The Struggle of College Availability

(c) freedigitalphotos.net

The recent cuts in public expenses for public colleges and universities do not only concern present and future students, but although almost every company in the United States. The economic success of a company greatly depends on the potential of its employees. Therefore, companys do have a strong interest in well developed public educational systems. In the United States, more than three-quarters of undergraduates are studying in public colleges and universities.

Due to the recent recession, all states of the United States were forced to cut their expenses for public colleges and universities. As a result, schools raised tuition. Additionally, they reduced lots of their services. Phil Oliff, an author of a study on the impact of state education cuts issued by the liberal-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, says: “It's a really dangerous trend, because tuition will keep growing beyond what increasing numbers of people can pay.” Experts estimate that the trend to cut the financial support for public colleges and universities will not stop over the next few years. Eleven states of the United States already cut their expenses by more than a third. California, for exemple cut its higher education aid from nearly $ 3 billion in 2007-2008 to about $ 2 billion currently, which is a 29 percent drop. 

In some cases, the lower budget for public colleges and universities even means fewer acceptances of high school seniors. Due to the cuts of financial support, The California State University had to refuse the applications of about 20,000 qualified applicants every year for several years.

Already over the last few years, student loan debt has been growing. Two-thirds of students graduate with loans, the average debt is an amount of $ 26,600 USD. Additionally, students must face the fact that college costs have risen faster than the availability of grant aid.

Quelle: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/03/26/3941824/college-affordability-is-a-struggle.html

Author: Cornelia Heim / Rechtsreferendarin, Charlotte Office

EB5 Visa Shifting

(c) freedigitalphotos.net

The SEC is looking into various EB5-related Securities violations. Also the USCIS has a major incentive in ensuring that the EB5 program works, and continues to produce jobs, as Congress intended it to do. Securities violations are jeopardizing Regional Center operations, the job-creating mission of the EB5 program is in peril, something where USCIS will take action to prevent this from happening. In this way, the enforcement efforts of these two very different agencies are united - SEC and USCIS will continue to work to change practices in the EB5 field to increase compliance with American law.

The EB5 program has seen many obstacles and changes throughout the decades. About 15 years ago the program came to a complete halt for the better part of a decade. Now that the program is running, the USCIS will probably use the traditional tools of law enforcement to effect behavioral changes. USCIS might get ready to issue Notices of Intent to Revoke (NOIRs) to some Regional Centers within the coming few months, such NOIRs will likely be not just for inactivity, but will possibly include issues connected to Securities compliance. USCIS may well also increase reporting requirements by Regional Centers, in addition to enforcing existing reporting requirements. The EB5 field continues to move gradually in the direction of more direct investments, and away from pooled investments such as Regional Centers. For countries with a long history of entrepreneurship, such as China and India, these direct investments may well be the way to go.

Author: Melanie Schmitz Legal Trainee/Rechtsreferendarin BridgehouseLaw Charlotte

BYOD – Is your Company Prepared to Manage the Risks?

(c) photo: freedigitalphotos.net

It is an unstoppable trend: Employees are bringing their own mobile devices (laptops, tablets and smart phones) to their workplace and using them for business purposes. BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), also called bring your own technology, is making significant inroads in the business world with about 60% of employees already using their own technology at work.

This leads to the question: Is your company prepared to manage the risks introduced by the BYOD trend?

On the one hand you can say that a BYOD policy is not a good policy because it limits users and hurts productivity. One might argue that an employee should be allowed to use whatever device that helps him or her do the best job possible.

On the other hand you can’t ignore the risks involved: Especially a type of security breach can occur when an employee leaves the company and doesn’t have to give back the device so company applications and other data may still be present on his/her device. Furthermore it is important to consider damage liability issues. If an employee brings his/her personal device to work and it is physically damaged through no fault of his/her own, the question is if the company is responsible for repair or replacement.

“While that may be great for productivity, the influx of personal smartphones and tablets in the workplace can pose a significant risk to your companie’s security if you don’t have a strategy for dealing with these new threat vectors” said Reinhard von Hennigs, Managing Partner with the international law firm BridgehouseLaw in Charlotte, NC.

The point is that an effective BYOD policy must be comprehensive in protecting businesses and employees, but not so restrictive as to make BYOD practically useless. Getting it right is a complex and time consuming task, requiring collaboration across functions that may have conflicting views.

Author: Andreas Weitzell, Legal Trainee Charlotte Office

SCAM ALERT

(c) freedigitalphotos.net

Have you been recently contacted by any company offering to prepare your 2013 annual minutes?

The Secretary of State’s Office has once again issued a Scam Alert regarding National Business Register:

Be aware that the law of North Carolina does not require you to file corporate minutes with the North Carolina Secretary of State's Office. Therefore, you do not need to purchase any additional services in order to meet any obligations. N.C.G.S. 55-16-01 (a) states the requirement to “keep permanent records of minutes of all meetings of its incorporations (…) and a record of all actions taken by a committee of the board of directors in place of the board of directors on behalf of the corporation.”

