From Media & Entertainment Law360

Thursday, June 11, 2020

TOP NEWS

How 3 Firms Are Confronting The Obstacles Of Reopening

As law firms begin the process of reopening their offices to attorneys and staff after closures precipitated by the coronavirus pandemic, members of firm management are grappling with thorny issues surrounding how they can do so as safely as possible. Here’s a look at how three firms are forging ahead.

Coronavirus: How Law Firms Are Handling The Downturn

UPDATED June 9, 2020, 3:20 PM 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. 

Judiciary Says Fewer Jurors Is But One Fear As Trials Restart

Federal judges that move to restart jury trials during the coronavirus pandemic will have to work within their existing budgets and make it a priority to reassure a thinner pool of potential jurors of their safety, according to a report released Wednesday by a federal judiciary task force.

DC Circ. Tosses AFL-CIO Suit Seeking Virus Safety Rule

The D.C. Circuit on Thursday tossed an AFL-CIO lawsuit that sought to make the U.S. Department of Labor’s workplace safety arm issue an emergency rule requiring employers to protect workers from COVID-19.

3 Ways The Pandemic Has Shaped Patent Litigation, So Far

Three months of pandemic lockdowns and economic disruption have started making patent attorneys and litigants think in new ways about their cases and how they’re conducted. From embracing videoconferences to reconsidering when to file or settle suits, here’s how patent law looks different now than it did in February.

CLOSINGS AND RESTRICTIONS

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Coronavirus: The Latest Court Closures And Restrictions

UPDATED June 11, 2020, 1:58 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.

Coronavirus: The Latest EU Court Closures And Restrictions

UPDATED June 11, 2020, 4:26 PM GMT | As courts across the region take measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, some are restricting access and altering their procedures. Here is a roundup of changes.

As NYC’s Courthouses Reopen, Virtual Court Will Remain

New York City’s state court judges returned to their chambers on Wednesday, but an administrative civil court judge whose division has been bustling away during the COVID-19 pandemic said some remote hearings may become the norm.

NJ Courts Will Begin To Reopen With COVID Safety Measures

New Jersey judiciary officials on Wednesday said they will soon begin holding in-person proceedings at state courthouses after shuttering their doors nearly three months ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but visitors will need to wear face masks in public areas and maintain social distancing.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR ATTORNEYS

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Don’t Bar Older Workers From The Office, EEOC Warns

Employers won’t be able to “involuntarily” exclude workers over 65 from the workplace even though they are in an age group that public health officials say is at increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness, the EEOC said in new guidance Thursday that tackled numerous pandemic-related topics.

McDonald’s Workers In Virus Suit Say Safety Signs Ineffective

Two Illinois McDonald’s employees accusing the company of providing unlawfully subpar workplace COVID-19 protections testified Wednesday that they either haven’t seen safety signage around their workplace, haven’t fully read it or think it doesn’t help them stay safe.

CFTC Extends COVID Relief For Recording, Time-Stamp Rules

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission said Wednesday it is extending pandemic-related relief from certain requirements such as voice recording and time stamp regulations, citing ongoing work-from-home measures.

Travel Insurer Hit With Suit Over COVID-19 Trip Cancellations

Travel insurer Assicurazioni Generali Group was hit with a proposed class action in New York federal court on Wednesday accusing it of wrongfully withholding insurance premiums paid for trips canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ICE Can’t Be Trusted To Shield Rights Amid Virus, Judge Says

A California federal judge on Tuesday said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement “cannot currently be trusted” to stop violating the rights of immigrants detained at two Golden State detention centers and ordered the federal agency to maintain protections to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

USDA’s COVID-19 Food Aid Limits May Be Right, Judge Says

A California federal judge appeared skeptical Wednesday of efforts to block U.S. Department of Agriculture guidance that denies emergency food aid created under a new coronavirus law to certain households, saying Congress’ ongoing consideration of another proposal to increase nonemergency food aid suggests the USDA may have it right.

EXPERT ANALYSIS

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How Video Mediation Can Help Us Serve Clients Better

Mediation in recent years has largely devolved into a kind of arbitration without due process — where a mediator reads briefs, decides where the case should settle, and drives parties toward that single-minded result — but online mediation can be steered in a different direction, says mediator Jeff Kichaven.

Potential Legal Land Mines For Colleges Opening This Fall

When college campuses reopen in the fall, an unprecedented amount of lawsuits and legal challenges are expected to follow, but there are strategies universities can employ to reduce their exposure to liability, says Lisa Lori at Klehr Harrison.

COVID-19 Vaccine Developers Can Limit Liability From Trials

Companies involved in accelerated clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines can expect broad protection from federal legislation and can also take additional steps to shield themselves from liability, particularly to avoid claims of willful misconduct, say attorneys at King & Spalding.