By Adrian Kendall, Esq. What can a lawyer learn from Heavy Metal band Metallica? When it comes to intellectual property protection and client relations, the answer is plenty. On December 30, 2015, an IP lawyer sent a cease and desist letter to the members of Sandman, a Canadian Metallica tribute band, demanding that the band… Read more »
News
Maine Legislature Approves Significant Increase in Maine Estate Tax Exemption Level
By Kathryn M. Longley-Leahy, Esq. Effective January 1, 2016, the Maine estate tax exemption will more than double from its current $2,000,000 level to the applicable federal estate tax exemption, currently $5,430,000, indexed annually for inflation. With this significant increase in the Maine estate tax exemption, Maine estate tax exposure will be effectively eliminated for… Read more »
Notable Changes to Maine Employment Laws
By Kelly M. Hoffman In its recently concluded session the Maine Legislature enacted L.D. 921 “An Act To Strengthen the Right of a Victim of Sexual Assault or Domestic Violence To Take Necessary Leave from Employment and To Promote Employee Social Media Privacy.” The new bill imposes two significant changes to employment laws that affect… Read more »
Maine’s Anti-SLAPP Statute: A Tool for Litigators
By: J.D. Hadiaris Defending a claim for defamation, libel, or abusive litigation (i.e., malicious prosecution or abuse of process) can be difficult and time consuming. Even when the plaintiff’s claim is weak and the damages small, these cases often require substantial discovery practice before a motion for summary judgment can be filed. Factual disputes can… Read more »
Health Record Audit Trails: How Useful is the Metadata that is Associated with a Patient’s Health Record?
By Jennifer A.W. Rush, Esq. Gone are the days when your doctor carried a manila folder into the exam room with her, shuffling through it to find the last office visit note or your current list of medications. Paper charts have been replaced by electronic health records, or “EHRs,” which are now in wide use… Read more »
What’s In a Name? – A Practical Lesson On Name Selection
By Darya I. Haag When a local credit union decided to launch its mobile banking program a couple of years ago, the question “How should we name it?” was on the staff members’ to-do list. The decision was made in favor of a catchy phrase that drew a strong association with the credit union’s new… Read more »