Episodes

COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on nearly all aspects of organizations nationwide. In this episode Alan Winchester, leader of the Harris Beach Cybersecurity Protection and Response Practice Group; Michael Montagliano, Chief Technology Officer of iV4; and Michael Compisi, President of Caetra.io discuss the data privacy and security landscape. They touch on cybersecurity strategy; the increase in cybercrime during the pandemic; and the latest developments with regulations such as HIPAA, the NYS...

As widely reported, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has asked the state Department of Health and Attorney General Letitia James to conduct an investigation of the state’s long-term care facilities in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. The scrutiny of regulators and investigators could put facilities at risk of having their operating certificate suspended or revoked. In this environment, home operators must take a proactive approach. In this episode Terry Flynn, a former U.S. attorney now Ha...

The use and enforcement of material adverse effect clauses in transactions is another area of law with a renewed focus in the aftermath of the COVID-19. The clause may come into play if, as anticipated, businesses find themselves in the positon of having a pending transaction terminate due to the pandemic. In this episode of the Harris Beach podcast, Kelly Foss, a partner in the Harris Beach Business and Commercial Litigation Practice Group, shares perspective on how MAE clauses are applied and...

As COVID-19 forces major business disruptions, force majeure clauses are increasingly pertinent across nearly every industry. In this episode of the Harris Beach podcast, Dave Clar, leader of the firm’s Corporate Practice Group, and Elliot Hallak, member of the firm’s Business and Commercial Litigation Practice Group and Financial Institutions and Capital Markets Industry Team share their perspective and address questions they are hearing from clients about these extraordinary act clauses. Rel...

No one likes to envision bad things happening. But developing a crisis management plan is arguably the single most important responsibility for any organization. It’s your role as a leader to help your team anticipate risks, build procedures for responding to them and then practice, practice, practice. Crises come up when you least expect them, and without a plan in place, your risk level skyrockets. In this episode of the Harris Beach Podcast, Rajat Shah, a member of the Harris Beach Corporate...

Update: Joan Sullivan rejoins the podcast to add perspective on how COVID-19 is impacting the New York state lobbying community. Joan touches on JCOPE filing extensions; loosening gift giving restrictions in the spirit of supporting relief efforts; and what to expect in terms of compliance enforcement.” Last year, new lobbying regulations took effect in New York state that expanded the scope of lobbying and caused some confusion. This year, the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (...

When an organization is considering a major strategic development, such as seeking new investors or perhaps even selling the business, there are critical corporate housekeeping and due diligence steps needed to prepare. But it is also a good idea to go through a diligence exercise regularly, to get ahead of issues that may arise and develop a plan to address them. Dave Clar, leader of the Harris Beach Corporate Practice Group, and John Buhrman, Corporate Practice Group team member, provide an o...

Last year, new lobbying regulations took effect in New York state that expanded the scope of lobbying and caused some confusion. This year, the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) has promised to provide clarity; but questions linger about how to remain in compliance. In this episode, Joan Sullivan, leader of our Government Compliance and Investigations Practice Group and a Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional walks us through what triggers the Lobbying Act, who need...

For employers, non-compete agreements and other restrictive covenants, such as non-solicitation or non-disclosure agreements, can serve as a powerful tool to protect their business and defend their interests. However, these covenants need to address specific concerns and considerations to be effective – and enforceable in court. This podcast episode brings together two Harris Beach attorneys who combine their perspectives for a full picture: Dale Worrall, leader of the Harris Beach Business and ...

For school districts, special education impartial hearings can be time consuming, expensive and stressful for staff members. In this episode Jeffrey Weiss, Harris Beach partner and co-leader of the firm’s Educational Institutions Industry Team, offers a Top 10 list of the actions – or inactions – school districts take that most often lead to impartial hearing requests from parents of children with disabilities. The list is built from Weiss’ 20+ years as an education attorney, and spans the use o...

What happens when your competitors infringe your patent for golf equipment – then declare bankruptcy to avoid paying up? In this episode, Harris Beach intellectual property (IP) attorneys share the story behind the $12 million judgment that we won for our client, Izzo Golf, to protect its patented design from infringement by King Par Corporation. With the focus and persistence that any dedicated executive (or avid golfer) will understand, IP litigation attorneys Neal Slifkin and Laura Smalley re...

Lawmakers introduced and passed several bills in 2019 as part of an aggressive agenda to overhaul New York employment laws. Harris Beach attorneys Lindsey Zullo, Dan Palermo, Ibby Tariq and Taylor Ventre discuss a host of recent developments, and critical considerations for employers to be aware of in 2020. Related Links: Lindsey Zullo Bio – http://bit.ly/34qzhSo Dan Palermo Bio – http://bit.ly/34rC6mj Ibrahim Tariq Bio – http://bit.ly/2svsQ3es Taylor Ventre Bio – http://bit.ly/35s1XvR Labor a...

Attorney L.J. D’Arrigo Reviews Heightened Challenges In recent years, immigration policy has shifted seemingly by the day even as workplaces become increasingly diverse – giving rise to heightened compliance challenges and a surge in enforcement activity. L.J. D’Arrigo, Harris Beach partner and co-leader of the firm’s Immigration Law Practice Group, dives into the landscape of immigration law to inform business owners recruiting, onboarding, or securing visas for global talent or seasonal worke...

Ross Hofherr and Dawn Russell Remind You to Stay Alert for Scams Your business wouldn’t fall for fraud – or would it? These days, cybercriminals are getting more personal, meaning they’ve gone from sending blanket emails with farfetched claims to scouring your personal data to craft highly plausible scams. In this episode, Ross Hofherr, Harris Beach partner and attorney on our Cybersecurity and Financial Institutions teams, and Dawn Russell, the firm’s director of Compliance and Risk Management...

Attorney Karl Sleight Overviews the National and Regional Gaming Scene From sports betting to mobile wagering to the potential of new downstate casinos, the national and regional gaming landscape is flush with possibilities. Karl Sleight, Harris Beach partner and leader of the firm’s Racing and Gaming Industry Team offers a primer on where things stand today, and a preview of what’s to come. We wager you’ll enjoy this episode, and should you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out to Kar...

In this episode, Beth Wilkens recounts and reflects on her legal career at a time when few women were admitted to the practice and fewer still were earning partnership. The specialties she selected – bankruptcy, corporate law, securities, banking and finance – put her in the midst of a male-dominated client base; but Beth viewed this as an advantage rather than an obstacle. Beth has had successful long-term relationships counseling prominent organizations, and served on boards to play key leader...

Now that school is back in session, partners Ed Trevvett and Alan Winchester discuss New York state’s renewed focus on strengthening data privacy through Educational Law Section 2-d. What do school districts and administrators need to know to protect their data – and protect themselves? This episode launches our Harris Beach podcast on how the law impacts our lives.