Authored Articles

We hope you and your family enjoyed a happy holiday season. We’re writing to introduce you to a new e-newsletter we will begin publishing next week.

Justin Roberts, partner in the litigation group in the Cleveland office, and Sean Purcell, a partner in the corporate group in the Washington, D.C. office, authored an article for Crain’s Cleveland Business titled “Don’t Buy an FCPA Problem in an Overseas Deal.”

Ashley Manfull, an associate in the Vorys Akron office and a member of the labor and employment group, authored an article for Crain’s Cleveland Business regarding employee performance improvement plans (PIPs) and year-end reviews.

With 70 million-plus members, TripAdvisor has developed a reputation as a well-trusted source for information and trip planning options for hotels, restaurants, and various attractions. Of course, like any website, TripAdvisor is not free of false or otherwise fraudulent reviews.

Bret Treier co-authored Mergers and Acquisitions for Distributors: Expert Advice for Buyers and Sellers.

Margaret Everett, of counsel in the Vorys Cleveland office and member of the litigation group, authored an article for Crain’s Cleveland Business titled “Workers' Compensation Fraud Investigations: Old School Meets New Tools.”

Whitney Gibson, the leader of the firm’s internet defamation group, and Jordan Cohen, an associate in the internet defamation group, co-authored an article for Travel Law Quarterly titled “New York Hotel’s Policy Against Negative Online Reviews Backfires.”

Following an extended dry spell for de novo bank applications, in what could be interpreted as a gesture to “kick-start” de novo conversations, the FDIC issued in November a somewhat “out of the blue” financial institutions letter (FIL-56-2014) containing a series of Q&As relating to procedural issues surrounding applications for deposit insurance.

When bankers see news reports about the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), Ohio’s Marriage Amendment and recent court cases involving same-sex marriages, they probably think in terms of constitutional, health care, employment and domestic issues.

Both state and federal bank regulatory exam reports use references to Matters Requiring Attention (MRAs), Matters Requiring Board Attention (MRBAs) and Matters Requiring Immediate Attention (MRIAs) as mechanisms for bringing issues and concerns to the attention of financial institution boards.

Community banks and thrifts have great reputations for their focus on customer service. Management and boards of financial institutions are accustomed to being thoroughly engaged and focused on maintaining and monitoring good relationships with their key customers at all levels.

Vorys Partners Greg Russell and Pete Lusenhop authored an article for the Oil & Gas Monitor titled “‘It’s All About that Basin, Bout Dat Basin…No Trouble (Well Maybe a Little).” The article highlighted the lessons that can be learned from recent and pending cases in U.S. shale plays. According to the authors, the main lesson is “Proceed with Caution.”

Kevin Gormly, a partner in the Pittsburgh office, and Abbi Marusic, an associate in the Pittsburgh office, provided the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Update in the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Mineral Law Newsletter, Vol. 31, No. 4.

Whitney Gibson, a partner in the Vorys Cincinnati office and the leader of the firm’s internet defamation group, and Mary Henkel, of counsel in the Cincinnati office and a member of the litigation group, authored an article for Social Media Explorer called “Can Haters Post Death Threats on Facebook?”

Michael Garvin, a partner in the Vorys Cleveland office and a member of the litigation group, authored an article for the Canadian Federated Press publication Intellectual Property. The article was titled “How "Inter Partes Review" Will Reshape Patent Litigation Advice.”

Whitney Gibson, a partner in the Vorys Cincinnati office and the leader of the firm’s internet defamation group, and Mary Henkel, of counsel in the Cincinnati office, authored an article for PR Daily called “What PR Pros Should Know About the Supreme Court's Facebook Case.”

Dave Froling and John Petzinger, attorneys in the Vorys Columbus office and members of the tax group, co-authored an article titled “The Ohio Commercial Activity Tax: Audit Trends and Latest Developments” for the Winter 2014 edition of the Journal of State Taxation.

Lisa Babish Forbes, a partner in the Vorys Cleveland office and a member of the litigation group, authored an article for the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal titled “Exculpatory Clauses: They May Not Mean What They Say.”

Ashley Manfull, a senior attorney in the Vorys Akron office and a member of the labor and employment group, authored an article for TLNT.com titled “Troubling Questions After Record $185 Million Discrimination Award.”

Michael Garvin, a partner in the Vorys Cleveland office and a member of the litigation group, authored an article for the Crain’s Cleveland Business/Legal Marketing Association (Ohio Chapter) 2014 Legal Guidebook.