Oil Crisis

Seasoned Dallas lawyer Charles W. “Trey” Branham III is very happy to announce the start of Branham Law Group, LLP, a client-focused law firm handling complex commercial litigation and tragic personal injury cases specifically.

Mr. Branham, 41, is a veteran of nearly 50 courtroom trials and arbitrations, including more than 30 lawsuits submitted to juries. His impressive track record has earned him selection to the 2011 Texas Super Lawyers list in addition to multiple appearances in the annual Texas Rising Stars listing. He has tried cases in state and federal courts throughout the country, including California, Massachusetts, Missouri, South Carolina, Florida and Illinois.

Formerly of Dallas’ Goldfarb Branham, LLP, Mr. Branham says he is looking towards all new potentials at Branham Law Group.

“I am incredibly proud of the accomplishments of my former firm, and I am equally excited about the opportunity to forge a new path of quality and aggressive legal representation for both my corporate and individual clients,” Mr. Branham says. “I will continue to represent corporate clients with creative and aggressive litigation strategies, in addition to assisting homeowners associations with significant litigation issues, individuals whose employers have failed to comply with federal and state wage-and-hour laws, and individuals suffering from catastrophic injuries.”

Mr. Branham’s latest triumphant representations include:

* A settlement on behalf of a Fortune 500 company in a breach of contract dispute with a former customer;
* An arbitration award in favor of a Dallas homeowners association against a homebuilder for allegations of breach of contract, breach warranties, fraud, violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and fraudulent concealment;
* A Fair Labor Standards Act Collective Action Settlement on behalf of oilfield workers who were not paid for overtime, and;
* Significant settlements on behalf of clients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, a universally fatal disease caused by exposure to asbestos.
* Positive resolutions for shareholders and investors who suffered financial damages as a result of fraudulent and/or oppressive conduct by corporate officers and directors.

Dallas-based Branham Law Group is made up not merely of mesothelioma attorneys, but also represents corporate clients in a variety of commercial litigation matters, as well as helping individuals in catastrophic personal injury claims. Led by noted courtroom lawyer Trey Branham, the firm provides substantial legal expertise and exceptional value for every customer.

NVR, Inc., one of the country’s biggest homebuilding and mortgage banking companies, declares the grand opening of a brand new, decorated Clifton Park model home, plus savings of up to $50,000 on new single family homes at Scaleby Farm in West Chester, Pennsylvania. These luxury single family homes are priced from the upper $690′s and offer wooded, 2+ acre homesites in Chester County.

Scaleby Farm is NVHomes’ latest enclave involving executive-style single family houses in West Chester, Pennsylvania, combining prime location, just seconds off scenic Route 52, with high end, estate-style living, providing property owners more room, inside and outside. With sizeable homesites of at least 2 acres, and sweeping views of the rolling Chester County countryside, your loved ones could have more than enough room to play and entertain. The local area at Scaleby Farm is also a easy drive towards shopping, dining and attraction of down-town West Chester, and supplies quick trips to points in Pennsylvania or Delaware.

The new Clifton Park model home at Scaleby Farm is astounding in size with 4 or more bedrooms and 4 or more baths with interiors starting at 4,576 square feet. The list of included features is sizable as well, with architecturally dimensional shingles and beaded siding, stone and stucco accented exteriors, 3-car side-entry garages, hardwood flooring in the foyer, gas fireplaces, optional woodstove hearths, and NVHomes’ Signature Kitchen, with granite countertops, maple Timberlake® cabinetry, stainless steel GE® appliances, hardwood flooring and our unique, European inspired range hood, hidden from view by furniture grade cabinetry.

NVHomes at Scaleby Farm are fully ENERGY STAR® Qualified, yielding monthly utility savings up to 30% more than standard homes, according to the EPA. All NVHomes also carry 10-year structural warranties and are independently inspected for quality by a third-party inspector.

NVR, Inc. operates in two business segments: homebuilding and mortgage banking. The homebuilding unit sells and builds homes under the NVHomes, Ryan Homes, Rymarc Homes and Fox Ridge Homes trade names, and operates in 27 metropolitan areas in 15 states.

