FAA Releases Proposed Rules for Drones
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) just released proposed rules regarding unmanned aircraft systems ("UAS" or "drone") in United States airspace. The rules are not final, and the FAA is expecting public comments regarding the proposed rules in the next 60 days.
The current unmanned aircraft rules will remain in place until the final new rule is approved by the FAA. You can check out our previous post here or view the FAA site here to find out more about the current rules.
Here is a quick summary of what the FAA proposed. The stated goal of the new rules is to balance aviation safety with the regulatory burden on UAS operators. Read More ›
Categories: News
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Gov. Snyder Shakes up State Government to Prepare Michigan Workers for Tomorrow’s Jobs
Michigan’s economy has made notable strides in recent years toward retaining and attracting business and creating more high-quality jobs. On Dec. 18, Gov. Rick Snyder announced an executive order aimed at keeping that forward momentum alive. Snyder said that the newly created Michigan Department of Talent and Economic Development will organize the state’s job training and economic development efforts under one unified department.
This new organizational structure brings to bear more state resources to train Michigan workers for in-demand jobs – in the skilled trades and in fields like IT and advanced manufacturing – that employers are having trouble filling.
What does the reorganization look like?
- The new Department of Talent and Economic Development will house a newly created state agency, the Talent Investment Agency, both of which are scheduled to begin operations in March.
- The Talent Investment Agency will absorb the Michigan Strategic Fund – the governmental entity in charge of incentivizing business development – as well as the Michigan Economic Development Association, the Michigan State Housing and Development Authority, the Workforce Development Agency, the Governor's Talent Investment Board, and the Unemployment Insurance Agency.
Categories: Employment
Legal Issues and Drones
John W. Mashni will be speaking at the 2015 Michigan Agri-Business Association (MABA) Winter Conference Jan. 13. John’s presentation covers legal issues surrounding UAVs and drones. Click here to view Power Point slides for John’s talk.
To stay up to date on the most recent UAV and drone news, click here to receive all of our updates.
The FAA has released several helpful summaries of the current state of the regulatory landscape. Below are a few of the most helpful links: Read More ›
Categories: News
Protect Your Business From Competitive Intelligence
The term "competitive intelligence" is the process of legally gathering information about one's competitors to gain a strategic advantage in the marketplace. Large corporations will have strategic intelligence experts as a part of their marketing department. These experts specialize in discovering promotional activities, sales figures, and other information about the company's competitors. Ideally, strong competitive intelligence enables a company to predict the strategy of a competitor and adapt with a strategy of its own that will result in an advantage in the marketplace.
The good news is that small and medium-sized businesses are not usually the targets of professional competitive intelligence experts. However, a business owner would be wise to protect itself from amateur intelligence gathering by its competitors. Competitive intelligence gathering begins by identifying the strategy of your own business and how your competitor's strategy will interfere. Then the intelligence gathering begins. Read More ›
Categories: Privacy, Social Media
Tax Write-Off for Film Producers Renewed
As part of the recent tax bill, Section 181 of the U.S. Tax Code was renewed allowing a 100 percent tax write-off for the first $15 million of the cost of producing a film in the U.S.
Categories: Tax
End of the Road for Aereo? Embattled Video Streaming Startup Files for Bankruptcy
In a prior post we reported that in June the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that streaming television service, Aereo, violated U.S. copyright law in connection with its business and legal battle with the major broadcast networks. At the time, we posed the question of whether, despite losing the lawsuit, Aereo had a future as a cable company?
The answer, it seems, is no. On November 20, Aereo filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for for the Southern District of New York, listing assets of $20.5 million and debt of $4.2 million. Read More ›
Categories: Copyright
Seeking Equity Investment? Know the Rules
The term “offer” is broadly defined under the securities laws as "every attempt or offer to dispose of, or solicitation of an offer to buy . . . for value." An offer, even without completion of the sale of securities, can run afoul of the securities laws.
An interesting case from 2011 punctuates this point and demonstrates the risks of unknowingly violating securities laws. Two advertising executives hatched an innovative, although imprudent, plan to purchase Pabst Brewing Company by offering to sell shares on Facebook and Twitter to cover the $300 million cost of the transaction. The campaign, which may have begun as simply a publicity stunt, was wildly successful, attracting five million pledging $200 million. A bit too successful, it turns out.
The SEC soon took notice and halted the campaign via a Cease and Desist Order due to a violation of securities laws by the ad men. They failed to register the public offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and could not meet an exemption. A settlement was reached and the men, who never actually collected any money, paid a fine and agreed to stop selling shares to the public.
The SEC, which has an entire enforcement unit devoted to Internet surveillance, is paying increasing attention to online activity. By law, public offerings - online or otherwise - must be registered with the SEC or meet an applicable exemption before promoters begin to offer or sell shares. Read More ›
Categories: Crowdfunding, Venture Capital/Funding
Amazon and Hachette Reach Agreement
Amazon and Hachette Book Group have officially reached a multi-year agreement announcing jointly that Hachette will be able to set the price of e-books. This settlement is important because it affects some of the largest players in the literary industry. Check out these articles delving into the conflict and much needed resolution.
- New York Times Article
- NPR Interview
- Forbes Article
Categories: News
Police Officers Can Force You to Unlock a Phone with Apple's Touch ID Technology
Did you know that one court has ruled that a police officer can force a person to unlock a phone with Apple's Touch ID technology? Understand the risks with enabling this feature on your phone. Check out the story here.
Categories: Privacy
Do You Need a Social Media Policy?
Chris Holman interviews attorney John Mashni on the Michigan Business Network discussing social media policies.
Categories: Social Media
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