Representing E. Williams American Inn of Courts, Attorney M. Allison Hunnicutt Visits Inns of Courts in England and Ireland

Shareholder Allison Hunnicutt and another fourteen member delegation including six lawyers, two Judges and family members representing the E. Robert Williams American Inn of Court of Jacksonville embarked on an eight day visit of the English Inn of Courts in London and the Kings Inn of Ireland in Dublin from April 20-29, 2013. To read more about the visit, and how Ms. Hunnicutt spotted law partner and friend Giselle Carson, among 37,000 runners, running the London Marathon, please click here.

USCIS Accepting Same-Sex Marriage Petitions

In a July 2013 statement, Secretary Janet Napolitano stated, "effective immediately, I have directed USCIS to review visa petitions filed on behalf of same-sex spouse in the same manner as those filed on behalf of an opposite-sex spouse.; USCIS provided answers to frequently asked questions same-sex legally married couples may have regarding ensuring the Court's decision and its implications for securing benefits. to read the FAQ's click here.

Marks Gray Immigration Update, July 2013

Headline article: Historic Immigration Legislation Passed by the Senate

In a 68-32 vote, the Senate passed a sweeping immigration reform bill, S.744. After
many revisions, compromises and debates, Senators showed their overwhelming support
for the legislation and appealed to the House of Representatives to keep the momentum
going.  Click here to read more.

Gotta Have Faith! Applying Good Faith Defenses Against I-9 Violations

Shareholder Giselle Carson shares how employers can benefit from the 'good faith' defense in her article published in the July SHRM Jacksonville newsletter, HR Matters. Click here to read the entire article.

Jeptha F. Barbour and Tyler J. Oldenburg Featured in IADC’s Medical Defense and Health Law Newsletter

In the January, 2013 issue of IADC’s Medical Defense and Health Law, Attorneys Jeptha F. Barbour and Tyler J. Oldenburg discuss the effect of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the enforceability of arbitration agreements for physician practices.  To view the newsletter, click here.

Learn more about Marks Gray by visiting www.marksgray.com.

A Summary of New Medical Malpractice Legislation

On June 5, 2013 Governor Rick Scott signed two bills that will drastically change medical negligence litigation in Florida.  Attorney Tyler J. Oldenburg summarizes this important new medical malpractice legislation in a Marks Gray update.  Click here to view his summary.  

Learn more about Marks Gray by visiting www.marksgray.com.

Gay Married Man in Florida Becomes First to Receive Approved Immigrant Petition After DOMA Decision

A Bulgarian immigrant, who had been living and studying in the U.S. for many years in order to preserve his documented status, was having dinner with his American husband Friday when they received notice that USCIS had approved his immigrant or “green card” petition.  Traian Popov became the first immigrant of a same sex marriage to receive this approval since the Supreme Court’s decision striking Section 3 of DOMA last week.  The Court’s recognition of same sex marriage allows couples to seek the federal benefits that come with matrimony, including legal permanent residency.  USCIS has logged each same-sex couples’ application that had been denied in the past two years, anticipating a movement towards marriage equality, and will reverse those denials without the couples having to reapply for their visas.  We are expecting further USCIS guidance on this issue and will provide updates.  

Learn more about Marks Gray by visiting www.marksgray.com.

Michael McCoy Speaks at FMIT Conference

Attorney Michael D. McCoy  presented with other attorneys at the regional conference of Florida Municipal Insurance Trust members on the topic of Spoliation of Evidence from the Members' Perspective.  Spoliation of evidence is when evidence in a claim is destroyed or repaired, even accidentally, without someone documenting its immediate post-claim state. This can lead to additional claims for damages against a FMT members. Following the conference, they asked Mike McCoy to give a workshop on spoliation of evidence and proper documentation to about 30 Palatka employees. This workshop provided members with increased awareness on the importance of this issue. 

Learn more about Marks Gray by visiting www.marksgray.com.

Marks Gray is one of Jacksonville's Healthiest Companies!

It’s true!   We are one of the healthiest companies in Jacksonville. The Spring Fitness Challenge, The Biggest Loser Contest and Marks Gray's healthy breakfast program helped to contribute to being named one of Jacksonville’s Healthiest Employers in the small company category (less than 100 employees). 

Cheers to our dedicated Wellness Committee for providing a solid foundation for better eating, healthier work environment and fun (and a little competitive) events to keep employees motivated! 

Learn more about Marks Gray by visiting www.marksgray.com.

Mary Bland Love and Jill Bechtold Speak at First Radiation and Oncology Group (F.R.O.G.)

Mary Bland Love and Jill Bechtold presented for the First Radiation & Oncology Group (F.R.O.G.) at Deerwood Country Club. The group was created in 1957 and is led by two of Mary Bland’s clients, Dr. Paryani and Dr. Kuruvilla. The topic of discussion was “Recent Changes to Medical Malpractice Law” and “Managing Your Risk of Being Sued.”

Dr. Paryani and several of the oncologists raved about their experiences with Mary Bland and encouraged everyone in the group to contact Marks Gray for any medical malpractice issues. The seminar encouraged a lively discussion between our attorneys and the doctors regarding prudent practices and managing their exposure in negative outcome situations. 

The doctors were very impressed with Mary Bland’s thorough knowledge of risk management procedures and were very engaged when she provided real life examples from prior cases of why something is or is not encouraged. The doctors were very pleased to be able to ask important (and in some cases extremely timely) questions and many stopped her on the way out for additional business cards and advice.

To learn more about Marks Gray, please visit www.marksgray.com.