Monday, May 22, 2017

MUSolutions Webinar

MUSolutions Webinar
The Post-Launch Checklist: Business, Tax, and Intellectual Property Considerations for Your Emerging Business

Please join Meyer, Unkovic & Scott attorneys Kevin Israel, Michael Monyok and Josh Hoffman for an informative webinar of what to expect and prepare for with your growing venture. For more information and to register please visit MUSolutions Webinar.


Thursday, May 18, 2017

PVCA Luncheon - Intellectual Property Strategy

David Oberdick will serve as panelist at the next PVCA Luncheon coming up June 13 at the Fairmont Pittsburgh. The discussion will be focused on “Intellectual Property Strategy.” Learn more.

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

The Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership

Meyer, Unkovic & Scott’s Nette Oliver was recently interviewed by Jon Delano on The Sunday Business Page, KDKA-TV2, where she discussed the important work of Neighborhood Legal Services and the Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership. Use this link to view the complete video.


Thursday, May 11, 2017

Mechanics' Liens Seminars

Meyer, Unkovic & Scott attorney Chad Michaelson, a Partner in the firm’s Construction & Litigation Groups, will be a featured presenter at a series of upcoming PBI seminars on the topic of “Mechanics' Liens in Pennsylvania: What You Need to Know in 2017.” The seminars are scheduled to be held in Mechanicsburg on June 19th, Pittsburgh on June 20th, and Philadelphia on June 27th.

Please see the links below for further details and registration information.

Monday, May 8, 2017

Meyer, Unkovic & Scott Welcomes Maxwell Briskman Stanfield

412.456.2870
mbs@muslaw.com
Meyer, Unkovic & Scott is pleased to welcome Maxwell Briskman Stanfield as an Associate to our Real Estate & Lending and Corporate & Business Law Practice Groups.

Mr. Stanfield represents clients in a variety of corporate, real estate and financial transactions, including those related to commercial and hospitality properties. He also advises individuals and corporations in general corporate and business transactional matters.

Prior to his earlier law firm experience in Pittsburgh, Mr. Stanfield worked as an intern in the legal department of CBS Corporation in New York, and as a legal extern for CBS Television in Los Angeles.

Mr. Stanfield earned his J.D. from Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, and B.A. from Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pa.

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Immigration Law Alert - Companies Should Prepare for an Increase in I-9 Audits

In President Trump's recent Executive Orders, he directed executive agencies to prioritize the enforcement of immigration laws and proposed an increase in the budget for the hiring of additional immigration officers. Such enforcement efforts will likely include a surge in I-9 audit compliance.

All employers have an obligation to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all newly-hired employees through the completion of the Employment Eligibility and Verification Form I-9. This verification process must take place within 3 days of the start of employment. The Form I-9 records the relevant data from the documents that the employer inspected to confirm the employee's authorization to work in the United States. It is important that the employer clearly identify the reviewed documents and their identification numbers. It is not necessary to retain copies of the documents.

The U.S. Department of Labor and the Department of Homeland Security through its U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau (ICE) are the government agencies with authority to audit I-9 compliance. Prior to conducting an I-9 audit, the agency normally sends a Notice of Inspection for production of I-9s; then, businesses will have 3 business days to provide the requested documents for inspection. The Notice of Inspection may also list other business records for inspection such as payroll records, a list of employees, Articles of Incorporation and business licenses.

If technical or procedural violations are found, the employer is given 10 business days to correct the violation. Companies can receive monetary fines for substantive and uncorrected technical violations. Fines for failing to comply with I-9 employment verification requirements can range from $216 to a maximum of $2,156 for each form.

Any employer who knowingly hired or continued to employ an unauthorized worker may be criminally prosecuted, and the company can be debarred from participation in federal contracts. Civil fines for knowingly hiring an unauthorized alien for employment can range from $539 to a maximum of $21,563 for each unauthorized alien.

ICE is committed to increasing work-site enforcement, particularly in cases of low skill and high turnover industries. Employers should regularly audit their I-9 procedures, compliance, and recordkeeping; establish a protocol to identify persons responsible for dealing with a government inquiry; and be sure that all policies and protocols relating to recordkeeping and government compliance are current.

For more information about I-9 Audits or any other Immigration Law matter, please contact Joel Pfeffer, Elaina Smiley, or Gary Sanderson.

This material is for informational purposes only.  It is not and should not be solely relied on as legal advice in dealing with any specific situation.