Blog Articles

On April 2, 2020 in the late afternoon, the Small Business Administration issued an interim final rule (Docket No. SBA-2020-0015, the “Rules”) for the administration of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) created under Section 1102 of the CARES Act.

Since March 19, 2020 Governor Ducey has issued Executive Orders to address the growing public health emergency arising from the COVID-19 virus.  These orders cover a broad range of topics aimed to address the needs faced by those who live and work in Arizona.

The California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) came into effect on January 1, 2020, significantly altering the data privacy landscape for businesses across the nation. As a result, many businesses have been waiting to finalize their compliance procedures to ensure consistency with those regulations, which are still subject to revision.

The impact of COVID-19 on the hospitality industry which includes bars, restaurants and liquor distributors, distilleries, breweries and more cannot be overstated. As losses continue, businesses have been forced to make impossible choices and implement innovative ways to protect their businesses and employees.

Lawyers who advise clients in financial distress are searching for answers for their clients.  Ultimately, cash flow and fundamentals are critical to business survival, but other tools can help.  Is it coincidence that the Small Business Reorganization Act became effective as the nation unknowingly was headed to financial crisis?

The USPTO, like many other trademark offices worldwide, has responded to the COVID-19 outbreak by offering extensions of time for certain deadlines related to trademark applications and registrations. A 30-day extension of time is now available.

Congress Passes the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act

Watch the webinar now to review the details of the new stimulus package that was signed into law Friday, March 27, 2020.

Working from home may mean working without convenient access to common office equipment such as printers and scanners.  As such, the situation lends itself to taking advantage of the USPTO’s acceptance of electronic “S-signatures” wherein documents can be signed without being printed.

By June 30, 2020 apps within the Apple App Store that use HTML 5 must be in full compliance with Sections 4, 5, and 6 of Guideline 4.7 of the Apple App Store Review Guidelines. The first extension of the September 2019 deadline was extended to March 2020 and Apple’s second extension is extended to the end of June 2020. Some online gambling apps have already begun to comply with the guidelines.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) was passed by Congress and signed by the President on March 27, 2020. This stimulus package is more than double the amount provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that was passed during the Great Recession. The 880-page bill includes substantial aid for both employed and unemployed Americans, the public health system, and employers of all sizes, including nonprofit organizations.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was signed by President Trump on March 18, 2020, and it becomes effective on April 1, 2020. The FFCRA contains provisions for emergency paid sick leave and expanded family leave that are available for some employees affected by COVID-19.

As many businesses are temporarily shutting down and closing their front doors, companies are forced to reevaluate how they are interacting with customers to ensure the continuation of customer loyalty, connections, and the strength of their brands. Yet, despite this unprecedented time of social distancing, many opportunities still exist for businesses to develop and build those connections.

Governor Polis issued Executive Order #D-2020-012 on Friday March 20, 2020 (the “Order”) in an attempt to discourage evictions and foreclosures for both residential and commercial real estate properties in the wake of the State’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic shuttering many businesses.

The COVID-19 pandemic has sent shock waves through the business world. This rapidly changing landscape has resulted in many questions among tenants (some of whose businesses are closed) and landlords facing rent losses

Unfortunately, cyber criminals see the chaos caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to send phishing emails which seem like they are delivered from the email domains associated with the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, the National Institutes of Health, state/local agencies, service providers and even company HR departments.

In an effort to keep you apprised of the rapid developments surrounding COVID-19, we wanted to share with you further guidance on the Financial Services Sector Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers from the U.S. Department of the Treasury.  As always, please let us know how we can help you.

In an effort to keep you apprised of the rapid developments surrounding COVID-19, we wanted to share with you further guidance on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act from the U.S. Department of Labor.  As always, please let us know how we can help you.

While most businesses have reduced operations or shut down entirely during this time of economic turmoil, some businesses are thriving. Supermarkets, pharmacies and online retailers are dominating the headlines but another industry quietly thriving is online video gaming.

The outbreak of the respiratory disease (COVID-19) caused by the new coronavirus continues to present many issues for employers. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects the disease to continue to spread throughout the country for the next several months. Meanwhile, Congress has passed new federal legislation that provides relief for some employees affected by COVID-19.

In a world of shuttered casinos, restaurants and bars, many opportunities still exist for operators to develop business and build their brands through games and sweepstakes on the Internet.

On March 11, 2020, Governor Ducey declared a state of emergency in Arizona due to COVID-19. Even before this declaration, COVID-19 and the public reaction to it had begun to affect commercial activity.

Our legal rapid response attorneys are ready to respond to our clients’ COVID-19 legal inquiries and concerns about how this could impact their business. Our attorneys can address any issues you may have across a variety of areas.

The outbreak of respiratory disease (COVID-19) caused by the new coronavirus presents many issues for employers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expects the disease to continue to spread throughout the country. Meanwhile, the global spread of the disease, the rise of travel advisories, and the widespread media coverage on these topics are leaving employers worried about the health and safety of their employees and assessing the actions they should take in response.

On February 6, 2020, the United States Patent & Trademark Office (“USPTO”) published an Examination Guide announcing new rules scheduled to go into effect on February 15. Among the new rules, is a requirement that any trademark owner (e.g. applicant, registrant, or party to a litigation matter before the Trademark Trial & Appeal Board) provide a valid email address for correspondence, even if there is an appointed U.S. attorney.

When a company wants to protect the appearance or configuration of a product, trade dress intellectual property protection most immediately comes to mind. This is sensible. But, other types of protection, copyright and design patents, can each provide their own unique advantages.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) now requires all foreign-domiciled trademark applicants and registrants to retain licensed counsel in the United States to prosecute trademark applications, file post-registration maintenance documents, file submissions in Madrid applications, or respond to Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) proceedings.

Washington state legislators have introduced legislation that would amend the definition of “illegal gambling games” in current laws to exclude most video games which would prevent further litigation against game companies.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), the agency which regulates alcohol beverages at the federal level, recently posted several educational videos about the history of the Federal Alcohol Administration Act and an overview of TTB trade practice laws and regulations.

Ransomware—malicious software that locks or alters computer data and demands a ransom payment to unlock or restore the data—is not a new phenomenon. Recently, though, ransomware attacks have become increasingly common and increasingly sophisticated, with hackers not only locking but also stealing the data.

When seeking to register a federal trademark registration that covers beer, you not only need to search for the same or similar marks that are used with the same goods (beer) but also look for marks that are used with commercially related goods (wine and spirits).