Question of the Week

Q. Facebook issuing an IPO was big news last week. What changes and challenges will this dorm-room startup now face since it will be a large, publicly held company accountable to shareholders?

Q. The ‘Stop Online Piracy Act’ (SOPA) was meant to protect legitimate American businesses and their customers. How did an online campaign kill the bill, and where does that leave business owners?

Q. How do the new NLRB rules expose employers to organizing campaigns and elections? Will the new rules affect my workforce and should I be worried?

Q. In June, Gov. Rick Scott signed relaxed restrictions on how charities spend and invest their funds, but the statute doesn’t go into effect until July 2012. What will this mean for non-profit organizations in the meantime? How will these organizations benefit from the new statute once it does come into effect?

Q. I understand that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has implemented new regulations for employers to fulfill obligations under the ADA Amendments Act. What are these regulations and what steps should I take to make sure that my company complies with them?

Q. Will the legal challenges of Dodd-Frank affect my business?

Q. Will the Florida Legislature revisit E-verify Requirements and Immigration Reform? What are my existing obligations to use E-verify in Florida?

Q. I just recieved my notice of proposed property taxes for 2011, and the preliminary assessed value of my property is too high. What can I do to challenge my assessment?

Q. Is South Florida’s hotel industry experiencing a post-recession rebound?

Q. Can Strong Protections of Private Property Rights Play a Role in Florida’s Economic Growth?

Q. What are Location-Based Services and how can they help my business?

Q. During the summer months, the likelihood of hurricanes increases. How can I protect my business from loss if we are interrupted because of a storm? What insurance solutions can help manage my business risk?

Q. As a Florida employer, should I be concerned regarding the Supreme Court’s decision upholding an Arizona law that penalizes employers for hiring illegal workers? What efforts have recently been made in Florida to penalize employers for hiring illegal workers? What can I do to ensure that my company is in compliance with workplace immigration laws?

Q. The LinkedIn IPO – Implications for the Tech Economy

Q. What steps should companies be taking now to improve corporate governance in light of the Dodd-Frank Act?

Q. The $5 billion-plus Panama Canal expansion is expected to be completed by 2014, thus allowing ships carrying nearly three times as much cargo to pass through the canal. What will this mean for Florida’s ports and the state’s imports and exports?

Q. How much insurance coverage are condominium and HOA communities required to have, and how much of that insurance covers the owners who live in those communities?

Q. Last week, the FBI indicted individuals connected with online gambling companies on charges of fraud and money-laundering and of running illegal casino operations, essentially shutting down three of the largest poker websites to U.S. players. What does the shutdown of online poker sites mean to gaming in Florida?

Q. What do I need to know if I owe income tax to the IRS, but can’t afford to pay right now?

Q. The United States and Florida economies appear to be improving substantially. While there are significant lingering problems (e.g., high unemployment; depressed housing prices), for most of us things have gotten a lot more stable.