Articles

Virginia employers need to know about a significant change in hiring and recruiting practices as the Commonwealth’s new Pay Transparency Law (SB 215) takes effect on July 1, 2026. The law, codified as Virginia Code § 40.1-28.7:12, creates new requirements related to applicant pay history and compensation disclosures. Below is a link to the new law. View the new law here. Key Requirements for Virginia Employers Pay History Inquiries Are Prohibited Employers shall not seek the wage or salary history of a prospective employee or applicant. If you have language on your application seeking an applicant’s prior pay history, it […]

Allegheny Construction Company, Inc. v. Town of Christiansburg, Virginia, et al., 86 Va. App. 321 (2025). McCormick Taylor, Inc. v. Allegheny Construction Company, Inc., 86 Va. App. 321 (2025). Kleinfelder, Inc., f/k/a Century Eng’g, Inc., d/b/a NXL Constr. v. Allegheny Constr. Co. Inc., 86 Va. App. 321 (2025). A recent decision from the Court of Appeals of Virginia emphasizes legal principles that apply to owners, contractors, and the design and inspection teams who support public projects. It reiterates that project participants working for the same owner—including consultants and their employees—generally can’t be sued for tort claims based on their work […]

Being injured by a hit‑and‑run driver often leaves victims believing they have no legal options because the at‑fault driver cannot be identified. Despite serious criminal penalties for fleeing the scene, hit‑and‑run crashes remain common in Virginia and across the country. Recognizing this, Virginia allows injured people to pursue compensation through uninsured motorist coverage, even when the responsible driver is never found. Driver’s Duty to Stop at an Accident Scene Virginia law is explicit about a driver’s legal responsibilities following a crash. Under Va. Code § 46.2‑894, a driver involved in an accident that causes injury, death, or damage to attended […]

Throughout the first quarter of 2026, Gentry Locke’s Intellectual Property group has witnessed a rise in trademark-related scams and fraudulent solicitations. These notices often reference your trademark directly and will pose as an attorney, billing service, or even a government agency to appear legitimate and pressure recipients to make unnecessary payments or disclose sensitive information. Exercise caution when reviewing any trademark-related correspondence. Below, we have provided information and resources designed to help you identify trademark scams and avoid making payments or providing information to bad actors. How USPTO Correspondence Works When You Are Represented by Counsel USPTO communications go to […]

If you are under investigation, facing a lawsuit, or thinking about hiring a lawyer, you have probably wondered whether you can use ChatGPT, Claude, or another AI chatbot to help you think through your case. A federal judge has now weighed in on that question, and the answer is one that anyone using AI to work through a legal problem should understand. In short: at least one federal court has held that conversations with a public AI chatbot may not be private or privileged, and may be discoverable in litigation. The law in this area is still developing, and other […]

Effective March 1 of this year, the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) implemented a significant change to its loan eligibility requirements, barring green card holders and other non-U.S. citizens from applying for or receiving SBA loans. The new rule applies immediately to the SBA 7(a) and 504 loan programs. Beginning April 1, 2026, the policy will be extended to the Surety Bond and Microloan programs. Under recent, prior SBA guidance, a small business could still remain eligible for SBA financing if up to 5% of its ownership was held by a foreign national or lawful permanent resident. That policy has now […]

Yes!  However, this was not the law until the enactment of H.R.3608/S.2991, which was just enacted into public law.  Let’s face it, some jobs in the United States require workers to be able to read, speak, and understand the English language.  Perhaps there is no more compelling need for such communication than by the operator of a large commercial vehicle such as a tractor-trailer or bus, which literally can weigh over 70,000 pounds and be as long as 120 feet.  These vehicles are not only heavy and long, but they are also tall and often as high as 14 feet.  […]

President Trump has issued a broad executive order aimed at confronting the growing threat of cyber‑enabled crime, signaling a more aggressive, national‑security‑oriented approach than prior federal efforts. The order—released alongside the administration’s “Cyber Strategy for America”—focuses on dismantling transnational criminal organizations responsible for ransomware, financial fraud, phishing, extortion, and related cyber schemes. Although the order does not impose new legal requirements on private companies, it foreshadows increased government engagement with the private sector and heightened enforcement expectations across several industries. A Shift in Focus: Cybercrime as a National Security Threat The executive order frames cybercrime not merely as a law‑enforcement […]

Article originally featured in the Virginia Lawyer, Vol. 74 No. 5 published by the Virginia State Bar. It’s Wednesday night, and like most lawyers (perhaps a slight exaggeration), you and your esteemed colleagues are deep in a game of construction law jeopardy. Amid the fervor of the room, and noticing you are only slightly behind the leader, you select your next category—“Contract Terms” for $800. Your friend and moderator, channeling his best Alex Trebek, reads the statement, “a duty to make good any loss, damage, or liability incurred by another.”[1] The familiar melancholic tune begins to play, but it doesn’t […]

Many employers pay salaried and hourly employees on a biweekly schedule, which usually results in 26 pay periods per year. In 2026, paying salaried employees on a biweekly schedule, could cause some employers to issue 27 biweekly payrolls, depending on how their payroll calendar falls. This anomaly occurs roughly every decade due to leap years and the fact that a 365-day year does not divide evenly into 14-day pay cycles. But while the cause is simple, the consequences for employers can be anything but. If your organization hasn’t considered whether you will have a 27-pay-period cycle in 2026, now is […]