News & Insights

A new ruling by the Court of Appeals of Maryland prohibits banks and lending institutions from recapturing closing costs on "no-fee" mortgages that are subsequently prepaid by the mortgagor.  Lenders who offer these types of mortgages will now have to "eat" the closing costs on prepaid mortgage... Read more >

Reported Decision:  Crickenberger v. Hyundai Motor America, 404 Md. 37, 944 A.2d 1136 (2008) (amicus curiae) ... Read more >

On October 1, 2009, a new law will take effect in the State of Maryland, making it illegal for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, franchisees, or dealers to agree on a minimum resale price for products or services.  The new law is intended to make clear that, under the Maryland Antitrust A... Read more >

Employers in the mid-Atlantic region should be aware that Maryland and Virginia have joined the District of Columbia in banning drivers from writing and sending email and text messages while driving.  D.C. has prohibited texting while driving since 2004.  Virginia's ban went into effect Ju... Read more >

On August 24, 2009, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published new regulations in the Federal Register that detail the obligation of covered entities to notify employees and, in some cases, the media and Secretary of Health, in the event of breaches of unsecured protected health info... Read more >

Despite last minute efforts by Congress at the end of 2009, the estate tax has been repealed for one year - 2010. Thus, under current tax law, if you die in 2010 your estate will not be subject to federal estate tax. This one year repeal was set up by the 2001 tax cut legislation signed into law by ... Read more >

FLSA Amendment re: Lactation Effective March 23, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act amended the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to require covered employers to provide breaks and space for nursing mothers to express breast milk. With minor exceptions, all employers covered by the ... Read more >

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has issued a notice informing employers that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is targeting industry groups, specifically the health care industry, in its investigations of FLSA compliance.   We have seen a significant increase in audits by... Read more >