These remain internal and do not need to be filed with the Department of Secretary of State.

Should you have any further questions regarding your company's annual report, please contact our Charlotte office at 704.333.5230 or charlotte@bridgehouselaw.us.

Author: Melanie Schmitz Legal Trainee/Rechtsreferendarin BridgehouseLaw Charlotte

Budgetkürzungen im US-Haushalt

(c) freedigitalphotos.net

Als Folge des Scheiterns der Verhandlungen im US-Haushaltsstreit sind von der US-Regierung kürzlich beträchtliche Sparmaßnahmen in die Wege geleitet worden. Direkt oder indirekt ist fast jeder Einwohner der USA betroffen: 

An Flughäfen soll die Zahl der Sicherheitskontrolleure reduziert werden. Dies wird voraussichtlich für jeden Besucher der USA bemerkbar sein, da zukünftig längere Wartezeiten für Passagiere bei der Ein- und Ausreise erwartet werden.

Einsparungen bei den Kosten für Sicherheitsmaßnahmen sind im Übrigen nicht nur an Flughäfen, sondern auch bei Botschaften, Nationalparks und Steuerbehörden geplant. Weitere Kürzungen werden bei der Unterstützung von Opfern von Naturkatastrophen, beim Umweltschutz und in Teilen der Gesundheitsvorsorge erfolgen.

Wer dauerhaft in den USA lebt, wird je nach den eigenen Lebensumständen auch Sparmaßnahmen bei Schulen und im sozialen Bereich unmittelbar zu spüren bekommen. Nach Informationen der Washington Post wird das Budget beispielsweise allein im Schulbezirk von Los Angeles um 37 Millionen Dollar gekürzt. Im Schnitt bedeutet dies, dass dort jede staatliche Schule einen bis eineinhalb Angestellte weniger haben wird.

Allgemein wird zwar erwartet, dass der Großteil der Mittelschicht von den Einsparungen im Alltag relativ wenig wahrnehmen wird. Anders wird dies aber vor allem in Städten und Gemeinden im Umkreis großer Kasernen sein, da das Militär am stärksten von den Budgetkürzungen betroffen ist. Dies wird sich insgesamt auf die Wirtschaftskraft derjenigen Regionen auswirken, in denen ein erheblicher Anteil der Nachfrage auf dem lokalen Markt durch Militärangehörige generiert wird.

Insgesamt können die Einsparungen zu einem langsameren Wirtschaftswachstum und steigender Arbeitslosigkeit führen. Es bleibt abzuwarten, ob Demokraten und Republikaner erneut in Verhandlungen treten werden, sobald die Einsparungen spürbar werden. Gesetzlich zulässig ist dies jederzeit.

Quelle: http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/nach-sequester-im-us-haushalt-wo-es-wehtun-wird-1.1614022 

Author: Cornelia Heim / Rechtsreferendarin, Charlotte Office

Zweitsprachen in den USA

Quelle: http://sunlightcities.tumblr.com/post/44063197938/the-country-is-a-mosaic-of-languages-map-by

Dass die USA bereits aufgrund ihrer Geschichte als Einwanderungsland zu bezeichnen sind, wird wohl niemand ernsthaft bestreiten. Als logische Folge begegnet man in den USA einer Vielzahl im Alltag gesprochener Zweitsprachen. Kaum verwunderlich nimmt in den meisten Bundesstaaten Spanisch eine führende Rolle ein. Doch neben Bundesstaaten, in denen die amerikanisch-indianische Sprache dominiert, finden sich auch Bundesstaaten mit Italienisch, Chinesisch, Polnisch, Deutsch, Französisch, Koreanisch, Skandinavisch, Russisch oder Tagalog als vorherrschender Zweitsprache.

Das Wahlrecht von Deutschen im Ausland

Das Bundesverfassungsgericht hat in seiner Entscheidung vom 07. Juli 2012 im wesentlichen § 12 Absatz 2 Satz 1 des Bundeswahlgesetzes mit Artikel 38 Absatz 1 Satz 1 des Grundgesetzes als unvereinbar und nichtig erklärt. § 12 Absatz 2 Satz 1 lautete wie folgt:

(2) Wahlberechtigt sind bei Vorliegen der sonstigen Voraussetzungen auch diejenigen Deutschen im Sinne des Artikels 116 Abs. 1 des Grundgesetzes, die am Wahltag außerhalb der Bundesrepublik Deutschland leben, sofern sie nach dem 23. Mai 1949 und vor ihrem Fortzug mindestens drei Monate ununterbrochen in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland eine Wohnung innegehabt oder sich sonst gewöhnlich aufgehalten haben.

