Firms Should Look Closely at Data Practices, New York Conference Panelists Say

Panelists at the 2016 Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS) Cyber Liability Symposium held Tuesday at the Hilton Midtown in New York City urged companies to take a closer look at data aggregation practices as regulators have begun to take a stricter approach to information privacy in recent years.

“The regulators have started looking at what constitutes personally identifiable information in a much broader sense,” said panelist Dominique Shelton, partner at Alston & Bird LLP. “They are looking at the fact that a lot of data can be identified later and linked to a specific person, so they are moving away from the concept of aggregated, purely anonymous data.”

In 2012, The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s chief privacy policy and enforcement agency, issued a final report outlining best practices for businesses to protect the privacy of U.S. consumers and give them broader control over the collection and use of personal data. Additionally, the FTC in 2014 issued another report urging U.S. Congress to consider legislation to make data broker practices more transparent to consumers, offering consumers additional control over personal information collected and shared by data brokers, or companies that collect consumers’ personal information and resell or share it with others.

As technology has advanced, data that was once considered anonymous is being found identifiable in some cases and could violate privacy rights, presenting concerns for companies that could become unintentionally wrapped up in litigation or regulatory investigations for wrongful collection of data following a technology breach, panelists explained.

“One thing companies have to worry about is inadvertent data collection,” said Thomas Reagan, cyber practice leader at Marsh Inc. “It can be very easy for organizations to get caught up in data tracking unintentionally, and one thing that I think will come before thinking about why organizations could be subject to a cyber attack is thinking about the data they collect – that has a lot of value organizations may not have thought about.”

As many businesses begin to look to internet connectivity as a way to measure employee behavior and facilitate business operations, they need to be challenging themselves about why they’re collecting data and how it could be used improperly, he said.

Panelist Nick Economidis, an underwriter at Beazley, pointed to one example of his experience with a dentist that was inadvertently collecting unnecessary data from patients, such as driver’s license information, that could present concerns in a case of identity theft.

“They were working with a third party and just got a standard form and didn’t give it a lot of thought,” he said. “So they just started asking patients for this information.”

With this in mind, companies are encouraged to not only analyze data aggregation procedures, but to take a close look at their insurance policies, panelists added.

“I don’t view it as a technology issue so much as a business issue,” Economidis said. “The law in Canada around information privacy is very adamant that you’re not supposed to collect information unless there is a business need in order to complete a transaction, not for analysis later on. In the U.S, we haven’t gotten to that point of thinking about things that way yet. We’re just getting our arms around protecting the data that we hold, but we haven’t thought much about what information we have a right to collect as part of our business processes and what information is a step too far.”

Under most cyber insurance policies, the appetite for coverage regarding wrongful data collection varies considerably between carriers and typically needs to be sought out through a unique policy where the coverage is included, he stated, adding that coverage agreements about loss or theft of information don’t always provide affirmative coverage for wrongful data collection.

“I tell clients all the time that it’s not just a question of seeking coverage for cyber events – there are a host of class actions for privacy claims associated with data breaches as well,” Shelton said.

After companies are hit with class action lawsuits or regulatory investigations, they will sometimes look to their cyber policies for coverage and find a wrongful collection of data exclusion that’s not what they thought it would be, she explained.

“So many companies have this approach that cyber risk is a really important issue for someone else,” Reagan said. “But increasingly, across all industries, companies are coming into contact with data either as a primary business activity or a sideline of their business. It’s definitely something that’s evolving quite a bit and definitely an area where people need to pay attention, dot the I’s and cross the T’s. Organizations that haven’t done that will have the potential for a rude awakening over the next few years.”

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Centre unveils new Bill to set up a special resolution regime for financial firms

In the latest budget, finance minister Arun Jaitley had announced the government’s plan to bring a new Bill on resolution of financial firms. (PTI) In the latest budget, finance minister Arun Jaitley had announced the government’s plan to bring a new Bill on resolution of financial firms. (PTI)

Close on the heels of the enactment of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code earlier this year for non-financial firms, the government on Wednesday unveiled a Bill to establish a special resolution regime for financial firms.

The Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill, 2016 proposes that upon an application by a new resolution authority (called Resolution Corporation), the National Company Law Tribunal will have to pass an order of liquidation within 14 days of application and appoint the Corporation as a liquidator. Tribunal’s order can be appealed in the Supreme Court on a question of law within 45 days of the above ruling.

The Bill consolidates the existing laws relating to resolution of certain categories of financial institutions including banks, insurance companies, financial market infrastructures, payment systems, and other financial service providers (excluding individuals and partnership firms) which are presently scattered in a number of legislations, into a single legislation.

The committee has observed that the enactment of the proposed Bill will empower the Corporation to contribute to the stability and resilience of the financial system by carrying out speedy and efficient resolution of financial firms in distress, providing deposit insurance to consumers of certain categories of financial services, monitoring the Systemically Important Financial Institutions; and protecting the consumers of financial institutions and public funds to the extent possible. The Bill also provides for certain special provisions in relation to resolution of central counterparties because of their unique status in the financial system.

In the latest budget, finance minister Arun Jaitley had announced the government’s plan to bring a new Bill on resolution of financial firms. This proposed law, together with the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, will provide a comprehensive resolution mechanism for the economy. Public can send their comments on the new Bill latest by October 14, 2016.

Key features

-The National Company Law Tribunal shall pass an order of liquidation within 14 days of application

-Tribunal order can be appealed in the Supreme Court on a question of law within 45 days

-Resolution Corporation to receive/collect the claims of all consumers and creditors within a period of ninety days from the date of the commencement of the liquidation process

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Movers & Shakers: Solicitor Jane Riley becomes part-owner of law firm Kerseys

06:00 28 September 2016

Jane Riley, Kerseys Solicitors.

Jane Riley, Kerseys Solicitors.

Archant

A solicitor has become a part-owner of the Ipswich law firm she joined 30 years ago.

Jane Riley, who is head of the residential property department at Kerseys Solicitors, qualified as a solicitor in 1988.

She returned to Kerseys in 2000 after a short break bringing up her three children.

Jane, who originally dealt with commercial property, went on to specialise in residential property and has now been promoted to equity partner.

“This is an opportunity to play a role in Kerseys’ management and help shape its future,” she said.

“I’ve always found Kerseys to be an approachable and pro-active firm and I am keen to play my part in developing this.”

Jane, 52, was born in Ipswich and went to school at Northgate Grammar School for Girls. After a law degree at University of Hull, she returned to Ipswich and took up a training contract at Kerseys.

She is active in the local community, and was elected as a councillor at Ipswich Borough Council in 2014.

She is also chair of the Ipswich Film Theatre Trust, which operates the independent cinema at the Corn Exchange in Ipswich; the internationally-acclaimed Gecko Theatre Company, and educational charity The Northgate Foundation.

Managing partner Anthony Wooding said: “Jane has been a long-standing asset to the company and we are delighted to have her as one of our equity partners. She is experienced, knowledgeable and efficient. She is a pleasure to work with.”

::Ipswich, Colchester, Chelmsford and London-based chartered accountants LB Group has promoted Richard Lane to director.

Richard joined LB Group in 2011 and currently manages the audit and accounts department at its Stratford office. He is a chartered accountant and has a wide range of audit, accounts and tax knowledge allowing him to work closely alongside businesses. Richard specialises in SME owner-managed business, and audits across all industry sectors particularly hospitality.

He has worked within the audit departments of two London based top-50 firms. Taking his experience from this environment he has used it to help companies of all sizes succeed and grow.

Director Trevor Lake said: “Richard brings a wealth of experience to LB Group and his knowledge and experience is invaluable as we look to define more proactive accountancy, tax and business solutions for our clients and grow our presence locally.”

Richard said: “I am delighted to take on this promotion with LB Group with the intention of growing the business, while at the same time delivering an all-round client service. LB Group is a dynamic, forward thinking company, constantly seeking to improve the service we can offer to our clients and I look forward to being able to continue to add value to a well-established team which shares the same values as I do.”

