Category: General Business Issue
Times are Changing: Verrill Dana Hosts Full-Day Conference, 2019 Annual Employment Law Update
After a year full of changes for employers paired with a new governor in Maine, Verrill Dana will reflect on recent legal developments in labor and employment law and what the new year might bring during its 2019 Annual Employment Law Update. The full-day conference will take place on...
Trump’s Tax Plan WILL Affect You – But How?
On December 22, 2017, in one of the fastest-moving pieces of legislation to come across a President’s desk, President Trump signed into law a bill generally known as the “ Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ,” formally HR1 – An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titles II...
House Tax Bill Targets Deferred Compensation Earned After January 1, 2018 (Really)
It’s early days yet for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act released last week by the House Ways and Means Committee , but one thing is clear: Congressional tax writers are scouring the landscape to find a combination of more revenue and accelerated revenue from various sources in order...
Upcoming Event: Hot Compliance Topics in a Cyber World
On May 3, Susan Bryant of Verrill Dana, LLP will present a session entitled "Hot Compliance Topics in a Cyber World" at the Maine Bankers Association Trust & Wealth Management Conference at the Harraseeket Inn in Freeport, Maine. In this presentation, Susan will cover issues that currently concern regulators...
New Basel III Rules for Loans to High Volatility Commercial Real Estate Projects
The 2016 Winter Business Edition of Best Lawyers includes an article entitled " Basel III and New Challenges for Lending to Commercial Development ." The article, which is available here , was co-authored by Verrill Dana lawyers Mark Googins and Doug Britton. The article provides a brief overview of...
2017 Maine Legislature to Take Up Bills Impacting Banking, Business, and State Budget
On Friday, January 6, Maine Governor Paul LePage released his biennial general fund budget for 2018-19. The Governor's proposed biennial budget and briefing document can be found here . The main priority in the Budget is reducing Maine’s top income tax rate from 10.15 percent to 7.15 percent this...
Federal Judge Enjoins Upcoming DOL Overtime Salary Basis Increase
On November 22, 2016, a federal judge in the Eastern District of Texas granted a motion for preliminary injunction filed by the State of Nevada and twenty other states ( State of Nevada, et al. v. United States Department of Labor et al. , 4:16-cv-00731 (E.D. Tx. Nov. 22...
FINALIZED Overtime Rule: How does it impact you?
The Department of Labor released its long-awaited final overtime regulations yesterday. The most significant impact of the new regulations is that they more than double the salary threshold for classifying an employee as exempt from the overtime requirement to $47,476. While slightly less than originally anticipated, this is still...
Verrill Dana to Host Annual Employment Law Update
Verrill Dana's Labor & Employment attorneys will host a full-day seminar on January 27 to update you on recent legal developments and provide you with the resources you need to succeed in 2016. The registration fee for this seminar is $175 per person (includes valet parking, breakfast & lunch...
You Might Be a Winner. Verrill Dana Launches Promotions Law Blog.
Verrill Dana would like to invite you to the opening of our newest blog, You Might Be a Winner , which will be moderated by our resident promotions law guru, Rob Laplaca . We plan to use this blog to keep you updated on the latest developments in sweepstakes...
Maybe it is Gambling - Fantasy Sports Leagues Under Fire
This week we wrote that fantasy sports leagues were (arguably) legal because they are games of skill under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). Yesterday, however, the Nevada Gaming Control Board concluded – after several months of investigation – the pay-to-play daily fantasy sports leagues (DFS) were gambling...
Isn't Fantasy Football Illegal Gambling?
Everyone is familiar with the phrase “No Purchase Necessary.” That’s because promotions based on chance – sweepstakes, giveaways, or any promotion where a winner is randomly selected – cannot require a purchase (i.e., consideration) for the chance to win a prize. This is important for many businesses who use...
Top 10 Training Programs for HR Professionals
Did you know?: Verrill Dana provides many resources designed to keep HR professionals and business administrators up-to-date on the laws and regulations affecting their work and their company. Seminars, Webinars and Client Alerts Our Labor & Employment and Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation attorneys distribute e-alerts and host complimentary...
FFIEC Responds to Increased Cyber Threats With New Cybersecurity Assessment Tool
The Federal Financial Institutional Examination Counsel (FFIEC) recently developed and released a Cybersecurity Assessment Tool in light of the growing number and sophistication of threats to financial institutions from cyber attacks. The tool is consistent with principles set forth in the now-familiar Cybersecurity Framework published by the National Institute...
Verrill Dana to Present Two Maine Startup & Create Week Partner Programs
Verrill Dana is partnering with Maine Center for Entrepreneurial Development and the Maine Angels to host two Maine Startup & Create Week programs. We hope you are able to join us for both events! WHEN: Tuesday, June 23, 12:30 – 2:00 PM WHERE: Verrill Dana One Portland Square, 9th...
10 Things You May Not Have Known About Promotion Marketing
The following advisory was authored by Verrill Dana Partner Robert Laplaca , Chair of the Firm's Promotion Law practice. Practically every type of promotional activity is regulated in some way: Sweepstakes and contests; User generated content on websites and social media; Coupons, gift cards and money-back guarantees; Charitable solicitations...
What You Need to Know About Sweepstakes and Contests
The following was originally posted on www.verrilldana.com by Robert Laplaca , Chair of Verrill Dana's Promotions Law Group. Sweepstakes A sweepstakes is a chance promotion where the winners are selected randomly, such as random drawings, giveaways, and instant win games. There must be no purchase necessary to enter a...
What You Need to Know About Commercial Co-Ventures
The following was originally posted on www.verrilldana.com by Robert Laplaca , Chair of Verrill Dana's Promotions Law Group. Commercial co-ventures are a form of cause-related marketing that have proliferated in recent years. Commercial co-ventures between a company and a charity not only help charitable causes, but also tend to...
New England Financial Institutions Face Increased Cybersecurity Risks
Noted cyber security blogger and journalist Brian Krebs recently gained an exclusive interview with a New England bank that reported a sharp rise in fraudulent charges on debit cards. The scammers were making purchases on stolen card numbers from plain-old magnetic strip cards but making them look like they...
Tips for Merchants and Consumers Facing a Data Breach
The high-profile data breach at Target made international news. But small and midsized businesses face the majority of cyber attacks and are even more likely to have employees mishandle data than large enterprises. Here are some tips for merchants and consumers when faced with a data breach. All companies...
