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January 4, 2013

Legal News in Brief

Corporate Spotlight

FTC: Google's search service doesn't break antitrust law
The Federal Trade Commission says it couldn't find evidence that Google's Internet search business violates antitrust or anti-competition law. The decision, which concludes an investigation that lasted nearly two years, is expected to let Google expand its already-dominant position. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (1/3)

National News

Fed is divided on length of stimulus, minutes show
Federal Reserve officials offered conflicting views on how long to continue the U.S. central bank's bond-buying program, according to minutes from their December meeting. The division suggests the Fed could end bond purchases earlier than expected. Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model)/Money & Co. blog (1/3), Bloomberg (1/4)

Legislative Dispatch

Boehner is re-elected U.S. House speaker by slender margin
Republican John Boehner held onto his position as U.S. House speaker in a 220-192 vote after about a dozen members of his party turned against him in a symbolic protest. Some were displeased with Boehner's agreement to allow a last-minute budget compromise raising the tax rate for wealthy Americans to come to the floor for a vote this week. "Public service was never meant to be an easy living; extraordinary challenges demand extraordinary leadership," Boehner said in an address to the House. Bloomberg (1/3), The Hill (1/3), Reuters (1/3)

Employment Focus

Analysis: Unemployment won't go away under "fiscal cliff" deal
The deal to avert the "fiscal cliff" will do little to improve unemployment because trade deficits, tighter regulations, health costs and taxes will keep job growth sluggish, economist Peter Morici writes. "The economy would have to add more than 356,000 jobs each month for three years to lower unemployment to 6 percent, and that is not likely with current policies," Morici writes. The Baltimore Sun (1/2)

6 states now have social media password laws
Five states enacted laws on Tuesday that ban employers from demanding employees' social media passwords, bringing the number of states with such laws to six. United Press International (12/31)

Supreme Court and Federal Court Watch

Transocean settles Gulf spill-related claims for $1.4 billion
Transocean has agreed to pay $1.4 billion to the Department of Justice to settle civil and criminal penalties associated with the April 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Transocean is also required to carry out emergency response and safety improvements on its rigs under the agreement. "This is a positive step forward, but it is also a time to reflect on the 11 men who lost their lives aboard the Deepwater Horizon," Transocean said. Lexington Herald-Leader (Ky.)/The Associated Press (1/3)

Professional and Business Development

Tips for keeping your interview answers on track
If an interviewer's question doesn't relate directly to a job or the required skills, answer the question but then find a way to "bridge" your answer to reflect your professional skills, George Bradt writes. For example, if asked about volunteer work, you could answer the question by explaining how the experience enhanced your communication skills, he writes. Forbes (1/2)

How to find a career mentor
When looking for a mentor, don't limit your search to your workplace, Lisa Quast writes. Look to professional associations, community groups or even your family. "Once you find a person who agrees to be your mentor, first and foremost, make sure you share the same commitment to your expectations," she says. Forbes (1/2)

PLI News

Free Friday Jumps the Hedge
At Hedge Fund Investor Relations: Challenges and Opportunities, taken from Hedge Fund Registration and Compliance 2012, learn about best practices for dealing with investors and prospective investors, navigating the maze of state pay-to-play and placement agent regulations, managing conflicts of interest: weighing the appropriate approach, and panelists' views on hypotheticals based on current issues.

America Invents Act Raises Ethical Quandaries
The vast changes brought about by the America Invents Act, such as the new statute of limitations and the shift to first-to-file, can create catastrophic malpractice issues for unprepared lawyers. On PLI's Patent Law Practice Center, Gene Quinn gives a preview of his upcoming Patent Law Institute presentation, where he will discuss actions taken by OED, what their enforcement agenda is and lessons to learn from members of the bar who have gotten into trouble.

Lawyer Life

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, shakes up its tourism image
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, is riding a tourism boom thanks to several initiatives to improve and market its products. Visitors can take part in weekly guided tours of the downtown area or drop by for a drink at Los Muertos Brewing Company, the city's first artisanal craft brewery. TravelAge West (12/31)

Fans of syrah can take it up a notch with mondeuse
This year, switch things up by sampling a new blend of wine. Mondeuse is a relatively unknown variety that is spicy, bold and perfect for the wine lover looking for something different. "We find our mondeuse wine to have a similar aromatic profile to our syrah (floral, spicy), but the mondeuse wine is deeper in color and more robust than our syrah. It's syrah on steroids," said Carole Meredith, winemaker at Lagier Meredith, which makes 40 cases of the wine each year. The Sacramento Bee (Calif.) (free registration) (1/2)

SmartQuote

Beware the fury of a patient man."

--John Dryden,
British poet, critic and playwright

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