There are numerous great new technologies designed for hair transplant surgeons today. But with a multitude of technologies out there and so many hair implant physicians boasting they have perhaps the perfect hair loss treatment, how could you identify what type is best? The brand new chairman of the American Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ASHRS), Dr. Marco Barusco, gives his judgment on a few of the latest and upcoming technological improvements in this specific field.

HypoThermosol™
Perhaps some of the most important technological advances are the ones dealing with tissue preservation. According to Dr. Barusco, once the donor hair is taken from the back of the head the clock starts ticking. “The quicker we re-attach the hair to the scalp the better the chance it will survive”, Dr. Barusco said. Traditionally, surgeons have used regular saline solution to preserve the tissue, but HypoThermosol™ has been showing to have the best composition. It is easy to work with and preliminary observations suggest that it improves hair survival and overall results.

ACell™
ACell™ is used for wound healing and hair growth. It is rich in growth factors and collagen. This technology significantly benefits the patient but given its high cost very few surgeons use this material. When a doctor uses ACell™ the donor area of the scalp heals better, leaving a smaller and thinner scar, and the transplants grow better.

Robotic Surgery
Although much buzz has been given to robotic hair transplant surgery, Dr. Barusco does not see it as a revolution but rather as another tool for hair restoration. The idea behind the robotic surgery is that a robot harvests hair automatically from the patient’s donor area. The doctor and the team still need to perform the rest of the procedure.

Stem Cell Research
Although not yet available, Dr. Barusco believes that the most important technological advance to come is the use of stem cells to “clone” hairs. This is a technology that should be available in the next few years and it is currently on phase II trials. Dr. Barusco believes that this technology will give people who previously weren’t candidates for hair transplant because they lacked enough donor hair, the opportunity to have the surgery since less hair needs to be harvested.

Dr. Marco Barusco is a hair implant doctor with more than twelve years of expertise. Given his dedication to research as well as continuing development of the profession, Dr. Barusco is not only the chairman of the ASHRS but he also is a member of the Board of Trustees of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS), a member of the Board of Directors & Examiner of the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery, and Chief Section Editor for Hair Restoration of The American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery. Dr. Barusco also founded Tempus Hair Restoration with the goal of providing clients with education about their hair loss and state-of-the-art treatments.

MidSouth Bancorp, Inc. has just disclosed net profits available to common stakeholders of $879,000 in the fourth quarter of 2011, as opposed to net revenue available for common stakeholders of $1.6 million claimed for the final quarter of the year 2010. Diluted earnings for the fourth quarter of 2011 were $0.09 per common share, down from the $0.16 per common share for the fourth quarter of 2010.

C.R. “Rusty” Cloutier, President and Chief Executive Officer, commenting on fourth quarter results, remarked “In December, we completed the acquisition and systems conversion of the Beacon Federal branch in Tyler, Texas and First Louisiana National Bank in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. As a result, the fourth quarter included $0.08 per share of merger related expenses. Excluding these non-operating expenses, we had strong operating earnings per share in the quarter of $0.17 versus $0.14 in the third quarter. We are very excited to expand our market presence in Texas and Louisiana and look forward to the positive impact of these acquisitions on our franchise and to future earnings.”

Profits handed over on the Series B Preferred Stock totaled $400,000 for the fourth quarter of the year 2011 centered on a dividend amount of 5%. In August 2011, the Company issued $32.0 million in Series B Preferred Stock to the Treasury in connection with the Small Business Lending Fund (“SBLF”). The dividend rate on the Series B Preferred Stock going forward will be between 1% and 5% based on the level of qualified small business loans. Linked-quarter net earnings available to common shareholders were impacted by the repayment of $20.0 million in Series A Preferred Stock issued to the Treasury under the Capital Purchase Plan with funds from the U.S. Treasury that were authorized by Congress under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010.

Jones Walker is glad to announce that Michael W. Magner has joined the firm’s New Orleans practice of criminal law attorneys as special counsel. Mr. Magner practices in the firm’s Business & Commercial Litigation Practice Group. His experience concentrates on precautionary and litigation services for businesses and individuals in corporate and white collar criminal law matters. He likewise represents people and firms associated with grand jury and various other investigations.

