Entries by NCBARBLOG

Make Your Writing More ‘Impactful’: Banish Trendy Words

By Laura Graham Recently, as I was scrolling through Facebook, I saw a link to a list that piqued my interest: “Lake Superior State University’s 43rd Annual List of Banished Words.”[1] It turns out that Lake Superior State University has been publishing this list every year since 1975, and over 900 words are now on […]

Recent Court Opinions

By Joseph S. Murray IV The courts have been busy so far this year with employment law decisions. Here are some of the latest: Digital Realty Trust, Inc. v. Somers, No. 16-1276 (U.S. Feb. 21, 2018): If you want whistleblower protections under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, then you’d better blow […]

Allan Head: Leader, Mentor, Advocate, Friend

The Paralegal Division, the NCBA, and the world lost a great man on February 17, 2018 with the passing of former, longtime NCBA Executive Director Allan Head. Allan was a staunch supporter of paralegals and the driving force behind the creation of the Legal Assistants Division, now the Paralegal Division.  Allan worked closely with past […]

Supreme Court Decision in Digital Realty Trust, Inc. v. Somers Removes Protections for Whistleblowers, But Effects Are Limited

By Sean F. Herrmann and Kevin P. Murphy On February 21, 2018, Justice Ginsburg sent shock waves through the employment bar—specifically those practicing whistleblower law—with the Court’s decision in Digital Realty Trust, Inc. v. Somers, No. 16-1276 (February 21, 2018). This decision significantly limits whistleblower protections under the Dodd-Frank Act. However, it is not the proverbial […]

In the Wake of Charlotte School Of Law’s Demise, What Awaits Those Left Behind?

By Russell Rawlings “404.” That’s all that’s left of the Charlotte School of Law — a 404 website unavailable message indicating that the law school has closed, effective Aug. 11, 2017. The message also includes directions for anyone seeking documentation previously housed and maintained by the law school. Henceforth and forevermore, records pertaining to attendance, […]

Items of Interest: German IP Law and Esports, Mark Hammill, Media Modernization

Members of the Sports & Entertainment Law Section found the following recent third-party articles to be of potential interest to the Section. Let the games begin: German IP law in the world of esports Endorsement Lands Mark Hamill in TINA’s Sarlacc Pit Next Media Modernization Proposals – Eliminate FCC Filing Requirement for Certain Broadcast Licensee […]

Mid-Year Meeting Update From the ABA House of Delegates

By Bryan Norris Fellow members of the YLD: My name is Bryan Norris, and I serve as your American Bar Association State Bar Delegate, representing the NCBA YLD within the North Carolina delegation to the ABA’s House of Delegates.  On February 5, 2018, the American Bar Association held its Mid-Year Meeting, where the House of […]

We Must Embrace Diversity To Meet Today’s Challenges

By Bain Jones While seeing “The Darkest Hour,” the award-nominated movie about the early months of World War II in Britain, I was impressed that Winston Churchill chose to effectively use his coalition war cabinet, a group of diverse individuals. Reflective of the 1930’s, this group of leaders did not have gender or racial diversity. […]

Blockchain and Its Implications For IP

By Steve Snyder As I continue to stay abreast of the latest technical developments involving computer related technology, the IP implications are becoming less clear.  Being heavily involved in cybersecurity, I have been making the case that the cybersecurity field needs IP attorneys to bridge gaps that we are used to bridging—such as being a […]