A trademark or service mark is a brand identifier. Every company offering products or services has at least one. While the name of a product or service tells consumers what it is, the associated mark tells consumers who offers it to the public. The selection and use of a brand name involves a number of […]
Recent Court Rulings Provide Guidance To Employers Using The Defend Trade Secrets Act Of 2016 To Protect Proprietary Information
The Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (“DTSA“) can be a powerful tool for businesses seeking to maintain a competitive advantage by protecting their proprietary information. However, the growing body of case law interpreting the new statute suggests that companies should take note of wrinkles in the DTSA in order to maximize its effect. Passed by […]
The National Labor Relations Board Provides Policy Relief To Employers
The National Labor Relations Board recently adopted a fairer and more forgiving standard for determining whether work rules violate employees’ rights to engage in union-related and other concerted, protected activity. This means that employers nationwide now have more freedom to create policies that are reasonable and make sense. In right-to-work states such as Virginia, where […]
Do I Litigate, Mediate Or Collaborate In My Divorce?
When a new client comes into the office, a part of our initial discussion is to litigate, mediate or collaborate in the client case. Is this a case that must be litigated because there are issues that only a Judge can decide? Are the parties able to retain the services of a third-party mediator to […]
Community Involvement: The Northwest Federal Credit Union Foundation And Delivering Food To Students In Need
Reston, VA (February 23, 2018) – Veronica Scarborough is a school secretary at Waldon Woods Elementary School in Clinton, Maryland. After realizing that some of her students went home hungry, Ms. Scarborough took it upon herself to deliver hot meals to students after school. To help further Ms. Scarborough’s community outreach, Odin, Feldman & Pittleman, […]
Building A Harassment-Free Culture
Sexual harassment can happen in pharmacies, too. Here’s guidance on preventing it in your workplace. Recent headlines, and the accompanying stories of alleged workplace sexual harassment, have prompted many employers to review their existing employment policies and practices to ensure they are responsive and effective. The “Me Too” responses in social media illustrate the broad […]
In Celebration Of The Season
In celebration of the season, we have made donations to Global Giving to assist in Hurricane Relief in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, and to Legal Services of Northern Virginia, a non-profit referral service that makes legal representation accessible to less fortunate residents in the region. About Global Giving Global Giving is the largest global […]
New Cybersecurity Standards For Federal Contractors
If you are doing business with the Department of Defense (DoD), you need to be aware of the Dec. 31, 2017, deadline to comply with the DFARS’ new Cybersecurity mandate. DoD requires all contractors to provide assurance to DoD that their IT systems will provide an acceptable level of security when receiving information determined by […]
Unbundling As A Means Of Financing Bankruptcy Fees And Working Without A “Wet” Signature
Previously published in the American Bankruptcy Institute Journal: Download as PDF Debtors are required to pay a filing fee in order to commence voluntary bankruptcy cases, and the U.S. Supreme Court has sustained the constitutionality of the filing fee as a predicate to the debtor receiving a discharge.1 Cases are subject to dismissal if the […]