Firm News

In this time of uncertainty, businesses should examine their contracts to analyze the risk of non-performance of obligations and to identify force majeure clauses in light of the COVID 19 pandemic.  Force majeure clauses, and the common law doctrine of impracticability, may excuse non-performance upon the occurrence of unanticipated events that are not within the control of either party.  The…

As a matter of public policy, courts want to encourage the involvement of third parties when either or both parents are unable to care for their children. For this reason, courts have historically been disinclined to impose support obligations on third parties. By Julie A. Auerbach | December 30, 2019 at 12:09 PM Read article

Business Law – Term Sheet or Letter of Intent. The Term Sheet or Letter of Intent states specifically that it is not a binding agreement and is subject to the parties turning it into a formal binding agreement.  This does not mean that it should not be reviewed by an experienced attorney.  There are many cases which held that the…

In 1988, the United States ratified the “United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods” (the “International UCC”) and virtually all leading trading nations have adopted that law. The International UCC preempts the Uniform Commercial Code used by all states in the United States (“U.S. UCC”) unless parties to the contract clearly opt out of the International…

Recent years have seen a growing interest in the adoption of environmentally sustainable and socially responsible practices by businesses.  On October 24, 2012 Governor Corbett signed into law Chapter 33 of Title 15 (the Pennsylvania Associations Code) which authorizes the organization of a new form of business corporation that offers entrepreneurs and investors the option to build, and invest in,…

As discussed in our other article, Mediation and Family Law: Advice from Our Lawyers in Philadelphia, mediation is a process whereby a third party facilitates a conversation between you and your spouse to aid you in reaching a resolution. Taking the court route can be an expensive endeavor, making mediation a great choice for those that want to avoid this…

When children go back to school, many child custody disputes can arise between parents. Access to school records, back to school night, parent teacher conferences, and report cards can all become subjects of dispute between parents. Parents may also have disputes over which school district the children should be enrolled in or should the children go to a public school,…

There is almost no such thing as a “standard” contract.  Each contract is unique and merits the attention of an experienced lawyer to raise the proper questions and deal with the proper issues.  Although your review will not be from a legal point of view, but rather from a layman’s point of view, you can at least read and react…

Hidden assets – this is a problem in divorce and support cases, tax avoidance, corporate liability and debt collection.  The holding of “off-shore” accounts may be used to subvert family law obligations, judgments and legitimate tax obligations. Some lawyers work to help clients with what they call “asset protection,” which means the creation of trusts and shell companies and the…

Philadelphia, PA – September 18, 2015 – Astor Weiss Kaplan & Mandel, LLP is pleased to announce that the Chairman of its Litigation and Personal Injury Department, David L. Woloshin, has been selected to join the Board of Directors of the Counsel on Brain Injury (CoBI). CoBI is an affiliated organization with ReMed, a neurological rehabilitation and supported living service…