Zur Begründung führt das Bundesverfassungsgericht aus: “Die Allgemeinheit der Wahl sichert, wie die Gleichheit der Wahl, die vom Demokratieprinzip vorausgesetzte Egalität der Staatsbürger. Die Gleichbehandlung aller Staatsbürger bezüglich der Fähigkeit, zu wählen und gewählt zu werden, ist eine der wesentlichen Grundlagen der Staatsordnung. Der Grundsatz der Allgemeinheit der Wahl verbürgt die aktive und passive Wahlberechtigung aller Staatsbürger. Er ist - nicht anders als der Grundsatz der Wahlrechtsgleichheit - im Sinne einer strengen und formalen Gleichheit bei der Zulassung zur Wahl des Deutschen Bundestages zu verstehen.”

Zwar hat der Gesetzgeber grundsätzlich die Möglichkeit, Differenzierungen vorzunehmen sofern rechtspolitische und zweckmäßige Erwägungen vorgenommen worden sind. Das Bundesverfassungsgericht kommt hier zu dem Ergebnis, dass § 12 Abs. 2 Satz 1 BWG gegen den Grundsatz der Allgemeinheit der Wahl verstößt, soweit darin die Wahlberechtigung der Auslandsdeutschen allein an einen früheren ununterbrochenen dreimonatigen Aufenthalt in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland geknüpft wird. Die Vorschrift bewirkt eine Ungleichbehandlung innerhalb der Gruppe der Auslandsdeutschen, die nicht durch einen zureichenden Grund legitimiert werden kann.

Die nach dieser Entscheidung erforderliche Neuregelung der Wahlberechtigung von Auslandsdeutschen befindet sich derzeit im Gesetzgebungsverfahren und soll in Kürze in Kraft treten.

Danach sollen Auslandsdeutsche wieder wahlberechtigt sein, sofern sie 

1. nach Vollendung ihres 14. Lebensjahres mindestens drei Monate ununterbrochen in der Bundesrepublik gelebt haben und dieser Aufenthalt nicht länger als 25 Jahre zurück liegt oder
   
2. wenn sie aus anderen Gründen persönlich und unmittelbar mit den politischen Verhältnissen in der Bundesrepublik vertraut geworden und von ihnen betroffen sind. 

(c) freedigitalphotos.net

Wie kann ein Auslandsdeutscher bei der Bundestagswahl wählen? 

Beide Varianten setzen jeweils einen Antrag auf Eintragung in ein Wählerverzeichnis voraus.

Wahlberechtigte nach Ziffer 1:

Hinsichtlich der Ausübung des Wahlrechts bleibt es für wahlberechtigte Auslandsdeutsche bei den gewohnten Abläufen: die Teilnahme an der Bundestagswahl setzt (ebenso wie für Inlandsdeutsche) grundsätzlich die Eintragung in das Wählerverzeichnis der zuständigen Gemeinde im Inland voraus. Auslandsdeutsche werden hierfür auf Antrag bei der Gemeinde in das Wählerverzeichnis eingetragen, in der sie vor ihrem Fortzug zuletzt gemeldet waren, und können durch Briefwahl an Bundestagswahlen teilnehmen.

Wahlberechtigte nach Ziffer 2:

Die Teilnahme an der Bundestagswahl setzt auch bei Auslandsdeutschen, die nach Ziffer 2 wahlberechtigt sind, einen Antrag auf die Eintragung in das Wählerverzeichnis einer Gemeinde im Inland voraus. Dabei sind die Tatsachen glaubhaft zu machen, die eine persönliche und unmittelbare Vertrautheit mit und Betroffenheit von den politischen Verhältnissen in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland belegen.

Hinsichtlich der für sie maßgeblichen Gemeinde gilt folgendes: Auslandsdeutsche, die ihr ursprünglich nach Ziffer 1 bestehendes Wahlrecht verloren haben, weil ihr Inlandsaufenthalt länger als 25 Jahre zurück liegt, behalten mit der letzten Heimatgemeinde ihren unveränderlichen Anknüpfungspunkt. Dasselbe gilt für Auslandsdeutsche, die nur vor Vollendung ihres vierzehnten Lebensjahres im Inland ansässig waren oder im Inland geboren wurden.

Bei Auslandsdeutschen, die niemals für mindestens drei Monate im Inland wohnhaft waren, ist entscheidend, an welchem Ort im Inland sich ihre Betroffenheit von den politischen Verhältnissen in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland schwerpunktmäßig manifestiert. Erbringt zum Beispiel der Auslandsdeutsche als Grenzpendler eine Arbeitsleistung an einem Ort im Inland, ist dies der Anknüpfungspunkt für die Ausübung seines Wahlrechts. In Fällen, in denen ein solcher Ort nicht festgestellt werden kann, kommt als Anknüpfungspunkt die letzte Heimatgemeinde seiner Vorfahren in gerader Linie im heutigen Bundesgebiet in Betracht, bei mehreren der des jüngeren Fortzuges.

Auch die insoweit maßgeblichen Tatsachen sind beim Antrag des Auslandsdeutschen auf Eintragung in das Wählerverzeichnis glaubhaft zu machen.

Autor: Melanie Schmitz Legal Trainee/Rechtsreferendarin BridgehouseLaw Charlotte

Who will control Charlotte’s airport?