Mr. Magner’s particular experience is in anti-corruption conformity and Litigation matters on both a domestic and international level. He served as a federal prosecutor in New Orleans for 20 years where he was a key member of the team that successfully prosecuted former Louisiana Governor, Edwin Edwards, following a 5 month trial. He was also the lead prosecutor in the Department of Justice‘s long term investigation and prosecution of judicial and related public corruption in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana known as “Operation Wrinkled Robe.” In recognition of his work, Mike was awarded the Department of Justice‘s highest award for litigation, the John Marshall Award, as well as the Director’s Award for Superior Performance by a Litigative Team.

Mr. Magner stated, “Joining Jones Walker and being able to work with the Jones Walker white collar team is an exciting opportunity. Their law firm has a number of former U.S. Attorneys and Assistant U.S. Attorneys, all of whom have a stellar reputation in representing clients in the defense of government investigations and prosecutions.”

Mr. Magner has additionally served as a manager of the U.S. Attorney’s Office‘s Anti-Terrorism/Crisis Response Unit, Organized Crime Strike Force, and Violent Crime Unit, and has tried over 40 jury trials to verdict, in virtually all sections of the United States District Court for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Louisiana. He specialized in long term, complex white collar investigations and trials, including export control, mail and wire fraud, government contract fraud, bribery, money laundering, police misconduct, civil rights violations, and RICO. In 2011, he served as the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Advisor to the Kenyan Anti-Corruption Commission (“KACC”) in Nairobi, Kenya, where he was embedded in the KACC’s principal headquarters for nearly two months, and provided training to KACC’s investigators, auditors, and attorneys on corruption compliance, investigative, and prosecution matters. He has also trained foreign judges and prosecutors in Central Asia and Africa and has regularly trained federal prosecutors through the Attorney General’s Advocacy Institute.

Prior to practicing with the KACC, Mr. Magner was with the Department of Justice‘s first Counsel for Emergency Management and Crisis Response in the Office of Director, Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys in Washington, D.C. for 18 months, where he represented the DOJ at various White House level emergency exercises and planning meetings relating to the federal government’s response to major criminal events, natural disasters, and pandemics. While with DOJ, Mike was also selected as a trained evaluator of other U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country on various substantive legal areas as well as ethics and professionalism.

Mr. Magner acquired his juris doctor qualification via Tulane University School of Law, cum laude; and was Managing Editor of The Maritime Lawyer. His Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/International Relations was earned from The George Washington University.

GS Battery Inc. only just announced they have begun to supply its ECO R model SLC 70-4 and SLX246-12 batteries for use in Suniva’s Balance of System Solutions. Co-Branded with the Suniva and GS Battery logo, these considerable capacity electric batteries provide endurance as well as superior cycling functionality held up by a great deal of practical knowledge throughout Japan.

This collaboration allows Suniva and GS Battery to optimize their alternative energy products to improve the performance and reliability of the entire PV system, thus improving the Levelized Cost of Electricity. Custom engineering support to help meet individual project needs is also available. The ECO R batteries are a significant component to Suniva’s Balance of System Solutions.

“Market interest continues to be very positive for the ECO R batteries and has been aided by Suniva’s introduction of the Balance of System Solutions (BOSS) at Solar Power International,” said Jay Northey, Executive Vice-president and General Manager, GS Battery (USA) Inc. “We are excited to continue our collaboration with Suniva as our co-branded offerings expand globally.”

GS Battery Inc. is an American subsidiary of GS Yuasa Group of Japan, a world leader in automotive, motorcycle and standby storage batteries, which serves the power sports, telecommunications, UPS, and the emergency lighting markets. GS Battery Inc. recently announced that they will enter the renewable energy photovoltaic and storage market in North America.

Suniva® is an American manufacturer of high-efficiency crystalline silicon PV cells and high-power solar modules used in solar panels. The company uses patented, low-cost manufacturing techniques and industry-leading technology to produce its high-quality products and maintain competitive costs. Headquartered in metro-Atlanta, GA, Suniva sells its advanced PV cells and modules globally.

