Partridge Snow & Hahn is proud to announce that 12 of the firm’s attorneys have been included in the 2022 edition of Best Lawyers in America, including one named “Lawyer of the Year”. Best Lawyers in America is one of the most respected peer-review publications in the legal profession. This recognition includes a wide range of the firm’s...
Press ReleasesHoward Merten Elected as President-Elect of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
August 18, 2021
PS&H is proud to announce that Managing Partner, Howard Merten, was elected as President-Elect of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC) for 2021-2022 at the organization’s Annual Meeting at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. The FDCC is an international professional association of rigorously peer-reviewed defense and corporate counsel. Membership is limited to...
The federal Food & Drug Administration (“FDA”) has refused to consider an application by Charlotte’s Web Holdings, Inc. (“Charlotte’s Web”) for a CBD product to be sold as a dietary ingredient. Instead of clarifying the uncertain legal environment around of the sale of CBD products intended for human and animal ingestion, the FDA’s inaction maintains...
ArticlesEmployment & LaborEmployer-Side Lawyers Parse Pay Equity Law (And Urge Action Sooner Rather Than Later)
August 2, 2021
By Alicia J. Samolis PS&H partner Alicia Samolis was one of the employer-side attorneys who recently weighed in on the new Rhode Island pay equity law to Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly. Alicia first advised that “[a]s a conceptual matter, don’t think of this as a discrimination law. Forget about ‘protected class’ status. Every single employee is...
CannabisClient AlertsU.S. Supreme Court Justice Says Current Federal Cannabis Prohibition is “Contradictory and Unstable”
July 27, 2021
Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court denied review of a case out of Colorado dealing with a medical marijuana dispensary’s challenge to a tax code provision. After denying review, Justice Thomas—one of the Court’s most conservative members and one not known for offering unsolicited political or legal opinions—issued a statement indicating that, with an increasing...
Client AlertsEmployment & LaborRhode Island’s New Pay Equity Law Changes How Employers Must Compensate Their Workforce
July 15, 2021
On July 6, 2021, Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee signed Pay Equity legislation (the “Act”) (H 5261A, S 0270A) into law. The Act is a broad piece of legislation that applies to all employers. While the Act does not go into effect until January 1, 2023, given the penalties and damages available under the Act, and the...
Client AlertsEmployment & LaborIntellectual PropertyUnited States Supreme Court Limits An Employer’s Ability to Protect Trade Secrets Through Violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
July 15, 2021
By Michael Gamboli and John Ottaviani A recent United States Supreme Court decision has limited the claims that an employer could assert against departing employees who steal trade secrets and confidential information from the employer’s computer systems. Background. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (“CFAA”) is a federal law that makes it a crime for a person to:...
Client AlertsNonprofitEmployment Law Fundamentals That All Rhode Island Nonprofits Must Know
July 15, 2021
Utilize a Formal Employment Application (Optional but Recommended) Nonprofits should require applicants to fill out an employment application prior to starting work, even if the applicant is known to the nonprofit. While it seems like a formality, an application will help the nonprofit defend against negligent hiring claims. Depending on the position and circumstances, the nonprofit...
ArticlesRemote, Out-of-State Work Requires Tax, Corporate and Employment Law Compliance
July 15, 2021
COVID-19 has made remote work more prevalent. Employers considering making these work-from-home arrangements permanent need to be prepared for the compliance issues that arise when the remote work crosses state lines. PS&H attorneys Russell Stein and Alicia Samolis were recently interviewed by Providence Business News to discuss some of these concerns. As Russell and Alicia explain, when...
Press ReleasesPaul M. Kessimian Elected to President-Elect of Defense Counsel of Rhode Island
July 1, 2021
Partridge Snow & Hahn Partner, Paul M. Kessimian, was recently elected to President-Elect of Defense Counsel of Rhode Island (DCRI). The state association of attorneys defending the interests of businesses and individuals in civil litigation, DCRI enhances the skills, effectiveness, and professionalism of civil defense lawyers through a provision of resources. They are committed to...
