Recent Blog Posts
Florida Appeals Court Dismissing Legal Malpractice Claim for Lack of Standing
On September 26th, 2018, the Third District Court of Appeal for the State of Florida dismissed a legal malpractice claim that was filed by the mother of a special needs child. In the case of lack of Rochelle Driessen v. University of Miami School of Law Children and Youth Law Clinic, the plaintiff’s claim… Read More »
EEOC Alleges that Central Florida Restaurant Fired Female Bartender for Complaining About Sexual Harassment
On September 27th, 2018, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that the agency has filed a sexual discrimination lawsuit against Christini’s Ristorante Italiano, a restaurant based in the heart of Orlando, Florida. The EEOC alleges that the restaurant unlawfully discriminated against a female bartender on the basis of her sex by permitting and… Read More »
Miami Area Mall Faces Class Action Lawsuit from Commercial Tenants
According to reporting from the Daily Business Review, several commercial tenants have filed a class action lawsuit against Miami Mall of the Americas. The lawsuit alleges that the portion of the Fountainbleau, FL mall that contains mostly smaller businesses is being neglected so that the landlord can focus all its resources on keeping the… Read More »
Misclassified Workers: Exotic Dancers Win Employment Lawsuit
According to reporting from the Daily Business Review, a South Florida jury has awarded nearly $900,000 in financial compensation to a group of exotic dancers who were misclassified as independent contractors instead of employees. As a result of the misclassification, these dancers missed out on overtime pay, minimum wage coverage, and other important employment… Read More »
Uber Agrees to Pay Florida $8.2 Million to Settle Large Data Breach Lawsuit
According to reporting from the Miami Herald, the State of Florida will receive $8.2 million as part of the nearly $150 million settlement that Uber reached with the 50 U.S. states. Uber is making these payments to settle a data breach claim that the individual states brought collectively against the ridesharing giant. The data… Read More »
Costco Appeals Multi-Million Trademark Loss to Tiffany & Co.
Last year, the prominent wholesaler Costco was ordered to pay luxury jewelry maker Tiffany & Co. more than $19 million for trademark infringement. A New York state judge determined that Costco was improperly selling ‘knock off’ Tiffany engagement rings to consumers. The company was ordered to pay: Treble damages on $3.7 million in profits… Read More »
Florida Construction Contracts: What is a Change Order?
Construction contracts are notoriously complex. When negotiating this type of agreement, it is not always easy for the parties to perfectly define the scope of the work that is to be performed. In many cases, contracts will need to be amended during the development. This can be done through a process commonly referred to… Read More »
Florida Appeals Court Rules In Favor of Landlord: This Case Shows Why You Need a Well-Drafted Lease
On August 8th, 2018, Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal ruled in favor of a commercial landlord in a complex lease renewal dispute. In the case of Jahangiri v. 1830 North Bayshore, the appeals court declined to uphold a renewal clause included within a commercial rental agreement on the grounds that it was not… Read More »
Can You Be Held Personally Liable for Business Debt in Florida?
Starting, building, and growing a business is a great way to support yourself and your community. Of course, owning a business is not without its risks. As any business owner can tell you, not every opportunity works out as planned. It is crucial that Florida business owners know how to protect their rights and… Read More »
HHS and CMS are Considering Stark Law Reform
The ‘Stark Law’ refers to a collection of federal regulations that prohibit self-referral by physicians. Medical practice owners and operators must be aware of these regulations. Stark Law violations can come with severe penalties, potentially including denial of payment, heavy fines, and a permanent exclusion from participating in federally funded health programs (Medicare &… Read More »