PLDO Law Blog
The Increasing Sweep of Opioid Litigation
States are now one step closer to holding the Sackler family individually liable for the role they and their pharmaceutical corporation, Purdue Pharma, played in creating and facilitating the nation’s opioid epidemic. In a decision issued on October 8, 2019,...
Changes In The Wind for Retirement Benefits – Possible
Last spring the United States House of Representatives by an over whelming majority passed the most significant changes to the IRA/401(k) laws since their original passage in the mid 1970’s. If signed into law these changes will: allow part-time workers who work less...
RI Creates New Tax Credit for Small Business Investment Companies
The Rhode Island General Assembly recently created a new program designed to promote private funding for Rhode Island small businesses. The program creates a tax credit for Small Business Investment Companies (“SBIC”) that invest in eligible Rhode Island businesses....
Estate Planning Ideas in a Low Interest Rate Environment
With the Fed’s recent interest rate cut and more interest rate reductions likely on the way, this may be a good time to take advantage of the low interest rate environment to transfer assets to your beneficiaries with minimal tax consequences and significant benefits...
No More Agency Fees for Public Employees
For over forty years, public-sector unions could impose what were known as “agency fees” on non-members. The logic was that a union serving as the exclusive representative of a unit of employees is required to represent the interests of all employees, union member or...
Lessons from Cyber Breaches
Ten years ago, the mention of a cyber security breach was a rarity. Today, reports of breach incidents are almost commonplace. Every time a breach occurs in business the potential to cause significant harm and financial loss is mind-numbing. In addition, when the...
Supreme Court to Decide Limits on Police Cellphone Tracking
This term, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether the police can track the real-time cellphone-based location and movements of a suspect using the suspect’s cellphone records. In Carpenter v. U.S., the police obtained Mr. Carpenter’s cellphone number from one of...
What is GDPR, You Ask?
Introducing the little-known (but hugely important) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We know, we know. You’ve never heard of it. And, if you did hear of it, you don’t think it applies to your company, to your college, or to your work as a consultant. Well,...
New Law Alert: Use Hands Free Device While Driving in Rhode Island
Rhode Island’s new “hands-free” driving law goes into effect on June 1, 2018. This law prohibits you from holding your phone up to your ear while driving. The law permits the use of “hands-free” devices, such as the phone’s built-in speakerphone, a Bluetooth earpiece...