::Ipswich-based law firm Gotelee has appointed lawyer with expertise in serving elderly clients.

Tax, wills, powers of attorney and probate expert Kay Baker qualified as a solicitor in 2007 and has specialised in private client Law since then. She is a fully accredited member of Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE) and holds the Older Client Care in Practice Award.

She has a wide range of experience acting for elderly and vulnerable clients, as well as families and business people needing advice on tax planning.

Kay is also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). She has a particular interest in contentious probate matters and is one of the only solicitors in the local area to be a full member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS).

“I am delighted to join Gotelee and looking forward to helping the community of Hadleigh,” she said.

“Gotelee has an outstanding reputation and I am very much looking forward to helping contribute to the firm’s continued success.”

Chief executive officer Alistair Laing said: “Kay joins us with an outstanding reputation and we are thrilled to welcome her to the firm.

Department head Peter Crix said: “Her arrival will add another string to our bow, particularly given her expertise in acting for elderly and vulnerable clients.”

Gotelee has offices in Ipswich, Felixstowe, Hadleigh, Melton and Woodbridge.

::Insurance broker Bluefin has appointed Maria Delves as branch director of its Newmarket office.

Maria brings more than 20 years of insurance broking experience having previously owned her own brokerage for 15 years. The appointment is in line with the growth plans of the regional office which already accommodates specialist teams from the broker’s retail broking division and underwriting teams.

Maria said she was “really excited” to join.

Regional managing director Andy White said: “This is a fantastic hire and I am delighted to welcome Maria to the team. One of my colleagues likened this to signing Gareth Bale which was a fun analogy but the sentiment’s absolutely true. I believe with Maria’s depth of experience Newmarket will go from strength to strength and we can achieve real growth as well as providing some great opportunities for the development of the team. In addition I believe Maria will add significant input to the southern region with her sales drive.”

::Estate agents Connells’ land and new homes division has taken on Simon Wasley and Tia Newport.

Simon joins as land manager and Tia as new homes manager, strengthening the firm’s offering in the Essex and Suffolk region

Simon and Tia both bring with them a wealth of experience. Tia celebrates 15 years with Connells this year, having worked her way up through the ranks from a new homes site rep to her most recent position as branch manager at Connells in Braintree. She has built up a broad knowledge of both the local market and across all aspects of the housing industry. Simon brings with him more than five years’ experience, having worked in rural and central London markets.

“I’m delighted to take up my new role at a very exciting time for the new homes market,” said Tia.

Simon said he was “thrilled” to be joining.

Regional director for land and new homes Trevor Hill welcomed the new recruits.

::Alastair Capon has been promoted to associate director of Rose Builders Limited, responsible for heading the team delivering traditional building works in South Suffolk and North Essex.

Alastair is described by the firm, which is based at Lawford, near Manningtree, as “highly experienced and knowledgeable”.

“Alastair has earnt his promotion through his expertise and hard work,” it said.

He has more than 30 years’ experience in the industry and developed his career in South Essex at Bakers of Danbury.

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South-west lawyers asked to help competition law awareness

Around 140 law firms headquartered in the south-west will be contacted by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), and encouraged to share the CMA’s easy-to-use competition law information with their small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) clients.

The information is intended to help SMEs recognise anti-competitive practices, comply with competition law and report suspicions of illegal anti-competitive activity.

The approach is part of the CMA’s ongoing drive to boost awareness of, and compliance with, competition law, following the launch of its competing fairly in business: advice for small businesses materials.

The south-west is the sixth region of the country to be chosen as the target of an awareness-raising drive. As well as contacting lawyers, the CMA will also be meeting with regional business representatives in order to explain the importance of competition law.

Research shows that businesses’ understanding of competition law in the area is low:

  • only 4% of businesses in the south-west had run training sessions on competition law
  • only 55% of businesses in the south-west knew that price-fixing is illegal
  • only 30% of businesses in the south-west knew that it’s unlawful to set the price at which others can re-sell their product
  • only 8% of businesses in the south-west knew that admitting to participation in a cartel can lead to immunity from a penalty

The consequences of breaching competition law can be severe:

  • businesses can be fined up to 10% of their annual turnover
  • company directors can be disqualified from managing a company for up to 15 years
  • people involved in cartels can face up to 5 years in prison

The CMA has also commissioned further research which revealed that most small businesses have a shared ethical sense that certain anti-competitive practices, such as price-fixing, are unfair or wrong and want to do the right thing.

