Professional business insurance has become commonplace these days, with everyone from small businesses to large corporations taking out policies to protect their buildings and contents and professional indemnity insurance to cover errors, omissions and professional neglect . These kinds of insurance are essential, but what about cover for legal expenses? The expensive costs incurred from …
The director of the 2009 smash hit film Avatar, James Cameron, is facing a copyright infringement lawsuit over claims that he stole ideas for the script from author Kelly Van. Despite Cameron’s protestations that he has never seen Van’s work, the writer claims that several aspects of Avatar are very similar to her online novel …
Kernel Capital, a venture capital funder based in Cork, has recently filed a lawsuit against one of Ireland’s largest law firms William Fry, citing negligence and breach of contract as the chief complaints. The law firm’s 56 partners are being accused of mishandling investments and dispensing bad advice to clients. Kernel Capital is suing William …
The owner of a law firm in Ormskirk, West Lancashire has been forced into insolvency after a judge awarded £148,000 in compensation to 21 former employees. The Kennedy Partnership, run by senior partner Stephen Hathway, closed down suddenly back in October 2009 due to trouble paying insurance premiums. The law firm’s employees were reportedly given …
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) – designed to mediate and handle disputes between consumers and financial companies – has reported a dramatic rise in the number of complaints about payment protection insurance. Also known as PPI, payment protection insurance policies provide consumers with cover if they are not able to pay existing debts such as …
In an undoubtedly hefty professional indemnity claim, software giants Microsoft have lost their lengthy legal battle against VirnetX Holding Corporation, paying out around $200 million in settlement fees. The issue was violation of intellectual property rights, where VirtnetX – a California-based technology developer working on virtual private networks – claimed that Microsoft Corporation incorporated their …
Large businesses and corporations have the benefits of experience, seemingly limitless finances, a vast legal team and the most comprehensive professional indemnity insurance policy money can buy. Small and medium sized businesses, however, do not and as such are extremely vulnerable. Whilst a large company would be able to withstand the costs and reputational damage …
The graphic novelist Jason Barnes – author and owner of Carnival Comics – has filed a lawsuit against television network NBC Universal over claims that they infringed on the copyright of his work in their show Heroes. Jason Barnes (otherwise known as Jazan Wild) claims that in the fourth series of the once-popular but now …
Following a recent high-profile scam where the chairman of the British National Martial Arts Association (BNMAA) conned members out of around £180,000, the National Association of Karate and Martial Arts Schools (NAKMAS) is warning clubs of the importance of professional indemnity insurance cover. Chairman of the now disbanded BNMAA, Paul Griffin, ran the organisation from …