Insights

As discussed in our prior alerts, effective April 1, 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) required most employers with fewer than 500 employees to provide qualifying employees with paid emergency sick leave and emergency family and medical leave for COVID-19 related reasons. These paid leave obligations were set forth in two laws created by the FFCRA: the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (“EPSLA”) and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (“EFMLEA”). As originally enacted, employers’ paid leave obligations under the EPSLA and EFMLEA were set to expire on December 31, 2020. However, in a stimulus package signed into law in late December 2020, the FFCRA’s expiration date for paid leave benefits was extended on a voluntary basis. Specifically, pursuant to the stimulus package, employers were permitted to provide qualifying employees with FFCRA paid leave benefits on a voluntary basis through March 31, 2021 and obtain refundable tax credits for the cost of providing such leave to employees.  

A force majeure clause is a common contract provision that excuses a party’s performance if an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the party prevents the party from fulfilling its obligations under the contract. The contract will define certain force majeure events, which may include events such as wars, strikes, riots or “acts of God”.  

CSG's Michelle A. Schaap will present, "The Duty of Technological Competence and Other Ethical Issues Relating to Technology and Law Practice," on Thursday, April 29, at 4:00 PM EST. This Gibbons Institute of Law, Science & Technology presentation will focus on the ethical obligation of attorneys being technologically competent and will also feature Ken Rashbaum, Esq., Partner, Barton and Dr. David Opderbeck, Professor of Law and Co-Director, Gibbons Institute of Law, Science & Tecnology.  

Susan Reach Winters, Chair of CSG’s Family Law Group, will be joined by other industry leaders on April 29, from 4:00 – 5:00 PM, to discuss the various tools, provisions and advice practitioners should consider when handling matrimonial and trust planning matters for clients. The panelists will address the following questions:  

Join CSG's Patrick O'Reilly on Thursday, April 22, from 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT, as he shares insights and opportunities for cannabis entrepreneurs. This IT4cannabis webinar, featuring several esteemed industry leaders, will cover timely topics such as:  

Amanda Miceli was a featured co-author for the Spring 2021 issue of Surety Bond Quarterly with an article titled, “Impact of COVID-19 on Commercial Surety Bonds.” The article outlines several forces that may have affected commercial sureties’ operations throughout the pandemic – including crude oil prices, changes in the retail landscape and reimbursement difficulties – and offers proactive measures for their principals to protect themselves and course-correct.  

John R. Lloyd was featured in a Real Estate NJ story exploring the pandemic's impact on New Jersey's property tax appeal environment and commercial real estate valuations. In the article, he outlines sector-specific implications, as well as an outlook for COVID-era cases in the State's tax court.  

CSG’s Real Estate, Development & Land Use Group – led by Mitchell S. Berkey – was profiled in the Real Estate NJ: Professional Spotlight issue as one of the Top Commercial Real Estate Law Firms in New Jersey.  

In recent months, New York and New Jersey have both technically legalized the commercial cultivation and sale of recreational marijuana within each respective state. Along with this new legal landscape will come a flurry of regulations directing the means by and the manner in which such cultivation and sale may take place. Often overlooked in the public conversation about this new legal order are questions of environmental regulation of cannabis producers.

On Monday, March 29th, the Biden administration announced a plan that would greatly expand the use of offshore wind power along much of the East Coast. The plan would designate an area between Long Island and New Jersey as a priority offshore wind zone. The plan further sets a nationwide goal of installing 30,000 megawatts of offshore and wind turbines in coastal waters by 2030. If successful, that amount of clean energy will be enough to power 10 million homes.