Recent Publications


And She’s Returning The Stairway … to Heaven
October 12, 2018 | Intellectual Property

While there may be a no-return policy on the stairway to heaven, no such policy exists with respect to returning a blockbuster jury verdict that dismissed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Led Zeppelin. To be sure, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently held that a new day will dawn by ordering

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All Publicity is Good Publicity, Unless it is a HIPAA Breach
October 10, 2018 | Health Services

A recent U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) settlement illustrates why health care facilities must carefully consider potential privacy risks and take precautionary steps before allowing a camera crew to film on their premises.

OCR settled with three Massachusetts hospitals for a total amount of $999,000 for violations of

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Federal Government Agrees to Global $260M Settlement with Florida Hospital Chain
October 10, 2018 | Health Services | Compliance, Investigations & White Collar

The United States recently agreed to a $260 million settlement of criminal charges and related civil claims under the False Claims Act arising from a scheme to defraud conducted by Naples, Florida-based hospital chain Health Management Associates, LLC (HMA). The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the settlement on September 25.

The settlement is evidence of

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Employee Benefit Plan Review – From the Courts
October 6, 2018 | Insurance Coverage

ERISA Preempts Ex-Pro Hockey Player’s State Law Claims

A federal district court in Texas has ruled that the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) preempts state law claims brought by a former professional hockey player under an ERISA plan, funded by an insurance policy issued to the National Hockey League (the NHL).

The

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New York State Issues Final Guidance Regarding New Sexual Harassment Standards
October 4, 2018 | Labor & Employment

As we previously reported in June 2018 (see https://www.rivkinradler.com/publications/new-sexual-harassment-legislation-applies-to-almost-all-ny-employers/), New York State lawmakers passed aggressive new legislation designed to stop sexual harassment in the workplace.  The changes included requiring employers to implement sexual harassment prevention policies and training.

In August 2018, New York State drafted a model sexual harassment policy and training requirements.  After the

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11 Tips for Responding to the Facebook Hack
October 3, 2018 | Privacy, Data & Cyber Law

On September 28, 2018, Facebook disclosed that it was hacked, exposing the accounts of 50 million users. Despite the staggering amount of information affected by this breach, many individuals have been dismissive of the risk. They wrongly assume that because their use of social media is limited to posts of family events and vacations, cute

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Trump Administration’s New Immigration Policies Take Effect Oct. 1, 2018
October 1, 2018 | Immigration | Corporate

Two of the Trump administration’s new immigration policies go into effect today. Beginning today, October 1, 2018, foreign national students who had been working under a regulation known as the “cap-gap” are no long authorized to work. The announcement can be found here.

The “cap-gap” period starts when an F‑1 student’s status and work authorization

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New York Insurance Coverage Law Update
September 27, 2018 | Insurance Coverage

Court Rules That Series Of Dishonest Acts Allegedly Committed By Insured’s Employee Constituted One “Occurrence” Under Policy Language

The insured company alleged that, between 2012 through 2017, a bookkeeper stole about $500,000 by making unauthorized purchases with company credit cards, making unauthorized withdrawals from the company’s line of credit, and taking company inventory for personal

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New National Cyber Strategy Links Cyber Security to American Economic Growth
September 24, 2018 | Privacy, Data & Cyber Law

On September 21, 2018, the White House issued a new guiding directive on cybersecurity entitled: “National Cyber Strategy of the United States of America.” It is touted as the nation’s “first fully articulated cyber strategy in 15 years.”

True to its title, the National Cyber Strategy substantially addresses the geopolitical status of the United States

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OMIG Audits: Failure to Provide Comments Can Prove Costly
September 19, 2018 | Health Services | Compliance, Investigations & White Collar

Healthcare providers must not only be knowledgeable in their respective specialties, they must also understand and comply with the multitude of regulations that not only directly affect their practice of medicine, but also their payment for the services rendered. After all, “those who deal with the government are expected to know the law, and cannot

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OIG: Telehealth Equipment Donation Presents Low Risk of Fraud and Abuse
September 19, 2018 | Health Services | Compliance, Investigations & White Collar

In a recent advisory opinion, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (OIG) concluded that a proposed donation of telehealth equipment to a referral source presented a low risk of fraud and abuse under the federal Anti-Kickback Statute. The conclusion was premised on several factors, one of which included OIG’s

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Insurance Update
September 14, 2018 | Insurance Coverage

One of the most widely litigated issues in insurance law concerns whether a claim involves an “occurrence.” Our September Insurance Update focuses on this issue, and its close cousin, the “expected or intended” injury exclusion.

Our lead case involves a mistaken belief.  A mining company, mistaken as to a property’s boundary lines, removed coal from

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Iseman Authors Article in USLAW Magazine
September 13, 2018 | Compliance, Investigations & White Collar

Robert Iseman authored a USLAW article, “A Long Way From ‘Guns That Don’t Shoot’ – 18 Proactive, Self-Defense Tactics Against the Ever-Expanding Application of the False Claims Act,” in the Fall/Winter issue of USLAW Magazine.

Click here to read the Article.

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Wilck Co-Authors USLAW Article
September 13, 2018 | Professional Liability

David Wilck has co-authored a USLAW article, “Navigating the One-Client/Two-Client Tripartite Relationship Between the Carrier, Insured, and Defense Counsel,” in the Fall/Winter issue of USLAW Magazine.

Click here to read the Article.

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Employee Relations Law Journal – From the Courts
September 7, 2018 | Labor & Employment | Insurance Coverage

Sixth Circuit Affirms Dismissal for Failure to Exhaust Plan’s Administrative Remedies

Courts interpreting the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) have long held that a claimant seeking benefits under an employee benefit plan must exhaust the plan’s administrative remedies before he or she can file suit. A recent decision by the U.S. Court

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