Powers of Attorney Versus Guardianship and Why Guardianship is a Last Resort

Once a year the SBA publishes its scorecard which rates how well federal agencies have met their small business contracting goals. The purpose? To provide a sense of how strong the federal government’s small business contracting initiatives are performing on an annual basis. And for 2024, the overall federal contracting dollars paid to small businesses looked good. However, the agency-specific numbers were not consistently as promising for small businesses. First, a short primer for those unfamiliar with the SBA scorecard before we get into the specifics making up this record-breaking achievement. In case you have never heard of these scorecards in the past, the annual scorecard details information on the various categories of small businesses recognized by the SBA. Specifically, the scorecard is used to assess “how well federal agencies reach their small business and socio-economic prime contracting and subcontracting goals,” to “provide…

When a construction project goes wrong, whether due to faulty design, poor execution, or substandard materials, everyone involved starts asking the same question: Who is responsible? In many cases, the blame is directed toward contractors or builders. But what about the engineers who played a role in designing the project in the first place? Can they be held legally accountable for construction defects? The answer is not only yes, but under certain circumstances, they absolutely should be. Continue reading and reach out to the Florida construction lawyers at Ansbacher Law to learn when engineers may be liable for construction defects. What Responsibility Does an Engineer Have on a Construction Project? Engineers play a critical role in the development of any construction project. Their job is to ensure that the plans meet all safety codes, structural standards, and environmental considerations. In Florida, engineers are licensed professionals who must adhere to the standards…

If you’re one of the many Americans who looked north, saw free healthcare, affordable childcare, and universal poutine, and thought, “Yes, please”—you’re in good company. In 2025, more U.S. citizens, skilled workers, and entire families are making the jump to Canada, landing everywhere from the buzzing streets of Toronto to the wilds of Vancouver, the culture-soaked cafes of Montreal, and points far icier in between. But this isn’t your parents’ Canada. With sweeping changes to Canadian immigration programs, updates from IRCC, and a political vibe that feels distinctly… less exhausting than the U.S., living in Canada has never looked more appealing (or more complicated). Before you swap “y’all” for “eh,” here’s what you actually need to know to thrive up north this year. 📋 Key Updates for 2025 Canada’s permanent residency target drops to 395,000, increasing competition…

July 2025 Legal Term Highlight LGBTQ+ Workplace Discrimination Protection Under California’s FEHA Provided by SDBEA Corporate Partner: Gomez Trial Attorneys What is California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA)? California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) prohibits workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It protects employees from harassment, wrongful termination, and unequal treatment, while requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations and maintain inclusive workplaces. The law applies to businesses with 5+ employees and covers hiring, promotion, pay, and workplace conditions. Why This Matters for LGBTQ+ Business Owners LGBTQ+ business owners face unique challenges – they must comply with anti-discrimination laws as employers while also protecting themselves from discrimination in business relationships, contracts, and partnerships. With California’s expanded LGBTQ+ workplace protections…

Brothers in Law is a recurring series by brothers Akhil and Vikram Amar, with special emphasis on measuring what the Supreme Court says against what the Constitution itself says. For more content from Akhil and Vikram, please see Akhil’s free weekly podcast, “Amarica’s Constitution,” Vikram’s regular columns on Justia, and Akhil’s new book, Born Equal: Remaking America’s Constitution, 1840-1920. Please note that the views of outside contributors do not reflect the official opinions of SCOTUSblog or its staff. In our maiden column two weeks ago, we articulated the grand constitutional principle of birth equality: All Americans born under the flag are born equal. (This is also the theme and title of Akhil’s new book, Born Equal, due out in mid-September.) This grand principle, we explained, has wide, thick, deep, and expanding roots in the Constitution’s text as originally adopted and as amended over…

