News

New “Potentially Feasible” Alternative Does Not Trigger Draft EIR Recirculation Unless Considered “Significant New Information”; No Findings Needed to Reject Alternative As Infeasible

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/12/13

In South County Citizens for Smart Growth v. County of Nevada (3d Dist., 10/8/13 C067764) ____Cal.App.4th _____, 2013, the court of appeal rejected a claim that Nevada County violated CEQA by failing to recirculate an EIR when a project was modified...

Consumer Debt Collection

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/12/13

Recently, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Notice) seeking comment, data and information about debt collection practices affecting consumers....

Leggo My Likeness Part V: Grand Theft Right of Publicity?

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/12/13

This year, several important video game lawsuits helped clarify the parameters for using a celebrity’s likeness in video games. Generally speaking, courts have found that, unless you get permission, you can’t put a celebrity in a video game doing...

CFPB Brings First Enforcement Action Involving Deferred Interest Products, Imposes Novel and Burdensome Application Requirements as Remediation

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/12/13

Yesterday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) announced a consent order with GE Capital Retail Bank and its subsidiary CareCredit (collectively “CareCredit”) related to what the CFPB alleges were unfair and deceptive enrollment and...

Illinois Supreme Court to Review Timing of Government Appeal From Administrative Orders

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/12/13

In the closing days of the recently concluded November term, the Illinois Supreme Court allowed petitions for leave to appeal from three new civil cases. Our first-look previews of those cases begin today with People ex rel. Madigan v. Illinois...

Sexual Orientation Discrimination Cases Are Increasing

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/12/13

The number of cases of employment discrimination based on sexual orientation filed with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) increased from 636 in 2001, to 714 in 2005 and to 821 in 2008. In 2011, the number of sexual...

Regulators Approve Final Volcker Rule

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/12/13

After several years and 18,000 comments, yesterday regulators braved a “snow covered” Washington and voted to approve a final rule to prohibit banks from engaging in proprietary trading, known as the Volcker rule. As industry had feared, the Volcker...

Federal regulators release Volcker Rule final regulations

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/12/13

Five federal financial regulatory agencies have released final rules implementing Section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Section 619 created Section 13 in the Bank Holding Company Act (“BHC Act”) to generally...

Design Patent Case Digest: ATAS International, Inc. v. Centria

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/12/13

Decision Date: September 24, 2013 - Court: Patent Trial and Appeal Board - Patents: D527,834 - Holding: ATAS’s petition to institute inter partes review is DENIED. Opinion: ATAS International, Inc. filed a petition for inter partes...

Kaye Scholer ups ante, will pay bonuses of $10K to $80K in its two-tier plan

By EsqSocial Corporation 12/12/13

Kaye Scholer announced Thursday that it will not only be matching but, for some high-billing associates, exceeding the end-of-year bonus schedule announced by a bellwether BigLaw firm.

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