CARES Act: Assistance for Small Businesses

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On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stability (“CARES”) Act (the “Act”), as approved by the Senate on March 26, 2020, and the House on March 27, 2020. This article is intended to focus on those provisions of Phase 3 of the federal COVID-19 stimulus package relative to the…

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POSTED IN: Articles & Quotes, Commercial Real Estate, COVID-19, News

Restaurant Industry Discussion on Legal & Business Issues Related to COVID-19 Outbreak – Webinar Recording

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Thank you to everyone who was able to participate in the Restaurant Industry Discussion on Legal & Business Issues Related to the COVID-19 Outbreak webinar on Monday, March 23, 2020. These are challenging times and we hope it was useful. If you have any questions related to the subjects discussed in the webinar, or if…

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POSTED IN: Articles & Quotes, Corporate & Business, COVID-19, Employment Law, Hospitality Practice Group, News

Massachusetts Construction Projects: Full Steam Ahead?

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Governor Baker Seems to Overturn COVID-19 Municipal Construction Work Stoppages in the Commonwealth, But Mayor Walsh Balks In the fast-moving environment of “Can v. Can’t” and “Do v. Don’t” resulting from COVID-19 and governmental shutdowns, it is a challenge to keep track of what business activities are permitted to continue and who can perform them….

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POSTED IN: Articles & Quotes, Construction Law, COVID-19, News

Client Alert: Legislation Would Create National Remote Online Notarization Standards

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In an effort to mitigate the significant harm to commerce caused by COVID-19, several organizations including the American Land Title Association (“ALTA”), the Mortgage Bankers Association (“MBA”), and the National Association of Realtors (“NAR”) are rallying around the Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization Act of 2020 (the “SECURE Notarization Act”) to…

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POSTED IN: Articles & Quotes, Commercial Real Estate, COVID-19, News

Client Alert: Massachusetts State Court Civil Case Management Impacts of COVID-19

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Before the spread of COVID-19 last week, the Massachusetts court system—which consists of the Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”), the Appeals Court, and the Trial Court (itself comprised of the Superior Court, District Court, Land Court, and Housing Court, among others)—was already stretched thin. For example, it is typical in many Superior Court civil sessions to…

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POSTED IN: Articles & Quotes, COVID-19, Litigation, News

Can I Still Sell My Property When the Registry Closes? – Gap Closings

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As sectors of the US economy effectively shut down one by one in response to COVID-19, a quick review of those sectors and essential functions that remain open for business may be the better approach to measure where things stand. In the world of real estate and mortgage financing, certain transactions may be able to…

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POSTED IN: Articles & Quotes, Commercial Real Estate, COVID-19, News

House Passes Families First Coronavirus Response Act

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Last Saturday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to address the anticipated economic impacts of the Coronavirus outbreak and to provide support to affected Americans. Although the bill may be subject to changes, it is expected that the Senate will pass the bill and it will be signed into…

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POSTED IN: Articles & Quotes, COVID-19, Employment Law, News

Contractual Rights, Performance Obligations and COVID-19: A Primer on Gap-Filler Doctrines and Force Majeure

Contractual Rights, Performance Obligations and COVID-19: A Primer on Gap-Filler Doctrines and Force Majeure Thumbnail

The spread of COVID-19 has triggered economic turmoil and unprecedented government intervention into private industry. Business owners, lenders, landlords, employers and their respective counter-parties are reviewing the key terms of innumerable business arrangements and relationships impacted by current events. One common contract term that ordinarily draws little attention and is often relegated to the miscellaneous…

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POSTED IN: Articles & Quotes, Commercial Real Estate, COVID-19, News

Client Alert: MA Governor Orders Prohibition Against On-Premises Bar and Restaurant Operations Due to COVID-19

Client Alert: MA Governor Orders Prohibition Against On-Premises Bar and Restaurant Operations Due to COVID-19 Thumbnail

On March 15, 2020, stemming from concerns about COVID-19, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker issued an order prohibiting on-premises bar and restaurant operations. The order, effective Tuesday, March 17 through April 5, 2020 (unless otherwise extended) states, in part “Any restaurant, bar or establishment that offers food or drink shall not permit on-premises consumption of food…

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POSTED IN: Articles & Quotes, COVID-19, Hospitality Practice Group, News