The Lawletter Vol. 49 No. 1
Lee Dunham—Senior Attorney
Closely related people or entities often make loans, including promissory notes, to each other without the formalities that usually accompany business transactions between strangers. Later—sometimes years later—such transfers can become problematic if the IRS seeks to treat the transfer
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CORPORATIONS: The Nature of a Shareholder-Derivative Action
The Lawletter Vol. 49 No. 1
Paul Ferrer—Senior Attorney
The Virginia Supreme Court’s July 2023 decision in Monroe v. Monroe, 889 S.E.2d 646 (Va. 2023), turned on the trial court’s lack of jurisdiction to enter a sanctions order more than 21 days after the trial…
BUSINESS LAW: Considerations Before Taking on a Cannabusiness Client
The Lawletter Vol. 49 No. 1
Cassidy Crockett—Senior Attorney
Many lawyers believe that advising a cannabis business, or cannabusiness, is the same as advising any other business. However, there are several considerations to take into account before taking on these clients.
Legal Ethics
Attorneys know that ABA Model…
TORTS: Duty of Care by a Supplier of Tools or Chattels
Lawletter No. 48 Vol. 4
TORTS: Duty of Care by a Supplier of Tools or Chattels
Lee Dunham, Senior Attorney
It is, unfortunately, fairly common for people to sustain injuries from using defective tools or equipment such as ladders or scaffolding with faulty latching mechanisms or broken or improperly modified…
ELECTION LAW: Federal District Court Judge Orders Georgia Lawmakers to Redraw Congressional Map for the 2024 Election
Lawletter No. 48 Vol. 4
ELECTION LAW: Federal District Court Judge Orders Georgia Lawmakers to RedrawCongressional Map for the 2024 Election
Anne Hemenway, Senior Attorney
On October 26, 2023, in three cases similar to the U.S. Supreme Court decision rejecting Alabama’s congressional map, the Federal District Court for the Northern…
CRIMINAL LAW: The Extent of Judicial Power in Sentencing Pursuant to a Federal Plea Agreement
Lawletter Vol. 48 No. 4
CRIMINAL LAW: The Extent of Judicial Power in Sentencing Pursuant to a Federal Plea Agreement
Suzanne Bailey, Senior Attorney
A recent decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, United States v. Toebbe, 85 F.4th 190 (4th Cir. 2023), illustrates…
CORPORATIONS: When Traditional Standing Rules Do Not Apply to Shareholder Derivative Actions
Lawletter Vol. 48 No. 4
CORPORATIONS: When Traditional Standing Rules Do Not Apply to Shareholder Derivative Actions
Charlene Hicks, Senior Attorney
Standing, or the right to pursue a judicial action, is often viewed in black-and-white terms, that is, either a plaintiff does or does not have standing. In some situations, however, the…
BUSINESS LAW: ChatGPT, LLMs, and Legal Research
Lawletter Vol 48 No. 3
ChatGPT, LLMs, and Legal Research
Brett R. Turner—Senior Attorney
What Is ChatGPT? What Are LLMs?
ChatGPT is one particular brand of a large language model, or LLM. LLMs are a recent technological advance in how computers and humans communicate with one another. In one direction, LLMs…
CIVIL PROCEDURE: The Utility of a Declaratory Judgment Action
Lawletter Vol 48 No. 3
The Utility of a Declaratory Judgment Action
Paul Ferrer—Senior Attorney
Most states, as well as the federal government, have enacted some form of declaratory judgment act, which authorizes courts to declare the rights and other legal relations among parties even though traditional remedies for…
PROPERTY SCOTUS: Government Cannot Sell House to Recover Unpaid Taxes and Keep the Excess
Lawletter Vol 48 No. 3
SCOTUS: Government Cannot Sell House to Recover Unpaid Taxes and Keep the Excess
Robert Westendorf—Research Attorney
Ninety-four-year-old Geraldine Tyler lived in a condominium for more than a decade before moving to a senior community in 2010. Tyler v. Hennepin County, 143 S. Ct. 1369,…