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Timely, substantive
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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…
ABA Names Galloway’s Jared Nelson a 2025 Top 40 Young Lawyer
ABA Names Galloway’s Jared Nelson a 2025 Top 40 Young Lawyer
Jared Nelson of Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith has been named a 2025 On The Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyer by the American Bar Association. This national ABA award recognizes young lawyers for excellence in legal service and impact on…
Galloway Wins Federal Employment Case for Transportation Client in Georgia
Galloway Wins Federal Employment Case for Transportation Client in Georgia
Director Tujuana McGee and her team in Atlanta, Georgia, have secured summary judgment in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, on behalf of their client, a national transportation carrier. Tujuana delivered precise and strategic representation…
‘Twas the Night Before the Bar Exam: Advice from Galloway Attorneys
‘Twas the Night Before the Bar Exam: Advice from Galloway Attorneys
‘Twas the night before the bar exam, and no directors were stirring, but for candidates, the nerves were still occurring. With their desks long cleared of outlines, flashcards, and study materials, practicing attorneys still have vivid memories of taking the…
Galloway Houston Secures Defense Victory in Southern District of Texas
Galloway Houston Secures Defense Victory in Southern District of Texas
Director Adraon D. Greene and Associate Nadia Savo secured a summary judgment on behalf of a national retail client in a trip and fall case in the Southern District of Texas. The experienced team at Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith delivered another…
Nicole Fluet Recognized by Florida Defense Lawyers Association
Nicole Fluet Recognized by Florida Defense Lawyers Association
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith attorney Nicole Fluet was recognized as the 2025 recipient of the Joseph P. Metzger Outstanding Achievement Award by the Florida Defense Lawyers Association. She was honored at the association’s annual Florida Liability Claims Conference in Orlando,…
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