NewsWire

Many Nonprofits May Lose Tax Exempt Status
Hundreds of thousands of nonprofit organizations are facing a deadline that could threaten their tax exempt status - and many may be unaware of the requirement or the consequences of failing to comply. Congress changed the reporting requirements for most nonprofits beginning with 2007 tax years, requiring even small organizations (other than churches) to file an annual return, with the threatened loss of their tax exempt status if they fail to file a return for three consecutive years. "Many small nonprofits obtained their exemptions years ago, when such organizations did not have to file an annual return," says Tyree Collier of Dallas' Thompson & Knight. "While many of these organizations may no longer exist, it's likely that many others continue to rely on their exemption and simply aren't aware of the new rules." For more information, contact Barry Pound at 800-559-4534 or barry@androvett.com. 

New Federal Law Provides Breaks for Nursing Moms
Of all the adjustments new mothers must make when returning to the workforce, none may be as difficult as how to approach breastfeeding. However, the Health Care Reform Act will help ease the transition by requiring employers to provide, for up to one year after the birth of a child, "reasonable" break time in a private location other than restrooms for mothers to express milk. "While the break time is unpaid and there are still many loose ends in this law - what 'reasonable' means, what the penalty for non-compliance is and how hardship exemptions for small employers will be interpreted - it is a big step forward for those trying to juggle a career with the care of an infant," says employment attorney Carrie Hoffman of Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP. For more information, contact Rhonda Reddick at 800-559-4534 or rhonda@androvett.com. 

Government, Privacy and Social Media
Amid reports that Facebook has begun providing personal information to third-party sites about its 400 million users, the Federal Trade Commission has been asked by Sen. Charles Schumer to consider strict privacy regulations for social networking sites. "This is the latest example of government's uneasy relationship with an unregulated Internet," says Chris Schaeper of Thompson & Knight. "The FCC is wrestling with net neutrality and law enforcement struggles to monitor online classifieds like Craigslist." He also notes that companies spend billions on securing firewalls against hackers and millions of consumers fall victim to phishing schemes. "I think there's a legitimate question as to what our priorities should be. Are privacy concerns driving the regulatory interest, or merely the success of these sites?" For more information, contact Barry Pound at 800-559-4534 or barry@androvett.com.

A Gray Area for Copyright Law
The U.S. Supreme Court will look into whether the bargain Costco shoppers snared on Omega watches violated copyright law, and attorney Dyan House of Munck Carter says manufacturers and retailers will be watching closely. At issue is the first sale doctrine, which generally holds that once a copyright holder sells an item, subsequent owners can resell it without the copyright holder's permission. In this case, the foreign-made Omega watches were first sold abroad and then imported to the U.S., an act not authorized by the copyright owner. "Whether the first sale doctrine can be raised successfully as a defense to copyright infringement involving lawfully made foreign goods bought on the gray market remains to be seen," House says. For more information, contact Mark Annick at 800-559-4534 or mark@androvett.com.

Orsinger Earns Honors for CLE Article
For the second consecutive year, Richard R. Orsinger of the Family Law firm McCurley Orsinger McCurley Nelson & Downing, L.L.P., has earned honors for his work on a continuing legal education article. Orsinger recently was named the recipient of the College of the State Bar of Texas' prestigious Franklin Jones Best CLE article of the Year Award for 2009 for "Practicing Family Law in a Depressed Economy." "CLE articles are exceptionally important tools," he says. "The economic struggles of this country have touched every one of us in some way and one of the best ways to weather that storm is to work together and learn from each other." He previously earned the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section's award for the Best Family Law Continuing Legal Education article in 2008 for "Different Ways to Trace Separate Property." For more information, contact Rhonda Reddick at 800-559-4534 or rhonda@androvett.com.