News & Insights

Jpmorgan Fined 200 Million For Bookkeeping Failures As A Result Of Whatsapp, Texting And Other Social Media

JPMorgan Chase was recently fined $200 million for allowing employees to use their personal devices to utilize WhatsApp and other social platforms to communicate about company business and sensitive business matters. The SEC found the messages included a wide array of content, including investment strategies, client meeting and market observations. The SEC indicted that the…
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District Court Issues Injunction In Regard To Biden Administration Executive Order Related To Greenhouse Gas Emissions

In Louisiana v. Biden, 2022 WL 438313 (E.D. La. 2022), the States of Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia, and Wyoming moved for a preliminary injunction to enjoin enforcement of an executive order that reinstated the Interagency Working Group on Social Costs of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (“IWG”) and ordered the…
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Fifth Circuit Affirms The Dismissal Of Residential Association’s Lawsuit Against City For Selling Allegedly Contaminated Land To Residents

The Residents of Gordon Plaza, Inc. (“Gordon Plaza”) filed suit under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), 42 U.S.C. § 6972(a)(1)(B), against the Mayor of New Orleans LaToya Cantrell and the City of New Orleans (the “City”) for the City’s alleged targeting of African American residents for the sale of residential units without disclosing that…
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Finra’s 2022 Report On Examination And Risk Monitoring Program

FINRA has released its 2022 Report on Examination & Risk Monitoring which included new risks to monitor this year. The list includes several categories related to 2021’s meme-stock short-squeeze and its continuing fallout. Included in the report for the first time this year include: Muni Shorts & Fails, Trusted Contacts, Crowdfunding and Portals, and Margin…
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Pennsylvania Court Holds That Anti Assignment Provision Precluded Assignment Before Contract Had Been Performed Only

In Gito, Inc. v. Axis Architecture, P.C., 2021 WL 5858467 (Pa. App. Dec. 10, 2021), a Pennsylvania Appellate Court held an anti-assignment provision in a contract between the Owner and Architect precluded the Owner from assigning the contract to a third party before the contract had been performed, but did not preclude a post-performance assignment…
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Tennessee Court Of Appeals Holds Alabama Based Contractor Must Litigate In Davidson County

The Tennessee Court of Appeals recently held Tennessee courts could exercise personal jurisdiction over Pierce & Allred Construction, Inc. (the “Defendant”), an Alabama-based company. Baskin v. Pierce & Allred Construction, Inc., No. M202100144COAR3CV, 2022 WL 258631 (Tenn. Ct. App. Jan. 28, 2022). The Court of Appeals also held Davidson County, Tennessee was a proper venue…
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Osha Withdraws Vaccine Of Test Emergency Temporary Standard For Large Employers

On Tuesday, January 25, 2022, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) announced the withdrawal of its November 2021 Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) that would have required private sector U.S. employers with 100 or more employees to either mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for their employees or require them to comply with weekly COVID-19 testing and…
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The Fourth Circuit Court Of Appeals Holds Federal Question Jurisdiction Does Not Exist Where Plaintiff Brings Only State Law Claims Demanding Relief In Addition To Epa Remedies

In W. Virginia State Univ. Bd. of Governors v. Dow Chem. Co., No. 20-1712, 2022 WL 90242 (4th Cir. Jan. 10, 2022), the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals held that it lacks federal jurisdiction over state law claims brought by West Virginia State University Board (“WSVU”) against Dow Chemical Company, Bayer Corporation, Bayer CropScience LP,…
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