2021 is shaping up to be a groundbreaking year for employment litigation topics, and Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) is no exception. State and federal appellate courts in Illinois are poised to decide several open issues, including the proper limitations period, whether the Workers Compensation Act pre-empts BIPA claims and whether BIPA liquidated damages…

McGuireWoods has long been an avid supporter of the advancement of professional women. As part of our initiative seeking to expand the leadership of women in private equity, we are continuing our  series of profiling women leaders in private equity. We are hopeful that this series will serve to inspire other women to pursue their…

New Harbor Capital has announced it has completed a majority investment in Advent Home Medical.

Advent, based in Pontiac, Mich., is an at-home respiratory care company providing services and medical equipment to patients throughout their post-acute lifecycle.

New Harbor Capital, based in Chicago, invests in lower middle market companies. Founded in 2013, the firm…

Ocean Development Partners, LLC (MA) and Ocean Development Partners (RI) v. Dmity Deych, et al. was filed in the Superior Court of Suffolk County, Massachusetts on March 11, 2021, seeking damages and equitable relief for federal statutory and state law claims related to the defendants’ purported scheme to defraud the purchasers of certain real estate.

Plaintiffs are limited liability companies located in Massachusetts and Rhode Island that entered into an agreement to purchase a real estate development project and luxury vacation community (the “Investment”).  The defendants are individuals and entities who, largely unbeknownst to plaintiffs, likewise had an ownership or other interest in the Investment.

On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The American Rescue Plan’s $1.9 trillion in spending, contains numerous provisions impacting healthcare, including medical insurance, services delivery and providers.

The American Rescue Plan also provides $5 million to the HHS Office of Inspector General…

“Information security is critical to the operation of the financial markets and the confidence of its participants. . . The Division is acutely focused on working with firms to identify and address information security risks, including cyber-attack related risk . . .” SEC Division of Examinations, 2021 Examination Priorities, at 24.

On March 3, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s newly renamed Division of Examinations (EXAMS) (formerly the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE)) announced its 2021 examination priorities.  Information security and operational resiliency ranked number two out of the top five priorities sending a clear message that the SEC is focused on emergent security threats, particularly cyber-attacks, resulting from the sudden and unprecedented increase in remote operations.

Mar v. Mohr, et al. was filed in a California state court on February 11, 2021 as a putative class action for $170 million in civil damages against alleged co-conspirators of a retirement planning fraudster’s business.  Specifically, the complaint alleges violations of California securities law, fraud and deceit, intentional misrepresentation, and negligent misrepresentation.

The named plaintiff is an individual investor who seeks to represent two classes amounting to over 100 other investors.  The defendants include an individual (“Mohr”) and his corporate entity, EquiAlt, LLC.  Mohr purported to provide retirement planning services alongside his licensed business of selling life insurance.  Mohr’s attorney (“Wassgren”) and unnamed Doe defendants are also included in the suit.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently declined to address a circuit split regarding the standard for establishing that a statement material to a claim for payment is false under the False Claims Act (FCA); specifically, whether the FCA requires pleading and proof of an “objectively false statement,” or whether liability can be based on allegedly false opinions. While the Courts of Appeals have taken conflicting positions on these issues, the circuit split is not as deep as would appear and the variation in standards are likely to have a minimal impact on ultimate outcomes. Nevertheless, with these varying standards for establishing falsity, healthcare providers and government contractors should take proactive steps to ensure signed certifications pertinent to a claim reflect appropriate diligence and decision-making and convey reasonably and honestly held opinions.