(c) freedigitalphotos.net

The N.C. Senate on Tuesday tentatively approved a bill that would transfer airport control from the city to an independent authority. Senators voted for the measure 33-16. Democrats tried unsuccessfully to derail or at least delay the measure.

Senator Malcolm Graham (D) of Charlotte urged colleagues not to “rip out the heart of the region.” And Senator Daniel Clodfelter (D) of Charlotte said, “If the bill is a great idea today it will be a good idea tomorrow. “If … the bill is a bad idea today,” he added, “I sure would like to know it before I jump off the cliff.”

But Republicans turned back an effort to study the bill and two other Democratic amendments. The city has already launched a study expected to be finished by May.

Senator Bob Rucho, Republican and main sponsor, argued that an authority would ensure the continued success of one of the nation’s busiest airports and an economic engine for the region and state.

Graham argued against changing a management structure proven to work since 1935. He criticized what he called the “lack of transparency” with the legislation, which he said has been pushed by “unnamed, faceless business leaders.”

Rucho has said the idea came from local business leaders, whom he has declined to name. Republican Gov. Pat McCrory, a former Charlotte mayor, has characterized the fight as a dispute between “factions” in City Hall and the business community. Gov. McCrory wouldn't have the chance to sign or veto the bill because it's considered a local issue. He's asked fellow Republicans to slow down the process.

The Charlotte City Council member Andy Dulin said he was surprised his fellow Republicans voted to allow an unelected authority to seize land. The bill gives the authority the power to acquire land through eminent domain, even in an expedited “quick take” process.

“My party is supposed to be for property rights,” Dulin said. “That just blows my mind.”

GOP council member Warren Cooksey, who was also at the legislature arguing against the bill, alluded to Rucho’s citation of a report by a task force led by former Democratic Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton. The task force concluded that “no local government should control or regulate the development of those regional assets.” But, it added, “further investigation and legal expertise is needed.”

“I didn’t realize I voted for Bob Rucho to carry out Democrat policies,” Cooksey said.

Senate Minority Leader Martin Nesbitt of Asheville alluded to last year’s legislation that transferred control of Asheville’s airport to a regional authority. In a statement, Nesbitt later said Republicans were intent on a “power grab” and attempted “seizure” of the airport.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/03/13/3910463/nc-senate-moves-to-take-airport.html#storylink=cpy

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/03/13/3912774/charlotte-airport-governance-bill.html##storylink=cpy

Melanie Schmitz Legal Trainee/Rechtsreferendarin BridgehouseLaw Charlotte

Social Media Dashboards im Vergleich

(c) freedigitalphotos.net

Immer mehr Menschen sind aus beruflichen und privaten Gründen über eine Vielzahl sozialer Netzwerke wie Facebook und LinkedIn vernetzt. Je größer die Anzahl an Mitgliedschaften wird, desto schwieriger wird es, den Überblick über wichtige Informationen zu behalten. Social Media Dashboards können sowohl im privaten als auch im professionellen Kontext eine Hilfe sein. Es handelt dabei um eine Software, mit deren Hilfe sich Informationen der einzelnen sozialen Netzwerke zusammenfassen lassen.

Mittlerweile besteht ein recht umfassendes Angebot an Social Media Dashboards. Im Folgenden werden einige von Ihnen vorgestellt:

Sprout Social (http://sproutsocial.com/):

Über Sprout Social können Facebook, Twitter und LinkedIn zusammengefasst werden. Die Mitgliedschaft kostet 39 US-Dollar pro Monat. Die Oberfläche ist sehr schick und übersichtlich. Über den Home-Tab lasen sich Follower- und Fan-Zahlen verfolgen. Nachrichten, die über die integrierten Netzwerke gesendet wurden, können in der Inbox abgerufen und verarbeitet werden. Für die Koordinierung von Teamarbeiten bietet sich die Nutzung des Scheduler-Moduls an, über welches Tweets und Facebook-Posts nach wenigen Klicks geplant und zur besten Zeit veröffentlicht werden. Außerdem können Blog-Artikel geschrieben und in die verschiedenen sozialen Netzwerke eingestellt werden.

Hilfreich ist auch die Möglichkeit, ein Monitoring für bestimmte Schlüsselbegriffe einzurichten, um leichter und schneller auf relevante Nachrichten in der Inbox zugreifen zu können.

Daneben verfügt Sprout Social über eine Vielzahl von Funktionen, die die Beobachtung des Geschehens in den integrierten Netzwerken allgemein erleichtert.

Bottlenose (http://bottlenose.com/):
Bottlenose ermöglicht die Zusammenfassung von Facebook, Twitter und LinkedIn. Der Anbieter ist kostenlos und legt weniger Wert auf ein schickes Design als Sprout Special. Der Schwerpunkt liegt auf der sofortigen Einblendung der den Nutzer interessierenden Top-Themen. Die aufgezeigten Informationen können über die Paper-Funktion auch als Art Magazin dargestellt werden.

