The Obama administration has intensified a crackdown on employers of illegal immigrants, notifying over 1,000 companies recently that the government plans to inspect their hiring records. Employers of all sizes were notified they must hand over I-9 employment-eligibility forms, which contain Social Security numbers, dates of birth and statements by employees of their citizenship status.

Continue Reading Should You Be Concerned About I-9 Audits?

It appears that Google is bringing its fearsome powers of information organization to the legal world:

Traditional lawyers may not like it, but venture capitalists are pouring money into one of the last industries to resist commoditization on the Web. Google Ventures today announced it is part of a group that infused $18.5 million into Rocket Lawyer, which bills itself as the “fastest growing online legal service.”

. . . . Rocket Lawyer provides online legal forms, from wills to Delaware certificates of incorporation, that non-lawyers can fill out and store and share on the Web. For $19.95 a month, consumers can also have their documents reviewed by a real lawyer and even get legal advice at no additional cost.
 

Continue Reading I, For One, Welcome Our New Google Overlords.

The L-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa available to qualifying intra-company transferees (employees) coming to the U.S. to continue to work for the same, related or affiliated company (employer). Three types of employees may be sponsored for L-1 visas, Managers, Executives and those possessing Specialized Knowledge.

Continue Reading L-1 Visa: Do You Qualify?

The National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or the “Board”) has issued final rules that will require most private employers in the U.S. Virgin Islands and throughout the United States to post in the workplace by November 14, 2011 a notice informing employees of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”), including their right to form and join labor unions. This new posting requirement is similar to one imposed last year on federal contractors pursuant to an Executive Order from the President. The new rules mark the first time that private employers other than government contractors have been required to post a notice informing employees of the full range of their NLRA rights. It should be noted that at least one lawsuit has already been filed challenging the NLRB’s authority to issue the new rules. 

 

Continue Reading VI Employers Required to Inform Employees of Right to Form and Join Labor Unions

The St. Croix Division of the District Court of the Virgin Islands recently clarified whether a foreclosed property’s fair market value (as opposed to the price that is brings at a foreclosure sale) can serve as the basis from which a deficiency judgment is calculated. This is an important question, as it addresses an apparent conflict between the local judgment statutes and the American Law Institute’s Third Restatement of Property on Mortgages, which has the force of law in the Virgin Islands. Most important, it emphasizes that, under current law, foreclosed defendants cannot invoke the fair market value of their property to avoid or lessen their post-judgment obligations.

Continue Reading “‘Fair Market Value’ of No Value When It Comes To Foreclosure Deficiency Judgments”

A recent opinion by the Appellate Division of the District Court of the Virgin Islands addresses the constitutionality of the Virgin Islands aggravated assault statute. But far from wading into a scrum of technical constitutional analysis, the Appellate Court takes the Virgin Islands government to task for failing to muster any evidence on the statute’s behalf.

Continue Reading Virgin Islands Aggravated Assault Statute Unconstitutional? Or Just Inadequately Defended

The Uniform Law Commission (ULC, also known as the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws), established in 1892, provides states with non-partisan, well-conceived and well-drafted legislation that brings clarity and stability to critical areas of state statutory law.

Continue Reading Attorney Tom Bolt to Address 29th Legislature of the Virgin Islands

 

Recent news out of New Jersey announces that the state’s appellate court overturned a lower court’s entry of a foreclosure judgment in favor of Deutsche Bank. Apparently, Deustche Bank attempted to foreclose on a borrower without being able to prove that it had possession of the original promissory note at the time that it brought its foreclosure action. As a result of the bank’s oversight, the appellate court ruled that the bank will have to restart the entire foreclosure process from scratch:

Continue Reading Borrower Wins Skirmish, But May Lose the Foreclosure War