Ann Pope, CMA Senior Director of Antitrust Enforcement, said:

The victims of anti-competitive activity can often be other businesses, so knowing what illegal behaviour looks like and how to report it can help small and medium-sized businesses protect themselves.

The potential consequences of breaking the law are very serious. That is why it is important that all businesses know what to look out for and report suspected breaches to the CMA.

Legal advisers to SMEs are ideally placed to help raise awareness of competition law among their clients.

Notes for editors

  1. The CMA is the UK’s primary competition and consumer authority. It is an independent non-ministerial government department with responsibility for carrying out investigations into mergers, markets and the regulated industries and enforcing competition and consumer law. For CMA updates, follow us on Twitter @CMAgovuk, Flickr and LinkedIn.
  2. The CMA has created a suite of competition law guidance materials to assist businesses and their advisers.
  3. The CMA has also created a form so anyone concerned about potential anti-competitive or market issues can raise an alert.
  4. Media enquiries should be directed to Simon Belgard (simon.belgard@cma.gsi.gov.uk, 020 3739 6472).

CMA – Competition and Markets Authority published this content on 28 September 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 28 September 2016 12:10:05 UTC.


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jEugene Announces Quality Assurance Solution for Law Firms



Innovations in legal technology leverage machine learning to help law firms mitigate risk.

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) September 27, 2016

jEugene (https://www.jEugene.com) has announced the release of Compass, a drafting quality assurance solution that protects law firms from reputational and financial damages by combining attorneys’ deal-specific knowledge with machine learning technology.

“Compass transforms documents into a richly interactive format, applies attorneys’ legal know-how to detect potential issues, and generates results with industry-leading speed and accuracy. It is a powerful solution that attorneys will actually use,” said Colin Angevine, COO of jEugene.

In an internal study conducted by the company, seventy percent of publicly disclosed legal documents reviewed by Compass are found to contain substantive mistakes that result from the failure to follow an important industry update. In the same study, users of Compass report higher confidence in the quality of their documents and significant time saving — up to 3 hours fewer for each complex document reviewed through Compass.

“Some drafting mistakes are embarrassing; others fatal. Law firms need an end-to-end solution that assures quality for the full cycle of legal review, drafting and proofreading. Only Compass delivers,” said Harry Zhou, CEO of jEugene.

To request a demo of Compass, please contact hello(at)jEugene(dot)com.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/09/prweb13711846.htm

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Law Offices of Michael Cordova to Participate in the 24th…



The Law Offices of Michael Cordova is pleased to announce its participation in the upcoming 24th Annual Komen Phoenix Race for the Cure®.

Phoenix, Arizona (PRWEB) September 27, 2016

The Law Offices of Michael Cordova is pleased to announce its participation in the upcoming 24th Annual Komen Phoenix Race for the Cure®. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, and the Susan G. Komen foundation has made it its mission to educate women on prevention, act as a resource for breast self-awareness, raise funds for local programs, and advocate for change in state and federal policy to ensure access to breast cancer screening and treatment services. The race will take place on Sunday, October 9, 2016 in Downtown Phoenix at Cesar Chavez Plaza. The firm would like to reach out to the public to join them at this upcoming event to support this benevolent cause. If it is not possible to participate at the event, please consider making a donation to the Law Offices of Michael Cordova Team at http://bit.ly/KomenRaceTeamCordova. Please join the Michael Cordova Team in preventing breast cancer!