Über das Tool “Sonar” können alle auf ein Thema bezogenen Trends in einer interaktiven Sonar-Karte dargestellt werden. Facebook- und Twitter Nachrichten können über das Tool “Buffer” geplant und (auch) zeitversetzt gepostet werden.

Weitere Funktionen sind geplant für eine (dann kostenpflichtige) Pro-Version.

HootSuite (http://hootsuite.com/):
Neben Twitter, Facebook und LinkedIn ist über HootSuite die Zusammenfassung weiterer Netzwerke wie Xing oder Google+ möglich. Für Einzelpersonen ist die Nutzung kostenlos. Möchte man das Dashboard für Teamarbeiten nutzen, benötigt man den Pro-Account für 9,99 US-Dollar monatlich. Für Unternehmen gibt es eine gesonderte Version.

Zielgruppe des Dashboards sind Teams, die mit der Kommunikation eines Unternehmens betraut sind. HootSuite verfügt über ein sehr umfangreiches Angebot unterschiedlichster Tools, welche entsprechend den eigenen Bedürfnisen installiert werden können.

Falcon Social (http://www.falconsocial.com/):

Ähnlich wie HootSuite wurde das Dashboard für die Koordinierung der Teamarbeit in Unternehmen konzipiert. Verknüpft werden vorrangig Unternehmenskanäle; das Dashboard ermöglicht aber auch die Verfolgung der Kommunikation über eine Marke bei Facebook, Twitter, Google+ und YouTube. Hierdurch kann ein Brand-Monitoring mit Echtzeit-Abfragen erfolgen und Unternehmen können sich zeitnah an den wichtigsten Konversationen über Ihre Produkte beteiligen.

Es bleibt abzuwarten, ob sich das Geschäftsmodell auf dem Markt durchsetzen wird und welche Anbieter den Markt erorbern werden.

Quelle: http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/web/social-media-dashboards-fuer-facebook-twitter-und-google-a-885972.html

Author: Cornelia Heim / Rechtsreferendarin, Charlotte Office

New DS-7002 Form for J-1 Visa for Internships/Traineeships

(c) freedigitalphotos.net

The DS-7002 Training/Internship Placement Plan for J-1 Visa, which must be completed and signed by the host company, has been updated. The new form is dated 01-2013 at the bottom of the form and must be presented at the time of visa interview, as of April 1, 2013. Both, the older and the new version are acceptable through March 29, 2013. 

If the older DS-7002 form will be submitted by an applicant after March 29, 2013, the visa application will be placed on hold until the new form will be submitted.

Author: Cornelia Heim / Rechtsreferendarin, Charlotte Office

Starting April 25: New TSA Rules on Carry-On Items

(c) redjar@flickr.com

The Transportation Security Administration announces new rules allowing passengers to carry small knives and some sports equipment aboard airplanes. This new rule shall allow the TSA Officers to better focus on finding higher threat items such as explosives.

The blades can be up to 6 centimeters (2.36 inches) long and no more than 1.27 (½ inches) wide. When it comes to sporting equipment miniature bats, wiffle ball bats, billiard cues, ski poles and hockey and lacrosse sticks will be permitted. Nevertheless, bows, arrows, cricket bats and spear guns will continue to be prohibited. Martial arts equipment is prohibited on board of airplanes but allowed in checked bag. When it comes to tools the rules are a little diverse: axes, hatchets, cattle prods, crowbars and so on are prohibited as carry on items but permitted in checked baggage. Permitted on board: screwdrivers, wrenches and pliers less than 20.3 centimeters (7 inches) in length. Flammables items will continue to be prohibited as carry on and in checked bags. Guns and firearms are not allowed as carry-on items but allowed in checked bags, except for flares and gunpowder.

You will find a list of prohibited as carry-on and checked items here: http://www.tsa.gov

However, it is still not allowed to carry a bottle of water aboard. The “3-1-1” rule still applies. Liquids, gels and aerosols must be no larger than 100 milliliters (3.4 ounces) and they all have to fit in a one-quart clear Ziploc-style bag. Larger containers can still be carried in checked luggage.

Organizations like FlyersRights.org criticize the new rules. On one hand the rules might slow down airport security and on the other hand terrorists can bring on board knives as sharp as the then-permitted box cutters used by the 9/11hijackers.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20130308_TSA_new_rule_on_knives_still_drawing_reaction.html#ixzz2MxkniffS

Author: Melanie Schmitz, Legal Trainee BridgehouseLaw Charlotte

Rack Room Shoes expands its corporate headquarters in Charlotte

(c) freedigitalphotos.net

Rack Room Shoes will expand its corporate headquarters in Charlotte and relocate the headquarters of its subsidiary Off Broadway Shoes, from Georgia to Charlotte. The company is going to establish new retail stores and sales over the next five years. Currently, 49 of 450 stores are located in North Carolina. The main reasons for the decision to expand in Charlotte are the vibrant entertainment scene, growing fashion culture and the nearby international airport.

