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Timely, substantive
industry news
and insights.
How Employers Traverse the Complex Forest of Employee Leaves
How Employers Traverse the Complex Forest of Employee Leaves
Employee leave laws are incredibly complex with overlapping regulations, evolving expectations, and legal landmines. As a result, employers often can’t see “the forest for the leaves” and can be left tangled in confusion and exposure, trying to navigate the FMLA,…
Texas Legal Alert – Proposed Bills on Texas Property Code
Texas Legal Alert – Proposed Bills on Texas Property Code
Texas House Bill 3289, a proposed bill that could impact the Texas Property Code and construction contracts, is scheduled for public hearing on April 15, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith attorney Shannon Walla, with decades of…
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…
Navigating Cognitive Bias in Corporate Counsel Negotiation and Mediation
Navigating Cognitive Bias in Corporate Counsel Negotiation and Mediation
Exploring How Bias Can Shape Decision-Making In the complex world of corporate transactions and commercial disputes, negotiation is a valuable skill for in-house counsel. Whether resolving contract issues, managing risk, or navigating settlement discussions, the ability to negotiate effectively can have a profound…
Galloway Prevails in Louisiana Hurricane Ida Commercial Insurance Case
Galloway Prevails in Louisiana Hurricane Ida Commercial Insurance Case
James Prather and Josh Dierker in Galloway’s Mandeville, Louisiana office secured a Motion for Partial Summary Judgment win in a Hurricane Ida commercial first party case. As a part of their extensive pre-trial strategy and dispositive motion practice, the Galloway…
Service Animals or Emotional Support Animals: ADA Rules for Employers
Service Animals or Emotional Support Animals: ADA Rules for Employers
More animals seem to be assisting people these days — in airports, offices, and even classrooms. Not all animals that provide help or comfort qualify as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and understanding the distinction matters…
Louisiana Defense Lawyer Roy Schroeder Joins Esteemed FDCC Membership
Louisiana Defense Lawyer Roy Schroeder Joins Esteemed FDCC Membership
Roy L. Schroeder, a Director at Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith in the firm’s Mandeville office, has been accepted as a member of the exclusive Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC). Roy joins a distinguished network of civil defense and…
Strategies for Managing Generational Differences: Autumn George and Doris Bobadilla at ACC 2025
Strategies for Managing Generational Differences: Autumn George and Doris Bobadilla at ACC 2025
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith attorneys Autumn George and Doris Bobadilla will present at the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) 2025 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. Their session will be Monday, October 20, at 5:00 p.m. As the modern workforce…
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