2017
Recent Developments in Class Actions, Consumer Protection Suits, and Arbitration Agreements
I. Particular Popular Subject Areas of Interest A. Privacy class actions 1. Growing challenges to data security 2. Had been frequently dismissed for lack of standing or compensable injury, but…
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Ratcheting up Standards: Improving Performance Without Busting the Litigation Budget
I. Introduction A. From the standpoint of the manufacturer or franchisor, an independently owned outlet—whether it is a dealership, a distributorship, or a franchise—is typically most effective when the outlet…
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The Ins and Outs of the Attorney-Client Privilege for In-House Counsel
I. Source of the Privilege A. Common Law: 1. “The attorney-client privilege is the oldest of the privileges for confidential communications known to the common law.” Upjohn Co. v. United…
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Recent Developments in Class Actions, Consumer Protection Suits, and Arbitration Agreements
I. Overview and Trends A. Class action filings in state and federal courts have risen from 10,240 filings in 2014 to 13,488 filings in 2016, and are projected to climb…
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Getting in the Right Gear: Best Practices for Compliance Programs
I. Why Care About Compliance? A. Regulators Care 1. e.g. DOJ, SEC, DEA, FDA, EPA, State OIGs B. Industry Standard in 2017 C. “Good business and good common sense” 1.…
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Reaping What You Sow: Protecting Your Future Yields with Non-Competes and Trade Secret Law
Recent Developments in Noncompete and Trade Secrets Law I. General Refresher on Case Law Governing Noncompete Agreements a. Overview: i. Differing legal standards apply when analyzing the enforceability of a…
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Mitigating The Risks Of Commercial Litigation: An Ounce Of Prevention Vs. A Pound Of Cure
I. Approach To Litigation A. Downsides of litigation are well known: 1. Out-of-pocket costs 2. Diverts attention and resources 3. Unpredictable and inefficient B. Prevention 1. Companies can take simple…
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Data Privacy and Security Best Practices: Lessons Learned in Litigation
I. State of the World A. Cyber Risk Reality 1. “here are only two types of companies: those that have been hacked and those that will be. And even they…
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Sand In The Gears: Turning Dealers Into Accidental Franchisees
I. Who Sells Your Products? A. Dealers 1. A dealer or distributor is usually defined as a contract or agreement by which the dealer or distributor (1) is granted the…
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The Termination From Hell (and Tips to Avoid One)
I. Background Facts Greensward Croft, Inc. is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin based manufacturer of agricultural and grounds maintenance equipment, which they sell through a network of more than 60 dealers across…
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International Trade & Investment Under the Trump Administration: Risks and Opportunities
What to Expect from the New Administration President Trump’s Promises Free trade no longer works Losses of U.S. manufacturing jobs are the fault of other governments China steals U.S. intellectual…
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The Exceptions That Prove the Rule: Using Franchise Exclusions and Exemptions to Your Advantage
Being a franchisor means being subject to significant regulation of the relationship with your franchisees. Pre-sale registration and disclosure Federal: 16 CFR Part 436 State Pre-sale disclosure: California, Hawaii, Illinois,…
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Top Ten Cases of 2016-17
What is equipment? McCarthy Integrated Sys. v. Evoqua Water Tech., 379 P.3d 263 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2016): The Arizona Court of Appeals determined that the Arizona Equipment Dealers Act includes…
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Resale Price Maintenance & Minimum Advertised Price (“MAP”) Policies: Where to Draw the Line to Maximize Growth
Overview: Antitrust constraints on efforts to direct the advertising of resale prices A minimum advertised price (“MAP”) policy is a supplier’s policy that resellers not advertise prices below a price…
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Keeping It Legal: An Advertising Law Primer
How are Advertising Issues Usually Raised? complaints by competitors enforcement by FTC, FDA or USDA complaints by consumers (more…)
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From Globalization to Regionalization: Managing Trade Compliance in the Trump Era
I. Introduction A. Enforcement Trends B. Priority Enforcement Areas 1. Economic Sanctions (OFAC) 2. Export Controls (ITAR and EAR) 3. Anti-Bribery & Corruption (FCPA & UKBA) 4. Anti-Money Laundering (AML)…
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Green Eggs and Spam: From CAN-SPAM to CASL, Your Daily Compliance Filling of Electronic Marketing Laws
Practical Considerations to Email Campaigns I. Framework for Analyzing Electronic Messages A. Does CAN-SPAM/CASL apply? B. Is consent needed? C. Has an appropriate opt-out mechanism been provided? D. What…
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Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: Overcoming Compliance Paralysis
I. FCPA Overview A. Importance of anti-corruption compliance B. Elements of the FCPA (15 U.S.C. §78dd-1, et seq.) 1. Anti-Bribery Provision a. Corruptly; b. Offering, promising, authorizing, or…
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Third Party Anti-Corruption “Red Flags”
“Red flag” is a term of art in the FCPA/anti-corruption compliance world. The presence of a red flag does not necessarily mean that illegal conduct has occurred or that the…
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Procedures and Criteria for Evaluating Proposed Franchise/Dealership Transfers
