It's no secret every business wants to increase their brand recognition and generate more revenue. But being a "business" isn't always what you think of in a “brick and mortar" sense. Take celebrities, influencers, and athletes, for instance, using their name, image, and likeness (NIL) to generate income. In many communities, especially college towns, some of the most recognizable members are NCAA student athletes. However, up until recently, these student athletes were not permitted to monetize their NIL and instead solely relied on scholarships from their respective schools.

But on July 1, 2021, the NCAA made the decision to grant student athletes the right to monetize their NIL -- a decision that created a new industry, new marketing opportunities, and new legal agreements to navigate.

Internships are exciting, nerve-wracking, and can change the course of your career in a few short months. I accepted a three month internship at Gutwein Law expecting a challenging summer while working closely with my coworkers learning more about the practice of law. Then the COVID-19 pandemic began and changed my expectations completely. I was hopeful to still have an internship or some semblance of one. I am grateful to be one of the lucky individuals to have had a full internship at an incredible firm as most of my peers had their internships canceled.

In continuation of our recent commentary on the COVID-19 pandemic, we're examining the latest litigation risks for employers in today's blog post. Because of COVID-19, employers of all sizes have been forced to make difficult decisions regarding employment. These decisions have led to furloughs, increased sick leave, productivity concerns, pay cuts, and termination of employees, all of which ultimately raise litigation concerns.

The boundary between termination and retention is more blurred than ever before. And this lack of distinction naturally leads to contract claims. Additionally, termination can raise non-compete issues if an employee is subject to a non-compete covenant, as well as wrongful termination issues.