In a recent Rhode Island Superior Court case, the court once again addressed the question of whether a contractual indemnity clause was "sufficiently specific" to be enforceable. The case arose out of a situation wherein a nursing home had contracted for a landscaping...
PLDO Law Blog
Adam Greshowak
RI Superior Court Reverses Zoning Board Decision that Licensed Growing of Medical Marijuana Violated Local Zoning Ordinances
The Rhode Island Superior Court recently reversed a South Kingstown Zoning Board decision after the Board erroneously found that a licensed medical marijuana grow operation constituted "agricultural products manufacturing" and was not allowed in the Town's commercial...
Proposed 2704 Regulations May Have Substantial Impact on Estate Planning
Proposed 2704 Regulations, as they are now drafted, would make vast and substantial changes to the valuation of interests in many family-controlled entities, such as a Family Limited Partnership (FLP) or Limited Liability Company (LLC), for purposes of estate, gift,...
Deadline Looms to Apply for Rhode Island’s New Cannabis Cultivators License
Effective January 1, 2017, neither medical marijuana patients, nor their licensed caregivers, nor cooperative cannabis cultivations will be allowed to sell excess medical cannabis to dispensaries, known as Compassion Centers. Only licensed cultivators, a newly created...
U.S. Supreme Court Opens the Door to “Generic-dot-Com” Trademarks
Booking.com, an on-line travel agency that books hotel reservations and provides other services to customers, filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (the “USPTO”) to register the trademark “Booking.com.” The application was rejected based on...
Comparing Start-Up Valuation Methods
In our Business Law practice, we routinely deal with entrepreneurs and investors who are trying to structure an investment opportunity on the basis of the company’s value before the outside investment is closed. This challenge exists whether the investment will be...
Due Diligence Considerations for Entrepreneurs and Investors
Representing clients seeking to invest in a venture or finance a new business opportunity is a challenging experience for the lawyer as it routinely involves outlining the steps and various issues that are involved in the process of either type of transaction. The...
Investment Structures in a Business Transaction
The process of negotiating an investment opportunity is oftentimes intimidating for first time investors or entrepreneurs. The business jargon is confusing, while the terms and conditions vary for each investment. The non-equity investment terms will vary from lender...
Courts Start To Weigh In On COVID-19 Lawsuits
PLDO recently issued an advisory about the forthcoming explosion of lawsuits arising out of the coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, the article addressed the legal concept of “force majeure” and predicted that many businesses will claim that the pandemic prevented...