Introduction Manufacturers/franchisors typically exercise great caution in vetting potential dealers/franchisees before awarding the dealership or franchise Similar care ought to be exercised when deciding whether to allow an existing dealer/franchisee…
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2016
Compliance & Risk Management: Best Practices for Operating at Home and Abroad
U.S. Government Compliance Expectations Compliance Trends Endorsed by the Government Key Government Enforcement Areas (more…)
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The Future of Distribution & Franchise Law – Trends and Predictions
The Top Cases of the Last 25 Years: What do they portend for the future? (more…)
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Unravelling the “Substantial Change in Competitive Circumstances” Mystery
Hypothetical I am a supplier and I want to: Install another dealer within 10 miles of a current dealer, or Sell direct, or Impose a profit pass-over policy, or Take…
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Dealer Litigation: Five Mistakes You Must Avoid
Disputes arise between Manufacturers and Dealers. Most such disputes can and should result in commercial resolutions. These are mistakes in these situations that need to be avoided. Five of the…
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The Tesla Effect: When Dealers Laws Meet Licensing Requirements
Tesla is implementing a massive effort to change individual dealer and licensing laws across the country. In its turbulent wake is a host of changing state statutes with renewed attention to these laws…
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Past is Prologue: What to Expect in Non-Compete and Trade Secret Protection
"And by that destiny" to perform an act, Whereof what's past is prologue; what to come, In yours and my discharge," The Tempest, Act 2, Scene 1 (Antonio urging Sebastian…
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Substantial Change in Competitive Circumstances
Making a change to the way you do business with your dealer may require you to show "good cause". (more…)
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Stay of Execution: How Bankruptcy Affects Your Relationship with Underperforming Dealers
What is bankruptcy, exactly? And what is it not? It is the orderly restructuring of the debtor's liabilities through the maximization of value of the debtor's assets. It is not…
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Dear Dealer: Drafting Termination Letters That Won’t Cost You Your Shirt
A roadmap, or outline, for successful terminations. (more…)
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Map to the Future: The 2016 Smiley Face Map and Updates to State Dealer Laws
The "Smiley Face" Map is an interactive resource that provides quick access to essential information about statutes governing product distribution and dealership/franchise relationships in all 50 United States, plus two…
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Top 10 Antitrust Rules for Dealing with Distributors
A review of the most important Antitrust rules for when dealing with distributors. (more…)
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Resolving Price Discrimination Concerns over Pricing Policies: 25 years Later
To provide some historical background, the Robinson-Patman Act as assed by Congress in 1936 to address conduct that was perceived as unfair to smaller retail establishments. It outlines price discrimination, which means…
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Landmark Cases of the Last 25 Years
RIP, Dr. Miles: The Supreme Court’s cases rejecting per se illegality of resale price maintenance. (more…)
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A Pound of Flesh
Introduction In selling your products to dealers, there are essentially four practical arrangements that you can make for dealers to pay for what they buy: (more…)
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Arming Agreements with Arbitration: Preparing for Future Battles
Lessons from the Courts: Why you should consider arbitration (more…)
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Control Freaks: Protecting Your Trademark Rights
Why Do Trademark Owners Need to Control Licensees and Police Infringers? (more…)
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Resolving International Disputes Through Arbitration
Introduction Imagine a significant dispute arising under your international distribution agreement (more…)
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Crossing Borders Without Crossing Lines: Unexpected Issues in International Agreements
Introduction In our shrinking world, appointing distributors outside of the United States has become commonplace. However, laws and legal systems vary greatly from country to country, and a contract provision…
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Your Brand Your Distributors: Five Hot Button Issues
Introduction A manufacturer’s brand is a very valuable asset because it differentiates the manufacturer’s goods and services from those of its competitors, and as the public comes to expect certain…
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Is Your Website Disabling Your Business? ADA Website Compliance – an Invitation for a Lawsuit from a Cottage Industry
Executive Summary of Primary Federal Laws Related to Website Accessbility (more…)
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Understanding the New Rules of Engagement with Iran
In regards to engaging with Iraq, this presentation covers economic sanctions, Iran sanctions programs, the Iran nuclear accord, business implications and compliance recommendations. (more…)
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Structuring Your Franchise Relationship to Ensure Franchisees Do Not Become Employees
The Joint Employer Doctrine In the Spotlight The traditional “joint employer” legal standards determined whether one entity (e.g., a franchisor) may be jointly liable for the legal liabilities of its…
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International Distribution: How (And When) to Conduct an Internal Investigation
Internal Investigations: Current Climate (more…)
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2015
Branches of the Forbidden Tree: Distinguishing Good and Evil In Restraints on Competition
