News & Insights

Highlights From The Finra 2020 Risk Monitoring And Examination Priorities Letter

FINRA released its 2020 Risk Monitoring and Examination Priorities Letter.  The Letter addresses emerging priorities for FINRA’s risk monitoring, surveillance, and examination programs in the coming year. New for this year is a focus on Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS.  On June 5, 2019, the SEC adopted Regulation Best Interest which establishes a “best…
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Florida Court Recognizes General Contractor’s Right To Common Law Indemnity

In Brother’s Painting & Pressure Cleaning Corp., Appellant v. Curry-Dixon Construction, LLC, et. al., Appellees, the general contractor Curry-Dixon Construction, LLC (“Curry-Dixon”) and Brother’s Painting & Pressure Cleaning Corporation (“Brother’s Painting”) were both defendants in a lawsuit involving negligence during the course of construction renovations. 2020 WL 559193 (Fla. App. Ct. 2020). Plaintiffs, owners of…
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Alabama Court Of Civil Appeals Finds Employer Failed To Prove Employee Returned To Work Making The Same Or Greater Average Weekly Wage And The Return To Work Statute Did Not Apply

On October 4, 2019, the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals released AMEC Foster Wheeler Kamtech, Inc. v. Chandler, — So. 3d –, 2019 WL 4894327 (Ala. Civ. App. 2019), which found the employer, Defendant AMEC Foster Wheeler Kamtech, Inc., failed to prove the employee, Plaintiff Jimmy Chandler, returned to work making the same or greater…
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Finra Releases December 2019 Board Of Governors Meeting Report

The FINRA Board of Governors met on December 4-5, 2019 to discuss the organization’s 2020 proposed budget, reaffirm its Financial Guiding Principles, discuss several operational updates, and approve two rule proposals. Of noted importance to our clients, the Board approved two rule proposals to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Both proposed…
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Contractor’s Bad Faith Claim Premised On Subcontractor Performance Bond Does Not Exist Under Alabama Law

In Goudy Construction, Inc. v. Raks Fire Sprinkler LLC, Plaintiff Goudy Construction, Inc. (“Goudy”) served as the general contractor for a project for which Defendant Raks Fire Sprinkler LLC (“Raks”) submitted a bid to install a fire sprinkler system. 2019 WL 6841067 (N.D. Ala. 2019). Goudy accepted Raks’ bid and entered into a contractual agreement…
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Ohio Court Applies Constructive Submission Doctrine To Cwa Case

A federal district court in Ohio has endorsed the “constructive submission” doctrine as a way to require the EPA to set standards for polluted bodies of water when states neglect or refuse to set those standards. Environmental Law & Policy Center v. EPA, Docket No. 3:19-cv-00295 (November 13, 2019, N.D. Ohio). The Clean Water Act…
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Indemnity Provision Requiring Engineer To Indemnify An Owner For Damage To Property May Encompass Economic Losses In Louisiana

In Couvillion Group, LLC v. Plaquemines Parish Government, 2019 WL 6769614 (La. App. Dec. 11, 2019), Plaquemines Parish Government (“PPG”) contracted with Couvillion Group, LLC (“Couvillion”) to be the general contractor for the Project. PPG contracted with Professional Engineering Consultants Corporation (“PEC”) to provide engineering services for the project. During construction, PPG instructed Couvillion to…
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Employers May Require Confidentiality In Workplace Investigations

The National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) ruled that an employer may now require confidentiality from employees involved in open workplace investigations.  This resolves a conflict between the NLRB and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) and provides clarity for employers. In 2015, the NLRB reversed precedent and held that employers must determine whether imposing confidentiality…
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Exclusivity Provisions Of The Workers’ Compensation Act Do Not Bar Claims Of Negligence And Wantonnes Against The Employer For Conduct Occuring After The Workplace Injury

In Ex parte Burkes Mechanical, Inc., 28 ALW 50-3 (1180402); 12/6/2019, 170-3 (2171022), 4/19/2019, the Employer, Burkes Mechanical, Inc., (Burkes Mechanical) petitioned the Alabama Supreme Court for a writ of mandamus directing the trial court to vacate its Order denying its Motion to Dismiss claims of negligence and wantonness asserted against it by Employee Alexsie…
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Eleventh Circuit Dismisses Equal Protection Challenge To Alabama Minimum Wage Law

After a recent Eleventh Circuit decision in Lewis v. Governor of Alabama 896 F.3d 1282 (11th Cir. 2018), the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to a full-court review to decide the validity of a 2016 Alabama Law prohibiting cities or other local municipalities from adopting their own laws concerning minimum wages. The law was…
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