Introduction Although companies may understand the importance of protecting their original ideas, many of them do not know how to do so most effectively. Without an effective intellectual property management system, such companies may be squandering business opportunities and allowing competitors to misappropriate their intangible assets. An intellectual property (IP) audit is a necessary first step for all companies interested in evaluating and maximizing their IP assets ...
Houston American Corporate Counsel Association Chapter, November 8, 2002, Houston, Texas
Homeland Security Act of 2002: * On November 25, 2002, President Bush signed the “Homeland Security Act of 2002” into law, which establishes the Department of Homeland Security and includes provisions which may significantly alter the visa issuance process at U.S. Consulate/Embassy posts and adjudication of INS petitions. We will continue to provide updates as information becomes available. Department of State: * DOS issued a Worldwide Caution on November 20 reminding the country that U.S ...
Reprinted with permission of Texas Lawyer
Department of Justice/Immigration and Naturalization Service: * DOJ is implementing the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS) to enable the government to track the approximately 35 million non-immigrants who enter the U.S. each year. As part of NSEERS, certain non-immigrants will continue to register at a port-of-entry upon admission to the U.S. Other non-immigrants who were admitted to the U.S ...
Department of Justice/Immigration and Naturalization Service: * INS has temporarily lowered its filing fees for certain petitions/applications. The fee change is due to a provision of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 requiring the elimination of a surcharge the INS previously attached in order to fund asylum and refugee services, fee exemptions and fee waivers ...
Reprinted with the permission of the Houston Business Journal
Department of Justice/Immigration and Naturalization Service: * DOJ’s Immigration and Naturalization Service becomes part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on March 1, 2003. Within the DHS, the Bureau for Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS) will handle the immigration benefits function, including employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant petitions and applications for adjustment of status. The new Director of the BCIS is Eduardo Aguirre ...
Department of Homeland Security/Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service: * Immigration benefits previously provided by the Department of Justice’s Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) are now the responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service (BCIS). All familiar customer services are to remain in place ...
Department of Homeland Security/Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service: * BCIS announced plans to implement electronic filing (e-filing) as an option for two of the most commonly submitted immigration applications, the Application to Renew or Replace a “green card” and the Application for Employment Authorization. BCIS plans to launch e-filing for these applications in May 2003 and to further expand e-filing to other applications and petitions in fall 2003 ...
On April 9, 2003, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) issued a new rule directing the national securities exchanges and national securities associations to prohibit the listing of any security of a company that is not in compliance with the audit committee requirements mandated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The new rule implements the requirements of Section 10A(m)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) by adding new Exchange Act Rule 10A-3 ...
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (“BCIS”): * BCIS has announced the availability of electronic filing (e-filing) for two types of applications: Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, and Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization Document. Although many applicants will be eligible to take advantage of the e-filing system, some applicants will still need to make paper filings. Additional e-filing information may be obtained at www.bcis.gov ...
With the passing of April 14, 2003, large health plans (those with more than $5,000,000 in annual receipts) became subject to the privacy regulations issued under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). However, more HIPAA deadlines loom on the horizon ...
On October 16, 2003, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) requires employer-sponsored group health plans and others to be in compliance with the Transaction and Code Sets (“TCS”) standards for electronic transactions adopted by the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”). The federal government has been warned of potential disruption in the claim submission and payment cycles because the health care industry remains substantially non-compliant ...
Authors Karen Williams Altaras Mary Jean Geroulo E. Earl Harcrow Jeffrey P. King Lewis A. Lefko Thomas William Mayo Lisa Schafroth Sooter Related Practice Groups Health Care Prompt payment by managed care organizations is once again a hot topic of debate as revisions of current law and regulations deals with claim submission deadlines, recoupment practices, prompt pay penalties, eligibility verification and underpayments ...
Prompt payment by managed care organizations is once again a hot topic of debate as revisions of current law and regulations deals with claim submission deadlines, recoupment practices, prompt pay penalties, eligibility verification and underpayments. Out-of-network providers scored a legislative victory as Medicaid managed care organizations will have to pay them regular Medicaid rates if use of their services exceeds new benchmarks ...
Immigration
Healthcare Legislative Update - 78th Regular Session July 2003 © 2003 – Haynes and Boone, LLP Haynes and Boone, LLP 901 Main St., Suite 3100 Dallas, TX 75202 You have accessed the Healthcare Legislative Update for the 78th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature. This update has been compiled by the Health Care Section of Haynes and Boone LLP for use as a quick reference tool on topics that we believe that will be of interest to our clients and the healthcare industry ...
Authors Karen Williams Altaras Mary Jean Geroulo E. Earl Harcrow Jeffrey P. King Lewis A. Lefko Thomas William Mayo Lisa Schafroth Sooter Related Practice Groups Health Care Prompt payment by managed care organizations is once again a hot topic of debate as revisions of current law and regulations deals with claim submission deadlines, recoupment practices, prompt pay penalties, eligibility verification and underpayments ...
The Impact of Business Associate Rules Under the Final Privacy and Security Standards Presented at: Negotiating Technology Outsourcing Agreements Law Seminars International Seattle, Washington Introduction The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, more commonly known as HIPAA, has brought many changes to the health care field, as well as our day-to-day lives ...
On 1 January 2004 Ukraine woke up to the new personal income tax. A development of the previous individual income taxation, this tax is, if anything more sophisticated. Its novelties will have a lasting impact on many of the tax planning strategies involving individuals. Without attempting a comprehensive analysis of the new tax, this article offers an outline of some of its major implications for tax planning. A ...
1. Introduction With the further globalization of the world financial infrustructure accompanied by the persisting lack of international coordination in fiscal affairs? increasingly the attention of the major developed countries (in particular, such groupings as G 7 and G 10) is turned to the problems of erosion of national tax bases and international tax evasion/avoidance, as well as the role played in it be so-called tax haven ...
The Fiscal Equity Law, Law Num. 453, published on May 6, 2003, in the Daily Official Gazette Num. 82, establishes that natural persons, artificial persons or economic units, resident or not in the country, who perceive rent originated in Nicaragua are subject to a definite retention ...
The Income Tax is one of the most important taxes within the national taxation system because the subjects and activities that are affected by it are very wide. The Income Tax is regulated by the Fiscal Equity Law, which is published in the Daily Official Gazette Num. 82, on May 6, 2003. This Law establishes that the tax base to calculate the annual income is the net rent, which is the gross income obtained by the taxpayer minus the deductions authorized by law ...
Today, it is easy to find examples where individuals’ assets are threatened due to their professional activities or personal situation. Our governments have also given themselves effective means of tapping into the personal assets of individuals, mainly through the imposition of various directors’ liabilities. Personal liability is also a major concern for anyone who practises a profession where such liability cannot be limited ...