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Is Your Refrigerator Spying on You? Privacy and Security Issues Relating to the Exploding Internet of Things
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Connecting with Competitors: Antitrust Considerations for Competitor Collaborations
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Connecting on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter – What Businesses Need to Know About Using Social Media
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The Common Law Connection: Common Law Claims in Dealer/Distributor Termination Disputes
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Am I My Brother’s Keeper? When Franchisors May Be Liable for Their Franchisees’ Violations of Labor and Employment Laws
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Putting the Toothpaste Back in the Tube: Judicial Remedies for Trade Secret Misappropriation and Third-Party Data Breaches
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2014
Robinson-Patman Act and Your Strategies to Avoid Common Price Discrimination Pitfalls in the Distribution World
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Late Breaking News: Has a State Legislature Invalidated the Terms of Your Distribution Contract
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It Depends on What the Meaning of “Is” Is: Dangers of Definitions in Dealer Statutes
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Coping With U.S. Regulation of Exports and International Conduct Part 3: Navigating the Conflict Minerals Rules
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Coping With U.S. Regulation of Exports and International Conduct Part 2: Managing Third-Party Export Controls and Economics
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2013
50 Shades of Black and White: The Problem With Simultaneously Requiring and Forbidding Supplier Involvement in Distributor Management
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Harnessing the Power of the Internet to Grow Brand Awareness and Define Customer Relationships
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Making a Graceful Exit: Potential Liability Arising From Product Line and Market Withdrawal
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Managing Foreign Collections: Tools for Financing and Limiting Collections Risk in Foreign Sales
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Damage Control: Keeping Your Distributors’ Financial Problems From Becoming Your Problems
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WARNING! Your Labeling May Be Defective: Overview of Product Packaging and Labeling Laws
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2012
Are You the Weakest Link? The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010
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Declaratory Judgments as a Strategic Weapon: Sometimes the Best Defense Is a Good Offense
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Would I Lie? The Resurgence of False Advertising Litigation as a Business Strategy
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The Courts Step up to the Plate: New Developments in Class Action and Arbitration Law
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Extending Your Career Warranty: Making Sure Your Service Contracts Comply with State Law
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The World Wide Web of Threats To Your Company’s Confidential Information: Lessons Learned in Trade Secret and Computer Crimes Litigation
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Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter, Oh My! What Businesses Need to Know About Using Social Media
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Managing the Troubled Foreign Agent/Distributor: Saying “You’re Fired” in Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese …
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2011
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: 20 Years of ECommerce And Its Impact On Your Distribution Channel
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The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same: Resale Price Maintenance In a Post-Leegin World
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The Long Arm Of The US Law: Avoiding FCPA Liability For The Overseas Conduct Of Dealers And Franchisees
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State Regulation of the Dealer Relationship: What Has Changed in the Past 20 Years?
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Roundtable On The Seventh Circuit E-Discovery Pilot Program And What It Means For Litigation Parties
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Reporting Product Safety Hazards Under The Consumer Product Safety Act-Product Recalls
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Imposing Changes in an Ever-Changing World: An Overview of Legal Issues in Making Changes to Distribution Contracts
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Distribution Issues In Emerging Markets: Selling Into Brazil and Latin America, Russia and China
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2010
The Lesser of Two Evils? Litigation Versus Arbitration of Distribution and Franchise Disputes
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Resale Price Maintenance After Leegin: How Courts, Enforcement Agencies and Legislators Are Responding and Where The Law is
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Linked In? The Impact of Social Media and Best Practices For a Social Networking Policy
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How to Use the Internet to Expand and Enforce Your Brand and Define the Contractual Relationship With Your Customers
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Five Hot Clauses In Distribution Agreements: Pitfalls Strategies and Best Practices
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EU Competition Rules: New 2010 Block Exemption for Vertical Restraints in a Modernized Competition System
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Equipment Dealer Statutes: A Trap for the Unwary When Considering Dealer Terminations
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