News

Wildlife Service Proposes To List Two Butterfly Species

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/11/13

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) recently announced that it has proposed listing two butterfly species under the Endangered Species Act because of "steep population declines." The two species are the Poweshiek skipperling (Oarisma...

Of Princelings And Princess-lings – Does Their Employment Have Corrupt Intent?

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/11/13

There was an excellent article this weekend in the Financial Times (FT), entitled “Finance: Plugged Into the Party”, where reporters Henry Sender and Tom Mitchell explored the hiring of sons and daughters of Chinese government officials, in what now...

Florida Toxic Mold Contamination

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/11/13

The Collier County School District reported that mold was discovered at two local elementary schools during the summer recess. The mold was removed before teachers and students returned to school in mid-August...

Alabama State Appellate Court Upholds Electronically Executed Agreement

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/11/13

Recently, the Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama upheld an agreement executed electronically, overturning a trial court’s order invalidating a divorce agreement on the grounds that the agreement filed with the court was executed electronically. Ex...

Florida Court Holds Criminal Conduct Exclusion In E&O Policy Applicable

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/11/13

In its recent decision in Certain Interested Underwriters at Lloyd’s v. AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 159639 (S.D. Fla. Nov. 7, 2013), the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida had occasion...

FHFA Notice on Lender-Placed Insurance Practices

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/11/13

On November 5, the FHFA directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to prohibit servicers from being reimbursed for expenses associated with captive reinsurance arrangements....
By: Orrick - Structured Finance Group

Significant Changes Under Patent Law Treaty Take Effect December 18, 2013

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/11/13

As Congress continues to propose new legislation to “improve” the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA), practitioners and stakeholders must not forget that significant law and rule changes implementing the Patent Law Treaty of 2000 (PLT) take effect...

Yet Another Reminder That Pleading Matters

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/11/13

A discussion of the importance of initial pleading in a construction case at Construction Law Musings. Your initial pleading in any construction matter is key in assuring at least the opportunity to recover....

LexisNexis v. Crockett -- Sixth Circuit Performs A Gateway Analysis In Class Arbitration Controversy

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/11/13

A Sixth Circuit panel has ruled that courts rather than arbitrators should determine whether class arbitration is authorized when the arbitration agreement “says nothing about classwide arbitration.” Citing First Options of Chicago v. Kaplan, 514...

Issues of Agency in Garnishment Procedures

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/11/13

It is well established that after a judgment of default, a creditor may serve a writ of garnishment upon the debtor’s employer to collect the unpaid principal and interest of the underlying loan from the employee’s monthly wages. In a recent case out...

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