By Ryan M. Spott On February 8, 2017, the Joint Committee on Finance, at the request of Governor Scott Walker, introduced the first version of Wisconsin’s Budget Bill, 2017 Senate Bill 30 / 2017 Assembly Bill 64 (the “Budget Bill”). The legislation, as proposed, among many other effects, would repeal Wis. Stat. § 101.122 and eliminate Wisconsin’s...
By Elizabeth K. Miles Many state and federal regulatory agencies, including OSHA, EPA, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, may inspect a business with or without advance notice to ensure compliance with applicable rules and regulations. Here are a few tips to help ensure that your inspections go smoothly. Before an inspection. As...
By Brian J. Pfeil The potential for fraud has always existed in the construction, lending and real estate world. However, as electronic communications continue to reach new heights in innovation so has the permeation of complex and sophisticated fraud schemes affecting these and other industries. These trending schemes make it imperative for...
By D|K's Labor and Employment Team Under a new law signed by President Obama on December 13, 2016, qualified small employers may now contribute to health reimbursement accounts (HRA's) to help employees with eligible medical expenses, including health insurance premiums. This change provides small employers who do not offer group health plans...
By Joseph S. Heino One of its most obvious, but often overlooked, assets that a business has is the very name that the business uses to hold itself out to the public. That name, including the names of various products and services it may market, are valuable assets of that business and need to be treated as such. Most business owners do not...
By: Davis|Kuelthau's Intellectual Property Team The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals recently turned to the social media presence and marketing of a DJ when evaluating the DJ’s claims of trademark infringement and dilution. In Kibler v. Hall, et al (6th Cir. Dec. 13, 2016), the court affirmed summary judgment for Robert Hall, a rapper performing...
By James E. Lowe, Jr. On January 12, 2017, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) let expire one of its pilot program initiatives meant to improve the patent application process at the USPTO. Under the Post-Prosecution Pilot Program (P3), after an application had been refused, the applicant was given an opportunity to make their...
By Susan G. Schellinger Although insurance coverage is to be determined by the language of the policy at issue, court decisions addressing standard policy language can, and do, affect whether or not an insurance company will cover a claim. Throughout 2016, Wisconsin courts issued a number of decisions that may have wide-ranging impact on the...
By Benjamin J. Sauer The Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s Whistleblower Protection Programs issued Recommended Practices for Anti-Retaliation Programs to assist employers with “creat[ing] workplaces in which workers feel comfortable voicing safety and other concerns without fear of retaliation.” The recommendations, while only...
By Jacqueline L. Messler The IRS has announced the 2017 inflation adjusted numbers for several important gift and estate tax exclusions. Each year, several key gift and estate tax exclusions are adjusted for inflations, including the estate tax exclusion, the annual gift tax exclusion, and the estate tax deduction for decedents dying with certain...
