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Timely, substantive
industry news
and insights.
Timely, substantive
industry news
and insights.
Longshore/Defense Base Act Update: Chief ALJ Compares Apples to Oranges Following Schulmeister Decision
Longshore/Defense Base Act Update: Chief ALJ Compares Apples to Oranges Following Schulmeister Decision
We previously highlighted the Benefits Review Board’s (BRB) decision in Marcus Schulmeister v. Blackwater USA et al, BRB No. 23-0255 (September 25, 2024) — a matter arising under the Defense Base Act — and how this decision casts doubt over the…
Maritime Attorney Jason Waguespack Featured in “The Marine Insurer”
Maritime Attorney Jason Waguespack Featured in “The Marine Insurer”
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith maritime attorney Jason Waguespack was featured in the January 2025 quarterly edition of “The Marine Insurer.” The text of the article, “When COGSA was challenged,” appears below. From a vessel leaving Vietnam to seeking…
Immigration Policy Changes: Expected Impacts for Corporations and Employers
Immigration Policy Changes: Expected Impacts for Corporations and Employers
Throughout his presidential campaign, Donald Trump emphasized the need for stricter immigration policies, framing corporate immigration reform—an integral aspect of business immigration law— as a crucial element of his “America First” agenda. He pledged to safeguard American jobs by curbing…
DEI: With Some Employers Moving Away from Past Trends, Where Are They Headed Now?
DEI: With Some Employers Moving Away from Past Trends, Where Are They Headed Now?
Near the end of President Donald J. Trump’s first term in office, he issued an Executive Order titled Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, the purpose of which was to “combat offensive and anti-American race and sex stereotyping and scapegoating.” The…
Benefits Review Board Allows Claimant Another Bite at the Apple After Settlement
Benefits Review Board Allows Claimant Another Bite at the Apple After Settlement
The Benefits Review Board (BRB) recently reversed a grant of summary decision regarding whether a claimant’s current “left shoulder injury” claim is covered by the parties’ previous settlement for his “left pectoral muscle,” knee, and psychological injuries. In Marcus Schulmeister v.…
Longshore/Defense Base Act: U.S. Dept. of Labor Releases Annual Adjustments for 2025
Longshore/Defense Base Act: U.S. Dept. of Labor Releases Annual Adjustments for 2025
On September 12, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor issued Industry Notice No. 203 providing the National Average Weekly Wage, the maximum and minimum compensation rates, and the cost-of-living adjustment for Fiscal Year 2025. The annual adjustments under Section 10(h)…
Defense Base Act Update: Benefits Review Board Addresses Recent Trends in Expert Medical Evidence
Defense Base Act Update: Benefits Review Board Addresses Recent Trends in Expert Medical Evidence
In a recent decision, the Benefits Review Board (BRB) clarified the weight afforded to “treating” physicians’ opinions and endorsed the use of judicial notice of prior Decisions and Orders discussing a “treating” physician’s similarly worded medical reports. In Rogers Avendaño…
Employment Alert Update: District Judge Blocks FTC Ban on Noncompetes
Employment Alert Update: District Judge Blocks FTC Ban on Noncompetes
On Tuesday, August 20, 2024, a federal district judge in Texas permanently blocked the Federal Trade Commission’s Final Rule on Noncompete Agreements on the grounds that the regulation exceeded the agency’s authority. The details of the Rule were addressed in…
Insurance Law Alert: Changes to Louisiana Direct Action Statute Effective August 1, 2024
Insurance Law Alert: Changes to Louisiana Direct Action Statute Effective August 1, 2024
Changes are coming to the Louisiana Direct Action Statute. Under this unique Louisiana law, a plaintiff previously had a right to assert a direct action against an insurer, or against both an insurer and its insured, under broad circumstances. This…
Employment Alert Update: District Court Granted a Preliminary Injunction Staying Enforcement of FTC’s Rule on Noncompetes
Employment Alert Update: District Court Granted a Preliminary Injunction Staying Enforcement of FTC’s Rule on Noncompetes
In our April 24, 2024 Employment Alert: Federal Trade Commission Issues Final Rule Banning Noncompetes, we explained that the new FTC Rule sought to ban most existing noncompete agreements. In July 2024, a federal district court in Texas granted a…
Galloway Hosts 10th Annual Claims & Litigation Conference, Tampa
Galloway Hosts 10th Annual Claims & Litigation Conference, Tampa
For the tenth year, Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith will present its Claims & Litigation Conference in Tampa, Florida. The daylong event gathers industry leaders, Galloway attorneys, and claims professionals for engaging presentations, professional development, and networking. In its…
Galloway Hosts Roundtable Symposium in Dallas
Galloway Hosts Roundtable Symposium in Dallas
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith, a premier Dallas corporate defense and litigation firm in Texas, hosted a Roundtable Symposium on March 12 at the Omni Frisco Hotel at the Star. The event gathered industry professionals and Galloway attorneys for…
Galloway Secures Another Victory in Florida After Hurricane Delay
Galloway Secures Another Victory in Florida After Hurricane Delay
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith secured victory through motion for summary judgment on behalf of their clients, a well-known convenience store brand in Florida. Undeterred by the case already being mistried due to Hurricane Milton, Pensacola attorney M. Austin Moretz delivered…
Galloway Adds Commercial Defense Lawyers in Florida and Texas
Galloway Adds Commercial Defense Lawyers in Florida and Texas
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith has strengthened its Florida and Texas bench with the addition of two experienced attorneys. With expertise in commercial litigation, both will provide result-driven representation that partners with clients to go way above and way…
Longshore/Defense Base Act Update: Chief ALJ Compares Apples to Oranges Following Schulmeister Decision
Longshore/Defense Base Act Update: Chief ALJ Compares Apples to Oranges Following Schulmeister Decision
We previously highlighted the Benefits Review Board’s (BRB) decision in Marcus Schulmeister v. Blackwater USA et al, BRB No. 23-0255 (September 25, 2024) — a matter arising under the Defense Base Act — and how this decision casts doubt over the…
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