The law office of Lee Tran & Liang has won yet a new 9th Circuit appeal; actually is its 4th specific triumph with regard to the Ninth Circuit since 2009. On Jan twenty-six, 2012, the 9th Circuit affirmed a grant of summary judgment in which LTL obtained for its client, the accused in a copyright laws and industry dress claim. Firm teammate Enoch H. Liang – as well as attorney at law Daniel Taylor – defended Bedrosian’s (in Orange County) and Hirsch Glass Company (in New Jersey) both before the District Court and the Ninth Circuit. The plaintiff has been represented by distinguished intellectual property specialist Christie Parker & Hale.

As reported in LTL’s June 2010 press release, the District Court granted LTL’s motion for summary judgment on Plaintiff’s trade dress claims in mid-2009. Then, in September 2009, less than 4 days before a jury trial was scheduled to begin, the District Court also dismissed Plaintiff’s 17 copyright claims. In July 2010, Plaintiff appealed to the Ninth Circuit, arguing that the District Court erred in both holding that the scope of Plaintiff’s copyrights were “thin,” and finding that “there is no substantial similarity (much less virtual identity) insofar as the protectable items are concerned as between Plaintiff’s copyrighted products and Defendants’ glass tiles.”

After extensive briefing, on January 13, 2012, LTL Partner Enoch Liang argued the case, defending the District Court’s ruling. Less than two weeks after the oral argument, the Ninth Circuit Judges W. Fletcher, Fisher, and Zouhary—issued their unpublished opinion. The Ninth Circuit held that “protection over designs is thin.” The Court further held that the defendants’ designs “are not ‘virtually identical’ to because the streaking effect, color blends, and appearance of randomness in designs are different…”

This decision reaffirms the need for a two-pronged methodology in copyright infringement actions. Often, the issue of infringement is determined by the “scope” of the copyright that the court determines as a matter of law. Hence, in litigating copyright matters, plaintiffs should pay particular attention to avoid falling into various limiting doctrines that may limit the scope of their copyrights. Defendants should do the opposite.

Lee Tran & Liang, APLC is a California based law firm focusing exclusively on business litigation. The firm’s partners have practiced at prominent law firms, and are graduates of top law schools including Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, and Michigan. Primary practice areas, as outlined by the firm itself and every attorney directory, include business disputes (breach of contract, aggrieved investors and professionals, and commercial disputes) intellectual property litigation (patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets), and employment litigation (defense). Specifically what sets the organization apart is actually its objective of aligning itself with its clients’ necessities, by offering a number of innovative fee plans in suitable concerns.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is telling small businesses that Feb. 24 will be the completing deadline pertaining to federal business damage catastrophe loans offered in Lee and Scott counties in Virginia. The SBA declared a catastrophe due to extreme storms, tornadoes, straight-line wind gusts and also floods which began on April 23, last year.

In addition, the Small Business Administration announced this week that federal economic damage disaster loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small firms engaged in aquaculture and most private non-profit associations of all sizes located in the counties of Dillon and Horry in South Carolina as a consequence of Hurricane Irene which came about in August.

“When the Secretary of Agriculture issues a disaster declaration to help farmers recover from damages and losses to crops, the Small Business Administration issues a declaration to assist eligible entities affected by the same disaster,” said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA’s Field Operations Center East in Atlanta.

Under this declaration, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is offered to suitable farm-related in addition to nonfarm-related businesses that encountered monetary losses being a direct consequence of this calamity. Excluding aquacultural organizations, agricultural producers, farmers along with ranchers are definitely not eligible to a href=”http://www.sba.gov/content/how-apply-sba-loan”>apply to SBA.

Financing for small business can be up to $2 million, with interest rates of 3 percent for non-profit organizations and 4 percent for small businesses. Terms can be up to 30 years. The SBA decides eligibility depending on the size of the prospect, type of undertaking as well as financial resources. The agency creates loan levels along with terms dependent upon each and every candidate’s financial condition. The may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. These particular small business loans are not meant to take the place of missed sales or revenue.

In the aftermath of the sharpest court budget cuts in California‘s history, plaintiffs’ trial lawyer Michael Alder of AlderLaw, P.C. in Beverly Hills assumed the office of president of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), the nation’s largest local association of plaintiffs’ attorneys, which is consisted of almost 3,000 attorneys.

