We provide tailored, industry-specific legal updates to our clients and other friends of the firm.
Alerts: Employment Law
Checklist: Eleven Policies to Consider Before Reopening Your Business
As economies across the country begin restarting and the COVID-19 pandemic continues, employers have some important, pandemic-related revisions to consider for their employment policies and handbooks. Frankfurt Kurnit’s employment team has been reviewing the applicable federal, state, and local laws, guidelines and regulations to gather a list of specific policies employers should consider creating or revising. Read more.
May 27, 2020
In the Press: Praise
Interior Design Magazine Awards Frankfurt Kurnit NYCxDesign Award
Interior Design magazine awarded Frankfurt Kurnit an NYCxDesign Award for the best Corporate Office design in NYC. Thanks to Gensler Design for helping design our beautiful new space. View Article
May 22, 2020
Alerts
PPP Loan Program Updates: Additional Funding and Valuable “Safe Harbors”
The Frankfurt Kurnit Corporate Group continues to track developments in the Paycheck Protection Program (the “PPP”), adopted as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”). Read more.
May 18, 2020
Alerts: Employment Law
California Sues Uber and Lyft for Worker Misclassification
This week, more shots were fired in the ongoing war over AB5. On May 5, 2020, California’s Attorney General and city attorneys for Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco sued Uber and Lyft for misclassification of hundreds of thousands of California workers. Read more.
May 13, 2020
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In the Press
Tyler Mitchell, Photographer Behind Beyonce’s Vogue Cover, Signs With UTA
The Hollywood Reporter mentions Frankfurt Kurnit as counsel to Tyler Mitchell. View Article
May 13, 2020
Alerts
The USPTO’s COVID-19 Extensions of Time: What Trademark Attorneys and Brand Owners Need to Know
The United States Patent and Trademark Office has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by allowing trademark applicants and owners to extend certain deadlines falling between March 27th and May 31, 2020 until June 1, 2020. Read more.
May 12, 2020
Alerts: Employment Law
SBA Clarifies Key Loan Forgiveness Issue for Employers
Over the last several weeks, many business have applied for and received loans pursuant to the Paycheck Protect Program administered by the Small Business Association. A key feature of the PPP loans is that they are potentially 100% forgivable so long as headcount and salary levels remain constant through an eight week period that begins to run when the loan is funded. Read more.
May 12, 2020
Alerts: Employment Law
California Workers’ Compensation Order Creates Rebuttable Presumption that COVID-19-related Illness Came From Work
As part of his effort to create an “Expanded Workforce Safety Net”, on May 6, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order creating a rebuttable presumption that an employee's COVID-19 related illness arose out of the course of employment and, as a result, is covered by workers’ compensation. Read more.
May 12, 2020
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In the Press
Not-On-The-Subway Series: Celebrity Talk Back
Shoot Online features Terri Seligman’s blog post “Not-On-The-Subway Series: Celebrity Talk Back.” View Article
May 12, 2020
In the Press
Citing Flag Ban, TTAB Won’t Register ‘Civil Rights Trail’ Logo
Law360 mentions Jean Voutsinas as counsel to the Alabama Tourism Department. (Behind paywall) View Article
May 12, 2020
Alerts
New York Real Estate and COVID-19: New Relief for Landlords and Tenants
Residential and commercial tenants experiencing pandemic-related financial hardship have been waiting for additional legal relief. On Friday, May 7, 2020, they got it when Governor Cuomo updated the COVID-19 Emergency Executive Orders for residential tenants and commercial tenants. Read more.
May 11, 2020
Alerts: Estate Planning Law
Remote Document Execution: Current Rules in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut
For the past month, we have been supervising the execution of our clients’ Wills and related estate planning documents through the use of audio-video technology, allowing for the completion of planning projects while maintaining appropriate social distancing. We conduct these signing conferences through the use of various technological platforms, depending on clients’ preferences or limitations – and all coordinated with clients beforehand. Read more.
