Tolerating Incivility Is the Price We Pay for Freedom, Says Judge
Edward L. Birk Dec 7, 2018 in First Amendment
After the 2018 Stoneman Douglas shooting, long-time Florida NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer received emails that would horrify and disgust most people. Graphic images of gunshot wounds inflicted by the shooter. Language described as “vile,” “harassing,” and “threatening.” Rather than be cowed by the emails, Hammer fought back by filing a harassment lawsuit against the men who sent them, including California lawyer Laurence Sorensen, seeking money damages. Sorensen moved to dismiss the lawsuit. Ms. Hammer’s attorneys […]
Continue ReadingFlorida First Amendment Sunshine Seminar in Jacksonville
Edward L. Birk Dec 6, 2018 in First Amendment
On November 29, 2018, I had the pleasure of helping to present during a recent Florida First Amendment Sunshine Seminar in Jacksonville. Members of the news media and representatives from local governments attended the event to learn more about complying with laws on open meetings and public records in Florida. The seminar, which took place at the Florida Times-Union headquarters, was hosted in part by the First Amendment Foundation, Society of Professional Journalists-Florida, and the […]
Continue ReadingThe Three Hs of an Influencer
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Dec 6, 2018 in Events
I met an impressive speaker during the International Trademark Associations Leadership Meeting in November who provided a thoughtful message to the audience. Gustavo Giay is an attorney from Argentina at the law firm of Marval, O’Farrell & Mairal and a former member of the INTA Board of Directors. Mr. Giay shared with the audience the three Hs – Head, Heart, and Hands – and how they can be used to make a difference in this […]
Continue ReadingFor the first time in many, many years, the number of international students and scholars at US universities declined. This decline is attributed to various factors. Uncertainty about visa policies. Instability about OPT and CPT options. And yes, the United States being a less welcoming place to foreign students under the Trump presidency. Many new immigration policies make it difficult to recruit talented students and scholars to American campuses. This is also impacting US employers’ […]
Continue ReadingA reversed lottery. Massive registration pre-filing. Visas for the highest paid. Be aware! The Department of Homeland Security’s latest regulatory agenda includes some big potential changes for H-1B visas. And they didn’t stop with those mentioned above. There may be changes to work authorization for certain spouses. New definitions for “specialty occupation” and other key terms. Restricted access to court. And more! The lottery may no longer be random. And we don’t know what it […]
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