The expansion will create 87 jobs by the end of 2017 and invest $ 16.3 million in Charlotte. According to Mark Lardie, president and CEO of Rack Room Shoes and Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse, Charlotte is an excellent location to further collaboration. “Rack Room Shoes has grown with Charlotte over the years, and we are proud of all that the community and its residents have to offer” explains Lardie. “We're excited to attract professionals in fashion, purchasing and marketing industries to Charlotte, knowing they will also be proud to call the city 'home”.

Author: Cornelia Heim / Rechtsreferendarin Charlotte Office

Plastics company "Otto Environmental Systems" invests to expand in Charlotte

(c) photo: freedigitalphotos.net

Otto Environmental Systems North America, Inc. (OESNA) will invest $7 million USD expand its Charlotte, North Carolina manufacturing plant, adding equipment and creating 32 new jobs.

OESNA traces its roots back to 1934, when the original company was founded in Kreuztal, Germany. It is a subsidiary of Otto Industries North America, Inc. and is based in Charlotte. OESNA manufactures plastic waste containers for commercial and residential use. The company offers residential refuse and recycling carts, commercial refuse and recycling containers, litter respectable, recycling bins, residential refuse lifting systems and document security containers.

“Otto evaluated expanding other facilities, but after considering all options, North Carolina came out on top,” said Robert Engle, CEO of Otto Environmental Systems North America, Inc. “North Carolina is a business-friendly state, and the secretary of commerce does a wonderful job working with companies.”

“My administration is working to ensure manufacturing continues to be a growth engine for North Carolina,” said Governor Pat McCrory. “Partnering with companies like Otto Environmental Systems will help us increase the number of ‘Made in North Carolina’ labels around the country and globe.”

The project was made possible in part by a performance based grant from the One North Carolina Fund of up to $ 48,000. The One North Carolina Fund helps recruit and expand quality jobs in high value-added, knowledge-driven industries. It also provides financial assistance to those businesses or industries deemed vital to a healthy economy that are making significant efforts to expand in North Carolina.

Author: Andreas Weitzell, legal trainee Charlotte Office

Highest level since 2007: Regulators cracking down on U.S. companies

(c) photo: freedigitalphotos.net

U.S. companies have to handle with more regulatory investigations in 2012 than in any year since 2007 referred to an annual report by Fulbright & Jaworski, a large national law firm. About 60 percent of U.S. companies hired outside counsel to represent them in such investigations compared to 55 percent in 2011 and 43 percent in 2010.

Fulbright said that one main reason of the rise of the investigations is the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act which was signed into federal law by President Barack Obama on July 21, 2010. It was the most sweeping legislative reform in the financial sector since the passage of President’s Franklin D. Roosevelt’s suite of reforms in the 1930’s. Dodd-Frank proposed eight areas of regulation, the major parts were (1) Regulate credit cards, loans and mortgages, (2) Oversee Wall Street, (3) Stop banks from gambling with depositor’s money, (4) Regulate risky derivates, (5) Bring hedge funds trades into the light, (6) Oversee credit rating agencies, (7) Increase supervision of insurance companies and (8) Reform the Federal Reserve. Inter alia the law gives new authority to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other regulatory agencies.

Subsequent SEC attorneys have made a strategic decision to go lighter on suspected cases of insider trading. Prosecutors have always struck such deals with criminal suspects, but they were rare in the civil enforcement lawsuits that the SEC can file.

However the Americans can say that two years after President Barack Obama signed Dodd-Frank into law there are some notable successes. The financial markets are stronger than they were before the crisis and Americans can count on better consumer finance protection in their day-today interactions with the financial services institutions.

Author: Andreas Weitzell, Legal Trainee Charlotte Office

German Bundestag Approves Downgraded Version of a New Copyright Bill

(c) photo: freedigitalphotos.net

Online aggregators like Google News are usually listing various links to articles of different online newspapers and combine them with short excerpts of these articles. On Friday, March 1, 2013, the German “Bundestag” approved a copyright bill concerning these reproductions of excerpts of online newspaper articles. If the new law passes the German “Bundesrat” successfully it will shortly come into effect.

In its original version, the bill provided compulsory licensing for the reproduction of the smallest excerpt of an online newspaper article on an online aggregator's website. But a few days before this bill was to be debated in the German “Bundestag”, it was changed profoundly. Under the current version of the new copyright law the reproduction of single words or of smallest excerpts of text shall be allowed without any licensing agreement. Therefore, the new copyright law largely lost its original purpose to let the online newspaper publishers participate on the profits generated by using excerpts of their online articles on online aggregator's websites.

As a result, both, lawmakers and the concerned online companies are strenuously discussing the value of the new law. It passed the German “Bundestag” by only 293 to 243 votes.

Most of those affected by the new copyright law don't estimate it being a thorough success. Though the enlargement of the online publishers' rights isn't as considerable as in the original version of the bill, the Federation of German Newspapers Publishers hopes that online publishers will now be enabled to better determine the conditions under which their online articles are provided by other websites.

