NewsWire

Celebrating 400 Years of the King James Bible
As the King James Version of the Bible approaches its 400th anniversary next month, the Good Book's impact extends well beyond Christianity, says Houston attorney W. Mark Lanier. "Placing the Bible in common vernacular put the study of Judeo-Christian ethics and history into the hands of all who read, and it had a tremendous impact on religion, law, culture and the English language," says Lanier, who recently established the Lanier Theological Library. "This affected law, such as the concept of punitive damages from Exodus; culture, by spreading common morality; government, by setting out ‘inalienable rights' and other principles supporting the American Revolution; and fundamentally changed religious practice as common people began interpreting scripture rather than relying upon established religion." Lanier notes that the KJV set a standard for English literature that still resonates today throughout churches, classrooms, courthouses and halls of government. For more information, contact Alan Bentrup at 800-559-4534 or alan@androvett.com.

Perspective Needed on Napping Controllers
Air traffic controllers falling asleep on duty may sound like a disaster movie set-up, but recent headlines have shown that it's a real life dilemma that is more than just an isolated incident. "I suspect that this has been a problem for years, but now has become a politically sensitive issue," says David Norton, a Dallas aviation attorney and pilot. "But even though controllers need to be awake and alert on the job, these planes are not going to suddenly tumble out of the sky if they do nod off." As a pilot, he says he does have sympathy for the controllers who face schedule shifts that make it "enormously difficult to regulate your circadian rhythms. However, these are professionals. They should know what they need to do to control their personal schedules so that they show up to work refreshed and ready to fulfill their scheduled shift," says Norton, a partner at Shackelford, Melton & McKinley. For more information, contact Rhonda Reddick at 800-559-4534 or rhonda@androvett.com.

Dollars to Doughnuts
Bob Choate has been made whole by Shipley's Doughnuts. Last year Choate won 315 free doughnut coupons valued at $927.61 from Shipley's as part of a Houston Astros' fan appreciation event. He then received an IRS Form 1099 stating that he owed taxes on the prize. Now the owner of Houston-based Shipley's has agreed to write a $237 check to Choate, glazing over the difference the prize made in his 2010 tax refund. "The federal tax code states that prizes and awards are subject to taxation at their fair market value," says Roger Aksamit of Houston's Thompson & Knight. "Income of any type exceeding $600 in value requires the issuance of a Form 1099. The irony here is that the check that Shipley's gave Choate to cover his 2010 taxes is also taxable income. But because it's below the Form 1099 threshold, it will not be reported in 2011 like the donuts were -- sort of a loophole in this case." For more information, contact Mary Flood at 800-559-4534 or mary@androvett.com.

Resources Wasted Pursuing Online Gamblers
Popular online poker sites were targeted this week in a sweeping crackdown under the federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, a law that already has cost the United States dearly, says Houston lawyer Chris Flood. Flood defended the largest U.S. online gambling case prior to this recent arrest of 11 individuals and the shuttering of three major websites: "This antiquated, Victorian belief that we shouldn't allow Internet gambling to exist for moral reasons has cost taxpayers billions of dollars. This law has forced the U.S. to make concessions to its World Trade Organization partners," says Flood, a partner in the law firm Flood & Flood. "It's beyond me why the government wants to prosecute these cases and why it lets all these profits go offshore when betting online for horse racing is perfectly legal here." For more information, contact Alan Bentrup at 800-559-4534 or alan@androvett.com.

Wildfires and Storms Likely Lead to Insurance Troubles
With wildfires raging throughout Texas and severe storms battering the southeastern United States, home and business owners may find everything they own reduced to a pile of ash or washed away, says Houston attorney Phillip Sanov, head of The Lanier Law Firm's Bad Faith Insurance Practice Group. Sanov notes that many of his clients pay policy premiums for years without a claim, but when disaster strikes their insurance company denies, delays or underpays legitimate claims. "When everything is destroyed, policy holders often have trouble providing documentation about the damage, opening the door to carriers to cite pre-existing conditions or insufficient proof." In those instances, Sanov advises clients to check with family or friends to see if they have photographs of the destroyed property to assist with claims. "But the best plan is to prepare ahead of time, so you are ready if disaster strikes." For more information, contact Alan Bentrup at 800-559-4534 or alan@androvett.com.

Business Continuity vs. Employee Safety: An Easy Call
Goldman Sachs, which reportedly told its Japan-based employees not to leave the country despite concerns about radiation leaking from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, probably made a bad call, executive employment lawyer Joe Ahmad writes in his "Legal Issues in the Executive Suite" blog. "Being known as the company that put the bottom line before employee safety is never a good thing for corporate image," writes Ahmad, a name partner in Houston's Ahmad, Zavitzanos & Anaipakos. In addition, he writes, "executives who knowingly put employees in harm's way may face legal consequences, both under American and some foreign countries' laws…. [C]ompanies with the wherewithal and ability to protect their employees will want to be on record as having done so -- even if they take a financial hit in the short-term." For more information, contact Mary Flood at 800-559-4534 or mary@androvett.com.

Wedding Renews Call for Royal Changes
The wedding next weekend of Prince William and Catherine Middleton will draw over-the-top media coverage, a worldwide audience, and increased controversy surrounding efforts to "modernize" the laws governing the British monarchy. "These events typically prompt politicians and scholars to call for changes, such as doing away with laws that assert the primacy of males over females in royal successions," says Anthony Magee of Dallas' Gruber Hurst Johansen Hail. Magee is an Oxford-educated, former English barrister who has practiced law in Dallas since 1993. "While such changes may sound simple to execute, it could become quite complex as they require governmental agreements from the other dominions of the United Kingdom, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Such an effort could produce unforeseen and unintended consequences, as the monarchy is not necessarily held in high favor in those other countries." For more information, contact Barry Pound at 800-559-4534 or barry@androvett.com.

Gardere Spins Its Wheels for a Good Cause
Next weekend nearly 150 Gardere Wynne Sewell attorneys, clients, friends and family members will throw a leg over their bike and make a scenic 164-mile trek from Frisco to Fort Worth as part of the Bike MS: Sam's Club Ride. This marks the seventh year the Gardere Gearheads team has participated in the two-day ride, and the team has raised more than $44,000 so far for this year for multiple sclerosis research and treatment. "As a firm, we stand behind our commitment to the communities we serve," says attorney Keith V. Novick, a partner in the firm's Dallas office and team captain of the Gardere Gearheads. "We are happy to spend two days on a bike if it means possibly helping the estimated 20,000 Texans living with MS." Gardere's Houston bike team, Team Gardere, consisting of 112 members, completed the two-day, 183-mile BP MS150 from Houston to Austin on April 16-17 and have raised more than $120,000 to date. For more information, contact Rhonda Reddick at 800-559-4534 or rhonda@androvett.com.