response team and his volunteer efforts to assist refugee families.

Lewis Brisbois is pleased to welcome accomplished business attorney and litigator Rafael X. Zahralddin to its Wilmington office as a partner in the firm’s Corporate, Bankruptcy & Insolvency, and Complex Business & Commercial Litigation Practices.

Atlanta Partner Jonathan D. Goins will take part in the National Bar Association’s (NBA) 14th Annual Corporate Counsel Leadership Summit, held on July 24 in conjunction with the NBA’s 97th Annual Convention at The University of Memphis Law School.

Albuquerque Managing Partner Jill M. Collins recently spoke with Risk Information’s Auto Insurance Report for an article titled, “New Mexico, Land of Uninsured, Struggles With UM/UIM Coverage,” which discusses the implications of a recent New Mexico Supreme Court ruling in Crutcher v. Liberty Mutual regarding uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage.

Lewis Brisbois is pleased to announce the opening of its latest office in Ridgeland, Mississippi - just a few miles north of the state's capital - with a team of two experienced litigators, Cable Frost and Bradley Smith.

Reacting to concerns that U.S. sanctions could be viewed as impeding exports or global transactions related to urgently needed food, fertilizer, agricultural equipment, or medical supplies, on July 14, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a fact sheet clarifying that “agricultural and medical trade are not targets” of U.S. sanctions.