Online aggregators, however, feel uncertain about the interpretation of “a smallest excerpt of text”. As a result, it is very likely that legal disputes between online newspaper publishers and online aggregators will occur.

Author: Cornelia Heim / Rechtsreferendarin, Charlotte Office

Pax Tecum

I remember the day, not so long ago, in April 2005, when Joseph Aloysius Ratzinger, Cardinal of Munich and Freising and Dean of the College of Cardinals, was elected Pope. The first German Pope in almost 500 years!

So he offended Muslims when he cited a Byzantine emperor saying that Islam brought things “evil and inhuman.” (For which he later apologized.)

So he was insensitive to Jews by lifting the excommunication of four schismatic bishops, one of whom being an outspoken historical revisionist.

So he failed in cracking the whip on pedophile priests.

He is German, and he is Pope. I don't care if you're catholic, or protestant, or agnostic, or pastafarianist. If you're German, that's as cool as it gets. Benedict's election gave us Germans a boost in national pride that we had been sorely lacking since our darkest chapter in history 70 years ago.

Then 78 year old Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Pope on April 19, 2005 after four rounds of balloting in 24 hours, one of the fastest elections in a century. Benedict XVI, as he was henceforth known, albeit being frontrunner in the race to succeed the immensely popular Pope John Paul II, was none too thrilled to actually have been elected. He had hoped to retire and spend his last years living quietly and peacefully. After his election, during an audience with German pilgrims, he recalled: "At a certain point, I prayed to God, 'Please don't do this to me. Evidently, this time he didn't listen to me."

(c) M.Mazur/www.thepapalvis

While Benedict's papacy was marred with controversy, it came as a shock and surprise to the world when he announced his retirement on February 11, 2013, citing his deteriorating strength as a reason for his resignation in a statement that read: "...my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry." With his resignation (the first time a Pope has resigned in almost 600 years) Benedict is setting a precedent for his successors and the Vatican.

Last Thursday, February 28th, 2013, Benedict XVI's papacy, the reign of the 265th Pope, came to an end while the bells of St. Peter were ringing.

As our German Pope leaves the Vatican in a helicopter to spend a few months at Castel Gandolfo before retiring to a monastery within the Vatican walls and living out his last years walking its gardens, as had been his wish, a devilish little part of me whispers that the world will see him - and maybe Germans as a nation - as a quitter - squashing my tender sprout of German national pride. But mainly I admire him greatly for being keenly aware of his limits and limitations, for not wanting to be reduced to a mere figurehead, unable to conduct his office and duties. And I am thankful that we do not have to watch him deteriorate the way we witnessed his predecessor Pope John Paul II in his seemingly endless suffering.

Geh hin in Frieden, Joseph! Go in peace!

Author: Heidi Lind, International Group Coordinator, Charlotte

Olympic Dreams for Charlotte?

(c) freestockphotos.biz

Charlotte put itself on the map when it successfully hosted the National Democratic Convention in September 2012. Next step... the Olympics?

Charlotte's mayor Anthony Foxx, together with the mayors of 34 other cities, received a letter from the United States Olympic Committee intended to gauge interest in hosting the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

Given the stringent list of qualifications, many of the cities will be virtually disqualified from the race. And while Charlotte fulfills some of the requirements, hosting the Olympics is about as likely to happen as a snowstorm in July. But, as every losing Academy Awards actor will say, 'it is an honor to be nominated'.

The cities having received the same letter range in size from metropolises such as New York City and Chicago to small towns like Rochester. Both New York City and Chicago have previously made a bid to host Olympic Games to the tune of upwards of $10 million. New York City came in 4th in its bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics while Chicago suffered a stinging first round loss in its 2016 Olympic bid, and has already expressed no interest in submitting another.

Among the numerous qualifications stated in the letter are:

• 45,000 hotel rooms.
   
• An Olympic Village that sleeps 16,500 and has a 5000-person dining hall.
   
• Operations space for over 15,000 media and broadcasters.
   
• An international airport that can handle thousands of international travelers per day.
   
• Public transportation service to venues.
   
• Roadway closures to allow exclusive use for games-related transportation.
   
• A workforce of up to 200,000.

While Charlotte does not have an Olympic Stadium, it boasts 2 world-class sports facilities with its U.S. National Whitewater Center and its Mecklenburg County Aquatics Center. And Charlotte Douglas Airport, being the nation's fastest growing and 6th busiest airport, would certainly be able to rise to the challenge. The required number of hotel rooms, however, leaves Charlotte short by about 15,000. An audit after the Democratic National Convention showed that a total of 61,246 hotel room nights were used.

A shaky leg up may come in form of our very own, 90 year old Irwin "Ike" Belk, who is the nation's largest individual donor to the U.S. Olympic Committee. Ike has been to more Olympics than most anyone alive and has not missed a game since 1960. For nearly 50 years he has served on the U.S. Olympic Committee. Part of the U.S. Olympic training center in Colorado Springs carries the family name.

