$17 Million False Claims Act Settlement is Cautionary Tale for Federal Contractors with Diversity Initiatives

April 23, 2026

Blog, Insights & Impact Business Blog

By: Mark T. Sottile , Scott A. Coffina

Questions abound over the United States Justice Department’s (“DOJ”) aggressive posture towards federal contractors with DEI policies. On April 10, 2026, the DOJ settled with IBM, as the multinational technology company agreed to pay $17 million to resolve allegations its diversity practices violated the False Claims Act. The DOJ asserted... Read More

Operating Online? Know Whether Your Website is a Place of Public Accommodation Before Reacting to Litigation Threats

April 22, 2026

Blog, From Boardroom to Courtroom: Business Disputes in Pennsylvania

By: Matthew R. Barnes

A recurring series exploring shareholder disputes, partnership conflicts, membership fights, and business breakups in the Keystone State. Follow the series here. In recent years, businesses of all sizes have faced a surge of demand letters and lawsuits alleging website and digital accessibility violations under Title III of the Americans with... Read More

Why Defining “Irreparable Harm” in Your Contracts Matters

April 8, 2026

Blog, From Boardroom to Courtroom: Business Disputes in Pennsylvania

By: Matthew R. Barnes

A recurring series exploring shareholder disputes, partnership conflicts, membership fights, and business breakups in the Keystone State. Follow the series here. When disputes arise, the fastest, and sometimes only, way to prevent lasting damage is to ask a court for an injunction. But courts do not grant injunctions lightly. A... Read More

Minority Freeze-Outs in Pennsylvania: What Counts as Oppression, and What Can You Do About It?

March 25, 2026

Blog, From Boardroom to Courtroom: Business Disputes in Pennsylvania

By: Matthew R. Barnes

A recurring series exploring shareholder disputes, partnership conflicts, membership fights, and business breakups in the Keystone State. Follow the series here. In closely held businesses, the dynamics between owners can change quickly, especially when majority owners take action to marginalize minority owners—a scenario called a “freeze-out.” Pennsylvania law protects minority... Read More

DOL Proposes Return to Economic Reality Test in Employee vs. Independent Contractor Analysis

March 24, 2026

Blog, Insights & Impact Business Blog

By: Tatyanah M. Brehouse

On February 26, 2026, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced a proposed rule, “Employee or Independent Contractor Status Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act” (see here). The proposal would replace the 2024 analysis for determining whether a... Read More

The Most Expensive Estate Planning Mistake Isn’t Taxes. It’s Silence.

March 17, 2026

Blog, Insights & Impact Business Blog

By: Timothy B. Thurman

For many years, estate planning conversations began with taxes. Clients wanted to understand how to reduce estate tax exposure, how much they could transfer during life, and what strategies would preserve wealth for the next generation. The focus was technical and forward looking, often centered on financial efficiency.  Those discussions... Read More

Pennsylvania LLC Disputes: Who Has Standing to Sue?

March 12, 2026

Blog, From Boardroom to Courtroom: Business Disputes in Pennsylvania

By: Matthew R. Barnes

A recurring series exploring shareholder disputes, partnership conflicts, membership fights, and business breakups in the Keystone State. Follow the series here. As a member of a Pennsylvania Limited Liability Company (“LLC”), you may encounter disputes over company management, conflicts with outside vendors, disagreements among members, or concerns about LLC assets.... Read More

Standing on Shaky Ground: A Difference of Opinion on What is “Fairly Traceable” in Cases Involving Third-Party Criminal Conduct

March 6, 2026

Blog, Insights & Impact Business Blog

By: John B. Zappone

Standing seems like a straightforward concept—the plaintiff must suffer an injury in fact fairly traceable to the defendant’s challenged conduct for which the court can provide redress. See Lujan v. Defs. of Wildlife, 504 U.S. 555, 560 (1992). But what is “fairly traceable” is not so straightforward in cases involving... Read More

Flexible Leave Act: What Proposed FMLA Changes Could Mean for Employers

March 2, 2026

Blog, Insights & Impact Business Blog

By: Hannah M. Franke

On February 11, 2026, Congresswoman Sarah McBride (DE-At-Large) and Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna (FL-14) introduced bipartisan legislation, the Flexible Leave Act (H.R. 7505), proposing notable updates to the Family and Medical Leave Act (29 U.S.C. 2612 (b)) (“FMLA”). Aimed at making job-protected leave more accessible for today’s workforce, the Flexible... Read More

What is an Adverse Employment Action, Anyway?

January 28, 2026

Blog, Insights & Impact Business Blog

By: Gaetan J. Alfano , Mark T. Sottile

Employment discrimination lawsuits are almost invariably triggered by an “adverse action.” The standard burden-shifting framework for a plaintiff to prove her prima facie Title VII discrimination case reads: A plaintiff must present sufficient evidence that she was: 1) a member of a protected class; 2) qualified for the position; 3)... Read More