Partner Todd Solomon lead a session entitled, “Gender pay gap and pay equity requirements and trends around the globe” at the 2018 IBA Annual Employment and Discrimination Law Conference.

This session was designed to educate attendees about the persistent gender pay gap and global efforts to reduce or otherwise address it though legislation and regulation.

The increased focus on issues of harassment is putting corporate America under a microscope. Business executives and board members—regardless of whether the entity they serve is private, public or charitable—must adjust the way they approach the issue of harassment in the workplace and actively respond to allegations of misconduct. Recent examples demonstrate that no industry sector is immune to the problem. This is no longer just a matter for the HR department—it requires focus and corporate action at the General Counsel and Board levels. The tone must be set at the top. The adequacy of compliance programs and the corporate response to allegations of harassment both past and present has become critical in the marketplace as well as in the courts. Indeed, in addition to high profile examples of media reports alone destroying corporate reputations, a recent decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Court (Gyulakian v. Lexus of Watertown, Inc. [2016]), has made it clear that a corporate failure to take sufficient remedial action (including a thorough investigation) after having been notified of potentially harassing conduct in the workplace can subject the company to punitive, as well as compensatory, damages.

The New England Legal Foundation in partnership with McDermott Will & Emery invite you to join our breakfast briefing as we explore trends in the way companies, and their Boards, are seeking to prevent and address allegations of workplace harassment in the ever-evolving #MeToo era. This briefing will provide practical and proactive steps that Boards of Directors and in-house counsel can take to protect their companies and create a supportive and inclusive environment for employees.

Please join Bob Cordy and our panelists, Sarah Walters, Kristin Michaels, Melissa Brennan and Krista Pratt, in a legal and practical discussion focusing on:

• Institutional innovations
• Investigations
• Board issues
• Liabilities

Partner Terry Dee spoke on the panel for “Know your Gatekeeper: How to Ensure Admission of Scientific Opinion Evidence in Your Jurisdiction” at the American Bar Association Section of Litigation Annual Conference, hosted on May 3 in San Diego, CA.

25 years after Daubert, the standard for admission of scientific evidence in state courts is anything but uniform. From Frye to Daubert to hybrid mixes, each state has its own standard. An experienced panel of trial lawyers explained how to find the right expert for the forum.

Lisa Schmitz Mazur will present on “Surviving and Thriving in the Telemedicine Business: Insider Tips from Chicago’s Health Tech Superstars,” at the American Telemedicine Association Annual Meeting

Kate McDonald will present, “Changes to Medicare Advantage and Part D: Greater Flexibility Means New Opportunities” at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association 2018 National Summit. The Summit is the premier Blue Cross Blue Shield conference of the year, assembling professionals from across the Blue Cross Blue Shield System to share best practices, ideas for growth, gather insights from keynote addresses and breakout sessions and much more. Blue Cross Blue Shield Plan attendees come to learn from the best speakers, and to discuss issues and challenges with industry experts to learn about the latest solutions.

Partner Patrick McCurry lead a session entitled ‘Tax Reform: What Brewers Should Know’ at BrewExpo America’s Craft Brewers Conference, hosted in Nashville on April 30 – May 3, 2018. This session provided an overview of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and how this new law is likely to affect many Brewers Association (BA) members over the next several years.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“Tax Act”) is the most comprehensive revision to the Internal Revenue Code since 1986. While the Brewers Association focuses on industry-specific excise tax measures, every brewer, supplier, distributor, and retail member is uniquely affected by other major changes in federal tax laws. The Tax Act affects the tax liability of individuals, trusts, partnerships, LLCs, and corporate entities. In addition, plans for expansion, acquisition of new equipment, exit strategies, and other fundamentals should be reviewed carefully to maximize benefits and avoid pitfalls of the new law.

Diane Morgenthaler will be a featured panelist at Large Company Plan Sponsor Roundtable (more than 10,000 employees) at the national conference of Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA) at the Scottsdale Resort.

Allison Wilkerson will present “Unique ESOP Structure Considerations” at the 32nd Annual Ohio Employee Ownership Conference.

Kris Bieker-Brady will be moderating the panel covering biologics and biosimilars at the Life Sciences Patent Network “Protecting Innovation in a Changing Landscape.” She will be discussing the differences between biosimilars and generics matter, and if biologics necessitate date exclusivity protection.

On April 24, 2018, Peter Rich and Sheila Madhani, will be speaking at a Strafford Webinar on “New CMS BPCI Advanced Bundled Payment Model: Risks, Regulatory Requirements, Implementation Challenges.”

The panel will discuss the following topics:

• Description of the new BCPI Advanced model, including participation requirements
• Successful implementation of the BCPI Advanced model
• Key legal issues