Recent Developments in Personal and Advertising Injury Coverage
Beth D. Bradley of Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons, LLP
This article details the changes in the law of personal and advertising injury coverage.
Compliance Programs to Detect and Prevent Crime: Amended Federal Sentencing Guidelines
Stanley A. Twardy of Day Pitney LLP
The United States Sentencing Commission has recently submitted to Congress extensive amendments to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines applicable to organizations, expanding what is meant by an "effective compliance program" to prevent and detect violations of law. Demonstrated adherence to the Guidelines is one of two factors that can mitigate the potential fine range for an organization's violation of federal law (in some instances up to 95%).
Current Issues Regarding Corporate Governance and Multinational Corporations
Cheryl Jerome Moore of Patton Boggs
Daily headlines underscore how crucial the issue of trust in the governance of America's corporations has become since Enron. The heightened public awareness, the importance of good corporate citizenship and confidence in the world's financial markets has spawned new corporate governance regulations in America, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, that have a ripple effect throughout the global economy.
"Sense and Sensibility": Legislative Amendments to the California Labor Code's Private Attorneys General Act
David J. Murphy of Morrison & Foerster LLP
The California Legislature, in a burst of "common sense" in its treatment of employers, has amended California's "bounty hunter" law to eliminate some of its more onerous provisions. These amendments, known as Senate Bill 1809, revise and amend the Labor Code's Private Attorneys General Act (Labor Code § 2699) ("Act"), which has been making headlines again as a key issue in California's budget standoff. The Legislature struck a compromise and agreed to make major revisions to the Act in order to clear the way for the budget.
Insurance Coverage For Internet Risks
Hilary N. Rowen of Thelen LLP
This article discusses the coverage uncertainties that arise for businesses that use the internet.
Evaluation and Management of Insurance Coverage Against Intellectual Property Claims
Dan Chambers of Rutan & Tucker, LLP
It is an event that all corporate risk managers dread. An envelope arrives at your office that contains a letter accusing your company of infringing on various intellectual property rights of the sender. Or worse yet, the envelope contains a lawsuit against your company seeking substantial monetary damages and a request for an injunction to prevent you from continuing to sell your products or otherwise engaging in your business. An expensive, time-consuming and potentially devastating legal dispute lies ahead.
Delaware Environmental Legislation And Regulations: Recent Developments
W. Harding Drane of Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP
During 2004, the State of Delaware has enacted significant new legislation designed to promote brownfields development and to fund environmental improvement projects. Other legislation that would have instituted mandatory recycling failed to gain passage in the General Assembly. On the administrative front, DNREC issued a regulation governing "chronic violators" that was several years in the making.
Electronic Discovery: Understanding Preservation Obligations, the Potential for Cost-Shifting, and Current Developments
William R. Denny and William R. Denny of Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP
Discovery is an enormous part of litigation to litigants, their counsel, and the judges presiding over their cases. One of the primary purposes of discovery is to help get a case that a litigant and its attorney are determined to win ready for a trial. Part of winning a case is telling the right story, and discovery is a part of putting together that story.
Advertising Injuries: Are You Covered?
Sarah B. Knowlton of McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton, P.A.
Has your business ever been sued, or threatened with suit, because your product allegedly looks too similar to another business product? You may be tempted to change your product's design, simply to avoid the cost of defending a lawsuit. But your business may be insured for this sort of claim.
Insuring Risk Allocation Provisions In Software License Agreements: The Practical And Tactical Approach To The Art Of The Deal In Software License Agreements
William R. Denny of Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP
Businesses need to know what insurance may be available to protect them against contractual indemnification claims when such claims arise. Both customers and vendors of computer software should consider what insurance products are available in the marketplace, whether they should have certain insurance in their own portfolio, and whether they should require that other contracting parties have particular insurance to protect against significant risk that may arise under their contracts.
Principles Of Advertising Injury Coverage
Scott P. Devries and Yelitza V. Dunham of Nossaman LLP
Standard Commercial General Liability ("CGL") policy forms provide coverage for advertising injury liability. Advertising injury is typically defined to comprise certain offenses, such as defamation, invasion of privacy, "misappropriation of advertising ideas or style of doing business," and "infringement of copyright, title, or slogan." This coverage became standard in 1986; before then, insurers offered advertising injury liability coverage by endorsement and charged an additional premium.
Insurance Coverage Considerations for Technology Companies
Grace A. Carter of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP
For technology sector companies, new media outlets and emerging technologies have resulted in exposure t.
Court Holds Trademarked and Service-Marked Title Coverage Encompasses More than the Names of Literary Works
Sherilyn Pastor of McCarter & English, LLP
When Villa Enterprises Management Ltd. was sued for its use of VILLA PIZZA(r), it sought coverage from Federal Insurance Company. Federal denied Villa a defense and indemnification, claiming its liability policy's "trademarked or service-marked title and slogan" coverage applies exclusively to infringement of the names of literary works.