FMG staffs the Bell & Clements IP LPL Risk Management Hotline. This hotline is only for insureds of Bell & Clements who have an active policy of insurance.
If you are calling for specific legal advice for risk management or a potential claim that will necessitate our first establishing an attorney-client and privileged consultation, you will need to first submit a request for consultation form and agree to the terms of our consultation. Please note that no attorney-client relationship will be formed nor exist, between the Bell & Clements insured (“you”) and Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP, (“FMG”) unless and until (1) you complete the below Request for Consultation Form, (2) you agree to the terms and conditions of the engagement as set forth in the attached agreement (3) FMG advises you there are no conflicts in connection with the potential consultation, and (4) FMG accepts the request and agrees to consult with you.
In the event FMG accepts your request, you will thereafter be eligible for 2 hours of legal consultation free of charge. Please note, the activities and/or tasks to be completed [within these unpaid hours] are solely within FMG’s discretion.
Fees & Billing: In the event FMG accepts your request, you will thereafter be eligible for 2 hours of legal representation free of charge. Any additional representation beyond the complimentary hours is conditioned upon your prior acknowledgment and agreement in writing to be responsible for and pay any additional legal fees and expenses at the agreed-upon Bell & Clements agreed hourly rate beginning at the time of your acceptance. In other words, you will not be charged for any fees beyond the 2-hour free consultation, unless and until you agree to additional paid consultation and services.
*Please review and agree to the below terms and conditions of representation if my request for consultation is accepted by FMG.
More action on the apportionment front in Georgia
1/18/22
By: Bob Marcovitch Since the time that the Georgia General Assembly enacted tort reform legislation in 2005, surely the most litigated element of the reforms put in place has been the provision for apportionment to non-parties that was contained in amended O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33. As part of that legislation joint and several liability was replaced…
PFAS legislation in 2021 and impact in 2022
1/17/22
By: Alec D. Tyra What Are PFAS? Per-and-Poly Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a broad class of manmade, highly stable chemicals. PFAS exhibit both grease repelling (lipophobic) and water repelling (hydrophobic) properties due to their unique chemical structure. By being both hydrophobic and lipophobic, PFAS made excellent coatings to create “non-stick” surfaces on both consumer products…
Pennsylvania Superior Court clarifies standard for upholding exculpatory clauses
1/14/22
By: Sean Phelan In the recent case of Keystone Specialty Services Co. v. Ebaugh, No. 1289 WDA 2020 (Pa. Super. Nov. 22, 2021 Olson, J., Nichols, J., and Collins, J.) (Op. by Collins, J.), the Pennsylvania Superior Court affirmed the entry of summary judgment in favor of landlord Defendants in a breach of contract and…
SCOTUS Halts Vax Or Test Rule For Large Private Employers But Lets Health Care Rule Take Effect
1/13/22
In two opinions issued today, the U.S. Supreme Court put a hold on a federal rule requiring large employers to adopt a vaccine or test policy but allowed the Biden administration to enforce a similar rule applicable only to healthcare facilities that accept Medicaid or Medicare funding. In a case brought by employers and 27…
1/13/22
By: Kevin G. Kenneally In the recent decision entitled Doe v. Hopkinton Public Schools, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit rejected students’ contention that posting abusive and embarrassing video of another student online was protected speech. The student members of the high school hockey team sued the Hopkinton (Mass.) school district, the…
Eleventh Circuit clarifies standard of care for attorneys advising on unsettled areas of the law
1/12/22
By: Alyssa Wolf A recent ruling in the Eleventh Circuit affirmed a decision of the Northern District of Alabama siding with a law firm sued for malpractice after not warning the client to cease behavior in an unsettled area of law later found to be illegal. In Reynolds v. Levin No. 20-13581, 2021 WL 4627905…
The preservation of appellate rights is critical to any trial
1/11/22
By Patrick Cosgrove, Esq. In a rare trade secret appeal involving two competitors in the alcohol sale software business, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit provided a not-so-subtle reminder to all attorneys that correctly preserving appellate rights is a critical component of any trial. In the case, Financial Information Technologies, LLC…
The human resources impact of the Kronos ransomware attack
1/11/22
By: Chenee Castruita The unique combination of COVID-19 and a drastic decrease in the workforce found more workers putting in overtime this holiday season. Unfortunately, millions of workers last month experienced a delay not only in their packages, but in their pay as well. Kronos (Ultimate Kronos Group) provides human resource management services such as…
1/10/22
By: Kirsten Patzer and Courtney Mazzio On October 27, 2021, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced an update to the rules implemented by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act expanding the definition of “financial institutions” under the Financial Privacy Rule and requiring these institutions to enact specific measures to protect their customers’ nonpublic personal information under the accompanying…