Gov. Chris Christie’s efforts to improve New Jersey’s business climate appear to have fallen short, at least in the eyes of chief executive officers. An annual survey of CEOs by Chief Executive magazine on state business climates ranked New Jersey 45th, just two spots higher than last year. For the eighth year in a row, [...]
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As New Jersey and New York business attorneys, we see the value of intellectual property everyday, from licensing agreements to patented new products. But can you put a price tag on the value of intellectual property (IP) to the overall U.S. economy? The Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office [...]
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Early in 2012, the State of New Jersey took a significant step into the future by adopting a thorough update of the state’s decades old document recording statute. The new law, which was signed by Governor Christie on January 17, 2012, has been codified at N.J.S.A. 46:26A, 26B and 26C. It is the product of [...]
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In many cases, a New Jersey business divorce can be just as difficult as ending a marriage. In both situations, the parties have invested a great deal in the relationship and there are generally significant assets involved. In fact, when a business breaks up, valuation of the business is often one of the most contentious [...]
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In a surprising decision, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that downloading proprietary computer code does not constitute stealing under the National Stolen Property Act, which criminalizes the theft of trade secrets. The ruling overturned the criminal conviction of former Goldman Sachs programmer, Sergey Aleynikov, who allegedly downloaded the computer source code for the [...]
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To many landlords’ dismay, it appears that rent control is here to stay in New York City, at least for now. The U.S. Supreme Court recently declined to hear a lawsuit challenging the city’s regulations. As is customary when the Court denies a petition for a writ of certiorari, no reason was given. New York [...]
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Hess Corp. recently settled a New Jersey environmental lawsuit in federal court, and it wasn’t cheap. Under the terms of the agreement, the company will make $45 million in emissions-control upgrades and pay an additional $850,000 in civil penalties. The case highlights that environmental compliance can be very costly. The lawsuit, brought by the Environmental [...]
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New Jersey employers often use a number of tools and techniques to screen job applicants. Among the most common, a recent survey found that 92 percent of employers conduct criminal background checks on some or all of their job applicants. While it is important to find the best employees for your business, it is equally [...]
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As highlighted by the recent troubles of New York law firm Dewey & LeBoeuf, unpaid client bills can drastically impact a business’s bottom line. Therefore, it is important to have collection policies and procedures in place to ensure that you are paid in full and on time. This post offers some practical tips that New [...]
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In Marshall v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, A-1405-11, the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey reminded litigants that the attorney-client privilege only extends so far. The court ruled that a plaintiff in a New Jersey sexual discrimination lawsuit had to turn over a summary she drafted because it was created before she hired [...]
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