In May 2015, Talmon Marco, the entrepreneur behind the popular phone messaging app, Viber, launched his latest venture Juno, a ride-sharing service dedicated to providing its drivers with a respectful, fair, and transparent work environment.
Could a Viacom-CBS Reunification Be Imminent?
In 1967, Sumner Redstone took over National Amusements, Inc., a family movie theater chain headquartered in Dedham, Massachusetts. Today, the company owns an 80 percent stake in CBS and Viacom, two of America’s leading media and entertainment conglomerates. Mr. Redstone, who is now 93 years old and rumored to be in failing health, has relinquished […]
Legal Battle Between Trader Joe’s and Pirate Joe’s Continues
Trader Joe’s, a California-based grocery chain, is famous for its eclectic healthy products and its cult following. Pirate Joe’s, a proud knockoff, is notorious for its reselling of Trader Joe’s products in Canada at high prices. Court documents stated that $350,000 worth of Trader Joe’s goods were bought and resold in Pirate Joe’s stores. This […]
Morgan Stanley Accused of Facilitating Unethical Sales Contests
On October 3, 2016, Morgan Stanley was charged with “dishonest and unethical conduct” by a top Massachusetts securities regulator. Morgan Stanley is accused of facilitating high-pressured sales contests in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, where brokers had the opportunity to earn thousands of dollars for selling high volumes of securities based loans. Securities based loans allow […]
Recap: “Innovating for Social Impact”
On October 3, the Berkeley Center for Law, Business and the Economy (BCLBE) held a speaker series entitled “Innovating for Social Impact.” The center welcomed three leading attorneys in social entrepreneurship and nonprofit legal strategy: Joel Beck-Coon, Nancy McGlamery and Will Fitzpatrick.
Trump Uses Tax Code as a Shelter for Nearly 20 Years
On October 1, 2016, The New York Times released three pages of Donald Trump’s 1995 tax returns. These documents show that Mr. Trump claimed a $916 million loss that could have protected him from paying any federal or New York State income taxes for the last 18 years.
Tech Companies Challenge Subpoenas and Gag Orders
Tech companies are increasingly resisting what they believe to be government overreach in an effort to protect the privacy of their consumers’ communications and personal information. Recently, lawyers for these companies have argued that the increase in gag orders accompanying court-ordered subpoenas, as allowed by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, is unconstitutional. Specifically, […]
Rumors of Disney’s Next Big Acquisition
The Walt Disney Company is known for its prodigious business acumen and high-profile acquisitions. Last year, Disney’s annual profit came in at $8.4 billion, an incredible climb from $3.4 billion in 2006. Since Robert A. Iger began his role as chief executive in 2005, the company acquired Pixar, Marvel Entertainment, and Lucasfilm. In the last […]
Recap: “Law Firm Hot Topic: Andrew Thorpe and Karen Dempsey, Orrick”
On October 5, 2016, the Berkeley Center for Law, Business and the Economy (BCLBE) hosted Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP (Orrick) attorneys Andrew Thorpe, Karen Dempsey, and John Palmer, for a conversation on how to best serve as a trusted advisor to clients.
EU to Create Tax Blacklist Following Panama Paper Leaks
In the wake of the Panama Paper leaks, European Union tax commissioner Pierre Moscovici urged states to draft a blacklist of countries that serve as tax havens to thousands of companies. EU states agreed to this move on April 22, 2016, and plan to complete the list by the end of the summer. Finance ministers […]