The tax reform enacted by Congress last year in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provided a nice tax break for businesses. Among other companies, banks have benefited greatly from this windfall, and in addition to rising stock prices, many have announced raises for their...
PLDO Law Blog
business law
Time to Think About that Family Business Succession Plan
The most recent PricewaterhouseCoopers U.S. Family Business Survey (2017) concludes that succession planning is a “perennial problem” for family businesses. Nearly one-third of family businesses have no succession plan at all, and just 23% have a formal documented...
Rhode Island’s Industrial Hemp Program Commences This Month
Rhode Island has set its date to officially enter our nation’s burgeoning and highly profitable industrial hemp marketplace. On October 9, 2018, the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation (DBR) will begin accepting license applications from aspiring growers...
New Massachusetts Law Limiting Employee Non-Compete Agreements
After numerous failed attempts, the Massachusetts legislature has finally passed a new law limiting noncompete agreements between a company and its employees and independent contractors. The legislation was signed into law by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Banker on...
GOVERNOR MCKEE MAKES LONG-AWAITED ANNOUNCEMENT OF RHODE ISLAND CANNABIS CONTROL COMMISSION NOMINATIONS
After much anticipation, Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee made a move critical to advancing the state’s cannabis legalization efforts by naming his appointments to the new Cannabis Control Commission (“CCC”). The announcement of Kimberly Ahern, the Governor’s...
FIRST CIRCUIT EXPLAINS FLSA OVERTIME REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEES
It is well settled that the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) requires employers to pay certain employees overtime pay at one and one-half times the employees’ regular rate. 29 U.S.C.S. §207(a). However, certain employees are exempt from this overtime requirement,...
EXECUTING A CAREFULLY DRAFTED CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT IN AN M&A TRANSACTION
The execution of a confidentiality agreement - or what is also referred to as non-disclosure agreement (NDA) - is typically the first official stage of any merger or acquisition. Prior to this stage, a general discussion may have already occurred, and relevant...
THE IMPORTANCE OF CONDITIONS PRECEDENT IN LICENSING, PERMITTING AND PURCHASE AGREEMENTS
A condition precedent is a condition in a contract that must occur before another party is required to perform. In purchase and sale agreements, there are often several conditions precedent that must be satisfied before a party is required to close. Particularly, in...
REMOTE WORKERS IN RHODE ISLAND: STATE REGS MAY CREATE PERSONAL JURISDICTION IN RHODE ISLAND COURTS
The United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island recently held that it had personal jurisdiction over an out-of-state employer, despite the fact that the employer only had one remote employee who worked in Rhode Island. That employee—who was also the...