Featured Articles

New Retirement Savings Opportunities Under the Pension Protection Act of 2006
by Alan P. Cleveland, Esq.

On August 17, 2006, President Bush signed into law the federal Pension Protection Act of 2006 (the PPA), a massive 907-page law arguably the most comprehensive pension reform since the passage of ERISA in 1974. Those elements of the PPA designed to incent increased retirement savings are of the greatest and most immediate significance for plan sponsors and participants of 401(k) plans.
[FULL STORY]

E-mail Exchange May Result in Contract Amendment
by Alexander H. Pyle, Esq.

A recent Massachusetts ruling stated that an exchange of e-mails between parties to a contract constituted a written amendment of the contract, even though the e-mails did not specifically mention the contract itself. As a result, parties to a contract should be cautious about making statements that could later be interpreted as a waiver or amendment to the contract.
[FULL STORY]

Workplace Retaliation Claims Now Easier to Prove?
by Diana K. Wieland, Esq.

With this summer’s U.S. Supreme Court’s decision, Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway Co. v. White, employment attorneys have opined that courts will grant companies fewer summary judgments and increase the number of cases filed by employees. It also reminds companies that the timing of a decision about an employee’s job may make it appear the decision was tainted and what may seem a minor change in a job can rise to the level of a legal wrong.
[FULL STORY]

Check the Pocket Before You Docket: Steps For Ensuring That Your Lawsuit Will Produce a Collectable Judgment
by James F. Ogorchock, Esq.

Many unsecured commercial plaintiffs carefully consider the likelihood of obtaining a judgment, but fail to properly conduct an upfront analysis of the likelihood of actually collecting on that judgment. Collection risk should be assessed before suit is filed. There are numerous steps that companies should take, starting with a financial analysis of the defendants.
[FULL STORY]

Recent Developments in New Hampshire Trade Secrets Law Are a Warning to Employers
by Christopher Cole, Esq.

Recently, the New Hampshire Supreme Court held that the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (“UTSA”) provided the sole legal avenue to redress employer claims of alleged misappropriation of trade secrets and the alleged misuse of non-trade secret "confidential information." This ruling has clarified the law and employers will need to keep reasonable steps to preserve the secrecy and confidentiality of information.
[FULL STORY]

New Law Clarifies End-of-Life Choices in New Hampshire
by Katherine M. Hanna, Esq.

A new advance directives law, effective January 1, 2007, serves as a compelling reminder to NH citizens to execute their Living Wills and Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare documents--or to dust off and update their previously-executed documents to be sure they meet state law requirements.
[FULL STORY]

Firm News

SPB+G Attorneys Named Top in State for 2007
Miller Publishes Fourth Book
SPB+G Active in Lex Mundi Pro Bono Initiative
SPB+G Success Stories
Awards
Nominations

[FULL STORY]

Business Resources

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Upcoming Events

“Life is good” Pumpkin Festival

Fund-raiser for Camp Sunshine (a national retreat for kids with life-threatening illnesses and their families)

October 21, 2006

Noon-8:00 p.m.

Boston Common

Boston, MA

Free (donations and carved pumpkins welcomed)

For more information, contact Jim Laughlin at Life is good at jim@lifeisgood.com or at 617.266.4160

11th Annual High Tech All-Stars

Mass. High Tech

October 25, 2006

6:00 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.

Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel

425 Summer St.

Boston, MA

$50/ticket

Please go to events.bizjournals.com/2544 or call 617.316.3260 to register or for more information

Eggs and Issues featuring HR Trivial Dispute

Mount Washington Valley Economic Council

November 2, 2006

7 to 9 a.m.

North Conway Grand Hotel

Route 16

North Conway, NH

Speaker: Jim Reidy, SPB+G Manchester

$15/council and chamber members; $17/others

Registration required; please e-mail ronda@mwvec.com to register or for more information.

Women’s Business Hall of Fame reception

Women’s Business Journal

November 6, 2006

5:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Langham Hotel

250 Franklin St.

Boston, MA

Free (reservations requested)

Please contact Vicki Dolan at vickid@womensbiz.com for more information

Legal Review of Independent Contractor Arrangements

NH High Technology Council

November 8, 2006

SPB+G

1000 Elm St. (17th Floor), Manchester, NH

8:00-9:30 a.m.

Speakers: Diana Wieland; SPB+G

For more information or to register, contact Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green at 603.668.0300.

Business and Industry Association of New Hampshire Annual Dinner

November 8, 2006

5 p.m.-9 p.m.

Radisson Hotel at the Center of NH

700 Elm St.

Manchester, NH

$100/ticket

Go to www.acteva.com/go/nhbia to register or contact 603.224.5388

New Hampshire Health Care Summit

Business NH Magazine

November 14, 2006

Radisson Hotel at the Center of NH

700 Elm St.

Manchester, NH

$50/ticket

To register or for more information, go to www.businessnhmagazine.com or call 603.626.6354

Leading the Troops: Acquiring Core HR and Management Skills

South Shore Women’s Business Network’s Boot Camp

November 15, 2006

8:30a.m.-noon

Best Western

909 Hingham St.

Rockland, MA

Speaker: Maria Recalde, SPB+G

$59/members; $79/non-members

Please call 781.749.8883 or e-mail info@sswbn.org for more information or to register

What Employers Need to Know About New Pension Reform Laws

NH High Technology Council

December 13, 2006

SPB+G

1000 Elm St. (17th Floor), Manchester, NH

8:00-9:30 a.m.

Speakers: Alan Cleveland and Jim Reidy; SPB+G

For more information or to register, contact Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green at 603.668.0300.

[FULL STORY]

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