Justice Settles: Since November’s presidential election, the Justice Department has reached more than a dozen business-related settlements. According to The Washington Post, corporate lawyers are saying companies are trying to take advantage of the more favorable terms of settlements under the current administration and that the climate for business settlements could grow harsher when Attorney General-designate Eric Holder Jr. takes over at Justice.
More on Madoff Mess: Bernard Madoff, the money-manager behind the Ponzi scheme that caused investors to lose billions, has provided the Securities and Exchange Commission a list of his personal assets, according to The Associated Press, via Law.com. Any Madoff assets disclosed in the filing or discovered by investigators could eventually be used to make restitution to the victims of the scheme.
Steel Woes: The steel industry is in trouble and The New York Times is reporting that if the industry collapses so will the economy. Industry executives are asking for a public investment program of up to $1 trillion over two years designed to lift demand for steel to build highways, bridges, electric power grids, schools, hospitals, water treatment plants and rapid transit.
Pinball Problem Dismissed: The New York Law Journal, via Law.com, reports a federal judge has ruled that the unauthorized placement of a pinball machine in a 2000 movie starring Mel Gibson may have violated copyright law but is too trivial to warrant action. The machine’s trademark owner sued for copyright, and trademark infringement, unfair competition, and unjust enrichment and deceptive trade practices.
Comments