Is the energy industry ready for the latest on the compensation front—radical changes to overtime rules effective December 1, 2016? The industry has had a roller coaster ride over the last five or six years, including in its compensation of employees […]
As of that date, if employers are not ready, haven’t revised pay procedures, and put in new accounting processes, well, “TB”—and some might add another letter in there. The “too bad” means that the DOL can, at 12:00 a.m. on 12/01/2016, descend […]
The case involves two competitors that provide solid-control equipment and services to the oil and gas industry, M-I L.L.C. d/b/a M-I Swaco (“M-I”) and National Oilwell Varco, L.P. (“NOV”). NOV hired, Jeff Russo (“Russo”), a former M-I employee […]
The Supreme Court of the United States’ May 18, 2016 ruling in Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins has potentially far-reaching impacts on lawsuits brought under federal statutes—in this case, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”)—that may curtail creative […]
After proposing its Final Rule on July 6, 2015 and receiving over 270,000 comments, the Department of Labor has published the Final Rule implementing significant changes to overtime regulations. The changes will go into effect December 1, 2016. Here […]
The most significant exposure an employer faces in employment litigation is a class action lawsuit. Whether it is a class asserting claims for discrimination, harassment, or overtime, the potential damages can quickly escalate when there are multiple […]
In Martin v. Federal National Mortgage Association, No. 15-41104 (5th Cir. Feb. 22, 2016), the Fifth Circuit issued its fourth opinion in recent months rejecting a borrower's assertion that a mortgage servicer waived acceleration of a loan by engaging […]
Jeff Heck ("Heck") sued CitiMortgage, Inc. ("CitiMortgage") over CitiMortgage's failure to allow his purchase of real property at a non-judicial foreclosure sale after Heck successfully bid on the foreclosure property, was given 20 minutes to obtain […]
On March 2, 2016, Aubrey McClendon, the former head of Chesapeake Energy, was indicted on federal antitrust charges. One day later this pioneer and leader in the shale revolution tragically died in a car accident in Oklahoma. Although the criminal […]
On Friday, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that production payments, like overriding royalty payments, cannot survive the termination of their respective oil and gas leases. In doing so, the Supreme Court stamped out a potentially “backwards” line […]
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is the newest entity in a long line of governmental and corporate interests to voice concern over cybersecurity measures taken by banks and other financial institutions. The FDIC recently published its […]
An opinion delivered by Judge Harmon this week, in Dewan v. M-I, L.L.C. (2016 Westlaw 695717, Feb. 22, 2016), provides clarity in this murky area, much-needed particularly in the oil industry. Dewan holds that “mud men” or “mud engineers” are […]