UB Greensfelder

Tobacco surcharges have become the focus of class action litigation in recent months. Although corporate wellness programs are commonplace, employers that impose a tobacco surcharge (or other premium discount) in connection with participation in their health plans have been caught up in an onslaught of litigation. Read the latest client alert, "What Employers Need to Know about Tobacco Surcharge Litigation," written by UB Greensfelder partners Amy Blaisdell, Douglas Neville, and Abby Risner: https://lnkd.in/gx6K34KA

UB Greensfelder Partner and Immigration Practice Group Leader David Leopold was quoted in an article on Axios.com titled, "Axios Explains: Roadblocks to Trump's mass deportations." Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gRspjEqK.

The NLRB has ruled that mandatory employer-sponsored meetings attempting to dissuade employees from unionizing are illegal under the NLRA. Read what employers should do to avoid violation in our alert by UB Greensfelder Partner and Co-Group Leader of the Employment & Labor Practice Chris Bailey and Associate Mary Fletcher: https://lnkd.in/gEDBU4gN

UB Greensfelder’s Saint Louis University School of Law alumni recently welcomed Dean Twinette Johnson for a visit to our downtown St. Louis office.?Dean Johnson, who was appointed Dean this summer, described the recent activities at the law school and opportunities for students to meet and work with alumni.?The law school is located next to the courthouse and is only a few blocks from our St. Louis office.

Congratulations to our four new associates who recently passed the Ohio Bar exam: Marleni Chavana, Mark Illingworth, Esq., Olivia LeRoux, and Sam Stepanovic. Marleni is in our Complex Business Litigation practice group and based in our Cleveland office. Mark is part of the Complex Business Litigation and Financial Services practice groups and located in our Cincinnati office. He brings two decades of experience in leadership at global financial services companies. Olivia is located in our Columbus office and is part of Complex Business Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation and Transportation & Logistics Litigation practice groups. Sam is part of the Real Estate practice group and works in our Cleveland office. Welcome to UB Greensfelder. We're happy to have you on the team and look forward to seeing your contributions to the firm and our clients.

On Friday, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas struck down the DOL’s final rule that was set to raise the minimum salary threshold nationwide for “white collar” employees to be exempt under the FLSA. Read more on the court’s decision to strike the rule and what employers should do in our alert by UB Greensfelder Partner and Co-Group Leader of the Employment & Labor Practice Chris Bailey and Associate David Wasserman: https://lnkd.in/dhdf5EJt.?

On Thursday, November 14, attendees gathered at the 2024 Annual Securities Industry Symposium, co-hosted by the The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL) and UB Greensfelder LLP. Attendees enjoyed an afternoon of highly informative discussions and networking opportunities with other securities professionals. One attendee shared, “Topics, panels and speakers were all great and there was some good cutting edge info presented.” The program featured a keynote interview with Michael Manly, Vice President, Chief Counsel with FINRA Enforcement in Kansas City, which attendees praised as “fantastic” and highly relevant to their industry work. The afternoon also included a regulator roundtable with the Commissioner of the Missouri Securities Division and the Securities Director of the Illinois Secretary of State; a session providing expungement updates; and guidance on best practices for safeguarding attorney-client privilege for in-house counsel and in internal investigations. 2024 represents the first time UB Greensfelder LLP sponsored the event since Ulmer & Berne LLP and Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale PC merged earlier this year. This successful symposium was the result of collaboration between attorneys from UB Greensfelder offices in St. Louis, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Boca Raton.

"As we move further away from the COVID-19 pandemic, employers understandably want to 'return to normal,' and in many cases this involves a return to the office Monday through Friday. Such a decision should not be taken lightly, as it may have unintended implications, and employers may find themselves wanting to embrace a 'new normal' moving forward." UB Greensfelder Partner and Employment & Labor Practice Group Co-Leader Chris Bailey wrote an article for the St. Louis Business Journal titled, "Key considerations for employers on the return to office trend." For the full article visit: https://lnkd.in/gCNb7ZQd

UB Greensfelder attorneys participated in the 67th Annual Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Tax Institute on Friday, November 15, 2024. Kim Stein, Co-Chair of the Tax Institute, provided opening remarks, Giulia Di Cenzo-Ebert presented on a panel on current developments, and Frederick Widen presented on real estate considerations – 1031 and TIC update.?

UB Greensfelder had some special guests on November 13. The Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus offices enjoyed a visit from Canine Companions, an organization leading the service dog industry that enables its clients to live with greater independence.?They provide service dogs to adults, children and veterans with disabilities -- as well as facility dogs to professionals working in healthcare, criminal justice and educational settings. For more information on Canine Companions visit?https://canine.org/.