On August 14, 2013, the FBI confirmed its investigation regarding a sextortion case involving several women, including the recently-crowned Miss Teen USA, Cassidy Wolf. While the FBI did not release any information regarding the investigation or potential suspects, they did say the investigation has been going on for several months.…
The Federal Trade Commission proposed a revision to the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”), which became effective as of July 1, 2013. As the FTC and state attorneys become increasingly stricter with online child protection standards, this rule will mean that online activity will be monitored more closely…
Patent law reform has recently moved to the forefront of the federal legislation calendar as the country calls on Congress to protect inventors and consumers from intellectual property trolls (“IP trolls”). IP trolls may also be known as patent assertion entities. These IP trolls include individuals or entities that do…
As part of California’s laws against unfair competition, the state provides a remedy to businesses that are victims of trade libel. Trade libel constitutes published false communications regarding the quality of services of products that a business provides, resulting in financial loss to this business. Are you a victim of…
In general, subletting your apartment is a great way to save the cost of rent when you leave for a period of time–for example, to go on vacation or study abroad. However, subletting your apartment without considering the legal implications or local requirements can lead to a legal nightmare. At…
In April 2012, President Obama and the United States Congress signed the JOBS Act into law. The Jumpstart Our Business Startups (“JOBS”) Act goes a long way towards accelerating and promoting crowdfunding. Crowdfunding is the practice of raising capital for a project or business by seeking small amounts of money…
As of January 1, 2012, under California Corporations Code §§ 2500-3503, traditional business corporations may organize as “Flexible Purpose Corporations.” Whereas previously, corporate directors were bound to manage corporations strictly for economic gain, this new organizational model grants directors the freedom to manage the corporation for social and environmental benefits.…
The Internet has become an expansive worldwide network and users have the freedom to access this network from multiple devices and locations. In light of this growing network, many forms of commerce have also moved to the Internet. E-commerce or commercial transactions that take place over the Internet, have become…
The U.S. Copyright Act, codified under 17 U.S.C. § 101 et seq., protects copyrighted works from infringement from wrongful users. This federal law aims to protect unique works while still allowing for creativity and future creations. To that end, individuals charged with copyright infringement can avoid liability entirely under a…
A buyer who has ever committed to a wrong purchase knows the nagging feeling that accompanies the realization that committing to the purchase of a product was entirely unnecessary. Often informally referred to as “Buyer’s Remorse,” this feeling of extreme regret usually accompanies very expensive purchases, such as automobiles or…