As Congress prepares to leave town for the August recess, it’s an opportune moment to take stock of the congressional record and assess the willingness of its members to discharge their constitutional responsibilities in foreign policy, national security, and international economic affairs. Seven months into President Donald Trump’s second administration, the 119th Congress has revealed itself less as a coequal branch and more as an accomplice in the marginalization of its own constitutional role in foreign and national security policy. Far from reclaiming its prerogatives under Article I of the Constitution, the current Congress has displayed a pattern of retreat — reflexively deferential to executive authority, ideologically fractured, and politically paralyzed in the face of an administration intent on remaking America — and American global engagement — in its own image. The administration has every right to do so as long as it operates within…

 Pix credit hereEveryone and every "thing" is becoming smarter.  That "smartness"  is meant to suggest the broad and growing range of human individual and collective activity that is now enhanced by and soon perhaps driven, ordered, and managed through, technology. (Posting Text of "Smart Court (智慧法院 ), Smarter Party: A Necessary but Incomplete Interpenetration") These technologies can range from the mundane--the digitization of aspects of collective interaction, to the digitalization of human interactions, especially with State or private organs, through technologies approaching the self-ordering possibilities of simulated worlds applied to human life ('The Soulful Machine, the Virtual Person, and the “Human” Condition', International Journal for the Semiotics of Law).  One aspect of these transformations that deserve attention is in the context of the operation of…

Divorce is an area of the law that is often clouded with myths. These misconceptions can cause a significant amount of stress if you are considering ending your marriage. While the facts and circumstances of every case are different, it’s important not to rely on friends and family for information — a skillful divorce attorney can best advise you regarding your specific facts and circumstances.  Here are seven common divorce myths debunked:  Myth #1: You Need to Show Marital Fault to Get Divorced Missouri is a no-fault divorce state. This means that neither spouse needs to prove that the other is to blame for the marriage ending in order to obtain a divorce. A spouse seeking divorce must only demonstrate that the marriage is “irretrievably broken” and cannot be repaired. However, Missouri still recognizes several fault-based grounds for divorce, including adultery, abandonment, cruel and inhumane treatment, substance abuse, and criminal…

From a recent email message: The University of Oklahoma College of Law (OU Law) invites applications for a full-time professor to teach in the OU Legal Clinic. OU Law is seeking to expand the scope of its clinical offerings and has identified several areas of interest, including rural access, immigration, transactional (including small business or economic development), family law (including child advocacy), or juvenile justice. We are open to creative proposals for clinics, including those not listed above, and invite applications from exceptional individuals with demonstrated expertise in any area of legal practice. The successful candidate will be expected to accomplish the following:  Develop new clinic in consultation with the OU Legal Clinic Director and Academic Dean Train, supervise, and mentor law students enrolled in the clinic  Manage the clinic’s docket and handle client matters when students are unavailable Provide classroom…

This Anti-Corruption Tracker focuses on the erosion or dismantling of oversight and accountability systems within the United States Executive Branch—watchdog offices closed, enforcement units disbanded, oversight officials removed, and transparency rules hollowed out. These changes don’t always make headlines, but together, they create a more permissive environment for corruption and abuse of power to take root. Tensions between the exercise of power and its oversight exist in every administration. What sets the current moment apart is the scale and coordination of changes that undermine the systems meant to detect, deter, and document abuse of power. This tracker includes, for example, firing inspectors general and independent agency heads, pausing or narrowing enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, disbanding key investigative and prosecutive units, and asserting greater presidential control over independent agencies—moves that significantly…

* Pam Bondi fires Alina Habba’s replacement from her First Assistant job apparently because she doesn’t understand that her appointment has nothing to do with being First Assistant. Crackerjack legal team! [Politico] * The first Trump DOJ said Ghislaine Maxwell was untrustworthy and motivated to lie about anything to save herself. Second Trump DOJ says, “ooh, really?” [MSNBC] * While global Biglaw firms cowered before Trump, small firms fought back. [NY Times] * Judges reject first DOJ bid to unseal Epstein records. Whaddya know… the Trump administration muffed the effort to release Epstein material?!? No way they did that on purpose! [NY Law Journal] * Man brings knife to courthouse where marshals carry guns, apparently forgetting the Chicago Way. [Bloomberg Law News] * Cocoa slave labor suit fails at DC Circuit. [Law360] * Court lets White House continue locking out media outlets it wants to extort for favorable coverage. Real…

