Lobbying provides an avenue through which charities can create change in communities and be a voice for the marginalized or disenfranchised in society. However, organizations exempt from taxation under the Internal Revenue Code ("IRC") Section 501(c)(3) are expressly...
PLDO Law Blog
Firm News
Lien Rights in Rhode Island – When 200 days isn’t really 200 days
The Rhode Island Mechanic's Lien Law (the "Lien Law") is just plain confusing. Luckily, as a contractor doing business in Rhode Island, you don't have to worry about that because you have a really good lawyer who knows the ins and outs of the Lien Law and knows how to...
The Expansion of Patient Rights Under the Affordable Care Act
The trend in health care is increased governmental regulation making it imperative for health care providers and insurers to understand patient rights. The Patient Self Determination Act of 1990 significantly advanced patient rights, while the Affordable Care Act...
As the Pendulum Swings: The Bribery Backlash to the Honest Services Doctrine
'T was not so long ago that we saw an insurance company lobbyist in Massachusetts find himself convicted of Wire and Mail Fraud as a result of his company picking up the tab for golf and entertainment junkets to Puerto Rico by the Chairman of Massachusetts House...
DANGER LURKS WITH INCENTIVE-BASED SALES STRATEGIES FOR HEALTH IT PLATFORMS
A wise person learns from the mistakes of others; and recently, the health IT industry was afforded such a learning opportunity by a well-known EHR platform. athenahealth, Inc. (Athena), an industry-leading EHR vendor, agreed to pay $18.25 million to resolve...
A “NATURAL DISASTER” – THE PANDEMIC’S IMPACT ON CONTRACTS
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, we wrote about the legal concept of “force majeure” clauses found in some business contracts. A force majeure clause excuses a party from performing its obligations under a contract based upon some unforeseen and serious event such as a...
IMPORTANCE OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE DURING THE PANDEMIC
It is widely recognized that the system of corporate governance is a key approach to preserving and protecting an enterprise and its stakeholders by checks and balances among the board and officers of a corporation. Strong governance policies make it possible to...