Blackletter

Tom Dunlap is joined by special guest Sabrina Shafer, CEO of transformation CONTINUUM. They discuss how to prep your company to go to market digitally.  Topics for the episode include digital transformation, executing your transformation plan and advice for law firms going through a digital transformation.

For today’s episode, Tom discusses a report released by RPX corporation, which handles infringement litigation when companies have been sued by non-practicing entities. Non-practicing entities own patents or portfolios, but do not make a product, and sue other companies when those patents are infringed upon. Compare to last year, litigation with NPEs has risen by 7%. On the reverse side, practicing litigation has dropped by 16%. Tom touches on what this means and why this is occurring now in 2021. Listen to the episode to hear how this all relates to Fintiv and Judge Albright in Waco, Texas.   

On this Episode of Blackletter, Tom Dunlap is joined by special guest Scott Harris, owner of the Catoctin Creek Distillery. This episode covers the history of the distillery as well as Harris’s work pioneering hand sanitizer production out of distilleries.

Today, Tom Dunlap discusses the Supreme Court ruling in favor of a high school student who had been cut her from the varsity cheerleading time due to profanity in her Snapchat photos. The teenager posted on her Snapchat, swearing about the school, which eventually got back to the school, who punished her. The Supreme Court ruled that the school did not have the right to censor or punish students for their freedom of speech or expression outside the classroom  

For today’s episode, Tom discusses employers having the authority to mandate vaccination. If Pfizer and Moderna get the full approval by the FDA, then employers have the ability to enforce vaccination before returning to work. Tom goes through the American with Disabilities Act that employers will have to comply with, as well as, if they need to keep track of side effects from the vaccine.

Today, Tom Dunlap chats with Sharon Virts about building her successful government contracting business, her new book, and her recent philanthropy work.  

Sharon began her foundation to support four pillars that she believes are necessary for a thriving community: education, cultural and historic preservation, healthcare, and opportunity for development. They have donated millions of dollars to build much needed systems like a Trauma Center in Loudoun County, and STEM, reading, and art programs for the local schools.  

For today’s episode, Tom discusses the recent case involving Fresh Hub and Amazon. Fresh Hub alleges that Amazon infringes on their patent IOT kitchen voice technology. Fresh Hub’s patent includes using your voice to order and manage grocery lists. However, Amazon, which now owns Wholefoods, is allegedly using that technology via the Alexa app and other smart devices. The case is still evolving, so check back in with Tom on Monday Minutes to hear an update!

For today’s episode, Tom discusses the recent Supreme Court Ruling on the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, or CFAA. The case involved an officer who used his access to a state-run computer to search for the license plate of a woman on behalf of a friend. The friend allegedly paid him $6,000 to see if the woman was an undercover cop or not. The federal government prosecuted him under CFAA, but the appeal questions if an insider like the officer can be convicted under that act. Tom discusses the outcome of the ruling and the perspective of each side.   

For today’s episode, Tom discusses the origins of Memorial Day as a day of remembrance and what it truly means. It began a few years after the Civil War as “Decoration Day,” in which Americans, especially in the North, placed decorations on tombstones. Tom touches on its unique presence in Charleston. In the 1970s, the government officially declared the holiday on May 31st as a day of remembrance. Listen to the episode to hear more about its history and how it’s celebrated today.  

For today’ s episode, Tom discusses the origins of the phrase “Crossing the Rubicon” and how it has appeared in the legal world. He distinguishes that there was no law in Rome that Julius Caesar could not cross the Rubicon River. Rather, it had to do with Imperium, which prohibited Roman generals to return to that area of Italy without disbanding their army. When Caesar crossed the Rubicon, he and his army became outlaws subject to death—essentially reaching the point of no return. In American law, this connects to the idea that federal troops can’t be deployed on American soil with weapons. Listen to Tom explain the exception to this rule and how it is allowed to exist.