http://www.gcconsulting.com/gcc_articlearchive.php General Counsel Consulting In-house News Section en-us © 2007 General Counsel Consulting. All rights reserved. admin@gcconsulting.com(General Counsel Consulting) admin@gcconsulting.com Tuesday, 11 December 2007 07:38:07 EDT In-house News http://www.gcconsulting.com/rssfeed/gccrssfeedinhousenews.xml 60 http://www.gcconsulting.com/images/logo.gif http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/gcc_articlearchive.php Over the past several years wellness programs have found their way into various companies across the United States. Such programs, geared toward getting employees healthy in order to cut insurance costs, are known to reward employees for participating and sanction them for refusing to do so. This new corporate attitude has generated concern about employers' roles in their employees' personal lives and is predicted to result in future discrimination and privacy lawsuits. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120226 gcc70 Tuesday, 11 December 2007 07:38:07 EDT Following a $188 million verdict that was awarded to Wal-Mart employees in October 2006 when the company was found guilty of failing to pay them for work they performed off the clock, a Philadelphia judge has now told the retailer that it must also pay $45.7 million in attorney fees. In addition to the $45.7 million, which denotes 31% of the plaintiffs' monetary award, Wal-Mart is also responsible for covering $3.6 million in expenses as well as $10 million in prejudgment interest. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120224 gcc69 Tuesday, 04 December 2007 07:38:07 EDT With the invention of computers and email, communication became not only much easier but also much more confusing. The typical boundaries that existed in oral communication did not (and still do not) apply to the electronic realm. As a result, a lack of understanding of the true consequences of email is sending businesses and employees into a litigation tailspin as emails are now being used against them in the heat of legal battle. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120222 gcc68 Tuesday, 27 November 2007 07:38:07 EDT At least once in everyone's life there comes a time when a decision is made purely on emotion. Whether it involves agreeing to see the ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend even though you know you really shouldn't, buying those expensive but fabulous stiletto heels, or eating that dessert after already indulging in a four- or five-course meal, sometimes you just let your brain take a break while your heart takes over. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120219 gcc67 Tuesday, 06 November 2007 07:38:07 EDT In yet another intriguing turn of events in the four-year-long saga involving Westar Energy Inc. and two of its former executives, Westar, the largest electric-energy provider in Kansas, was recently denied a request to delay payment of its former embattled executives' legal fees. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120217 gcc66 Tuesday, 30 October 2007 07:38:07 EDT The battle between employers and employees has been a long and arduous one, and thanks to changes in several state laws, the battle is once again heating up. With the recent additions of Maryland and Illinois, 40 states have now passed legislation that will allow employees to sue their employers for discrimination with the case being heard in state court. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120215 gcc65 Tuesday, 23 October 2007 07:38:07 EDT This month, Larry D. Thompson, senior vice president of government affairs, general counsel, and secretary of PepsiCo, was a guest speaker at this year's Federal Bar Association (FBA) annual meeting and convention held in Atlanta. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120209 gcc64 Monday, 24 Sep 2007 07:38:07 EDT Lisa C. Berry, former general counsel of KLA-Tencor Corporation and Juniper Networks, Inc., is under fire for allegedly backdating stock option grants. According to a press release from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Bay Area former general counsel has been charged with backdating for the two companies from 1997 to 2003. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120208 gcc63 Monday, 17 Sep 2007 07:38:07 EDT September 1 marked the beginning of a new era for Richard H. Anderson and Delta Air Lines, Inc. Succeeding retiring CEO Gerald Grinstein, Anderson took the reins as chief executive officer of the company. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120206 gcc62 Monday, 10 Sep 2007 07:38:07 EDT Tuesday, August 28, it was announced that David Carmichael, general counsel for Pacific Life Insurance Company, will be replaced by Sharon Cheever. Effective January 1, 2008, Cheever will replace Carmichael, who will be retiring after working for the company for 30 years, according to a press release from Pacific Life. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120204 gcc61 Monday, 03 Sep 2007 07:38:07 EDT Whole Foods Market, Inc., and Wild Oats Markets, Inc., are scheduled to close their merger on Monday, August 20, after 12 noon, Eastern Standard Time. This $700 million deal between the rival natural and organic grocers has caused quite the controversy ever since the two made plans in February of this year for Whole Foods to buy out Wild Oats at a purchase price of $18.50 per share in cash. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120203 gcc60 Monday, 27 Aug 2007 07:38:07 EDT Nike, Inc., is now $7.6 million poorer, thanks to a recent settlement in a race discrimination lawsuit filed against the company. The class action lawsuit was filed against the athletic-apparel conglomerate on behalf of 400 current and former black employees who worked at Niketown in Chicago from 1999 to the present. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120202 gcc59 Monday, 13 Aug 2007 07:38:07 EDT What do the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment and a nonprofit organization formed to help the country of Malawi have to do with the legal profession? Plenty if you are Michael Hurst, Caterpillar, Inc.'s in-house intellectual property lawyer. Hurst is just one of the many Caterpillar, Inc., employees to get involved with the manufacturer's new pro bono program that began in November 2006. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120200 gcc58 Monday, 06 Aug 2007 07:38:07 EDT Usually when a large company faces a lawsuit, the suit isn't filed by one of its top in-house attorneys. But that's exactly what General Electric Co., the world's second-largest company, is dealing with. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120198 gcc57 Monday, 30 July 2007 07:38:07 EDT Global warming and its companion, environmental pollution, have been heavily discussed in the media recently. From scientists releasing doomsday reports to Al Gore's astonishing success at the box office with An Inconvenient Truth to the recent "Live Earth" concert to promote awareness of and create a solution for the global climate crisis, there seems to be no sign of the topic getting lost in America's, or the world's, consciousness. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120197 gcc56 Monday, 23 July 2007 07:38:07 EDT In recent weeks, the House of Representatives has demonstrated its desire for the Securities and Exchange Commission to further postpone internal regulations associated with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, most clearly by voting to prolong the exemption of small businesses through 2008. It should be noted that businesses with less than $75 million in market capitalization fall into the small-company category. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120196 gcc55 Monday, 16 July 2007 07:38:07 EDT Immigration has undoubtedly been a hot topic in the United States recently, and it seems there are no signs of the subject becoming any less controversial in the near future. As Congress continues to struggle over immigration reform, lawsuits filed by immigrants alleging violations of the EEOC continue to rise. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120193 gcc54 Monday, 02 July 2007 07:38:07 EDT Following the surging trend of employees filing lawsuits against their employers, employers have yet another reason to be wary: 401(k) plans. Recently, fees associated with 401(k) plans have come under close scrutiny and are resulting in mounting lawsuits against small and large corporations alike. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120189 gcc53 Monday, 18 Jun 2007 07:38:07 EDT Attention, American corporations: you can now breathe a sigh of relief. The Supreme Court, in a 5-to-4 vote, has drastically altered the landscape of Title VII lawsuits. On May 29, claims that allege discrimination based on gender or race will have their statue of limitations drastically altered; henceforth, the claimant must proceed with legal action, if he or she chooses to do so, within 180 days of the alleged incident. Previously, a claimant had to act within 180 days of his or her last paycheck. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120187 gcc52 Monday, 11 Jun 2007 07:38:07 EDT Although everyone is familiar with the stories of underpaid workers who struggle to make a living throughout the country (many of which involve immigrants), the past several years have seen the story take an interesting turn. More and more underpaid workers, irrespective of legal status, are beginning to file lawsuits against their employers alleging breaches of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Between 2000 and 2006, cases have increased by more than 100%, ballooning from 1,854 to 4,389. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120185 gcc51 Monday, 04 Jun 2007 07:38:07 EDT The Tyco International, Ltd.-shareholder class action suit that began five years ago when various executives, including the CEO, were believed to have plundered the company and misled the public about its true worth has reached a tentative $2.975 billion settlement. When and if the settlement is finalized - it still must be sanctioned by U.S. District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro, as well as the largest investors - it will represent the largest payment by a corporation in a securities fraud case. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120183 gcc50 Monday, 28 May 2007 07:38:07 EDT Three former and current executives of Purdue Pharma, LP, the maker of OxyContin, pled guilty to misdemeanor charges of drug misbranding on May 10, acknowledging that they deceived consumers about the risks associated with the drug. Michael Friedman, the company's president, Howard Udell, Purdue's principal lawyer, and Paul Goldenheim, the company's former chief medical officer, will pay $634.5 million in fines for alleging that OxyContin had a lower incidence of abuse and addiction than the drug's competitors, according to United States Attorney John Brownlee. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120181 gcc49 Monday, 21 May 2007 07:38:07 EDT Employers know that it is illegal to discriminate against employees, or potential employees, on the basis of gender, yet there has been an increase in the number of lawsuits filed against companies where employees claimed they were discriminated against based on family caregiving responsibilities. Although such claims have existed since the 70s, the number of cases filed throughout the United States has increased by 400% since 1996. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120179 gcc48 Monday, 14 May 2007 07:38:07 EDT The United States Chamber of Commerce, on behalf of its affiliate, the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, recently released the 2007 State Liability Systems Ranking Study. The study surveyed 1,599 in-house general counsel and corporate senior litigators to determine how fair business organizations feel each state's tort-liability system is. According to the results, California, and Los Angeles and San Francisco in particular, are believed to have tort systems that unfairly favor plaintiffs at the expense of corporations. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120177 gcc47 Monday, 07 May 2007 07:38:07 EDT On April 16, the California Supreme Court ruled on a hotly contested issue among employers and employees regarding the time frame in which an employee can recoup his or her "additional hour of pay" for missed meal and rest breaks. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120175 gcc46 Monday, 30 April 2007 07:38:07 EDT On April 10, Merisant Company, maker of Equal and NutraSweet, argued in a Philadelphia federal district court that McNeil Nutritionals, maker of Splenda, deliberately deceived consumers with the tagline "Made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar" and related advertising sending the message that Splenda is natural and made from sugar, which they contend it is not. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120173 gcc45 Monday, 23 April 2007 07:38:07 EDT Recently, pharmaceutical companies have come under fire for allegedly employing a practice known as "off-labeling," whereby they persuade physicians to prescribe drugs for reasons other than the drugs' developed purposes. As a result, Congress has launched an investigation into the practice, class-action suits have been filed, and large settlements have been reached. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120170 gcc44 Monday, 16 April 2007 07:38:07 EDT On March 27, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments for Credit Suisse Securities v. Billing, the IPO antitrust case whose outcome will greatly impact the future of Wall Street, investments, and the manner in which companies are offered for sale to the public. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120167 gcc43 Monday, 09 April 2007 07:38:07 EDT Reflecting a recent surge in class-action overtime litigation, another wave of lawsuits is being filed across the country by pharmaceutical representatives. Drug salespeople have filed suit against prominent drug companies seeking compensation for overtime they believe they should have received but were never paid. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120165 gcc42 Monday, 02 April 2007 07:38:07 EDT On March 13, Viacom, Inc., parent company of such cable mainstays as MTV, VH1, and Comedy Central, sued YouTube and its parent company, Google, for more than $1 billion, claiming copyright infringement. This is the latest development in a long-standing battle between the two companies as they have sparred over the use of clips shown on the popular video-sharing website. In addition to its request for substantial monetary damages, Viacom is also hoping to obtain an injunction that would prohibit all Viacom clips from being posted on YouTube or Google. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120161 gcc41 Monday, 26 March 2007 07:38:07 EDT On Thursday, March 8, an Alexandria, VA, jury found that Vonage was infringing upon three Verizon Communications, Inc., patents, forcing the voice-over Internet protocol (VoIP) telephone provider to pay $58 million in damages as well as potential royalties to Verizon if it continues to utilize the corporation's technology. Vonage has said it will appeal the verdict. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120158 gcc40 Monday, 19 March 2007 07:38:07 EDT Google, Inc.'s YouTube has reached a partnership agreement with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and BBC Worldwide. The deal, which represents the first agreement between the video-sharing site and an international broadcaster, will allow YouTube to broadcast various clips from BBC news and entertainment outlets. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120154 gcc39 Monday, 12 March 2007 07:38:07 EDT A $5 million lawsuit filed against IBM by a former employee who was terminated because he entered an adult chat room while at work has once again come to the legal forefront. James Pacenza, a 58-year-old Vietnam veteran who operated an East Fishkill, NY, machine plant that produced computer chips for the company, claims that he is addicted to the Internet and that, rather than firing him, IBM should have attempted to treat his disorder. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120152 gcc38 Monday, 05 March 2007 07:38:07 EDT MySpace.com, the social-networking website owned by Fox Interactive Media, Inc., recently announced that it will test video-filtering technology that prohibits the use of unauthorized copyrighted materials. Audible Magic Corporation, a leader in the anti-piracy-services industry that provides technology to various corporations in numerous fields ranging from government to entertainment, is licensing the video-filtering technology to MySpace. According to Audible Magic's press release, the "filter screens video uploaded by users and blocks any video matching a fingerprint in MySpace's database." Essentially, the technology will scan all videos for signature vectors that serve as digital fingerprints. Audio filtering and limited video filtering have been available since last year. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120149 gcc37 Monday, 26 Feb 2007 07:38:07 EDT Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest memory-chip maker, has agreed to pay $90 million to settle a lawsuit filed by a coalition of state attorneys general who say that it used illegal price-fixing tactics to drive up the cost of computer memory chips. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120147 gcc37 Monday, 19 Feb 2007 07:38:07 EDT Viacom, Inc., which owns MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, and Paramount Pictures, has demanded that YouTube take down more than 100,000 unauthorized videos from its hugely popular video-sharing site. Viacom made the request after failing to reach a distribution agreement with YouTube and its corporate parent, Google, Inc. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120144 gcc36 Monday, 12 Feb 2007 07:38:07 EDT Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., will pay more than $33 million in back wages to thousands of employees after turning itself in to the Labor Department for paying too little overtime over the past five years, according to an agreement announced by the U.S. Department of Labor. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120141 gcc35 Monday, 05 Feb 2007 07:38:07 EDT The Senate Finance Committee recently approved legislation that will place a $1-million annual limit on the amount a highly paid executive can place tax-free into a deferred compensation plan and make it more difficult for individuals to protect their compensation from creditors in bankruptcies. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120138 gcc34 Monday, 29 Jan 2007 07:38:07 EDT Accenture, one of the world's largest consulting firms, is pushing its outside counsel to add more diversity to their firms and is prepared to drop those who don't make efforts to improve. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120135 gcc33 Monday, 22 Jan 2007 07:38:07 EDT What is it about going in-house that seems to increasingly draw attorneys from law firms to in-house legal departments? According to a recent survey by NALP, the attrition rate for experienced attorneys with about five years of experience jumped dramatically, from 60 percent in 2000 to 78 percent in 2005. A BCG Attorney Search survey concluded that approximately 80 percent of attorneys actively seeking positions were interested in in-house opportunities. These attorneys expressed concerns regarding their work/life balances, rising billable requirements, business development demands, repetitive work, and unlikely prospects of becoming partners. To fully understand this trend, one needs to take a closer look at the factors prompting a growing number of attorneys to transition from law firms to in-house legal departments. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120132 gcc32 Monday, 15 Jan 2007 07:38:07 EDT Real estate attorneys are adopting more deal-making skills characteristic of their corporate counterparts, according to an article in the National Law Review. Real estate attorneys say clients that are buying and selling high-dollar, multi-property assets increasingly want a lawyer who not only understands how to access properties, but who can also play a role in crafting a transaction. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120129 gcc31 Monday, 08 Jan 2007 07:38:07 EDT What is it about going in-house that seems to increasingly draw attorneys from law firms to in-house legal departments? According to a recent survey conducted by NALP, the attrition rate for experienced attorneys with about five years of experience jumped dramatically from 60% in 2000 to 78% in 2005. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120126 gcc30 Monday, 01 Jan 2007 07:38:07 EDT Corporate America is not happy with its outside counsel, according to a recent client-service survey. Only 32% of surveyed executives said they would recommend firms that worked for them, and 70% said they were dissatisfied with their primary law firms. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120124 gcc29 Monday, 25 Dec 2006 07:38:07 EDT As new accounting rules go into effect for public employers, lawyers can expect an influx of legal work. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120121 gcc28 Monday, 18 Dec 2006 07:38:07 EDT On December 1, amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP) relating to e-discovery went into effect. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120118 gcc27 Monday, 11 Dec 2006 07:38:07 EDT Frustration is brewing for many general counsel, as new licensing laws are being approved in more states. Abiding by the new rules, which require lawyers to obtain limited licenses to practice in states in which they have not been admitted to the bar, can be costly and time-consuming. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120116 gcc26 Monday, 04 Dec 2006 07:38:07 EDT Whether or not corporate cybercrime is escalating is unclear, but one thing is certain: companies are experiencing increased financial and operational losses from electronic crimes, according to a recent survey. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120111 gcc25 Monday, 27 Nov 2006 07:38:07 EDT In-house attorneys continue to make top dollar. Their base salaries have risen between 2.2% and 9.5% nationwide, according to a recent Altman Weil, Inc., survey. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120106 gcc24 Monday, 20 Nov 2006 07:38:07 EDT Millions of Internet users post or read online blogs, and that number is slowly beginning to include in-house counsel. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120104 gcc23 Monday, 13 Nov 2006 07:38:07 EDT In the wake of corporate scandals, internal investigations into corporate practices are increasingly common, and with the rise in stock option backdating, they are likely to remain so. In order to avoid criminal charges, corporate counsel should take steps to ensure that investigations are carefully executed. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120100 gcc22 Monday, 6 Nov 2006 07:38:07 EDT Companies that employ illegal immigrants are increasingly facing fines and criminal charges. Last year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the Secure Border Initiative, which calls for "more robust worksite enforcement." http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120096 gcc21 Monday, 2 Nov 2006 07:38:07 EDT The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will hold an open meeting on December 13 to vote on proposals that would make delisting from U.S. stock exchanges easier for foreign companies and to clarify laws governing proxy fights. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120093 gcc20 Friday, 29 Sep 2006 07:38:07 EDT Companies consistently backdate stock option grants, which may cost shareholders hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the findings of a recent study. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120084 gcc19 Friday, 29 Sep 2006 07:38:07 EDT Arbitration has become increasingly popular in commercial contracts. In fact, most contracts now require arbitration, but there is also increasing controversy over whether it should take the place of court trials. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120084 gcc18 Friday, 22 Sep 2006 07:38:07 EDT In today's uncertain economic climate, lawyers are more reluctant to change positions, forcing recruiters to come up with innovative strategies to convince them to reenter the job market. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120082 gcc16 Friday, 15 Sep 2006 07:38:07 EDT Starting Dec. 1, in-house counsel will have to contend with the new e-discovery procedural rules detailed in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120080 gcc15 Friday, 07 Sep 2006 07:38:07 EDT Corporate Counsel continues its five-year-old tradition. After asking GCs at Fortune 250 companies to name their "primary" law firms in four key practice areas, the publication has released its survey results in an August report entitled "Who Represents America's Biggest Companies." http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120075 gcc15 Wednesday, 30 Aug 2006 07:38:07 EDT The corporate and legal communities received two shocks within the past month: first, when General Counsel Jeffrey Kindler became Pfizer, Inc.'s new CEO, and second, when General Counsel Paul Goldean became Scottish Re's new CEO. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120045 gcc15 Friday, 11 Aug 2006 07:38:07 EDT "[The Sarbanes-Oxley Act] was good medicine for corporate ills, but even good medicine prescribed without due care for side effects can be toxic." http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120046 gcc14 Friday, 11 Aug 2006 07:38:07 EDT "With more than 20,000 comments, and counting, it is now official that no issue in the 72 years of the Commission's history has generated such interest," said Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Christopher Cox on July 26 in Washington, DC. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120047 gcc13 Friday, 11 Aug 2006 07:38:07 EDT Stock options are a typical form of compensation in public companies. For Gregory L. Reyes, former CEO of Brocade Communications Systems, stock options gave him wealth, power, and, in a recent twist of fate, scandal. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120048 gcc12 Friday, 11 Aug 2006 07:38:07 EDT July 14 - Corporate Counsel released its annual report, documenting the 100 highest-paid general counsel at Fortune 500 companies. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120049 gcc11 Friday, 11 Aug 2006 07:38:07 EDT Enron's former CEO, Kenneth Lay, died from a heart attack in Aspen, CO, on Wednesday, June 28. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120051 gcc10 Friday, 11 Aug 2006 07:38:07 EDT In a 9-0 decision on June 22, the Supreme Court significantly strengthened legal protection for employees who suffer workplace discrimination and harassment. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120050 gcc9 Friday, 11 Aug 2006 07:38:07 EDT China's economy is booming. In 2005, the country had the world's sixth-largest economy, with a gross domestic product of $1.79 trillion. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120052 gcc8 Friday, 11 Aug 2006 07:38:07 EDT The Texas Supreme Court made a momentous final decision regarding the ongoing battle between AES Wolf Hollow and The Shaw Group, Inc., that allows third parties access to auditor-privileged documents on April 28. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120053 gcc7 Friday, 11 Aug 2006 07:38:07 EDT The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission released the "Statement of the SEC Concerning Financial Penalties" on Jan. 4, 2006, which authorizes the government to impose civil money penalties on public companies. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120054 gcc6 Friday, 11 Aug 2006 07:38:07 EDT Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham LLP (K&LNG) released their third Top of Mind survey on the Senior In-House Counsel on January 3. However, there has been speculative criticism about the validity of K&LNG's report. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120055 gcc5 Friday, 11 Aug 2006 07:38:07 EDT On Jan. 27, the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed more stringent executive compensation disclosure rules in hopes that investors will make more informed business decisions, but many are wondering if these measures are adequate. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120056 gcc4 Friday, 11 Aug 2006 07:38:07 EDT Need to find evidence? If you are an attorney, you will not likely be scouring through file cabinets to get the information you need. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120057 gcc3 Friday, 11 Aug 2006 07:38:07 EDT "Firms are being sued more and more, and claims are getting bigger," Ward Bower, principal of Altman Weil Inc., said in a Law.com article. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120058 gcc2 Friday, 11 Aug 2006 07:38:07 EDT The fate of 2002's Sarbanes-Oxley Act is uncertain. http://www.gcconsulting.com/articles/index.php?id=120059 gcc1 Friday, 11 Aug 2006 07:38:07 EDT