May 11, 2020
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Alerts
Force Majeure: Court Will Decide Whether COVID-19 Excused Developer’s Failure to Close
COVID-19 has disrupted business operations and contracts across industries on an unprecedented scale. Some individuals and companies are trying to avoid or delay their contractual obligations by invoking previously overlooked force majeure provisions. Others are aiming to enforce their contracts after receiving force majeure notices. We expect a new wave of litigation. Last month, one of the first force majeure case arising out of COVID-19 was filed in California: Pacific Collective LLC v. ExxonMobil Oil Corp. Read more.
May 11, 2020
Alerts: Entertainment Law
“Packaging Fees” Dispute: Court Permits Certain Writer Claims to Proceed
Film and television creatives and executives have been closely watching William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC vs. Writers Guild of America, West, Inc., a battle between talent agencies and writers over agency “packaging fees.” Resolution of the dispute will have a large impact on how writers, creators, and agents get paid. Recently, a federal judge issued an important ruling on the WGA and individual writers’ claims -- allowing certain claims to proceed. Read more.
May 11, 2020
In the Press: Quoted
California Judge Denies Injunction Against LegalMatch
Bloomberg Law quotes Ronald C. Minkoff on the California State Bar’s complaint against online lawyer referral service LegalMatch. View Article
May 8, 2020
In the Press
Amazon Developing ‘The Horror of Dolores Roach’; Creator Aaron Mark Strikes First-Look Deal With Blumhouse Television
Deadline mentions Frankfurt Kurnit as counsel to Daphne Rubin-Vega who starred in the podcast that Blumhouse Television is developing at Amazon. View Article
May 8, 2020
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In the Press
Temporary Waiver Regarding the Use of Stock Footage under the SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract
Extreme Reach features Brian Murphy’s blog post “Temporary Waiver Regarding the Use of Stock Footage under the SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract.” View Article
May 7, 2020
Alerts: Entertainment Law
The Show Must Go On: Production During the Pandemic
From pitch meetings to development and production, COVID-19 has changed the way creatives and their representatives do business. Read more.
May 4, 2020
Alerts: Estate Planning Law
Estate Planning Opportunities During the Pandemic
The pandemic’s effect on the economy has led to reduced valuations for many privately-owned and publicly-traded businesses, as well as reduced valuations for real estate and other assets. At the same time, interest rates remain at historically low levels. This unique economic environment can create estate planning opportunities for certain individuals and families. Read more.
May 4, 2020
Alerts
IRS: Forgiven Paycheck Protection Program Loan Expenses Are Not Deductible
On April 30, 2020, the IRS announced in Notice 2020-32 that expenditures of CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan funds that otherwise would be deductible for federal income tax purposes will not be deductible to the extent such loan funds are forgiven pursuant to the PPP. Read more.
May 4, 2020
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Alerts: Sports Law
April Sports Industry News 2020
Here’s what’s happening at the intersection of sports, marketing, and entertainment law as we face an unprecedented and difficult entry into Spring. Read more.
May 1, 2020
Published Articles
Tips for Minimizing Law Firm Liability During COVID-19
Law360 published Nicole Hyland’s article “Tips for Minimizing Law Firm Liability During COVID-19.” The article discusses risk management issues that law firms face during the COVID-19 pandemic and offers tips for minimizing risks. View Article
April 29, 2020
In the Press
Town Sports International: AGs Target Health Clubs For Charging Fees While Closed
MarketScreener shared Jeffrey A. Greenbaum’s blog post “Town Sports International: AGs Target Health Clubs For Charging Fees While Closed.” View Article
April 29, 2020
Courts Grapple with Virtual Proceedings in Quarantined New York
MarketWatch quotes Caren Decter on the immediate cash flow concerns due to the hold on nonessential court filings for current cases in New York State courts. View Article
April 28, 2020
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Alerts: Employment Law
EEOC Permits Employers to Test for COVID-19
This week, as parts of the nation began returning to work, the EEOC responded to an increasingly urgent question: May employers test employees for COVID-19? Read more.
April 27, 2020
