Monthly Archives: July 2022
FACTA: Don’t Get Sued For What’s On Your Receipts
When you conduct a transaction with a customer or client, you probably give them a receipt, as you should. But can the simple act of giving a receipt get you into business trouble? Potentially, it can, under what is known as FACTS, or the Fair and Accurate Transactions Act. What is FACTA? FACTA has… Read More »
Copyright Infringement, Parody And The 1st Amendment
On one hand, we all know how important it is to respect others’ intellectual property. We know we can’t just use another company’s name, brand or login as our own, unless we want to get sued for copyright infringement. But the first amendment does protect our freedom of speech and we also know that… Read More »
Hit-And-Run Crashes On The Rise In Florida
The news of another child passing away from a hit-and-run accident that occurred in December of 2021 has the community reeling all over again. The crash occurred in Wilton Manors, Florida when a driver veered around a school bus, almost hitting the front driver’s side before driving off the road and onto the sidewalk,… Read More »
When It Comes To Minors, You Can Be Liable For What’s On Your Website
Let’s say that you have a website that has some component of social media or social interaction. Perhaps your website invites comments or commentary. Not all of that commentary will be helpful—in fact, much of it will be harmful, especially when it comes to minors. Could you be liable if a minor harms himself… Read More »
Federal Judge Dismisses Bank’s Civil RICO Lawsuit In Probate Dispute
According to a report from NPR Kansas City, a federal judge has dismissed a civil RICO lawsuit against the descendants (daughter and grandchildren) of Thomas Hart Benton, the famous painter and muralist. The civil racketeering case was filed by UMB Financial Corporation. The case has been dismissed based on the plaintiff’s failure to allege… Read More »
Federal Judge Removes Plaintiffs Attorneys In FirstEnergy Shareholder Litigation
According to a report from Cleveland.com, a federal judge has removed the plaintiffs’ attorneys in the FirstEnergy shareholder lawsuit. The judge also asked for applications from new lawyers to replace them. The judge ruled that the attorneys in question improperly attempted to evade oversight in the case. In this article, our Miami shareholder dispute… Read More »
Florida Department Of Highway Safety And Motor Vehicles Launches Arrive Alive Campaign To Promote Safe Driving This Summer
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) has launched their summer campaign: Arrive Alive. The campaign is a reminder that during the holiday and vacation seasons, Florida’s roads can be some of the busiest in the country. Arrive Alive is also a way to educate everyone on safe driving practices this… Read More »
Are You Liable If Your Self-Driving Car Causes A Car Accident?
A recent car crash near Gainesville, Florida is being examined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which has already been investigating Tesla’s Autopilot since August 2021. According to a report by Tampa Bay News, a semi-truck was parked in the southbound rest area parking lot of Interstate 75. The Tesla entered the… Read More »
Tampa Bay Rays Owners Still Locked In Partnership Dispute
According to a report from Forbes, the partnership dispute between the Tampa Bay Rays majority owner Stuart Sternberg and a group of limited partners is continuing and becoming even more “nasty.” More details have become public and the limited partners are seeking more than $30 million in damages. The team’s minority owners are alleging… Read More »
Pike & Lustig Client Lands Deal On Shark Tank
Alexiou Gibson, CEO and President of The Transformation Factory, recently landed a deal with Mark Cuban and Kevin Hart on the Season Finale of ABC’s Shark Tank. The Transformation Factory, now a multi-million dollar company, manufactures and sells nutrient-rich sea moss gel on a global scale. Managing Partner Michael Pike and Associate Andrew Boloy… Read More »
Buy Now Pay Later Loans Could Be A Cause For Concern
Traditionally, when consumers or businesses needed credit, they were left to have to get credit through loans, credit cards, and other large lenders. But a new trend has emerged, in what is known as buy now pay later (BNPL). These hybrid types of loans can be tempting when your business needs a quick infusion… Read More »
Law Makes It Easier To Use Contractors During State Emergencies
Emergencies happen all the time, especially in Florida, where we tend to get hurricanes, which can lead to local and state emergencies. Of course, other emergencies happen as well, such as earthquakes or pandemics. When they happen, businesses can be short staffed. Problems With Emergency Hiring One of the reasons that businesses may be… Read More »
What To Do When An Employee Wants A Religious Exemption For A COVID Vaccine
If you have a private business, you have the right to require that employees be vaccinated for COVID-19. However, the law has a number of exemptions including for those employees who say that getting vaccinated is against their religious beliefs. Forcing employees to be vaccinated when it is against their religion, and then firing… Read More »
Report: Shareholders Are Increasingly Suing Companies Over Lack Of Diversity
According to a report from Bloomberg Law, an increasing number of shareholders are looking to the courts to help increase diversity in the workplace. These types of lawsuits are generally filed on the basis that a poor work environment contributes to a lack of diversity and, in the long-run, causes fundamental damage to the… Read More »
Law Firm Sued Over Alleged Civil Rico Violation
According to a report from Bloomberg Law, the now-defunct Los Angeles based Girardi Law Firm is facing a $100 million civil RICO lawsuit. The federal lawsuit—filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California—alleges that Thomas Girardi and the Girardi Law Firm systematically defrauded clients and engaged in illicit racketeering… Read More »
Florida Attorney General Warns Consumers About Vacation Rental Scams
On July 7th, 2022, Office of Attorney General Ashley Moody issued an official consumer alert warning Florida residents to beware of vacation rental scams this summer. As vacation season hits full swing, scammers are putting even more effort into defrauding honest, hard-working people. Here, our West Palm Beach deceptive & unfair trade practices lawyer… Read More »
Layoffs, Office Closings, And Your Obligation To Provide WARN Notices
If your company falls on hard times, and you have to lay off employees, you generally can do so without fear of lawsuits; Florida is, after all, an at-will employment state, and there is nothing in any law that says that you can’t lay people off when the company can no longer afford staff…. Read More »
Clawback Suits: Getting Sued In Bankruptcy When You’re Not In Bankruptcy
Neither you nor your business is filing for bankruptcy. You don’t offhand know anybody who is filing for bankruptcy. So how is it that you or your business has just been served with a lawsuit from a bankruptcy trustee? How did you get involved in a bankruptcy lawsuit without seemingly doing anything wrong? Clawback… Read More »
Don’t Get Sued For Sending Text Messages
Do you send text messages to customers as part of your business? If you are, be very careful—you could be setting yourself up for liability and lawsuits under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) which prohibits a whole range of activities, such as calls to landlines, calls to cell phones, facsimiles and text messages…. Read More »
My Business Partner Is Making Important Decisions Without Me—What Are My Rights?
A business partnership requires trust and a good working relationship. When all parties are not on the same page, there can be serious issues. This raises an important question: Can a business partner make a major decision without me? In Florida, the answer depends largely on the specific structure of your business. In this… Read More »
