RECENT POSTS
Trusts, Estates, Exemptions and Taxes
Trusts & Estate Planning by Kira S. Masteller 818.907.3244 It may be hard to believe that in 2001, the estate and gift tax exemption, also known as the unified credit, was a mere $675K. In
Music Publisher Caught in Birthday Suit
by Tal Grinblat & Nicholas Kanter 818.990.2120 In 2013, Good Morning to You Productions Corp., Rupa Marya and Robert Siegel (collectively “GMTY”) filed a class action suit against Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., one of the largest music publishing
Yes We CAN (talk about politics in the workplace)
Employment Defense by Tal Burnovski Yeyni 818-907-3224 As election times draw near, news about debates, political faux pas, and myriad guarantees are becoming more and more entrenched in our lives. Which, coincidentally, brings about the
Pow! Boff! Thwack! Batmobile Wins Copyright Litigation
Intellectual Property Litigation by Nicholas Kanter 818-907-3289 It’s not every day a Ninth Circuit court opinion includes, “Holy copyright law, Batman!,” or “To the Batmobile!” But in affirming a district court’s ruling in a copyright infringement
Online Piracy: 9th Circuit Cautions Copyright Holders re DMCA Takedown Notices
Intellectual Property Attorney by Tal Grinblat (818) 907-3284 A mother who uploaded a 29 second video to YouTube probably never dreamed she’d wind up with over a million views and a lawsuit by a major
Can Kim Davis Be Fired? What CA Employers Should Know About Religious Accommodations
Attorney for Employers by Sue M. Bendavid 818.907.3220 Last June, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that same-sex marriages are a fundamental liberty protected by the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution – and that states
Supreme Court Tells EPA Cost Does Matter
Environmental Litigation by Stephen T. Holzer 818.907.3299 The Environmental Protection Agency’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) placed national limits on mercury and other toxic emissions from power plants. The agency projected MATS to prevent
Wacky Employee Claims: What Employers Can Learn From Outlandish Situations
Wage and Hour Defense by Nicole Kamm 818.907.3235 Think you’ve heard every cautionary workplace tale? Believe it or not, you probably haven’t – the real question is, how prepared are you to handle wildly unusual
When Bad Things Happen to Good People…On the Internet
Litigation Attorney by David Gurnick 818.907.3285 The internet has generated countless new ways to communicate and share thinking. Some posted information is negative, which can still be useful when messages are truthful, in good taste, and
Claims Dismissed: Social Media Site’s Reference Search Not a Background Check
Employment Defenseby by Nicole Kamm 818.907.3235 Good news for employers using social media to vet job applicants: A Federal District Court recently ruled the technology used in LinkedIn’s Reference Search does not constitute a “consumer