April 2016 – Blog Business Law – a resource for business law students

The Second Circuit upheld Tom Brady’s suspension for the first four games of the new season and overturned the district court’s ruling.  The court ruled the arbitrator’s award was valid and should not be disturbed. Judge Parker, writing for the majority, stated, “Our role is not to determine for ourselves whether Brady participated in a …

June 2015 – Blog Business Law – a resource for business law students

Posted by Orintia Daniels. Bankrupt: “(of a person or organization) declared in law unable to pay outstanding debts.” According to dictionary.com, this adjective simply means that a particular person or organization is in debt and owes money to another organization or person. I have came across an article called “How do I declare Bankruptcy?” which explains …

2015 – Blog Business Law – a resource for business law students

Posted by Katie Kim. On Thursday, Martin Shkreli, a 32 year-old pharmaceutical executive, was arrested by the federal authorities on securities and wire-fraud charges stemming from an alleged Ponzi scheme he ran as a hedge-fund manager. What the young executive was doing was taking out loans from investors to start a new pharmaceutical company and using …

Hasbro Trademarks the Scent of Play-Doh

In class, we discuss trademark and trade dress.  Ever open a can of Play-Doh and smell that distinct scent?  Well, now Hasbro has trademarked that scent. “‘The scent of Play-Doh compound has always been synonymous with childhood and fun,’” said Jonathan Berkowitz, a senior vice president of global marketing for the Play-Doh brand. “‘By officially …

Killing the Foundation of America

Posted by Joe Zichelli. The entrepreneurial spirit that was once a driving force in America is under attack due to egregious government overreach and licensing requirements that are putting hard-working and dynamic Americans out of work – even in some cases costing them their livelihood as well as thousands of dollars in fines. Occupational licensing …

2018 – Blog Business Law – a resource for business law students

Posted by Brianna McCoy.  In the very end of August of this year, 2018, a court ruling involving the FCPA could potentially limit the government’s power to go after foreign companies and individuals in bribery cases. This type of court situation is dealt within the U.S. appeals court. The appeals court supported a ruling that …

October 2017 – Blog Business Law – a resource for business law students

Distractions can cause auto accidents and smartphones have been identified as one.  Many states have laws that limit the use of smartphones while driving. Lawyers generally do not pursue distraction cases if there is evidence of some other cause, such as speeding or reckless driving. There has been an increase in motor vehicle fatalities across …

June 2016 – Blog Business Law – a resource for business law students

IKEA, the popular low-cost furniture manufacturer, recalled 27 million “Malm” dressers.   Three children were recently killed as a result of the defect in design. The company was on notice of the tendency of the furniture to be top-heavy, but did nothing to address the issue until the death of a 22-month-old child earlier this …

2016 – Blog Business Law – a resource for business law students

Posted by Kesha Patel. In 2012, four employees of tech giant Apple filed a lawsuit against their employer in San Diego. Apple allegedly failed to give their employees proper meal and rest breaks in addition to not paying them in a timely manner. In 2013, the case became a class action lawsuit that included about 21,000 employees who had …

April 2015 – Blog Business Law – a resource for business law students

Posted by Adam Kutarnia. People have been betting on sports for centuries, however, the multi-billion dollar industry is illegal in almost all parts of the United States except for four states – Nevada, Delaware, Oregon and Montana. Last summer, 29 men were arrested in New Jersey for running a sports betting ring that grossed approximately to …