About Susan G. Komen® Arizona:

Susan G. Komen® Arizona was established on December 1, 2015, formed by the union of Susan G. Komen® Central and Northern Arizona (Komen® CAN AZ) and Komen® Southern Arizona (Komen® SAZ). As a combined force, Komen Arizona remains committed to fulfilling the Susan G. Komen Promise: to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality of care for all and energizing science to find the cures. The consolidation of the two Arizona Affiliates into Komen Arizona stems from a long-term relationship between both Affiliates. The merger allows Komen Arizona to streamline operations so that more time and resources can be focused toward supporting women and men in need across the state, maximizing the impact on the fight against breast cancer. Komen Arizona is an independent, local non-profit organization, dedicated to combating breast cancer. 75 percent of Komen Arizona’s net proceeds will stay in Arizona to fund local breast cancer education, screening, and treatment programs, while the remaining 25 percent is contributed to Komen’s leading international breast cancer research program.

About the Law Offices of Michael Cordova:

The Law Offices of Michael Cordova was founded in 1994 by Michael Fairbairn Cordova, a graduate of Harvard Law School. The law firm is one of the leading Plaintiff’s law firms in the State of Arizona. This level of quality is demonstrated through the outcomes we work hard to attain for our clients and through the service we strive to provide. We have decades of experience and have represented thousands of clients over the years. We represent clients in the Phoenix metropolitan area and throughout the state of Arizona and are ready to assist them through their difficult time. Our experienced attorneys handle various types of cases. These cases include, but are not limited to: personal injury, dog bites, wrongful death, car accidents, motorcycle accidents, and product and premises liability.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/09/prweb13712842.htm

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Pappadeaux Lawsuit for Salmonella Filed by PritzkerOlsen Law Firm

PHOENIX, Sep 27, 2016 (BUSINESS WIRE) —
Attorneys Ryan Osterholm and Brendan Flaherty of the PritzkerOlsen law
firm, along with local counsel, filed a lawsuit against Pappas
Restaurants, Inc., owner of Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in Phoenix. The
suit was filed on behalf of Shaina Robinson, who contracted a Salmonella
infection after eating at the Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen located at
11051 North Black Canyon Highway, Phoenix, Arizona 85029.

The Salmonella
lawsuit was filed today, September 27, 2016, in the United States
District Court for the District of Arizona (case no. 2:16-cv-03253-GMS).

The lawsuit alleges that on August 14, 2016, Ms. Robinson ate at the
Phoenix, Arizona, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, consuming tilapia, shrimp
and crab cakes. Two days later, she became violently ill. She was
admitted to the hospital, where she tested positive for Salmonella
Javiana.

“Our client was in severe pain and hospitalized for five days,” said attorney
Ryan Osterholm.

PritzkerOlsen law firm is one of the very few law firms in the country
practicing extensively in the area of food litigation. Attorneys Ryan
Osterholm and Brendan Flaherty have won millions for their clients in
cases against some of the largest chain restaurants in the United
States. They can be contacted about the Pappadeaux lawsuit at
1-888-377-8900 or via the firm’s website, www.pritzkerlaw.com.
The firm’s offices are located at 45 South 7
[th]
Street, Suite
2950, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160927006774/en/

SOURCE: PritzkerOlsen, P.A.

PritzkerOlsen, P.A.
Ryan Osterholm, 1-888-377-8900
ryan@pritzkerlaw.com
Brendan
Flaherty, 1-888-377-8900
brendan@pritzkerlaw.com

Copyright Business Wire 2016



















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Law firm criticises 'naming and shaming'

Spark received the most complaints to the Commerce Commission.
Spark received the most complaints to the Commerce Commission.

One of New Zealand’s top law firms has criticised the Commerce Commission’s publication of the most complained about companies.

Russell McVeagh lawyers Sarah Keene, Polly Pope, Troy Pilkington, and Joe Edwards issued a statement against the “naming and shaming” of companies in the Commission’s Consumer Issues Report.

“It is unfortunate that the NZCC continues to publish the number of complaints levelled against specific businesses,” the lawyers said.

“This ‘naming and shaming’ risks reputational damage to those businesses that outweighs any benefit to consumers.”

READ MORE:
• Spark most complained about company

The Commission’s report showed a quarter of all complaints to the organisation were about just 21 companies, with pricing the most common issue.

Spark received the most complaints with 140, followed by Vodafone with 133 and then sellers on Trade Me with 121.

