Coronavirus: Your PM Briefing May 6 2020
From Media & Entertainment Law360
| TOP NEWS Hogan Lovells Slashes US Attorney Salaries Hogan Lovells is the latest BigLaw firm to implement attorney pay cuts amid the coronavirus pandemic, reducing base compensation for all U.S. attorneys earning more than $100,000 as of June 1, according to a Wednesday statement. Milbank, Fenwick Alter Summer Programs Due To COVID-19 Milbank LLP and Fenwick & West LLP confirmed Tuesday they have pushed back the start dates of their summer associate programs, the latest firms to amend their summer offerings as the COVID-19 pandemic slams the legal industry. Coronavirus: How Law Firms Are Handling The Downturn UPDATED May 6, 2020, 11:57 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. In-State NY Bar Exam Sign-Ups Soar, Drawing Out-Of-State Ire State court officials on Tuesday reported thousands of registrations for the rescheduled summer New York bar examination on the first day to sign up, as in-state law school students flocked to fill a limited number of seats amid a pandemic that has upended the process. Counsel Who Care: How Attys Are Helping During A Crisis As coronavirus cases have spiked, law firms across the nation have been stepping up to help, from providing pro bono legal assistance to fundraisers and donations. Here, Law360 rounds up some of the latest charity efforts from the legal community in response to the pandemic. Coronavirus Regulations: A State-By-State Week In Review Governors emboldened by positive effects from COVID-19 social distancing advanced plans to reopen states this week, promising to strike a balance between physical and financial health while continuing to shield industries and their workforces from the global crisis. CLOSINGS AND RESTRICTIONS Coronavirus: The Latest Court Closures And Restrictions UPDATED May 6, 2020, 1:42 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 May 6, 2020, 12:51 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. WHAT ATTORNEYS NEED TO KNOW Grand Jury Suspensions A Looming Problem For Prosecutors As court closures stretch on during the coronavirus pandemic, the suspension of federal grand juries is causing headaches for prosecutors by jeopardizing older cases and slowing down complex ones, requiring judges to consider how to bring the panels back. Feds Bring First Pandemic Relief Fraud Case Two businessmen have been charged with defrauding the federal relief program meant to help small businesses pay their employees during the pandemic, U.S. Department of Justice officials announced Tuesday. Hospital Coronavirus Costs Will Soon Top $200B, AHA Says The American Hospital Association projected Tuesday that COVID-19 will cost the nation’s hospitals $200 billion by mid-2020, a likely indication that Congress will soon face pressure to provide even more cash infusions to the industry. HHS Official Ousted For Resisting Virus Drug Wants Job Back The doctor booted from his job leading the federal agency developing a coronavirus vaccine filed a whistleblower complaint Tuesday asking the U.S. Office of Special Counsel to reinstate him and investigate whether he was pushed out for advocating scientific solutions over unproven drugs touted by the Trump administration. Smithfield Nixes Meat Plant Workers’ Suit Over Virus Safety Smithfield Foods Inc. won dismissal Tuesday of a federal lawsuit accusing the meat processor of putting workers at a Missouri facility in harm’s way during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a federal judge deciding that the plant workers’ claims would be better handled by regulators. Treasury, SBA Sued Over PPP Loan Eligibility Guidance Three tech businesses have filed suit in California federal court to block recent regulatory guidance that was meant to turn large companies away from the Paycheck Protection Program, arguing that the guidance overreaches and risks undermining the program’s mission of keeping workers employed. COVID-19 ‘Pushes 600K Businesses To Brink Of Insolvency ‘Up to 600,000 British businesses are heading toward insolvency after being hit hard by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 crisis, a think tank said Wednesday.‘ Rock N’ Roll’ Menswear Line Hits Ch. 11 Amid Virus Closures Menswear retailer John Varvatos Enterprises Inc. hit Chapter 11 in Delaware on Wednesday with plans to sell its assets to a secured lender as store closures caused by the coronavirus outbreak spiraled the already struggling retailer into bankruptcy. Coping With A Pandemic: Massey & Gail’s Lenny Gail As society continues to adapt to COVID-19, Law360 is sharing reactions from around the business and legal community. Today’s perspective comes from Chicago-based Leonard Gail, a trial lawyer and founding partner of Massey & Gail. EXPERT ANALYSIS Remote Depositions Bring Ethics Considerations For Lawyers Utilizing virtual litigation technologies and participating in remote depositions require attorneys to beware of inadvertently violating their ethical obligations, including the principal duty to provide competent representation, say attorneys at Troutman Sanders. Should Companies Return Their PPP Loans? Deciding whether to return a Paycheck Protection Program loan by Thursday to avoid liability for falsely certifying necessity requires close consideration of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s evolving guidance, changing public sentiment and the intangible costs of keeping the funds, say Amanda Kramer and Daniel Suleiman at Covington. |
