As American society copes with the COVID-19 pandemic, masks and face coverings have become the focus of legal mandates, political protests, and nonstop commentary—in some instances, even violence. But beyond the public health guidance and ideological debates, trial lawyers face a new and unique question: Could whether a witness is wearing a mask impact their credibility in the eyes of a jury?

The troubles affecting the federal government’s Payroll Protection Program (PPP) have been well documented. One critical issue is the fact that, while PPP lenders have been receiving their fees, PPP agents have not. This article examines three recently filed class actions, analyzes other litigation concerning the CARES Act, and provides guidance to PPP agents on how to protect their rights and receive their fees.

The current crisis is already spawning tort suits seeking damages for illness or death allegedly caused by negligent or reckless exposure. Former DOJ trial counsel Adam Dinnell has successfully used genetic typing, a form of “fingerprinting” that differentiates between thousands of different genetic types of a particular pathogen, as evidence in similar cases involving Legionnaire’s Disease.

The current crisis is already spawning tort suits seeking damages for illness or death allegedly caused by negligent or reckless exposure. Former DOJ trial counsel Adam Dinnell has successfully used genetic typing, a form of “fingerprinting” that differentiates between thousands of different genetic types of a particular pathogen, as evidence in similar cases involving Legionnaire’s Disease.

As the COVID-19 crisis and its economic fallout intensify, contractual parties have increasingly invoked force majeure provisions to excuse performance of contracts. This article offers an update on emerging global trends in force majeure and the evolving considerations businesses should apply in evaluating force majeure provisions found in existing as well as new contracts.

The coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the healthcare, travel, and hospitality industries has been severe.