News

The Texans Are 2-7: What Is Missing from Your Compliance Program?

By EsqSocial Corporation 15/11/13

I usually do not write about the Houston Texans because (1) unlike the sad sack Astros, they are not often relevant enough to care about and (2) they usually are relatively well-run. They continue to be not relevant this year, coming into this week’s...

HUD Clarifies FHA Loss Mitigation Requirements

By EsqSocial Corporation 15/11/13

On November 1, HUD issued Mortgagee Letter 2013-40, which clarifies requirements under FHA’s mandatory loss mitigation program and sets expectations for servicers engaging in loss mitigation during the foreclosure process. The letter states that...

Mid-Year Changes To Safe-Harbor Plans

By EsqSocial Corporation 15/11/13

On November 14, 2013, the Internal Revenue Service issued final regulations modifying some of the conditions for making mid-year changes to employer matching or nonelective contributions under plans that utilize the nondiscrimination safe harbors...

Johnson & Johnson To Pay $2.2 Billion To Settle DOJ's False Claims, Criminal Suits

By EsqSocial Corporation 15/11/13

Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson and three of its subsidiaries have agreed to pay more than $2.2 billion in a global settlement of multiple criminal charges, civil claims and state probes relating to the false marketing of prescription drugs...

HUD Releases Draft Section Of Overhauled SF Handbook

By EsqSocial Corporation 15/11/13

On October 29, HUD released a draft section of its new FHA Single Family Housing Policy Handbook (SF Handbook). The draft section consolidates all FHA Single Family requirements — including content from hundreds of mortgagee letters, housing notices,...

When an Out-of-State Company Can Be Sued in Massachusetts and Why You Should Care

By EsqSocial Corporation 15/11/13

As I discussed in a prior post, the substantive law applicable to a dispute can have a tremendous impact on its outcome. But what about the procedural law of the jurisdiction where a suit is being litigated? If that jurisdiction is Massachusetts, the...

'All Natural' Label Making in California: Are You a Class Action Target?

By EsqSocial Corporation 15/11/13

In recent years, numerous class actions alleging false and misleading labeling and advertising have been filed in California regarding use of the terms "All Natural" or "100% Natural" on a wide range of food and beverage products. The companies sued...

PSAC Releases Hydraulic Fracturing Code of Conduct

By EsqSocial Corporation 15/11/13

On October 30, 2013, the Petroleum Services Association of Canada (PSAC) released a Hydraulic Fracturing Code of Conduct for Canada. Eleven PSAC members with hydraulic fracturing operations in Canada helped create the Code and have voluntarily agreed...

Why Can’t Government Play By The Same Rules As Hoi Polloi?

By EsqSocial Corporation 15/11/13

The State of California doesn’t like persons who commit securities fraud. Persons who mislead others by means of a written or oral misstatement of a material fact or omission of a material fact can be held liable for rescission or damages. Cal....

INTERPOL's CCF: the 2012 Annual Report provides insight to the CCF's decision-making process

By EsqSocial Corporation 15/11/13

The Commission for the Control of INTERPOL's files has just issued its 2012 Annual Report. The report provides information regarding the CCF's activities over the last year. It also includes statistics on the CCF's decisions in cases that it...

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