Join our Partner William F. Dahill for the Italian Table Talks webinar, “NOW WHAT? Critical Thoughts and Practical Strategies on Restoring Our Restaurants,” hosted by Gruppo Italiano on Wednesday, May 6th at 3:00pm (est).
RSVP here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2XkUIXszRu268biBEDFHgw
On April 22, 2020, pursuant to Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”) sections 212(f) and 215(a) and 3 U.S.C. section 301, President Donald J. Trump issued a Proclamation “pausing” immigration into the United States of America for foreign nationals who:
Join our Partner Donna Frosco for the webinar, “What is Your Game Plan,” hosted by the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, April 29th at 12:00pm (est).
RSVP here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wXlqtbN9QlKHHy_rUN3ocQ
On April 16, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo extended “New York on PAUSE” to May 15, 2020. Given current circumstances, social distancing and remote work is expected to continue into the future to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Yet, despite the current and potential future constrictions, business must continue. To do so, documents—contracts, legal papers, and others—are required and they still require signatures. Electronic signatures provide an alternative to handwritten signatures. If you are not familiar with electronic signatures—now may be the time to become acquainted. Read More
On April 12th, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued a new Executive Order No. 202-16. Among other provisions, the Order mandates that previously defined “essential” businesses and entities which have employees in the workplace must provide such employees with, and those employees must wear, “face coverings” when in direct contact with customers or members of the public. The face coverings must be provided at the employer’s cost. This new provision becomes effective at 8:00 pm EDT on April 15, 2020.
See Executive Order 202.16 here:
April 13, 2020
Note: Current Status of the Surrogate’s Courts. As of this writing, the New York Surrogate’s Courts, which deal with wills, estate and trust issues, guardianships and adoptions, are open right now on a limited basis and only for essential and urgent matters. What constitutes an essential and urgent matter for the Surrogate’s Court is being decided on a case-by-case basis and depends on which county you are in. At the moment, anyone in NY county who needs access to a Surrogate’s Court Judge on this “essential” basis may have a private phone call with the Chief Clerk guidance and must submit any paperwork by regular mail. No one may walk into the court without calling ahead. All trials and hearings including guardianships and adoptions are postponed until further notice.
Estate Planning Now
In light of the devastating death toll and the ongoing threat of contracting COVID-19, it’s not surprising if you’re thinking about estate planning. Here are some things to think about when you review your estate planning documents or consider drafting new ones if you don’t yet have a will or a trust. Read More
April 9, 2020 – The Empire State Development Agency today released further guidance on determining whether a business enterprise is an “Essential Business” subject to mandatory workforce reduction pursuant to New York Executive Order 202.6. The link to this guidance is provided below.
Last Updated: April 7, 2020
The United States government, the State of New York and the City of New York has adopted legislation intended to provide economic relief to businesses and individuals impacted by the COVID-19 emergency. The following is a review of various loans, loan forgiveness provisions, and other benefits created by these recent acts.* Read More
Dunnington partner Olivera Medenica’s article on how the CARES Act impacts the fashion industry was featured on the “Top Stories” section of FashionUnited.
Intellectual Property and COVID-19:
U.S. Trademark Office and U.S. Copyright Office Extend Deadlines
The United States Patent & Trademark Office has extended certain filing deadlines for those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, the Trademark Office had waived certain late fees (see DUNNINGTON’s previous post here).
Citing Authority granted by the CARES Act on March 27, 2020, due dates for most filings with deadlines between March 27, 2020 and April 30, 2020 now have been extended by 30 days, provided that they are accompanied by mandatory statements of COVID-19 impact. Read More
