David M Laigaie

June 03, 2016 | The Legal Intelligencer

In April, Pennsylvania joined 23 other states and the District of Columbia in legalizing marijuana for medical use.

By David M. Laigaie
and Daniel Clearfield

11 minute read

April 21, 2016 | The Legal Intelligencer

Over the last several decades, international trade has blossomed and the world has gotten significantly smaller.

By David M. Laigaie
and Joshua Hill

12 minute read

February 05, 2016 | The Legal Intelligencer

The phrase "money laundering" conjures lurid images such as Tony Montana's goons straining to lift duffle bags stuffed with hundred-dollar bills, while a well-coiffed but ill-intentioned banker anxiously watches.

By David M. Laigaie

5 minute read

October 05, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

In the United States, the right to be free from illegal searches and seizures is both fundamental and sacrosanct. Or is it? For business owners that right can be illusive. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, in United States v. Nagle, No. 14-3184 and 14-3422 (filed Sept. 30, 2015), limited the circumstances under which a business owner can challenge the legality of a search executed at the business.

By David M. Laigaie

6 minute read

October 04, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

In the United States, the right to be free from illegal searches and seizures is both fundamental and sacrosanct. Or is it? For business owners that right can be illusive. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, in United States v. Nagle, No. 14-3184 and 14-3422 (filed Sept. 30, 2015), limited the circumstances under which a business owner can challenge the legality of a search executed at the business.

By David M. Laigaie

6 minute read

June 29, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

The False Claims Act allows private whistleblowers to bring actions on behalf of the United States against any person who knowingly submits false or fraudulent claims to the government. The FCA prohibits such actions if they are based upon publicly available information, unless the whistleblower is an "original source" of the information. In order to be an "original source," the whistleblower must have "knowledge that is independent of and materially adds to the publicly disclosed allegations or transactions."

By David M. Laigaie and Casey A. Coyle

5 minute read

June 27, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

The False Claims Act allows private whistleblowers to bring actions on behalf of the United States against any person who knowingly submits false or fraudulent claims to the government. The FCA prohibits such actions if they are based upon publicly available information, unless the whistleblower is an "original source" of the information. In order to be an "original source," the whistleblower must have "knowledge that is independent of and materially adds to the publicly disclosed allegations or transactions."

By David M. Laigaie and Casey A. Coyle

5 minute read

April 03, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

Medical marijuana is legal in 23 states. Nine more states—including Pennsylvania—have medical marijuana legislation pending. The legal marijuana industry is big and growing rapidly; it is projected to generate annual revenues of over $8 billion by 2019. Given this rapid growth, many entrepreneurs are exploring entering the market. These would-be marijuana growers, processors or distributors quickly learn, however, that the legal marijuana industry poses unusual challenges. Some of these challenges are discussed in this article.

By Daniel Clearfield and David M. Laigaie

8 minute read

April 02, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

Medical marijuana is legal in 23 states. Nine more states—including Pennsylvania—have medical marijuana legislation pending. The legal marijuana industry is big and growing rapidly; it is projected to generate annual revenues of over $8 billion by 2019. Given this rapid growth, many entrepreneurs are exploring entering the market. These would-be marijuana growers, processors or distributors quickly learn, however, that the legal marijuana industry poses unusual challenges. Some of these challenges are discussed in this article.

By Daniel Clearfield and David M. Laigaie

8 minute read

February 06, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

In the federal criminal-justice system, all felony indictments must be handed down by grand juries. Grand juries have historically played a less prevalent role in Pennsylvania criminal justice. However, that is changing and recent high-profile cases portend expanded use of investigative grand juries by state prosecutors. Because of their relative scarce use, the laws and procedures governing state grand juries are not particularly well known by defense lawyers and even supervising judges. At times, this lack of familiarity can lead to abuses. This article discusses some aspects of grand jury procedure in the hope that counsel and supervising judges, properly informed, will be able to protect against future abuses.

By David M. Laigaie

9 minute read