The statement from Russell McVeagh said the caveats the commission put in its report were not sufficient to protect the reputations of companies.

The Commission includes the caveats in its report that larger companies were likely to receive more complaints and complaints did not necessarily mean any law had been broken

“Regardless of the caveats, publishing the number of complaints received about individual named companies in an official report about NZCC enforcement gives the impression those companies have done wrong, or are more likely to have done wrong, than other companies who are not listed,” the statement said.

“For example, the 2016 Report lists Harvey Norman as the fourth most complained about trader under the Fair Trading Act, only noting via footnote that 84 of Harvey Norman’s 117 complaints (72 per cent) were a result of a single instance of online pricing error.”

The statement said in future it hoped the Commission presents the complaints in a more balanced way by listing the number of complaints by industry, only naming businesses who had broken the law and adding more detail.

The law firm commended the commission on its transparency.

- NZ Herald

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SF supes limit business with firms in states with anti-LGBT laws

San Francisco would no longer enter into contracts with companies based in states that bar civil-rights protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, under legislation passed unanimously by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday.

The legislation is an effort to increase pressure on three states with laws that limit transgender rights: North Carolina, Mississippi and Tennessee. The measure does not affect the city’s existing contracts with companies based in those states, but will likely ban the city from renewing them.



The city attorney still has to make a determination that the laws in those states are discriminatory.

“Today San Francisco took a strong stand against anti-LGBT hate laws in our country,” Supervisor Scott Wiener, who authored the legislation, said in a statement. “I’m proud that our city is stepping out and being a leader in this fight. I hope other jurisdictions follow suit and send a clear message that these laws have no place in our country.”

The company most affected by the legislation is Bank of America. The bank based in North Carolina has an $8 million contract with San Francisco to provide depository and payroll services, among other things. The contract expires Aug. 31, 2018.

The bank did not respond to a request for comment. When the legislation was proposed in April, it told The Chronicle, “We understand the concerns expressed by the city and county of San Francisco, and Bank of America has been very clear in calling for the repeal of North Carolina’s (law) based on concerns about the impact of the legislation on our employees and our customers.” Bank of America was founded in San Francisco and moved to Charlotte, N.C., in 1998 after merging with NationsBank.

A North Carolina law, HB 2, bans people from using restrooms in schools and other public buildings that don’t match their birth sex, even if it matches their gender identity. A Mississippi law, HB1523, allows private businesses and religious groups to deny services to LGBT people if doing so would violate their religious beliefs. A Tennessee law, HB1840, allows therapists to reject LGBT patients.

The North Carolina law has generated the most backlash, including the announcement earlier this month that the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Atlantic Coast Conference were moving championship games out of the state in opposition.

Mayor Ed Lee has also barred publicly funded city-employee travel to North Carolina, except in emergency situations.

Also on Tuesday, Supervisor Jane Kim introduced a resolution urging the city to explore the possibility of annexing 684 acres in Brisbane scheduled for a massive commercial development because it includes no new housing.

“This is simply not possible,” Kim said. “We need everyone in the region to build more housing.”

Brisbane’s mayor, Clifford Lentz, called the idea of San Francisco annexing Brisbane property “ridiculous.”

“Jane Kim obviously doesn’t know anything about Brisbane’s planning process,” Lentz said.

He defended the proposed development as “one of the most sustainable developments on the planet.” Sustainable because the city’s general plan for the development calls for zero carbon buildings and zero waste, among other goals.

The plan, however, prohibits the land from being used for housing. Lentz said one reason is that the development is being built on formerly contaminated land.

Kim said she believes the real reason behind the housing prohibition is that Brisbane doesn’t want new residents voting in the city. If San Francisco were to annex the property, those residents would not vote in Brisbane local elections, she said.

San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President Jim Lazarus agreed. “Brisbane’s concern is political. They don’t want 4,000 new voting residents.”

Lazarus also supported the idea of annexation, but said it would be almost impossible “unless Brisbane is willing to give it up.”

Which at this point seems very unlikely.

