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New Public Records Law: Tips & Traps

December 15, 2016

So, Massachusetts Has A New Public Records Law. Now What?  This New Year’s Day, journalists in Massachusetts can look forward to more than just a hangover: they’ll have a new…

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New Federal Trade Secret Law Requires Employer Action To Reap Full Benefits

October 19, 2016

Congress recently passed a new, comprehensive trade secret law called the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) (18 USC sec. 1832 et seq) that many employers will want to take full…

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Olympics Trademark Enforcement: Protecting Official Sponsors While Chilling Speech

August 8, 2016

If you ask me, the United States Olympic Committee is acting too big for its britches – and doing so at the expense of free speech. ESPN reported late last…

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In the Heat of the Moment, Don’t Lose Your Shirt

July 6, 2016

One of the iconic scenes after the Cleveland Cavaliers won the 2016 NBA Championship was a shirtless J.R. Smith jubilantly celebrating with his team.He proceeded to party shirtless for the…

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There’s No Judicial Recourse for “Crooked Hillary” and “Lying Ted”

April 19, 2016

In the midst of a Presidential campaign season that is notable for its uncivil discourse, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has issued a ruling confirming what we already knew:  that…

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Mark Your Domain or Someone Else Will: Making the most of your brand in the world of gTLDs.

October 23, 2015

ICANN, the Internet Corporation For Assigned Names and Numbers, has received nearly 2000 applications for strings of generic top level domains (“gTLDs”), the suffixes at the end of a website…

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Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Law – Issues Facing Employers

September 8, 2015

On November 16, 2012, Massachusetts became the 18th state to approve the use of marijuana for medical purposes.  Chapter 369 of the Acts of 2012, which became law on January…

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Ban the Box Movement Gaining Strides

July 21, 2015

Almost one in three adults in the United States has a criminal record that will show up on a routine criminal background check. Given the proliferation of employment background checks—9…

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Officers’ Arrest Records and Mugshots Are Fair Game Under Massachusetts Law

March 19, 2015

Thanks to The Boston Globe’s Todd Wallack, we learned last week that the supervisor of records, charged with enforcing the Massachusetts public records law, has permitted police departments to withhold…

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Hiring Minors for Photo Shoots Isn’t Child’s Play

December 6, 2013

Does your magazine, advertising agency, or film or television production company work with child models in photo shoots or videography? If so, have you budgeted time for snack and study…