Akamai Techs., Inc. v. Limelight Networks, Inc., 2015 U.S. App. LEXIS 19848 (Nov. 16, 2015) In a protracted patent case, the defendant challenged the jury’s lost profits award to the plaintiff, claiming it relied on unsound expert testimony. The price disparity between the defendant’s infringing product and the plaintiff’s protected product was too great to  Continue Reading »

One of the best times to pause and review your financial planning strategy is Fall. A lot can happen in a year. You may need to revise your long-term financial plans if your personal life, market conditions or tax laws have changed. Here are some retirement and estate planning considerations that may be worthwhile. Roth  Continue Reading »

In re Mercury Cos., 2015 Bank. LEXIS 3443 (Oct. 9, 2015) (In re Mercury II) After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the plaintiff claimed the sale of certain subsidiaries to the defendant entities was an avoidable fraudulent transfer. The Bankruptcy Court considered the valuations the parties’ experts presented at trial for the subsidiaries “useful but  Continue Reading »

Business valuation experts who testify in court are often asked, “Did you follow appraisal standards in performing your engagement?” The next question is likely to be: “Which ones?” There are a number of different standards that cover business appraisal practice. USPAP Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) is one of the most widely recognized standards.  Continue Reading »

Now that both major political party conventions are finally behind us, it’s time to focus on the upcoming national election. Among their many differences, the Republicans and Democrats have widely divergent tax platforms. It’s good to know what tax positions the two parties and their presidential candidates have staked out even though platforms are always relatively  Continue Reading »

When selling a business, did you know there are some buyers who would be willing to pay a premium above the fair market value of the business on a controlling basis? These are strategic (or synergistic) buyers, and might include competitors looking to build market share, joint venture partners who already understand the business model  Continue Reading »

In order to save money on benefits such as health and life insurance, as well as administrative costs, a company can use workers provided through an employee leasing company or professional employer organization (PEO). Here’s How it Works An employee leasing firm hires people for your company and pays all the related costs for them. You then pay  Continue Reading »

Shaffer v. Visaggio’s, Inc., 2015 Pa. Super. Unpub. LEXIS 2403 (July 29, 2015)  A Pennsylvania dissenting shareholder case raised questions about who is qualified to resolve valuation issues as well as what constitutes competent financial evidence. Valuators may find the dissent’s analysis more compelling than the majority’s opinion because it displays a greater appreciation of  Continue Reading »

The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) has been publishing studies every two years for the past 20 years to raise awareness of occupational fraud, and the role strong internal controls can play in limiting these schemes. The 2016 Report to the Nations on Occupational Fraud and Abuse covers more than 2,400 cases of white collar crime, occurring  Continue Reading »

Since 1991, the $7.25 per hour federal minimum wage has been in place. The inflation-adjusted wage would have to be $12.68 to have the same purchasing power today, according to the CPI Inflation Calculator from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. President Obama has been supporting an increase in the federal minimum wage to $12 per  Continue Reading »