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F@*# You, Pay Me: A Brief Guide to Ohio’s Prompt Payment Act

Grant J. Keating February 8, 2019

Apologies for this article’s salty title, but it is an homage to fictional mob boss Paul Cicero’s business philosophy in Martin Scorsese’s timeless movie, “Goodfellas.” While I would never condone it, it is not hard to understand why some subcontractors fantasize about employing Paulie’s business practices to ensure timely payment. In a world where “pay-when-paid” clauses are the norm, subcontractors

Ohio Law Permits Adult Adoption

Thomas Taneff February 8, 2019

There are several reasons why an adult adoption may be undertaken. The most common reason is to formally and legally recognize an existing parent/child relationship. Among the benefits of a formal adoption is the ability of the adopted person to inherit from the adoptive parent. An adult adoption also may be used to provide protection for a person of diminished

Fail-Safe Classes

Jim Timmerberg February 8, 2019

Class counsel, when drafting a class definition, are focused on Rule 23’s commonality, typicality, and predominance requirements. To satisfy those requirements, class counsel will craft a narrow class definition. The narrower the definition, the more likely common questions will predominate. But a class definition can be too narrow – including only those who will prevail on the merits. Such class

What Employees Should Know About California’s New Labor Regulations In 2019

Carney Shegerian January 21, 2019

Throughout 2018, California has continued to advance its sexual harassment and discrimination protections for those in the workplace. The new labor regulations, which aim to overhaul everything from the number of women in the boardroom to sexual harassment training, should be an example for the remainder of the United States to follow. Many of the regulations, which went into effect

Descriptive Trademark Faults: A Curly Tale

Z. Peter Sawicki and James L. Young January 21, 2019

In the world of trademarks, some marks are stronger than others. Fanciful marks are the strongest. These are made-up terms that have no meaning except as a brand, such as PEPSI or XEROX. Arbitrary marks are almost as good. These are real words that have no association with their respective goods or services, like APPLE (for computers) or CUB (for

Is My Home Insulation Making Me Sick?

Dawn Smith December 7, 2018

Spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation has become a popular “green” solution in homes across the United States, and around the world. It is comparatively cost effective, energy efficient, and those who choose it are eligible for federal energy tax credits. Because of claims by SPF home insulation manufacturers and installation companies, many homeowners have selected SPF over standard insulation in

Dr. Death, Dr. Oz And Me

Kay Van Wey December 7, 2018

In the approximately thirty-two years in which I have held a law license, I have been privileged with the opportunity to be involved in some fairly high-profile cases. I’ve surely seen my share of bad actors and horrific injuries. But, my representation of many of the victims of Dr. Christopher Duntsch, probably “takes the cake.” In case you’ve been living

Trademark Scams

Crystal Broughan November 27, 2018

This year I went through the process of filing trademark applications for my law firm’s trademarks. Soon after I filed the applications, I started receiving all kinds of trademark scams via mail from companies claiming to publish international catalogues of trademarks and provide global trademark protection. I realized that all of my clients are receiving these scam mailings every time

Property Insurance Litigation

Todd Frederick November 27, 2018

There are various circumstances in which an insurance company will stall, underpay or deny a policyholder’s claim, even when that claim is reasonable and legitimate. While seeking legal counsel should not be the first course of action in the event of damage to your property, property insurance litigation is an avenue for the policyholder to ensure that they are receiving

Advocacy For People With Disabilities

Leykn Schmatz November 27, 2018

Pamela Hoopes began working as a staff attorney at Legal Aid in 1989, representing people with mental illness disabilities. She has seen major changes in disability law since then, both in Minnesota and nationally. As deputy director of Legal Aid’s Minnesota Disability Law Center (MDLC), since 1998, Hoopes oversees a team of 15 attorneys and eight advocates in four locations.

For the Public

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