News from 2018

Nauman Smith Attorney Represents Morning Call in Dash Cam Video Suit

Last week’s release of the dash cam video of a routine traffic stop by state police that turned into a frantic gun battle along Route 33 in Northampton County was the result of action by The Morning Call which sued to have the video released to the public. Prosecutors initially declined to make the video public… Read On

Student Loan Debt: A New Way to Attract Top Talent

It is no surprise to many employers that student loan debt is on the rise among younger graduates. What may surprise some is the trend toward offering student loan assistance programs as part of a benefits package to entice younger applicants. As student loan debt is on the rise, younger employees’ retirement funds are on the decline… Read On

Proposed Legislation Could Change the Way Pennsylvania Businesses Handle Overtime Compensation

In January, Governor Tom Wolf announced his plan to change the eligibility requirements for employees to receive overtime. Wolf’s plan mirrored the plan circulated by the Obama administration, through the United States Department of Labor. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry submitted its proposed regulation in June. U.S. businesses will not yet have to contend with the Obama administration’s changes… Read On

Municipal Drone Use – Opportunities and Potential Pitfalls

Municipalities across Central Pennsylvania and the United States are grappling with the explosion in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or “drone” use among businesses, hobbyists, and other private interests. Regulating this use raises a wide range of issues including invasion of privacy, trespass, nuisance, the proper exercise of municipal police power, and the limits of state and local power to regulate in light of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (“FAA”) broad power to regulate aircraft use… Read On

What is so “secret” about an Investigating Grand Jury?

The report of the grand jury impaneled to consider charges of alleged sexual molestation by clergy involving several Pennsylvania dioceses has been the topic of much news coverage lately. The U.S. Constitution provides for grand juries in the Fifth Amendment, and Pennsylvania has a specific statute, the Investigating Grand Jury Act, which sets out the requirements and powers of a grand jury… Read On

Practical Advice for Employee Handbooks in 2018

Regular review of your employee handbook should be part of every business’s best practices. Although you may not think your employees pay much attention to the contents, its provisions can either help or hurt you in an employee dispute. If drafted without regard to legal standards in your specific area or if not updated frequently enough… Read On

Want to Improve Your Bottom Line: Update Your Policy for Corporate Social Responsibility

The question is no longer whether your business has a corporate social responsibility (“CSR”) strategy, but what your business’s corporate social responsibility strategy entails. The new wave of CSR focuses on the impact the strategy has on the social goals, rather than simply the amount the company spent. Charitable giving is no longer enough to satisfy the discerning consumer or the scrutinizing potential new hire… Read On

Nauman Smith Attorneys Involved in RTKL Panel

Pennsylvania attorneys will gather on July 30 to gain a better understanding of Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law (RTKL). The event features a panel discussion among RTKL experts from both the public and private sectors including Nauman Smith attorney, Joshua Bonn, and Nathanael Byerly, Deputy Director of the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records (OOR). Hosted by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute… Read On

Local Municipalities Explore Using Drones to Enhance Services

When it comes to local government and drone use, J. Stephen Feinour is at the forefront. Recently, he was quoted in a Central Pennsylvania Business Journal article discussing why local governments are becoming increasingly interested in drones as a means to save time and money. The article entitled, “Eye in the Sky,” stemmed from a Cumberland County event focused on potential municipal uses for drones including building inspections… Read On

Voluntary Corporate Dissolutions: Common but Complicated

Voluntary dissolution of a corporation usually means something has gone wrong either between the owners or with the business concept itself, but the process of terminating a business does not have to be overly difficult. If the business owners had the foresight to plan an exit strategy during the formation stage, a dissolution can go very smoothly… Read On