The U.S.O.C. says it has not decided whether to pursue a bid in 2024, but it has begun the decision-making process. In the letter, U.S.O.C. CEO Scott Blackmun said that the U.S.O.C. has about two years to select the city for the United States' bid. The I.O.C. will choose the 2024 host city in 2017.

Blackmun went on to say: "Our objective in this process is to identify a partner city that can work with us to present a compelling bid to the I.O.C. and that has the right alignment of political, business and community leadership." He reminded the mayors of the huge undertaking involved in hosting the Olympics with operating costs in excess of $3 billion, not including venue construction and infrastructure costs.

Author: Heidi Lind, International Group Coordinator, Charlotte

Tourism officials said the entire 16-county region only has 30,000 rooms and some of those are questionable. During the Democratic National Convention, Eyewitness News reported some dignitaries complained about unsafe and unsanitary rooms.
Second requirement is a major international airport and Charlotte Douglas is the sixth-busiest airport in the world.
The next big issue is sports venues. The city is requesting a tax hike to rebuild Bank of America Stadium. There are also two world-class facilities -- the U.S. Whitewater Center and the Aquatics Center.
Also required of a host city is public transportation. The city is currently trying to expand both light rail and the streetcar project.
Two requirements that could help unemployment issues: The city would have to build an Olympic Village to house 16,500 athletes and would need a workforce of at least 200,000.
- See more at: http://www.wsoctv.com/news/sports/olympics/charlotte-recieves-letter-about-2024-olympic-games/nWTnM/#sthash.hTVFZQtR.dpuf

Tourism officials said the entire 16-county region only has 30,000 rooms and some of those are questionable. During the Democratic National Convention, Eyewitness News reported some dignitaries complained about unsafe and unsanitary rooms.
Second requirement is a major international airport and Charlotte Douglas is the sixth-busiest airport in the world.
The next big issue is sports venues. The city is requesting a tax hike to rebuild Bank of America Stadium. There are also two world-class facilities -- the U.S. Whitewater Center and the Aquatics Center.
Also required of a host city is public transportation. The city is currently trying to expand both light rail and the streetcar project.
Two requirements that could help unemployment issues: The city would have to build an Olympic Village to house 16,500 athletes and would need a workforce of at least 200,000.
- See more at: http://www.wsoctv.com/news/sports/olympics/charlotte-recieves-letter-about-2024-olympic-games/nWTnM/#sthash.hTVFZQtR.dpuf

Freddie Mac Reported First Profit Since 2006

For the first time since the disastrous financial crisis struck in 2007, Freddie Mac just reported an $11 billion annual profit for 2012 — its largest ever annual gain and first profitable year since 2006.

Fannie Mae, which has not yet posted its annual results, reported $9.6 billion in profit during the first three quarters of 2012.

(c) freedigitalphotos.net

According to the company’s earnings release, the increase reflects a decrease in delinquent single-family loans, improved national home prices, and a higher income tax benefit. Under an agreement with the Treasury Department, the companies had been required to pay a 10 percent dividend to the government which required them to sometimes draw aid just to make the payments. According to new terms implemented this year payments are only mandated when the companies turn a profit. But they are now required to turn over most of their earnings. This new arrangement could lead them to pay back taxpayers faster and will prevent them from building equity. The Congressional Budget Office estimated in February that the companies would return $17 billion to the Treasury this year, instead of borrowing another $13 billion in 2013 as previously estimated.

"It's clear from our earnings that the housing market has turned a corner and that our work to minimize legacy losses and build a strong new book of business is paying off," Donald Layton, Freddie's chief executive officer, said in a statement.

As for contributions to the housing market, Layton said, “In 2012, we helped 2.5 million families to buy, refinance or rent a home and another 170,000 to avoid foreclosure – bringing the total to nearly 10 million since the start of the housing crisis. We continue to work with our regulator, our customers and the industry to support the housing market and build a stronger mortgage finance system for the nation.”

Rising home prices are boosting Freddie's profit because the company is losing less on homes that go through foreclosure. Freddie lost around 35 cents for every $1 of debt that went through foreclosure during the fourth quarter, compared with nearly 41 cents one year ago. And home prices last year rose by 7.3%, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller national home-price index, resulting in the largest gain since 2005.

For the last five consecutive quarters, Freddie has now reported profits, with a fourth-quarter gain of $4.5 billion, compared with a third-quarter profit of $2.9 billion and a year-earlier gain of $619 million.

Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have received almost $190 billion in U.S. assistance since the government rescue mission in September 2008 after the burst of the housing bubble that brought the two companies to the brink of bankruptcy.

Freddie will make a $5.8 billion dividend payment to the U.S. Treasury in March. The company has in all received $71.3 billion from the Treasury, and will have paid $29.6 billion in dividends, for a total cost to taxpayers of about $41.8 billion. Fannie's rescue has cost taxpayers $87.8 billion.

Author: Heidi Lind, International Group Coordinator, Charlotte