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MonsterHut Decision: Weapon of Mass Destruction? Image

MonsterHut Decision: Weapon of Mass Destruction?

D. Reed Freeman Jr.

Earlier this year, a New York trial judge issued the first written opinion on the meaning of the terms permission based and opt-in in the context of e-mail marketing.

Features

DEVELOPMENTS OF NOTE Image

DEVELOPMENTS OF NOTE

ALM Staff & Law Journal Newsletters

The Small Webcaster Settlement Act (Pub.L. 107-321) became law in December. It provides for alternative royalty-rate setting among certain small and noncommercial Webcasters by agreement with receiving agent designated by the copyright office to accept royalty payments for works covered by sound recording copyrights.

Features

Maturing Internet Leads to Fewer Domain-Name Squabbles Image

Maturing Internet Leads to Fewer Domain-Name Squabbles

Tamara Loomis

The wild wild Web is getting tamed. Cybersquatters no longer freely roam its highways looking for easy marks and trademark owners who once went after anyone who crossed their path are now choosing their battles much more carefully.

e-Commerce DOCKET SHEET Image

e-Commerce DOCKET SHEET

ALM Staff & Law Journal Newsletters

A notice accompanying packaged and downloadable software purporting to restrict purchasers from publishing product reviews or disclosing benchmark test results without seller's permission is unenforceable and may be sanctionable under New York law prohibiting deceptive business acts and practices (People v. Network Associates Inc., No. 400590/02, N.Y. Sup. Ct. N.Y. Cty. Jan. 14, 2003).

e-Commerce is Up ' and So Are Complaints of Identity Theft Image

e-Commerce is Up ' and So Are Complaints of Identity Theft

Michael Lear-Olimpi

e-Commerce has become a mainstream staple, research from the private sector and the government indicates.

US Objects to ABA's Proposed Model Definition on the Practice of Law Image

US Objects to ABA's Proposed Model Definition on the Practice of Law

Michael Lear-Olimpi

When the American Bar Association (ABA) released its draft Model Definition of the Practice of Law in September 2002, nonlaywers performing some legal-related tasks weren't alone in taking alarmed notice.

Features

Don't Settle For Just a Warranty Image

Don't Settle For Just a Warranty

Marie Flores

Software license agreements can appear deceptively easy to draft, particularly in an age when form contracts are readily available. The danger, however, lies in overlooking subtleties that truly define parties' contractual intentions and obligations. If the licensee will be paying for custom software or modifications to pre-existing software, then warranties will play a particularly important role.

Hotline Image

Hotline

ALM Staff & Law Journal Newsletters

Recent developments of interest to corporate counsel.

Features

Litigation Traps in Purchasing a Business Image

Litigation Traps in Purchasing a Business

Gary A. Wexler

When prospective purchasers of businesses don't perform a thorough due diligence on the sellers, the result can be unneeded and protracted litigation. Due diligence should include investigation into trade secrets, other potential purchasers, covenants not to compete, seller's liabilities and insurance coverage. The purchaser should consider all 'what ifs' including claims and remedies during the due diligence period. What if the seller defaults? What if the seller breaches the representations and warranties? What if the seller violates the covenant not to compete? What if the seller discloses or has already disclosed to others acquired trade secret information? Paying too much too early to a seller without substantial assets or sufficient holdbacks are red flags. In the event of a seller's breach and purchaser's lawsuit, any resulting judgment may be uncollectible.

Supreme Court Once Again Addresses Issue of Punitive Damages Image

Supreme Court Once Again Addresses Issue of Punitive Damages

A. Michael Sabino

Punitive damages, traditionally a form of compensation awarded to punish the wrongdoer and simultaneously deter future misconduct, have long been a divisive issue within American law and business. For the former, centuries of law recognize the efficacy of a sizeable financial punishment, deliberately outsized in order to properly punish a larger wrong, and to make the miscreant and others similarly minded think twice before doing it again. The public policy has long outweighed the possibility that the particular victim may be rewarded with a recovery usually well in excess of the actual harm suffered. Yet business, particularly large corporations, contend that awards of punitive damages have grown monsterous, and completely out of proportion to the harm suffered. Defying rationality, such damages threaten the very existence of the business defendant, and only give windfalls to undeserving and avaricious plaintiffs and their counsel.

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