When a maritime casualty or accident occurs, it must be determined whether the occurrence meets the criteria for notifying the Coast Guard. Note that a “marine casualty or accident” is purposefully defined broadly in governmental regulations to capture a wide variety of occurrences. Indeed, the statutes and regulations pertinent to marine casualties and accidents provide
Amendments to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rein in Scope of Federal Discovery
On December 1, 2015, amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure took effect in an effort to rein in the scope of federal discovery. Several changes were made to Federal Rule 26 with the goal of reducing the substantial expense and unfairness of overbroad discovery.
Former Rule 26(b)(1) provided that:
Parties may obtain discovery
Business Briefing Seminar Focuses on Tips for Purchasing Distressed Companies
Kean Miller partners Linda Perez Clark and Eric Lockridge will present our final Business Briefing Breakfast of 2015 on Friday, November 20th at Juban’s Restaurant in Baton Rouge. Linda and Eric will provide tips and techniques for purchasing distressed businesses. There is no fee to attend, and one hour of CPE credit is available. RSVP
Proposed WAGE Act: Employers Beware
It’s not yet Halloween, but employers may have cause to be afraid.
Last week, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) introduced the “Workplace Action for a Growing Economy Act” (“WAGE Act”) to amend the National Labor Relations Act. According to a fact sheet published about the Act, the WAGE Act aims to
What Do Drones, the U.S. Open, September 11, and the National Association of Realtors Have in Common?
This year’s U.S. Open has brought its fair share of excitement on the court. The sport’s beloved Serena Williams, who was just two matches away from being only the fourth female to complete a calendar grand slam, was eliminated by an unranked Italian player, and an potential showdown between tennis’ rock stars Novak Djokovic and
Labor Day 2015: Employers Must Reflect on the NLRB’s Recent Activity, Too
It has been a busy year for the National Labor Relations Board. Many employees celebrated Labor Day with a long weekend and a shorter work week. However, employers also must reflect on the NLRB’s recent activity and consider the impact of such activity on their policies and procedures. Of particular interest to employers, the NLRB’s
Recent Developments Regarding the Business Utilities Tax Payments and Taxpayer’s Rights to Protest
As is now widely known, the Louisiana Legislature has adopted HCR No. 8, which purports to suspend the sales tax exemptions business utilities effective July 1, 2015. On July 1, 2015, the Louisiana Chemical Association (“LCA”) filed a declaratory judgment proceeding attacking the validity of HCR No. 8. The Legislature and the Louisiana Department of
Arbitration Rulings are Final, Even When the Arbitrators Get It “Wrong on the Law”
Parties involved in the construction industry have long been familiar with mandatory arbitration as a dispute resolution procedure.
Originally arbitration was said to be more efficient and less expensive than litigation. Over time, experience has shown that arbitration is not necessarily more efficient or more timely.
Regardless of its potential benefits, one fact remains absolute
Awaiting the Arrival of Proposed Revisions to OSHA PSM and EPA’s RMP Rules: New OSHA Policy Statement Defining RAGAGEP
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) published a Request for Information (“RFI”) on December 9, 2013 concerning possible changes to the Process Safety Management (“PSM”) program codified at 29 C.F.R. 1910.119. See 78 Fed. Reg. 73756 (Dec. 9, 2013). Likewise, the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) published an RFI on July 31, 2014 relating
Tax Sale Redemption Period Reduced for Blighted and Abandoned Property
Each year, as the calendar changes, the tax collecting divisions of political subdivisions (Parish, City, etc.) gear up for the increased workload that comes along with preparing for tax sales. In the State of Louisiana, owners of immovable property (real estate) are required to pay property taxes to the parish and/or the city. In certain