Business Litigation Roundup

As we head to the new year, here is a round up from some fellow bloggers on contracts, cobra, wage disputes, patents, and oral agreements for limited liability companies.  The California Business Lawyer Blog offers a very detailed post about contractual relationships  between manufacturers and suppliers.  The focus is on well drafted agreements eliminating the […]

Just In Time For Christmas – – Lawsuits, Snowball Fights, and Michael Bolton

 Here’s some humor for the holidays: A very funny post from Faces of Lawsuit Abuse.org.  It is a 2009 poll of the most ridiculous lawsuits of the year.  My vote was for the April winner: "Tourist sues New York club after she slipped while dancing on top of the bar."  (story here). The judge carefully examined […]

Are Settlement Agreements Enforceable In Connecticut

The short answer is that it depends.  Settlement agreements are generally enforceable if the terms of the agreement are clear and authorized by the litigants or parties to the litigation.  In Gengaro v. City of New Haven (to be officially released December 29th), the Appellate Court had another opportunity to comment on the long standing law in Connecticut […]

Connecticut Guaranty Fund Offers Some Recovery For Homeowners Harmed By Construction Contractors

Recently,the Attorney General’s office announced another criminal conviction against a home improvement contractor responsible for many failed home improvement contracts. The report also indicated that the homeowner consumers were going to get some financial relief from the Home Improvement Guaranty Fund (HIGF).  The HIGF offers up to $15,000 in relief to consumers who meet certain conditions […]

Health Net’s Data Loss In Connecticut Was Theft

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal issued a scathing press release related to Health Net’s recent data loss and security breach.  Blumenthal called Health Net’s story on it "sanitized" and its six month delay in reporting "unconscionable."  Blumenthal called for a federal investigation and intensified state efforts because of the sensitive financial and health information at risk […]

Breach of Fiduciary Duty In Connecticut

Here is a quick summary of another of the so called "business torts" in Connecticut known as breach of fiduciary duty.  A fiduciary duty can arise in a number of contexts in business including relationships with partners, lawyers, accountants, trustees, investment advisers, brokers and employees.  When one party in a relationship is a fiduciary, it […]

Auto Body Association Wins 15 Million Dollar Verdict For Unfair Trade Practices

On November 17, a superior court jury in Stamford returned a 15 million dollar verdict in favor of the Auto Body Association of Connecticut (and three other auto body repair shops) arising out of claims againt the Hartford for unfair trade practices. The case docket goes back to 2003 and was filed based on claims that […]

New Study Shows Small Businesses Vulnerable to Cyber Attacks

The National Cyber Security Alliance recently released a new study with some startling numbers concerning small businesses and the threat of data loss, security breach, or cyber attack.  Some of the key numbers obtained from polling small business owners include: 65% store customer information on computer systems 43% store financial records 33% store credit card […]

Do You Need A Contract To Stop A Former Employee From Competing?

The short answer is yes, a business does need a contract, also known as a "non-compete agreement," to prevent a former employee from fairly competing in business once the employee resigns.  Even with a written agreement, there are limitations on non-compete agreements because they are viewed as a restraint of trade.  To be enforceable, the restrictions in the […]

Did A Secretary Cause A Billion Dollar Default Judgment Against PepsiCo?

Imagine your company is so busy preparing for a board meeting that a secretary sets aside paperwork from a recently served lawsuit for a billion dollars over trade secrets.  Imagine further that your company bureaucracy fails to put it together that a lawsuit has been filed until such a time that your company becomes defaulted in the case, to the tune […]

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