New York Paralegal Blog

In a bold move, New York Attorney General Letitia James has joined forces with 20 other states to support Harvard University in its fight against a sudden and unprecedented federal funding freeze. The coalition warns that this action threatens not just the university, but also jobs, scientific progress, and public health across the nation. What’s Happening? Imagine working on a critical research project—say, finding a cure for ALS or developing new treatments for breast cancer—and suddenly, the funding you rely on is pulled without warning. That's the situation Harvard University is facing. On April 11, the federal government issued a set of demands to Harvard. When the university stood its ground to protect its academic independence, the government responded by freezing over $2 billion in committed research funding. Now, Harvard is taking legal action, and a powerful group of state attorneys general is backing them up. Why Should You Care? "We all benefit when our research i...

Court Order Imposes Five-Year Ban on Telemarketing to Consumers A financial services telemarketer who allegedly violated several requirements of the Federal Trade Commission’s Do Not Call Rule – from calling hundreds of thousands of consumers on the National Do Not Call Registry to failing to transmit accurate caller ID information – has settled the government’s charges and is banned from telemarketing to consumers for five years. In November 2007, as part of a multi-case crackdown on Do Not Call violators, the government charged Global Mortgage Funding, Inc. (Global Mortgage) and its owner, Damian Robert Kutzner, with unlawfully calling consumers on the Do Not Call Registry in an attempt to sell financial products, including mortgages and related financing services. The complaint also charged the defendants with violating the FTC’s Do Not Call Rule by failing to transmit accurate caller ID information, failing to pay fees required to access the Registry, and abandoning calls by not c...

WASHINGTON - U.S. Associate Attorney General Kevin J. O’Connor today announced more than $50 million in additional grant funds from the Justice Department to help tribal communities, bringing the total to nearly $100 million awarded to tribal communities in 2008. These awards include funds for tribal courts assistance, alcohol and substance abuse prevention, juvenile and mental health programs, victim assistance, and developing responses to violent crimes against Indian women. O’Connor made the announcement in remarks to the Four Corners Indian Country Conference in Albuqurque, N.M. “This investment will help tribes develop criminal justice strategies that meet their needs,” said Associate Attorney General O’Connor. “Tribes face unique challenges that require unique solutions. We are committed to working in partnership with tribes to improve public safety.” More...