Finally on Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved a nearly $5 million settlement with a motorcyclist who was badly injured in 2013 when a fire truck driven by a city firefighter suspected of being drunk slammed into him.

The $4.99 million settlement with Jack Frazier caps an embarrassing episode that ensnared the Fire Department and the Police Department that botched the investigation.

Emily Green is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: egreen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @emilytgreen

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Rainey Collins Lawyers Paves Way for Win-Win Legal Solutions Across Multiple Law Specialties

Rainey Collins Lawyers Paves Way for Win-Win Legal Solutions Across Multiple Law Specialties

Although most people are unlikely to be in a situation serious enough to warrant the regular services of a lawyer, you may be surprised to know the wide range of assistance that a legal firm can offer.


Rainey Collins Lawyers provide a professional service, offering advice and support on a range of legal issues. As a firm comprising debt collection lawyers, barristers and solicitors, they have a highly successful track record and undertake a wide range cases.


A Legal Service that Cares


As one of the top employment lawyers in Wellington, Rainey Collins Lawyers have particular expertise in employment law and a thorough knowledge of recent legislation, including the Construction Contracts Act, and the Public Works Act.


With over 95 years of experience, the firm has helped countless clients throughout New Zealand, consistently providing service of the highest quality.


The Only Legal Shield You Need


The strength of Rainey Collins Lawyers is their size:  with their full armoury of expert attorneys they can confidently tackle a far wider range of cases than smaller firms.


Rainey Collins Lawyers can help you with the following issues:


  • Asset Protection — they protect estates, trusts, wills and properties to ensure you and your family’s long-term financial security.
  • Building Industry — they help builders, developers, security holders, property owners and property companies to prepare contractual documentation that complies with the Construction Contracts Act.
  • Business and E-commerce — they assist clients to establish and successfully maintain their companies, trusts or other business entities and assist them with their business operations.
  • Charitable Institutions — they aid charitable and religious institutions with issues relating to their structure, trading activities, employment problems or leases.
  • Commercial Law — they provide practical advice on commercial contracts, which includes the drafting and negotiating process.
  • Contracting — they advise on all stages of the contract life-cycle, from the planning stage to the negotiation of terms and conditions.
  • Debt Recovery — they offer debt recovery services for all clients, whether individuals or businesses. 
  • Divorce Law — they advise divorcees on their rights and on the best course of action for them.
  • Education — they handle a range of issues for public and private educational organisations, including employment and discipline matters.  
  • Employment — they assist both employers and employees with employment problems such as employment rights, contract disputes, performance issues and personal grievance.
  • Enduring Powers of Attorney — they set up the necessary documents to enable you to appoint someone to make decisions on your behalf if you are unable (or unavailable) to do so yourself.
  • Family — they address family legal issues including adoption, divorce and domestic violence.
  • Governance and Management — they advise both private sector and government clients on issues of governance and management of asset development.
  • Insurance — they handle civil claims, mediations, claims management and debt collection.
  • Intellectual Property — they help with issues of Intellectual Property including its transfer when buying or selling a business.
  • Litigation — they act for individuals and organisations in the debt collection, medical, education, employment and insurance fields, as well as representing the Maori community and the charity sector.
  • Maori Legal Issues — they provide clear, practical and cost-effective advice to deal with legal issues that arise in the Maori community or relate to it.
  • Medical — they provide legal help in coroner’s hearings, criminal cases, Health and Disability Commissioner Investigations and Health Practitioner Disciplinary Tribunal hearings.
  • Property Sale and Purchase (Conveyancing) — They assist clients to buy and sell property, whether for personal use or for investment purposes.
  • Public Law — they help ensure that businesses conform to all public policy, rules and regulations.
  • Trusts — they set up family trusts and assist with the transfer of assets.
  • Unit Titles — they advise on all disputes relating to unit title properties for both the buying and selling party.
  • Will: writing — they draft or modify Last Will and Testaments, offering full confidentiality.
  • Will: challenging — they guide clients through the process of contesting a Last Will and Testament and offer advice on the grounds for changing a provision.

For more information, contact Rainey Collins Lawyers at 04-473 6850 today.

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