Pandemic Pressures Restriction on Where Lawyers Can Practice

Here are the day’s top coronavirus stories from the team at Bloomberg Law:

• LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: The Covid-19 pandemic is prompting calls to abolish a requirement that attorneys only practice in jurisdictions where they are admitted to the bar given the rise of remote work and other changes in professional life due to the coronavirus.
• RELIEF ORDERS: President Donald Trump faces a battle over a set of executive actions he issued on Saturday providing economic relief measures that many of his fiercest critics actually support, including weekly federal unemployment payments, student loan relief and efforts to protect tenants from eviction during the pandemic. One question is, who will sue?
• POCKETING FINDER’S FEES: Cincinnati CPA David Lowry transformed his small firm overnight to help his clients apply for emergency loans available through a federal Covid-19 relief program. For his efforts, federal guidance says he was entitled to as much as a 1% commission from lenders, something that he said was “very clear.” But that didn’t happen. In dozens of lawsuits that have been filed over the last three months, accountants along with lawyers and consultants say that banks and other lenders refused to even consider paying the fees.

Editor’s Top Picks

Job Openings in U.S. Unexpectedly Rose in June, Hiring Solid
U.S. job openings unexpectedly increased in June and hiring maintained a solid pace as state economies continued with reopening efforts.

Virus Safety Crackdown in Michigan Puts Small Farmers in a Bind
Michigan aims to limit the pandemic’s spread into rural communities by mandating novel testing and migrant worker quarantines. It’s an effort to balance protecting workers, stemming the spread of the virus, and avoiding excessive burdens on farmers who put food on American dinner tables.

Pennsylvania Sued Over Signature-Matching Ballot Procedures
Pennsylvania’s practice of comparing signatures on submitted absentee ballots to those on ballot applications should be barred from the November election as unconstitutional, the state’s League of Women Voters says in a federal suit.

Chinese Scientist Wins Covid-19 Release in Drug Secret Suit
Pretrial release is appropriate for a Chinese scientist accused of stealing trade secrets from pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline Plc, because he has an underlying respiratory condition that makes him susceptible to severe Covid-19 symptoms, the Third Circuit ruled.

No Mexico Birthday Trip for Former Celadon Exec, Judge Says
A former Celadon Group Inc. executive lost his bid for permission to take a long-planned 40th birthday trip to Mexico while criminal securities charges are pending after an Indiana federal district judge denied his travel request.

Georgia’s Long Poll Lines Targeted in New Covid Voting Lawsuit
The Democratic Party of Georgia and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee are asking a federal court for help in ensuring Georgia voters won’t be subjected in November to the long lines and overcrowded polling places they experienced in June, according to a lawsuit.

Construction Co. Fights ERISA Suit Tied to Covid-19 Market Drop
A Rhode Island construction company asked a federal judge to dismiss an unusual lawsuit claiming it violated ERISA by adopting a “special valuation” date for its 401(k) plan that allegedly forced employees to lock in losses from the Covid-19 market downturn.

Do-It-Yourself Contact Tracing for 1.3 Million: A Union Jumps In
The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union is stepping in where the government has failed, running its own coronavirus contact-tracing program for 1.3 million members.

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Editor’s Note: The Bloomberg Law news team has been closely covering the legal, regulatory, business, and tax implications of the coronavirus pandemic. This daily email highlights the top stories of the day, across practice areas. To unsubscribe, please adjust your Bloomberg Law newsletter settings. For assistance, contact our help desk at 888-560-2529 or help@bloomberglaw.com.