Reno Partner Ellen Jean Winograd recently secured the dismissal of a contentious, eight-year-long wage and hour dispute on behalf of Western Range Association – a non-profit member association of ranchers – when the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada and the Nevada Supreme Court granted Lewis Brisbois’ motions to dismiss. 

The plaintiffs initially filed this matter as a class action lawsuit in 2016, alleging that Western Range underpaid the wages of H-2A non-immigrant, foreign sheepherders and goatherders by more than $25 million. In addition to demanding the alleged underpayment, the plaintiffs sought interest, attorneys’ fees, and costs. 

Providence Managing Partner Lauren Motola-Davis and Associate Nicole Andrescavage recently prevailed on a difficult and hotly-contested motion to set aside default on behalf of their client in a premises liability case involving an employee’s injuries at a shoreside terminal facility.

On July 26, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) announced a substantial $7,452,501 settlement with State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”) and its subsidiary, Charles River Systems, Inc. (“Charles River”) related to its potential civil liability for apparent violations of OFAC’s Ukraine-/Russia-Related Sanctions (the “Sanctions”).

Nashville Co-Managing Partner Matt Cottingham was recently appointed to the Academy of Country Music Board of Directors for the 2024-2025 term.

Tampa Partner Jonathan Aihie and Phoenix Partner Georgia Hamann recently secured summary judgment for an international retailer in a premises liability claim. The plaintiff slipped and fell on a temporary substance, alleging negligence against our client under Florida Statute Section 768.0755, resulting in severe knee and back injuries.

St. Louis Partners Tracy J. Cowan and Karen M. Volkman, along with Kansas City Partner Vincent Gunter, secured a defense verdict in a Jackson County, Missouri matter on behalf of a Lewis Brisbois client, which was the successor-in-interest to a life, health and reinsurance firm, against claims brought by an individual who worked in the corporate headquarters and was diagnosed with mesothelioma. 

The Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission has selected Northwest Indiana Partner Anna Mandula as one of the three nominees for an upcoming vacancy on the Court of Appeals of Indiana. 

Ms. Mandula was selected along with Judge Stephen E. Scheele of Lake County Superior Court and Judge Stephanie E. Steele of St. Joseph County Superior Court. Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush of the Indiana Supreme Court, on behalf of the commission, will submit a report to Gov. Eric Holcomb in the coming days. Once he officially receives the list of nominees, Gov. Holcomb has 60 days to make his selection.

New York Partner Andrew Harms recently obtained a defense verdict in Kings County Supreme Court in a motorist vs. bicyclist negligence action.

On September 30, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) issued a new General License (“GL”) and updated its Specially Designated Nationals (“SDN”) and Sectoral Sanctions Identifications (“SSI”) Lists. Earlier in September, OFAC issued two additional GLs, an updated Russia-related Frequently Asked Question (“FAQ”), and a Final Rule.

Wichita and Kansas City Managing Partner Alan L. Rupe has been named an Executive of the Year by the Wichita Business Journal (WBJ). The publication's 2024 Executives of the Year list recognizes "Wichita leaders who have been accomplishing great things and taking their companies to new levels."

Lewis Brisbois is pleased to welcome Ernie Burden to the Chicago office as a partner in the firm’s General Liability Practice. With more than 20 years of trial and civil litigation experience, Mr. Burden focuses his practice on premise liability, fraud investigations, and insurance law. He has successfully handled 110 jury trials, represented insurance companies investigating first- and third-party fraudulent claims, and achieved clients’ objectives in catastrophic injury matters. He joins Lewis Brisbois from a regional law firm where he practiced for 23 years.

New York Appellate Associate Dean Pillarella recently published an article for the New York Law Journal (NYLJ) (part of Law.com) titled, “CPLR 5501(a)(1) and the Reviewability of Final Orders on Appeal from a Final Judgment: Reconciling a Departmental Schism.” The article discusses a "significant departmental split" regarding the interpretation of New York’s procedural rules on appealing final orders.

The UK’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation on August 20, 2024 published new guidance on its approach to ‘ownership and control’, the intention of which, it says, “is to ensure that sanctions cannot be easily circumvented.”

If a person (which includes an entity) is designated, or a ship is specified, under regulations made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2018, their name will be recorded on the UK Sanctions List (a “Designated Person”). An entity for these purposes includes a body of persons corporate or unincorporated, or any organization, or association or combination of persons. An asset freeze and some financial services restrictions will apply to entities that are owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by a Designated Person. Those entities might not be designated in their own right, so their names might not appear on the consolidated list of Designated Persons. However, those entities are similarly subject to financial sanctions. And determining who qualifies as a Designated Person is set forth in the guidance below. 

Sacramento Partner Christopher J. Bakes will present a webinar, titled “Disinformation: An Urgent Threat to Democracy”, hosted by the Interfor Academy on October 24 at 9:00 a.m. PT.