Corruption is often understood as a matter of individual misconduct – a bribe, a kickback, or a secret financial stake in a government decision. These acts, particularly when taken together, can have devastating consequences, from slowing economic growth and widening inequality to eroding public trust and fomenting instability in U.S. national security and democracy itself.  But a more enduring threat lies not only in specific instances of wrongdoing but also in the dismantling of the very systems built to catch them. The structural safeguards designed to police and prevent corruption are rooted in the belief, held since our nation’s founding, that public office is a public trust. From internal watchdogs and whistleblower protections, to transparency requirements and conflict-of-interest rules, to anti-corruption laws and criminal enforcement mechanisms, these and other anti-corruption systems are embedded across the U.S. government.  Tensions between…

Signup to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here. A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news: ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — AID SUPPLY CRISIS More than 110 aid and rights agencies today issued a joint statement “sounding the alarm to allow life-saving aid” into Gaza due to “mass starvation” spreading across the territory. “With supplies now totally depleted, humanitarian organisations are witnessing their own colleagues and partners waste away before their eyes,” the statement reads, as “tons of food, clean water, medical supplies, shelter items and fuel sit untouched with humanitarian organisations blocked from accessing or delivering them.” Daphne Psaledakis reports for Reuters. 33 people in Gaza had died from malnutrition in the last 48 hours, including 13 children, the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry said yesterday. Separately, the U.N.…

[Plus, "He claims that, going forward, he will undertake certain 'remedial efforts,' including, inter alia, 'establish[ing] ... database reconciliation procedures involving resolution of discrepancies through direct consultation of archival legal resources and substitution of alternative, verifiable authorities where necessary.' Most lawyers simply call this 'conducting legal research.'"] From Friday's decision by Judge Katherine Polk Failla (S.D.N.Y.) in Flycatcher Corp. LTD v. Affable Avenue LLC: On June 26, 2025, the Court ordered Mr. Feldman to show cause in writing on or before July 10, 2025, why the brief in support of Defendant Affable Avenue LLC's ("Affable") motion to dismiss should not be stricken from the docket and sanctions imposed against him pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11. Mr. Feldman submitted his written response to the Order to Show Cause. On the same date, Plaintiffs filed a letter…

Business is the most promising world of opportunity, but also a world of risk, uncertainty, and legal complexity. Both innovation and vision motivate entrepreneurs, which has led them to concentrate on their product or service and, therefore, overlook the legal framework, which can either make or break their business. Attorneys ensure that businesses operate within the law, are shielded from risk, and are protected from unexpected complications. Legal Structure and Business Formation Selecting the proper legal structure of the business is one of the initial choices that any entrepreneur must make. This fundamental change affects liability and taxes, daily functioning, investment possibilities, and everything in between. The decision to utilize a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation has various legal implications that should be critically examined. Attorneys provide invaluable advice on the structure suitable for the entrepreneur’s…

Dentons has advised mBank on the PLN 130.5 million (€30.7 million) financing, which includes an investment loan, to BXF Energia for the development, construction and operation of the Azalia project – a photovoltaic farm with a total capacity of up to 60 MW located near Rzeszów. BXF Energia is a joint venture owned by Budimex S.A. and Ferrovial SE. Banking and Finance, Energy, Renewables, Solar, Warsaw, Central and Eastern Europe, Europe

Global law firm Dentons has advised its long-standing client, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and leading Slovenian-based insurance and financial group, Zavarovalnica Triglav, d.d. (Triglav Group), on their equity investment in Trasti, a rapidly growing insurtech company headquartered in Poland. Corporate, Venture Capital, Insurance, Warsaw, Central and Eastern Europe, Europe

Dentons has advised CPI Property Group (CPIPG), the leading owner of income-generating real estate in the Central and Eastern Europe region and one of Europe's largest landlords, and its subsidiary, CPI Europe AG (formerly IMMOFINANZ AG) (CPIE), on two separate liability management transactions. Banking and Finance, Capital Markets, Debt Capital Markets, English law Debt Capital Markets, Finance, United Kingdom