Search

The article reports on the cancellation of the court strike set by the consumer bankruptcy attorneys regarding the bankruptcy act provision. The passage of the 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act caused the attorneys to set up strike. Bankruptcy attorneys argued that under the board definitions in Section 526(a)(4), they qualified as debt relief agencies and were therefore unable to advise clients to incur debt prior to filing for bankruptcy.

The article reports on the increase in the number of employees who are filing lawsuits for allege violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and accompanying state laws. Majority of the federal lawsuits involved employee groups who are seeking wages for meal and rest-time periods, suing over expenses that have not been reimbursed and claiming minimum-wage and overtime violations.

The article presents information on the results of the study, 2005 Internet Usage Study, which were released by Burstek, a company that provides employee Internet management software. According to Burstek, Internet is accessed by 78 percent of all employees while at work for entertainment and personal use. The study analyzed the Internet activity of more than 10,000 employees and found that over l9 percent of personal use involved Web sites that posed a potential security threat to the network. According to William E. Hannum III, an employment lawyer with Schwartz Hannum in Andover, Massachusetts, employee Internet usage is an area of big concern for employers.

The article focuses on the issues regarding the patent dispute concerning BlackBerry network users in the U.S. According to patent lawyers, the situation is an illustration of the complications and problems in the current patent system. The dispute revolves around the case filed by NTP, who allegedly states that Research In Motion's BlackBerry products violated five of NPTs patents.

The article reports that patent lawyers may soon find themselves in the same situation as bankruptcy attorneys--coping with an overhaul of their legal system. A draft of a reform bill has been circulated by the U.S. House Subcommittee on Courts, Internet & Intellectual Property, and already the patent bar is buzzing. Long Island-based patent attorneys said legislators are considering steps that would significantly alter the patent landscape, though it's hard to say what, if anything, will pass.

The article focuses on the passage of credit freeze laws by several states in the U.S. in an attempt to curb identity theft. While freeze statute does not eliminate identity theft, it is capable of cutting off the most harmful form, the opening of new accounts. The Consumers Union has actively participated in the passage of such measures, in a total of 25 states since 2003. However, the trend is criticized as confusing and complicated for consumers due to variations from state to state.

The article reports that numerous states in the U.S. have introduced 461 bills on immigration issues, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Program director Ann Morse states that, since the NCSL began tracking immigration legislation in 1992, the highest number of state bills prior to 2006 was approximately 200 in the 1997-1998 session. He further stresses that immigration has been identified as a primary issue by the public, and states want to act in response.