E-Commerce Companies Beware: It’s Now Possible to Copyright HTML

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It’s now possible to copyright HTML (hypertext markup language) code and text. More specifically, in a decision issued by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in January 2016, the court ruled that the developer can copyright HTML code and text associated with a custom search results page of an online advertising …Read more

Protecting Your Trademark Rights – Recent U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Raises the Stakes

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Every business wants to develop a positive image in the minds of customers.  Many companies spend lavishly on marketing to establish reputations for quality, performance and value. A company’s reputation can be among its most valuable assets. If an unknown computer company could use the name “Apple” – or something confusingly similar like “Appel” – …Read more

Frivolous Lawsuit Seeking More Than $3.8 Million in Damages from Washington D.C. Based Client Dismissed

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Finkel Law Group is pleased to report that it has scored another victory for one of the firm’s clients in Santa Clara County Superior Court. In August 2014, a client from Washington, D.C. contacted our office in San Francisco seeking our assistance to defend against a frivolous lawsuit filed against him in California seeking $3,833,440 …Read more

Finkel Law Group Helps Firm Secure Settlement in Contract Dispute

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Sometimes when a small company conducts business with a larger company, the respective bargaining power of each party is not equal. The larger company almost always has the small company over a barrel. That’s never the case when Finkel Law Group represents your company in litigation with a larger, well-funded adversary. Our firm recently helped …Read more

US Supreme Court Copyright Act Decision – ABC v Aereo

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Developers of new digital technologies that store and transmit data to customers around the world suffered a major set back on June 25, 2014 in the United States Supreme Court Copyright Act Decision in American Broadcasting Cos., Inc. v. Aereo, Inc. The court found that Aereo infringed broadcasters’ copyrights by providing its customers with access to …Read more

Victory in Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Case in Alameda County Superior Court

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The residential mortgage foreclosure crisis continues to grind onward across California resulting in the eviction of thousands of Californians from their homes. Even as numerous banks, including the largest in the United States, have paid billions of dollars in fines and penalties for their unlawful actions, they relentlessly pursue unlawful foreclosures and evictions from the …Read more

Employment Laws That Companies Must Know to Stay Out of Trouble

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Federal and state employment law is incredibly complex, with overlapping and sometimes conflicting provisions that can leave a business owner wondering what provisions of law must it comply with and how and when to do so. California’s employment laws are among the most complex and onerous in the nation, and contribute, in no small part, …Read more

False Advertising Claim Cases Get a New Standard

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The ability of a plaintiff to bring false advertising claims and concerns over unfair competition under federal trademark law just got a bit easier. On March 25, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in Lexmark International v. Static Control Components, ruling that Static Control may proceed with its false advertising counterclaim against Lexmark under …Read more

Management-Investor Conflict Can Lead to Costly Disruption of Business

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Unfortunately, it is not unusual for the owners of a privately held business – whether it be partners of a partnership, members of a limited liability company, or shareholders of a corporation – to become embroiled in conflict over management of the company.  This management-investor conflict can, at best, cause substantial disruptions to the operation …Read more

Favorable Settlement for Client Involved in Corporate Buyout Litigation

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Finkel Law Group recently represented several shareholders of a privately held commodities trading firm in a contentious buy out of departing shareholders who demanded several million dollars for their stake in the company.  As a result of the firm’s efforts, the departing shareholders ended up with one-third of their original demand. A critical factor in …Read more