NewsWire

One Year After Hurricane Ike, Homeowners Still Cleaning Up Damage
While many of the blue tarps may be gone and debris removed, thousands of Gulf Coast homeowners are still dealing with fallout from Hurricane Ike, says Houston attorney Kurt Arnold, named partner in Arnold & Itkin LLP. Hundreds of lawsuits remain pending against insurance carriers who have denied or underpaid claims, with the most predominant insurer in the hardest hit areas, the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, named in many of the lawsuits. And a new law that went into effect this week will make it harder for homeowners to even obtain TWIA coverage. "As an 'insurer of last resort,' the TWIA should help protect Texans," says Arnold. "Now homeowners who are still struggling to rebuild are wondering if they'll be covered at all the next time a storm blows in." To interview Mr. Arnold, contact Alan Bentrup at 800-559-4534 or alan@androvett.com.

Texas Law Expands Definition of ‘Disability'
Companies doing business in Texas may need to update their policies and educate supervisors about a new state law that expands the definition of "disability" in employment matters. Effective this week, House Bill 978 broadens the criteria and medical conditions that may be used as the basis in workplace discrimination claims. "HB 978 provides that episodic diseases such as diabetes, cancer and epilepsy qualify as a disability, and the beneficial use of medication or devices by individuals to manage these conditions can't be considered by the courts," says Bryan Neal of the Dallas office of Thompson & Knight. "Business coalitions and other opponents foresee an increase in disability discrimination lawsuits as this legislation makes state law conform to the broader standards of disability found in federal discrimination claims." To interview Mr. Neal, contact Barry Pound at 800-559-4534 or barry@androvett.com.

Insurance Battles Follow Wildfires, Other Natural Disasters
From the California wildfires to the ever-present threat of hurricanes along the coasts, owners of homes and businesses should be able to rely on their insurance policies for peace of mind. However, insurance companies have a "nasty habit of adding to the damage done to their policyholders," says Houston attorney Phillip Sanov, head of The Lanier Law Firm's new Bad Faith Insurance Practice Group. The Lanier Law Firm team has helped thousands of individuals and businesses recover withheld insurance payments involving damage from natural disasters. "People expect insurance companies to stand behind them when disaster strikes," says Sanov. "The sad truth is that most people and businesses I talk with have been wrongfully denied, unreasonably delayed or vastly underpaid for their insurance claims." To interview Mr. Sanov about legal bad faith insurance issues, contact Bruce Vincent at 800-559-4534 or bruce@androvett.com.

Details, Benefits Emerging on Brazilian Oil Proposal
The Brazilian government's proposal to develop the largest oil reserve discovered in the Western Hemisphere in the past 30 years -- an estimated 50 billion barrels -- could benefit a host of U.S. energy sector service providers. "While the regulatory framework still requires legislative approval, exploration and production for the pre-salt region off Brazil's southeastern coast holds great promise," says Andrew Derman of Thompson & Knight. "This will require massive financial investments, advanced technologies and a highly skilled workforce over many years, if not decades, to fully assess and recover these reserves." The plan calls for Brazilian energy giant Petrobras to be the region's sole operator and hold a 30 percent stake in all development joint ventures, while allowing the government to keep a bigger share of oil profits. To interview Mr. Derman, contact Barry Pound at 800-559-4534 or barry@androvett.com.  

Significant Risks in Government Contracting Can't Be Overlooked
One area the U.S. Small Business Administration's new online training course on winning government contracts (http://www.sba.gov/fedcontractingtraining/index.html) doesn't mention is the significant risks involved in this unique type of business, according to Marshall Doke Jr., head of the Government Contracts practice at Gardere Wynne Swell LLP. "Some basic rules of commercial business are not applicable to government contracts," he says. "The contracts all favor the government, including criminal and civil laws, dispute resolution, and voluminous contract clauses." Doke says government contracts include required system approvals, unallowable costs, unique accounting rules, as well as special rules for purchasing, estimating, quality controls, and socio-economic policies, essentially mandating how the business must be run. "It is a good business if you know the rules," he says. "But it is dangerous if you do not." To interview Mr. Doke, contact Rhonda Reddick at 800-559-4534 or rhonda@androvett.com.

Fish & Richardson Again Named Top Patent Litigation Firm
For the sixth consecutive year, the intellectual property magazine IP Law & Business has named Fish & Richardson the top patent litigation firm in the country. The publication's annual survey, which appears in the magazine's September issue, ranks law firms by the volume of new patent cases filed. Fish & Richardson was involved in a total of 77 new cases in 2008, 20 more cases than the firm's nearest competitor. "Clients trust us to handle their most complex litigation problems because we are the best at what we do," said Peter J. Devlin, President of Fish & Richardson. "The turbulent economy hasn't changed that. If anything, there is less margin for error -- so our clients depend on us to get it right." For more information on the honor or Fish & Richardson, contact Mike Androvett at 800-559-4534 or mike@androvett.com.