Gibbons Law Alert

New Patent Quality Examination Metrics Attempt Greater Balance

On November 1, 2010

On October 7, 2010, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a press release announcing the adoption of new procedures for measuring the quality of patent examination that will be implemented during the start of the 2011 fiscal year. After requesting public comment in both the Federal Register and Official Gazette and holding two round table discussions, a joint USPTO-Patent Public Advisory Committee (PPAC) Task Force developed a new composite quality metric including seven factors, and an associated procedure for obtaining measurements, identifying systemic problems and providing remediation through examiner training.

Muddied Waters – EPA’s Stormwater Rules for Construction Projects

by Gibbons P.C.

Posted in Development/Redevelopment / Environmental and Green Issues

On November 1, 2010

Roman lawyers were timed by water clocks which they realized could be slowed by the addition of dirt or sand and thereby gaining more time to argue. Hence lawyers are often cited for “muddying the waters.” In the case challenging the US Environmental Protection Agency’s stormwater rules for construction sites, it is the court that has muddied the waters. By holding the suit in abeyance, but keeping the problematic standard in place, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has managed to confuse all of the parties.

Bereavement Leave Obligations Extended to Same-Sex Partners in New York

by Gibbons P.C.

Posted in Employee Benefits

On October 29, 2010

New York State employers who extend funeral or bereavement leave to employees after the death of a relative must, effective October 29, 2010, provide the same leave after the death of a same-sex committed partner. Although this amendment to the New York Civil Rights Law creates no obligation for employers who do not offer funeral or bereavement leave to any employees, it does require a change for the many New York employers who currently provide such leave to various groups of defined relatives, but not to same-sex committed partners. Those policies and related practices should be revised promptly to comply with the new law. Additionally, while the new law does not apply to employers outside New York State, they may want to consider similar revisions for business reasons.

Howard Geneslaw to Speak at 2010 New Jersey Planning Conference

by Gibbons P.C.

Posted in Development/Redevelopment

On October 29, 2010

Howard D. Geneslaw, Esq., PP, AICP, a Director in the Gibbons Real Property & Environmental Department, will be a speaker at the 2010 New Jersey Planning Conference on Friday, November 5, 2010, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Howard’s topic will be “The Due Diligence Process: Protection for Both the Public and Private Sectors.” Two consulting planners will also be a member of the panel.

New Jersey Business & Industry Association Recognizes Company Excellence

by Gibbons P.C.

Posted in Development/Redevelopment / Environmental and Green Issues

On October 27, 2010

On Wednesday evening, October 19, 2010, the New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA) presented its annual “Awards For Excellence” to eleven New Jersey businesses for laudable Business Expansion, Environmental Quality, as Outstanding Employers, and for Public Service. Gibbons P.C. was amongst four companies honored for Public Service, joining two Gibbons clients, Peloton Advantage, LLC, the winner of the Business Expansion Award, and Hall’s Warehouse Corp., honored with a NJ Businesses Environmental Quality Award.

Employer Sued for Harassment May Discover Plaintiff’s Social Networking Site Postings

by Richard S. Zackin

Posted in Discrimination

On October 26, 2010

In EEOC v. Simply Storage Management, L.L.C., 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 52766, the EEOC brought suit in federal court in Indiana alleging that Simply Storage was liable for the sexual harassment of a number of its employees. The EEOC asserted that while three of these claimants had suffered “garden variety” emotional distress that was not ongoing, two claimants had suffered more serious emotional injuries for which they had sought medical treatment and that one claimant had been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. Both of these employees maintained social networking site (“SNS”) accounts on Facebook and MySpace. Maintaining that information on these sites was relevant to the employees’ emotional distress claims, Simply Storage sought discovery of the their complete profiles on these sites, as well as all photos and videos posted on the sites.

FLSA Amended to Require Break Time for Nursing Mothers

by Kristin D. Sostowski

Posted in Wage and Hour

On October 26, 2010

Among the provisions of the sweeping federal health care legislation enacted earlier this year, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) amended Section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act to provide a new break-time requirement for nursing mothers who are non-exempt employees. A new fact sheet recently issued by the US Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division supplies employers with information regarding the requirements of the new law.

Cancer in Remission is Disability under the ADAAA

by Gibbons P.C.

Posted in Disability

On October 26, 2010

In holding that an employee with cancer in remission is “disabled” under the expanded definition of “disability” in the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (“ADAAA”), a federal court has signaled a major change in the way courts have considered cases involving diseases that are in remission. The case is among the first in the nation to interpret the extent to which the Act broadens the scope of the conditions that may qualify as a “disability.” Specifically, the court addressed that portion of the ADAAA that defines “disability” to include “an impairment that is episodic or in remission is a disability if it would substantially limit a major life activity when active.”

New York Requires Attorneys to Verify Residential Foreclosure Pleadings in Response to National Foreclosure Freeze

by Gibbons P.C.

Posted in Transactional Real Estate and Leasing

On October 26, 2010

On October 20, 2010, Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman of the State of New York announced that lender’s counsel in residential foreclosure actions will now be required to file an affirmation certifying that they have taken reasonable measures to verify the accuracy of documents submitted in connection with the action. The new rule is effective immediately. The New York State Unified Court System has provided a sample affirmation that was released with Judge Lippman’s statement.

Farouk Systems Wins $300 Million Damages Award Against On-Line Chinese Counterfeiting Ring

by Gibbons P.C.

Posted in E-Commerce / Trademarks

On October 25, 2010

On October 14, 2010, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas granted what is reportedly the largest judgment ever awarded in an action involving on-line counterfeiting. In Farouk Systems, Inc. v. Eyou Int’l Trading Co., Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt entered a default judgment and permanent injunction against more than seventy defendants, who were operating an Internet counterfeiting ring out of China. The judgment required that each of the defendants pay Farouk statutory damages of $4 million, resulting in an award of approximately $300 million. In addition to being significant because of the amount of the damages awarded, this decision is noteworthy for the pragmatic approach that the court took to ensure that the relief awarded to the plaintiff would be meaningful.