“Consumer lawyers are vital, now more than ever, to protecting the civil rights of people who’ve been left without access to judicial relief, which is just about everyone except the super-rich,” said Alder. “Legal bills add up to astronomical sums very quickly, because litigation is such an intensive process. Without lawyers who work on a contingency fee basis, which means they risk their own money instead of the clients’ and agree not to be paid unless they win the case, even people with big incomes quickly find their resources drained when faced with the large legal bills that result from a contested matter. Consumer lawyers must be prepared to provide leadership, vision and most of all integrity.”

Alder is regarded as a steadfast supporter of plaintiffs’ attorneys, also called consumer lawyers, working to raise public awareness of their importance at a time of corporate fraud and abuse. He’s been a member of CAALA for 14 years and spearheaded a city-wide billboard campaign to fund billboards that highlight the good that consumer lawyers do for society. He also is one of five founding members of the Trial Lawyers Charities, a non-profit institution which gives capital along with legal services to men and women in need throughout Los Angeles.

Alder is at this time carrying out some of the most cutting-edge litigation work in the united states. He’s tried in excess of seventy lawsuits as part of his professional career and secured in excess of $140 million in decisions and pay outs for his clients in the year 2011 alone. Lately, in Dec last year he won a nearly $33 million outcome for Concept Chaser, Co., Inc. in the advertising fraud case Concept Chaser Co., Inc. v. Pentel of America Ltd.

CAALA officially installed Alder as its 2012 president on Jan. 21 at its 63rd Annual CAALA Installation & Awards Banquet at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills. The group also announced its new officers and Board of Governors. For more information, visit www.caala.org.

AlderLaw, P.C. is a Los Angeles criminal attorney and plaintiffs’ law firm that represents plaintiffs in personal injury, business tort and employment litigation nationwide. The firm was founded in 2000 by attorney Michael Alder, current president of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA) and past CAALA Trial Lawyer of the Year. Alder has tried more than 70 cases in his career, and works with a team of seven associate attorneys. AlderLaw, P.C. obtained more than $140 million in verdicts and settlements for its clients in 2011. For information, visit www.alderlaw.com.

Juhl Wind Inc, leading the way in Community Wind Power, has announced the official commercial start-up and operation of the two wind turbine project regarding Gundersen Health System in Winona County, MN. The 4.95 megawatt venture may be the first-of-its-kind within North America to be developed specifically to handle the alternative energy concerns of a large regional health care organization, in this case, Gundersen Health System.

“This unique wind project represents the continued activity by Juhl over the past two years and highlights our strength and diversity in the community wind energy market,” proclaimed Corey Juhl, Vice President of Development for Juhl Wind Inc. “We are seeing an increased demand for large commercial and industrial organization projects such as Gundersen’s as they fit extremely well within Juhl Wind’s area of expertise. This community-based project will provide significant economic benefits to the region. As one piece of their Envision program, the wind farm project will help Gundersen Health System achieve their goal of becoming 100% energy independent by 2014.”

“This is an exciting time for Gundersen and our Envision program. This community wind project we have done with Juhl Wind was about two years in the making, and we’re happy to report that the turbines are now creating energy,” reported Jeff Rich, executive director, GL Envision, LLC.

Juhl Wind is an established frontrunner in Community Based Wind Power creation and supervision, centered on wind power projects throughout the United States and Canada. Juhl Wind pioneered Community-Based wind farms, developing the currently accepted financial, operational and legal structure providing local ownership of medium-to-large scale wind farms. To date, the Company has completed 21 wind farm projects and provides operations management and oversight across the portfolio of renewable resources. Juhl Wind services every aspect of wind farm development from full development and ownership, general consultation, construction management and system operations and maintenance. With its consolidation of the Valley View, Winona County and Woodstock Hills wind farms, the Company has now invested in and operates 21.7 MWs of wind power through its independent power producer subsidiary, Juhl Renewable Asset, Inc. Through its Next Generation Power Systems subsidiary, Juhl Wind also delivers total product sales as well as service to smaller, on-site wind power and solar panel ventures together with the company’s more substantial Community Wind turbine Farms.