Homestead Protection & Estate Planning – A Comparison Between Massachusetts & Florida
A Declaration of Homestead is a legal document informing the public that the homeowner is asserting his or her rights to protect their home from creditors. In many states, there is a property tax exemption for property that is titled in homestead. Almost all of the states allow the primary residence to be homesteaded. However,…
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Is An Extended Leave Of Absence A Reasonable Accommodation Under The Americans With Disabilities Act?
NOTE: This Client Alert applies to employers who are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). An employer is covered by the ADA if it employs fifteen or more individuals. The ADA is enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”). In its most basic sense, the ADA requires employers to ensure that qualified…
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Stamp Taxes On Cannabis – Two Similar Regimes, Two Different Outcomes
Recreational cannabis, aka marijuana, is legal in 15 states, as well as Guam and Washington, D.C., and legalization is imminent in New York State.[1] Not all cannabis, however, is created equal – many states impose stamp taxes on illegal marijuana – even states where recreational use is legal. This Client Alert contrasts the approach of two different…
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The Anti-Money Laundering Act Of 2020: The Most Sweeping AML Legislation Since The Passage Of The Usa Patriot Act
On January 1, 2021, Congress overrode President Trump’s veto and enacted the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, an omnibus bill that includes the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 (the “Act”). The Act represents a considerable development in the United States anti-money laundering laws (“AML”) and the most sweeping AML legislation since the…
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The Potential Impact Of The Recently Enacted Enabling Partnerships For Growth Act On Local Zoning And The Development Of Residential Real Estate In Massachusetts
Will the statutory zoning changes recently enacted by the Massachusetts Legislature result in a rush of new development and start to address the goal of increasing housing in the Commonwealth? Prospects for growth in housing and residential real estate development in Massachusetts have the potential to expand significantly following the passage of a new Massachusetts…
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Irs Notice Extends Qualified Opportunity Zone Relief
On January 19, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS” or the “Service) issued Notice 2021-10 (the “2021 Notice”) extending relief measures first provided in Notice 2020-39 (the “2020 Notice”) related to investments by qualified opportunity funds (“QOFs”) in qualified opportunity zones (“QOZs”). This Client Alert summarizes the relevant provisions of the QOZ legislation in the Internal…
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The Good, The Bad, And The Dead: The Legacy, Scandal, And Discontinuance Of Libor
Lenders have long relied on the London Interbank Offered Rate, or, “LIBOR”, as a benchmark interest rate for variable rate financial products. In late July of 2017, the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority announced that LIBOR would be phased out by the year 2021. With an estimated US$350 trillion in outstanding financial products, including loans,…
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Client Update – The Reopening of the Economy.
Employers across the country are looking towards a time when business operations can return to pre COVID-19 operations. While there is no clear guidance as to when this will occur, many states are beginning to formulate plans to relax workplace restrictions. The following is an update as to the status of economy reopening in Massachusetts, Connecticut,…
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Client Update – Hotels, Motels & Lodging During and After Covid- 19.
While the Coronavirus has struck all aspects of the economy, hotels and motels are in a unique situation; they are considered an essential service and can stay open but more and more, the economics of staying open are simply not viable. Before widespread implementation of ‘Stay at Home’ orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, average…
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Client Update – Wha’s New For Restaurants and Bars in a Post Covid-19 Marketplace.
As various states (and local governments) begin (and continue) lifting or loosing up the stay-at-home restrictions, restaurants and other food and beverage retailers throughout the United States are now dealing with new legal challenges, regulatory compliance and operational impediments. Nearly all restaurants and other food and beverage retailers have taken a substantial hit as a result…
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