Coronavirus: Your Afternoon Briefing – Thu May 7 2020
From Media & Entertainment Law360
TOP NEWS
3 Global Firms Among Those Cutting Attorney Salaries
Hogan Lovells, Mayer Brown LLP and Nixon Peabody LLP are the latest BigLaw firms to implement attorney pay cuts amid the coronavirus pandemic, with associate salary reductions of between 10% and 15%, according to statements from the firms.
Kirkland, Cravath Overhaul Summer Programs Amid COVID-19
Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP confirmed Wednesday that they have shortened the duration of their summer associate programs, becoming the latest law firms to modify their offerings as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on.
Coronavirus: How Law Firms Are Handling The Downturn
UPDATED May 7, 2020, 11:32 AM EDT | The spreading coronavirus pandemic has upended the legal industry, forcing firms to cut salaries, lay off attorneys and make changes to summer associate programs. Here is a roundup of how law firms are responding.
At Least Some NY Bar Hopefuls Must Reapply Due To Virus
Add reapplying to the state bar to the list of headaches confronting at least some attorney hopefuls in New York as they attempt to navigate the ongoing tumult in the legal world caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Judiciary Seeks More Funding And Judges In COVID-19 Relief
Federal courts are asking Congress for $36.6 million in additional funding to pay for more judgeships and to enhance courtroom safety measures and teleworking infrastructure to handle the anticipated backlog of cases building up due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Neiman Marcus Hits Ch. 11 Amid Pandemic To Slash $4B Debt
Another major retailer has hit bankruptcy amid store closures due to the coronavirus pandemic, as Neiman Marcus Group filed for Chapter 11 protection Thursday in Texas with a restructuring support agreement in place with the majority of its creditors to wipe out $4 billion of its debt.
EEOC Reissues Yanked Virus Accommodations Guidance
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Thursday laid out a road map for how businesses should go about accommodating workers with medical conditions during the coronavirus pandemic, issuing a revised version of guidance it previously published but pulled down because it was “misinterpreted.”
CLOSINGS AND RESTRICTIONS
Coronavirus: The Latest Court Closures And Restrictions
UPDATED May 7, 2020, 1:53 PM EDT | As courts across the country take measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, some are restricting access and altering their procedures. Here is a roundup of changes.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR ATTORNEYS
Justices Won’t Upend Pa. Gov.’s Virus Closure Order
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to hit the pause button on an executive order inked by Pennsylvania’s governor in mid-March shuttering nonessential businesses as a means to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
Meatpacker Sued In 1st Virus-Related Death Case In Pa.
In what attorneys say is a first-of-its-kind case in Pennsylvania, the family of a deceased JBS SA meatpacking worker filed suit in state court Thursday alleging that unsafe conditions at a company plant outside of Philadelphia resulted in him contracting a fatal case of COVID-19.
Texas AG, Gov. Slam Judge For Jailing Salon Owner
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton admonished a Dallas County judge Wednesday for sentencing a local salon owner to jail for seven days for violating a restraining order that prohibited her from operating the salon due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mass. Gun Stores To Reopen After Judge Nixes COVID-19 Ban
A Massachusetts federal judge ordered the state to reopen gun shops by noon Saturday, ruling that Gov. Charlie Baker’s executive order closing the retailers during the coronavirus pandemic violates the Second Amendment.
Mass. COVID-19 Debt Collection Ban Struck Down
An emergency regulation from the Massachusetts attorney general banning certain debt collection calls and lawsuits was blocked Wednesday by a federal judge, who said the measure violates the First Amendment rights of collection agencies without adding meaningful protections for consumers.
Gap Sued Over Unpaid NYC Rent Amid COVID-19 Retail Woes
A Manhattan landlord has sued the Gap for allegedly failing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent, adding the clothing retailer to the growing list of businesses taken to court over unpaid rent in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Employers Penalized By NLRB Can Put Off Notifying Workers
Employers that have closed during the coronavirus pandemic and are penalized by the National Labor Relations Board for violating workers’ labor rights don’t have to notify workers of the board’s findings until after they reopen, the NLRB said Wednesday in a novel ruling.
British Insurers Hit Record Payout Rate In 2019
British insurers paid out more than more than £5.7 billion ($7 billion) on 98.3% of claims in 2019, making it the highest percentage of claims on record, the Association of British Insurers said Thursday.
Coping With A Pandemic: VC Specialist Lindsay Karas Stencel
As society continues to adapt to COVID-19, Law360 is sharing reactions from around the business and legal community. Today’s perspective comes from Columbus, Ohio-based Lindsay Karas Stencel, a partner at Thompson Hine and co-founder of venture capital startup W Fund.EXPERT ANALYSIS
Promoting Lawyer Well-Being Is More Essential Than Ever
As the COVID-19 pandemic profoundly tests the overall well-being of lawyers, firms with behavioral health programs can leverage or adapt many existing resources to respond to the crisis, while firms without formal programs can find little ways to make a big difference, says Krista Larson, director of employee well-being at Morgan Lewis.
PPP Loan Scrutiny Requires Immediate Borrower Attention
Despite the need for swift decisions regarding the dwindling Paycheck Protection Program funds, the Small Business Administration’s recently released limited safe harbor and guidance require loan applicants to contemplate their next steps carefully prior to the looming May 14 repayment deadline, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.
