Compensation Data Reporting In EEO-1 Reports: The Saga Continues

By Robin Shea

Employers should start gathering their 2018 compensation information if they haven’t already.

My last post covered the court decision issued on March 4 in the case of National Women’s Law Center v. Office of Management and Budget, which directed the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to require employers to submit compensation data with their annual EEO-1 reports.

The requirement was imposed in 2016 during the Obama Administration, but in 2017, the Trump OMB suspended the requirement before it was to take effect. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit claimed that the OMB suspension was unlawful, and U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan of the District of Columbia agreed.

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From Russia With New Evidentiary Rules

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By Thomas McCall and Emily Doll

Originally published 24 October 2018 by Law360. Updated by the authors March 2019.

In May 2010, the International Bar Association (“IBA”) adopted the IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration—a revised version of the original 1999 IBA Rules which, in turn, had replaced the IBA Supplementary Rules of 1983.  The IBA Rules serve as a resource to parties and arbitrators setting forth the procedures by which evidence is gathered and presented in international arbitration proceedings.  The IBA Rules were drafted in an effort to bridge the gap between “the procedures in use in many different legal systems,” which is “particularly useful when the parties come from different legal cultures” (IBA Rules, Forward).  By all accounts, that effort has been hugely successful.  Since their inception, countless arbitral tribunals—both commercial and investment—formed by members from different legal cultures—both civil and common law—have relied upon and applied the IBA Rules.  However, that success has not come without criticism, the loudest of which is the perceived dominance of the common law tradition over the IBA Rules.

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So, You Think You Want To Freelance?

By Morag A. Polaski

The reactions I receive when I tell people that I am a freelance paralegal range from “that’s so cool” to “huh?” Many times, people don’t realize that paralegals can freelance.

I recently heard a student in a paralegal program say, “I want to be a freelance paralegal.  How do I do that?” The idea of freelancing can be very attractive — you get to be your own boss, you can wear jammies to work every day, and your schedule is very flexible.  There are, however, drawbacks to freelancing. There are no employer-sponsored benefits like medical insurance coverage or 401(k) plans. You essentially work alone and you have to go out and find attorneys that need your assistance.

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Wellness Expert Jeena Cho On Lawyers, Self-Care and the Billable Hour

This year’s NCBA Annual Meeting theme is wellness and how legal professionals can achieve it. In preparation for the event, we talked with speakers scheduled to present at Annual Meeting for a series of quick-read Q&As. Watch NCBarBlog for upcoming Q&As with Annual Meeting speakers Stan Phelps, Laura Mahr and Greg Romeo. Admission to all speaker presentations, including those for CLE credit, is included in registration.

NCBA Annual Meeting 2019
Jeena Cho on Better Lawyering Through Mindfulness
Friday, June 21
1.0 hr of CLE credit
Find more details about Annual Meeting and registration here.

By Amber Nimocks

As a partner in a San Francisco bankruptcy firm, Jeena Cho understands that the pressures lawyers face are unlike those faced by others in high-stress occupations. That’s one reason she is such a valuable resource for legal professionals.

A co-author of “The Anxious Lawyer” and a frequent contributor to Above the Law, Cho earned her law degree from the University of Buffalo. She began her exploration of mindfulness in Buffalo as well, attending the Himalayan Institute for meditation training. Cho teaches mindfulness and meditation to lawyers and counsels firms on stress management and work-life balance.

Q: What unique challenges do lawyers face when it comes to self-care?

A: A few common challenges I’ve observed: First is that lawyers think self-care is antithetical to lawyering. There’s a myth that lawyers should work all the time and sacrifice their well-being for their clients and career. I’ll often have lawyers push back and say, “If I take an hour to go to the gym, that’s an hour I won’t be able to bill.” That’s a short-sighted view, of course, because heaving a healthy body is a foundation to being a good lawyer.

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A Day In the Life Of a Beer Lawyer

By John Szymankiewicz

Me: I’ve got the coolest job ever. I’m a beer lawyer.

Literally Anyone Else in the World: Wow! That is really cool. Uh, so, er, what do you do? DWIs?

Sorry, nope. Keep your “alleged” criminal charges to yourself. I don’t do “DWIs.” In fact, I try really hard not to do any litigation at all. My practice is almost entirely transactional and, as I tell my clients, my job is to keep you in compliance and out of the courtroom. So, what do I do? Well …

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Mixtape Magic

By Angela Doughty

I would like to think my time as IPL Chair could be described as a compilation of assorted melodies creating the perfect intellectual property mixtape. As we look back, let’s lend an “ear” to the top tracks from the past year.

Track 1:  Is My Subject Matter Eligible?

Our Patent Committee hosted a Lunch & Learn with Carolyn Kosowski of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office covering practical guidance on the USPTO’s examination procedure for subject matter eligibility under 35 U.S.C. § 101.

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Appellate Practice-Litigation Joint Social April 25 In Charlotte

By Jeff Kelly

We are less than two weeks away from the Appellate Practice and Litigation Sections joint social at Dandelion Market in Charlotte.

Appellate Practice and Litigation Joint Networking Event
5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Thursday, April 25, 2019
Dandelion Market, 118 West 5th St., Charlotte, NC 28202
Click here to RSVP.

 

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Tips For Returning To Work After an Absence

By Stephanie Durham-Rivera

Whether returning to work after having kids, returning to work after the death of a loved one, or rejoining after a long hiatus; only you will know when you’re ready, willing, and able to join the workforce again. At times, the return to work can seem overwhelming. But with the proper strategies, it can become a little easier to manage. Here are a few tips to keep you healthy and productive.

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Pro Bono Outstanding Achievement Award

https://www.coatsandbennett.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/152/2019/03/will-pagan.jpgCongratulations to William G. Pagán of Coats & Bennett PLLC, the recipient of the 2018 Pro Bono Outstanding Achievement Award, which was announced at last week’s NCBA IP Law Section’s Annual Meeting held in Charlotte.

Every lawyer has a professional responsibility to provide legal services to those unable to pay.  Pursuant to Rule 6.1 of the Rules of Professional Conduct, a lawyer should aspire to render at least 50 hours of pro bono publico legal services per year.  In fulfilling this professional responsibility, Pagán serves as a pro bono Legal Officer for the NC Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), United States Air Force Auxiliary.  CAP is a volunteer force that is the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force.  As an NC Wing Legal Officer, Pagán serves as a member of the NC Wing Commander’s staff and supervises a team of Assistant Legal Officers in handling the legal affairs of approximately 30 local squadrons statewide for approximately 2,000 members.

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The Ricky Ricardo Tax: Taxation of Marital Transfers to Non-Citizen Spouses

By John G. Hodnette

“I Love Lucy,” running originally from 1957 to 1960, exists in the collective memory of multiple generations of Americans as one of our most iconic television programs.  In fact, in 2012 (52 years after its end-date) it was voted as the “Best TV Show of All Time” in a survey conducted by ABC News and People magazine.  But Lucy’s zany antics would not have been nearly as entertaining without her foil character, Ricky Ricardo.  Ricky, Lucy’s Cuban singer/bandleader husband, constantly loses his patience at his wife’s ceaseless attempts to get into showbiz and exorbitant spending on clothes or furniture.  Lucy and Ricky as a married couple share everything, but the gift tax does not treat them the same way as most other married couples because Ricky is a U.S. resident, but a Cuban citizen.

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