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Legal Steps to Take When Your Child Turns 18

One day your child starts grade school and the next thing you know that child is taller than you and in high school. What happens when that child goes beyond ‘Sweet 16’ and turn 18? In addition, to being able to drive and vote, legally they are an adult. You are still their parents, but the legal landscape changes dramatically. Unless the 18-year-old gives permission, parents can no longer make legal decisions for them or receive private information. By law, parents no longer have the same level of access to or authority over the financial, educational and medical information of their adult children. What parents need to know is that this can cause real problems in case of emergencies. As a result, if you child is moving away for college or taking a job in another city, it is important to talk to your child and to consider the following legal steps.

EU’s New Privacy Rules May Affect Your Company

Over 18 months ago, the European Union authored regulations causing a wholesale reevaluation of privacy and data storage policies throughout the internet. From the rafters of Google to the dusty corners of MySpace, every company that collects and stores personal information of consumers has been forced to examine their policies and procedures to conform with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Two Arguments Against Arbitration Agreements: Tips For Employers

The arbitration process can provide a number of benefits, particularly for employers. The process is generally less expensive and time consuming than traditional litigation and often heard only once. Appeals are generally not allowed. Business leaders that wish to have employees abide by arbitration agreements are wise to have a basic understanding of the arguments made against these contracts. Two of the more common examples are:

  • The agreement lacks consideration
  • The agreement unlawfully deprives the employee of statutory rights

These arguments have been made with varying results.

For a brand to thrive, it must survive here, there and everywhere

Legally, a brand is a name or symbol that a company uses to identify its products, to differentiate its products or services from competitors’ products or services. For a business, though, a brand is much, much more: A brand conveys the history, the character and the quality of the company that owns it — all in the instant a consumer spots it.

Trademark Squatting 101

For a firm to succeed in China, it must be agile enough to adapt to China’s business culture, it must be quick enough to keep up with China’s ever-changing regulations, and it must be strong enough to weather the volatility of China’s markets. But, for some companies, the biggest challenge may simply be preventing squatters from stealing their brand!

New draft legislation seeks to save the EB-5 Regional Center Program

In his latest article for Inside Counsel Magazine: WHGC’s Jeffrey Wang examines whether the EB-5 Regional Center Program will sunset on Dec. 12, or if a draft bill will provide the reforms needed to save the program.

Patents and the IoT

A must read for software developers. In this article, published in LEGALTECH NEWS, WHGC patent prosecutor John F. O’Rourke looks at the issue of patent protection & the Internet of Things. Will inventors be able to patent IoT programs and technology? Will industry leaders be able to standardize protocols? Or will the IoT see the same turf wars that have raged in other tech fields?

Beware the pitfalls of provisional patents

Congratulations to WHGC’s John O’Rourke for your article published nationwide in Inside Counsel Magazine. This article explains how a poorly drafted provisional patent can lead to one losing the rights to their creation. It is a must read for inventors and entrepreneurs.

Congratulations to John O’Rourke for your latest technology article published in O.C. Lawyer.

In this article, WHGC patent prosecutor John O’Rourke looks at some of the latest, most innovative applications that attorneys may want to add to their repertoire.

15 tips for making Halloween more fun and less scary (legally speaking)! Halloween is supposed to be a joyful time – a time for trick-or-treating, fairs, and costume parties. Unfortunately, it is also a time of increased accidents, injuries, and lawsuits ………………………………………

Top 10 questions every EB-5 investor should ask

#1 Most Popular Article on Inside Counsel Magazine! Congratulations to WHGC’s Rick Karch.

Prince and the ‘Dancing Baby’ video: Court sets fair use guidelines

Congratulations Jeffrey Wang for your newest article about the recent decision in Lenz v. Universal. The court has determined that copyright holders must consider “fair use” …………………………………………

California takes aim at drones with surface-to-air legislation

Congratulations to WHGC’s Jeffrey Wang for your new publication in Inside Counsel Magazine. This article looks at the bills being considered in California concerning drones. These bills come in the wake of recent instances where drones interfered with efforts to fight wild fires.

China’s aviation industry is set for takeoff!

More people than ever are flying into and out of China and this is causing a great increase in the demand for airports, pilots, fixed-base operators (FBOs) and maintenance repair operations (MROs) ………………………………….

Understanding FBAR and FATCA: What anyone with a foreign account should know

In this article published in Inside Counsel, WHGC’s Rick Karch explains that many people may be breaking federal laws and not even know it ……………………………………….

10 must-have apps for attorneys for 2015. WHGC’s John O’Rourke is topping the charts with his article “10 Must Have Apps.” ………………………………………….

Indefiniteness Risks in “Means” Claims for Software Inventions

Recently, the Federal Circuit panel affirmed the invalidation of certain asserted “means” claims as indefinite because the patent specification lacked a disclosure of algorithms which could carry out the claimed functions.

Attorneys, Beware! Six Technology Traps to Avoid In this article published by the ABA, WHGC’s John O’Rourke examines the importance of exercising caution when using ………………………………..

