The Library

Travis Graham is a partner at Gentry Locke, where he practices estate, commercial, and personal injury litigation. It is usually possible to avoid most legal difficulties following a loved one’s death through open discussions with family members, sound advice, and prior planning. But not always. And when legal problems do arise, the emotional and financial toll can be devastating. Legal battles following the death of a family member can destroy families and futures, and prevent closure for months or years. Unfortunately, certain aspects of estate planning and administration almost seem to invite controversy. But, these situations are not hopeless. The […]

Bankruptcies are at times an unfortunate necessity. Our clients often find themselves financially overwhelmed, especially when they are the victims of medical malpractice, a defective product or car, and trucking crashes. At times, the financial burdens become so great that clients are left with no choice but to seek the protection of bankruptcy. When clients do so, they must notify their attorneys of this. Failure to do so can lead to drastic consequences. The strange case of Ricketts v. Strange The recent case of Ricketts v. Strange, (February 16, 2017), highlights what can happen when lawyers and clients don’t communicate […]

In case you haven’t heard, Virginia is for lovers — of craft beer, spirits and wine! In recent years, many craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries have chosen to call Virginia home. To facilitate the growth and expansion of this industry in Virginia, during its 2017 session, the Virginia General Assembly brewed up a number of bills governing the sale and marketing of alcoholic beverages in the Commonwealth. Let’s take a moment to distill some of the new Virginia laws that will go into effect on July 1, 2017. Showcasing Virginia Craft Spirits To support the burgeoning craft spirits industry, the […]

On January 4, 2017, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) filed a lawsuit against the tech mega-giant Google for its refusal to submit compensation data for its employees as part of a compliance review. The complaint alleges that Google repeatedly refused to provide specific compensation data about its employees. The request, which was issued by the OFCCP under Executive Order 11246, asks Google to provide job and salary history for employees which includes a variety of employee-specific data, including “starting salary, starting position, starting ‘compara-ratio,’ starting job code, starting job family, starting job level, starting organization” and any […]

This article by Gentry Locke attorneys Lindsey Coley and Brad Tobias was published by Law360 on February 8, 2017. You may read the formatted article here. In the waning days of President Obama’s administration, before President Trump was inaugurated on January 20, 2017, the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) forged several new lawsuits against technology and financial companies in a continuing effort to crack down on compensation discrimination. The OFCCP, which is expected to take a more employer-friendly approach under the Trump Administration, still has yet to have a new director appointed. But for now, […]

The Department of Justice has indicated an increased focus on healthcare fraud by devoting additional resources to these investigations and highlighting recent prosecutions in this area. Of note was the June 2016 sweep led by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which resulted in criminal and civil charges of 301 individuals and alleged approximately $900 million in false billing.[1] Among those charged were doctors, pharmacists, physical therapists, home health care providers, and other medical providers. This nationwide sweep involved 23 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units and took place in 36 federal districts. This coordinated takedown has been described as the largest […]

Because the legal matter in this article was handled by attorneys at Gentry Locke, we are required to inform readers that THE RESULTS OF CLIENT MATTERS DEPEND ON A VARIETY OF FACTORS UNIQUE TO EACH MATTER. PAST SUCCESSES DO NOT PREDICT OR GUARANTEE FUTURE SUCCESSES.   Virginia Tech’s athletes are not the only ones engaged in high-level Hokie contests. In 1997, Virginia Tech contracted with a construction company to build McComas Hall, a facility to house student health, fitness, and recreational services. Consistent with the campus aesthetic, McComas Hall’s exterior featured Hokie Stone, a unique variety of limestone that is quarried on […]

This is the fourth installment of a series of year-end alerts to employers. Part 1: OSHA Reporting Rules Effective December 1, 2016 Part 2: Paycheck Transparency Rules Effective January 1, 2017 Part 3: Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors Effective January 1, 2017 One area of intense interest to the Obama Administration has been to challenge the use of confidentiality provisions in employee handbooks as well as in employment agreements of all kinds. For a number of years, the NLRB has found confidentiality policies that prohibit employees from discussing wage information or other terms and conditions of employment to be […]

This is the third installment of a series of year-end alerts to employers. This alert is of particular interest to federal government contractors. Part 1: OSHA Reporting Rules Effective December 1, 2016 Part 2: Paycheck Transparency Rules Effective January 1, 2017 Part 4: Confidentiality Rules Under Fire – Be Warned! The Department of Labor (DOL) on September 30, 2016 issued new final rules spelling out the requirement for covered federal contractors to provide employees with up to seven days (56 hours) of paid sick leave per year.[1] Employees who are covered under this new Rule are “any person[s]” engaged in […]