New York recently adopted new legislation (New York Wage Theft Prevention Act) requiring private employers to provide an annual wage notice form to its employees. The form must be given to each new hire and to each current employee between January 1 and February 1 each year.

Click here to read more about this new legislation.

FGD welcomes Emily Danchuk to co-manage the firm’s trademark and copyright practice. She will based in the Biddeford, Maine office.

Ms. Danchuk is an intellectual property attorney with significant experience in business and law. Before joining Furman Gregory Deptula, she managed her own practice for seven years, handling copyright and trademark prosecution and litigation, infringement matters and business and licensing agreements for various types of commercial clients. She has also gained significant experience working with both large and small clients, assisting in various intellectual property-related matters while working as an associate at The Webb Law Firm. She served as in-house counsel for Film Movement, LLC, a film distribution company specializing in independent and foreign films, and as an Associate/Of Counsel and Legal Intern with other New York and Pittsburgh firms. Ms. Danchuk received a J.D. degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and a B.A. degree in dual areas, Political Science and Spanish, from Miami University of Ohio. She is a member of numerous bar associations and legal organizations and is licensed to practice law in New York, Pennsylvania and Maine.

Karin Gregory, Managing Partner, comments, “We welcome Emily as a member of the team to assist our clients in their trademark, commercial and copyright questions. She will also complement our offering to our creative economy clients.”

October 4 & 5, 2011: CAPA system deficiencies counted for nearly one-third of all inspectional observations and were cited in 91 percent of warning letters in 2010, percentages that have increased slightly from the previous five years. The risk of enforcement actions, however, is only one reason for companies to reexamine their CAPA systems.  A properly integrated and well-implemented CAPA program can help improve internal processes and products and better achieve business objectives. Karin Gregory, Speaker & Panelist. Click here for additional information.

FGD congratulates Karin Gregory on her election by The Wells College Alumni Association. The election took place on Saturday, June 4, 2011, during the Wells College Alumnae Association Annual Meeting and the position became official during the Alumnae Weekend Retreat that took place on September 29, 2011, through October 2, 2011. Karin graduated from Wells College in 1980, with a degree in Biochemistry and Psychology.

How to Build the Bioscience Industry in Maine, Navigating through the Federal and State Waters in Uncertain Times. Join Karin Gregory, Managing Partner of FGD and President of Maine Bioscience. Click here for more information.

Visit FGD, Booth #104, while you join businesses to network at the “The Largest Networking Event of the Year”, noon to 6:00pm at the SportZone, 400 North Street, Saco Maine. Sponsored by the Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce. Click here for additional information.

Stop by our Biddeford office to see the work of landscape painter Eileen Foley, at ArtWalk, Friday 5:00 – 8:00pm.

According to CRS and the DOL, the proposed changes to the H2B visa program reflect a return to the program as it existed in “its entire history until January 2009.” Click here to read the full summary.

On August 8th, the United States Senate voted to pass H.R. 1249, the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, without amendment. The vote in favor of passing the House version of patent reform was an overwhelming 89-9. The bill now goes to the President for his signature. BIO supported the Senate passage of H.R. 1249 and is very pleased with the final version of this patent reform bill (read release).

Join local businesses to network from 5pm to 7pm; a presentation will be offered to learn the Basics of Intellectual Property and Trademarks 101. Food, refreshments and prizes.