Spider-Man and the tangled web of the Kimble v. Marvel decision

Why did Marvel, with all of its superheroes, engage in battle with mere mortal Stephen Kimble …………………………………..

Six things to know about the EB-5 reform bill

In WHGC’s latest article for Inside Counsel, Jeffrey Wang and Rita Eng Bates discuss the Leahy-Grassley bill ………………………….

Making sense of the H-1B lottery

When people first hear about the H-1B “lottery,” they may understandably believe that they can purchase a ticket …………………….

8 great Father’s Day gifts for lawyers Father’s Day is Sunday, June 21, so WHGC thought it might be helpful to write an article for those having difficulty coming up with gift ideas for the father/attorney that has everything.

Patent News You Should Know Right Now

In this article, WHGC’s John Giust gets readers up to speed on interesting developments in the world of patents ……………………………………………………………

C’est la ‘VIE’ for foreign investors in China

A new law in China may forbid the use of variable interest entities (VIEs), a corporate structure commonly used by companies operating in “sensitive” sectors ………………………………

Rentmeester v. Nike, Inc.: ‘Jumpman’ may be falling down to Earth

WHGC’s Rebecca Bellow looks at Co Rentmeester’s claim that Nike’s “Jumpman” logo infringes on a photo he took in 1984 ……………………….. ……………………………..

What Every Inventor Should Know About Patents

Every entrepreneur should read this article before beginning the patent prosecution process …………………………

China’s five-year plan: A user guide for business success in the Central Kingdom

In his latest article for Inside Counsel, WHGC’s Jeffrey Wang discusses China’s latest Five-Year Plan. This plan provides ……………………………….

Happy 225th birthday U.S. patent system! Celebrate by looking at 5 fun, new patents

On April 10, 1790, President Washington signed a bill that laid the foundation of the U.S. Patent system. 225 years later, the U.S. patent system continues ………………………………………………

2005-2015: A Decade of Technological Leaps for the Litigator

In 2005, the first smartphones were still two years away (the Motorola RAZR was the cool phone) ……………………………………….

The Seven Apps Attorneys Absolutely Should Not Live Without

Apps like 1Password, Quip, Feedly and Fastcase can be of great help to your law practice. Read Rebecca Bellow’s latest article in ABA Technology …………………………………………………….

Doing business in Asia: your lawyer should be anchor in winds of change

If a U.S. business is considering a deal involving a major international trading partner like China or Japan …………………………………………

Big chill in China: Many Chinese online sellers discover accounts frozen by PayPal

Online merchants in China are calling this practice unfair because they feel it puts them in a no-win situation …………………………………

Bird diapers, helmet parachutes and tricycle lawnmowers: 10 strange and unusual patents

Over the years, WHGC has come across some very strange and unusual patents while conducting research ……………………………

Who needs to file a 2014 tax return?

Should I file a tax return? In his latest article for Inside Counsel, Jeffrey Wang gives ten tips for answering this question …………………..

10 celebrities who almost became lawyers instead of becoming famous

In our latest article, published in Inside Counsel, WHGC looks at ten celebrities that originally planned on becoming lawyers ………………..

4 things you should be doing to prepare for H-1B season right now

Though USCIS will not begin accepting H-1B applications until April 1, petitioners should get all of their documentation prepared as soon as possible ……………………………….

Costco-Alibaba connection: A new model for doing business in China?

In his latest article published in Inside Counsel, WHGC CEO Jeffrey Wang explains that instead of opening a retail store ……………………….

How Facebook can still be an attorney’s ‘best friend forever’

Let’s face it, the question every attorney wants answered is, “Is Facebook worth the effort?” And the short answer is, “Yes.” ………………………

China’s credit card market: Getting a foot in the open door

UnionPay is China’s only authorized provider of credit clearing services. It is the largest issuer of credit cards in the world, having distributed 4.2 billion cards ……………………..

9 famous figures whom you might not have known were attorneys

In its latest article published in Inside Counsel Magazine, WHGC reveals that some of the worlds’ most celebrated people ………………….

China Manufacturing Agreements: Closing the Barn Doors before the Horses Escape

When it comes to working with a manufacturer in a country as distant as China, avoiding a lawsuit is almost always better than ………………

The ‘Magnificent 7’ benefits of the EB-1(C)

Many investors view the EB-5 visa as a “gold path” to a green card. However, this visa not only requires that one invest ………………….

What Every Exporter Must Know About ECCNs.

Exporters face big challenges when it comes to designating the correct Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) to their goods …………….

Silver, Garlic and Attorney’s Fees: How Judges May Increasingly Employ Fee-Shifting to Ward Off So-Called “Patent Trolls”

Read WHGC’s newest article published in Orange County Lawyer ………………..

Top 8 Low-tech ‘lifehacks’ for lawyers

A “life hack” is a tip or technique that helps one to meet an everyday need more effectively or efficiently. Examples of life hacks include ……………….