News from January 2024
Ex-employee says day care discriminated against her, told son to eat out of the trash
HARRISBURG - A former teacher at a Harrisburg day care says it mistreated her and her 5-year-old son, who was told when hungry he could eat food that was in the trash can.
AG Henry Leads 26 States in Urging Federal Authorities to Restrict Usage of Artificial Intelligence in Marketing Phone Calls
Attorney General Michelle Henry led a coalition of 26 states in a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) emphasizing the potential harm in the use of artificial intelligence (A.I.) by telemarketers and asking the FCC to strongly restrict such usage.
Steptoe & Johnson Continues Pittsburgh Office Expansion by Welcoming Jim Chiafullo and Jason Antin
James D. Chiafullo and Jason A. Antin have joined the Pittsburgh office of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC. Both have joined the firm’s Business Department as Members.
Business and Ethics Basics of Law Firm Management 2024 on January 26
Deborah Winokur will serve as faculty at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute Business and Ethics Basics of Law Firm Management 2024.
Yeadon denies that it discriminated against its former Borough Manager by gender and race
PHILADELPHIA – The Borough of Yeadon has denied allegations of gender and race discrimination from its former Borough Manager, arguing that it simply did not renew a contract with the plaintiff’s employer.
Tentative settlement reached for former IRS staffer in case against Lower Frederick and police official
PHILADELPHIA – A plaintiff who initially alleged civil rights violations, discrimination and retaliation were committed against him in violation of both state and federal laws, including a claim that he was terminated from his role at the Internal Revenue Service because of unlawful retaliation by Lower Frederick Township and its Chief of Police, has tentatively settled his claims.
Expert witness nurse says former employer defamed him and affected his retention services
SCRANTON – A Luzerne County nurse alleges that his former employer, who he had secured work through to be used as an expert witness in medical malpractice cases, defamed him in an email and harmed his future opportunities to be chosen as such an expert.
Parents who alleged their home was stormed by Philly deputies drop two of their claims
PHILADELPHIA – Parent plaintiffs who claimed multiple officers from the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Department violated their civil rights when they executed a search warrant at their home in an attempt to find the plaintiffs’ son, who had been murdered five months before the search took place, have agreed to drop two claims from their case.
Councilmember alleges sexual harassment by North York's tax collector
YORK - A councilmember for North York Borough alleges the town's tax collector sexually harassed her.
Appetizer at Cheesecake Factory just the start of lawsuit
PITTSBURGH - A Pittsburgh woman says she was enjoying her appetizer at The Cheesecake Factory when she bit down on a piece of glass.
Managing the Workplace in an Election Year on January 25, 2024
It’s that time again.
Judge partially grants dismissal to Northumberland County, in case connected to jail suicide
WILLIAMSPORT – Northumberland County and its corrections co-defendants have won partial dismissal of a claims in a complaint alleging that staffing at the county jail was inadequate and ineffective, leading the plaintiff’s daughter to commit suicide when she found herself incarcerated at the facility on drug charges.
Judge overrules objections in defamation suit between energy group president and Pa. senator
PITTSBURGH – A state court judge has overruled preliminary objections from a Pennsylvania state senator targeted with defamation allegations from an energy company president, who claimed the senator’s use of his last name to describe the practice of not limiting net energy metering in a memorandum for her proposed legislation has harmed his professional reputation.
Comfort Inn hotel denies alleged liability and wrongdoing associated with man's drowning death
PITTSBURGH – A Comfort Inn hotel in Pittsburgh has denied liability for the death of a man who died as a result of drowning in its pool last July, as alleged in a wrongful death lawsuit brought in his name.
Lawsuit says scooter bent while being operated, injured woman
PHILADELPHIA - A woman is suing Apollo Scooters, arguing she was injured when the scooter folded and tossed her off.
Jif peanut butter made Pa. man sick, lawsuit alleges
HARRISBURG - A Pennsylvania man seeks compensation for the illness he says he suffered from eating tainted Jif peanut butter
It’s an AI Kind of Year – the Evolving State of Copyright and Fair Use on January 25, 2024
Armstrong Teasdale lawyers and in-house counsel will review the evolving law around AI as related to IP issues and the impacts of its commercial use.
Reed Smith represents Compile, Inc. in its sale to McKesson Corporation
Global law firm Reed Smith has advised Compile, Inc., a healthcare data platform that aggregates and integrates data from across the US healthcare system to characterize providers and their patient panels, on its sale to McKesson Corporation, the leading healthcare company for wholesale medical supplies & equipment, pharmaceutical distribution, and healthcare technology solutions.
The good, the bad, and the ugly: The best and worst prescription drug/medical device decisions of 2023 on January 25
Each year since 2007, James Beck, a co-founder of the popular Drug and Device Law blog, has compiled and posted lists of the 10 best and 10 worst drug and medical device court decisions for that year, with input from his fellow Drug and Device Law bloggers.
Eye for an eye: Dad accused of vengeance for daughter's black eye
PITTSBURGH - An Allegheny County man whose daughter suffered a black eye on a trampoline faces a lawsuit after allegedly sucker-punching the father of the girl he blamed.