Business Archives - Page 450 of 452

Potential EPA’s Formaldehyde regulatory Rollback is a case-study in Pressure-Lobbying

Staff - May 5, 2015

Despite recent news that the Justice Department is pursuing criminal charges against Lumber Liquidators, the world’s largest hardwood flooring retailer, over its importation of illegally-sourced Chinese laminate flooring containing extreme levels of formaldehyde, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is facing massive pressure to roll-back its proposed regulation of the substance. Formaldehyde is a common chemical,

Senate joins House’s fight to rein in “Patent-Trolls”

Staff - May 5, 2015

The day may come soon in which patent trolls will join their namesakes in the realm of lore and legend, at least if both houses of congress are able to reconcile dual measures into a single piece of legislation. Although the House of Representatives had already passed “The Innovation Act” in 2013 by an overwhelming

Whistleblower Incentives: the Privatization of Oversight

Staff - May 4, 2015

5/4/2015 Last week, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bill that incentivizes whistleblower complaints within the automotive industry. The bill, modeled off of similar measures for the Internal Revenue Service and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), allows the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to award up to 30 percent of revenue collected in excess of

TPP’s ISDS: Moving from State-to-State to Company-to-World Dispute Resolution

Staff - May 1, 2015

5/1/2015 Among the controversies surrounding the anticipated Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement between the U.S. and 11 other Asian-Pacific countries, the most hotly debated component is the inclusion of the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) system. Under ISDS procedures, in case of a disagreement, a multinational corporation and a nation in which that corporation does business can

Department of Justice seeks to Hammer Lumber Liquidators

Staff - May 1, 2015

5/1/2015 The old adage still remains true even if the names have changed. As a business owner, when 60-Minutes comes to your door, it is probably not going to be a good day. Lumber Liquidators is the largest hardwood flooring retailer in the world, with annual revenues of over a billion dollars. Yet, that may

Medtronic’s Preemption Win in the 10th Circuit – With An Interesting Twist

Amber Pang Parra - April 23, 2015

The Tenth Circuit issued an opinion on Tuesday, finding that state law claims asserted against Medtronic, manufacturer of the InFuse bone growth stimulator were preempted by FDA approval of the medical device under the Medical Device Act (“MDA”). Plaintiff in the case alleged that Medtronic representatives promoted an off-label, posterior surgical approach for the device,

GM Bankruptcy Shield Saves the company Billions, Screws Everybody Else

Staff - April 17, 2015

General Motors won a massive legal victory to the dismay of many former customers when U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge, Robert Gerber ruled Wednesday, April 15th that the company can retain its bankruptcy shield protection of $10 billion for claims against it involving the massive ignition-switch recall. The ruling helps General Motors avoid potentially billions of

NHTSA Chief may Re-open Fiat-Chrysler Gas Tank Investigation

Staff - April 13, 2015

National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator, Mark Rosekind, has indicated that the nation’s top automotive regulator may take a more aggressive stance toward Fiat-Chrysler following a massive $150 million judgment against the company over the burning death of 4 year-old Remi Walden due to an exploding gas tank on his Aunt’s 1999 Jeep Grand

PG&E Fined a Record $1.6 Billion for Pipeline Explosion, but Residents also Blame Regulators

Staff - April 10, 2015

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted unanimously on Thursday, April 9th to issue the largest fine for a utility company in state history, and the largest fine in U.S. history for a natural gas utility. The $1.6 billion fine against PG&E was issued in response to a 2010 pipeline explosion in the San Francisco

In Defense of the NHTSA

Staff - March 30, 2015

In the wake of the global auto industry facing an enormous amount of recalls and legal actions, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has endured a sizeable amount of scrutiny in recent years. Some, including myself, have raised questions regarding lax testing standards, and allegations of cronyism between the agency and automakers. Given the

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