Wer hätte das gedacht - little known facts about Germany. 🥳 New Year's Eve in Deutschland 🎉

🍀 🐷 Good luck charms: Marzipan pigs, chimney sweeps, and four-leaf clovers are given as gifts.

🍯 Lead pouring (or wax pouring): Molten lead or wax is poured into cold water; the resulting shape is interpreted to predict the future.

🍏 Apple oracle: Peel an apple in a spiral and throw the peel over your left shoulder; the resulting letter indicates the first initial of your future partner.

🎆 Fireworks: Loud bangs drive away evil spirits; private fireworks displays are widespread.

🥂 Sparkling wine & more: At midnight, people toast with sparkling wine, champagne, or mulled wine; this is often accompanied by Berliner doughnuts or other pastries.

🫕 Cozy get-together: Raclette or fondue are popular choices for a shared meal.

🎬 "Dinner for One": This British sketch is traditionally shown on television before midnight.

✨✨ Frohes neues Jahr!!

Sources: the Internet

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Wer hätte das gedacht - little known facts about Germany. 🎄 Christmas in Germany 🎅🏼

🎁 Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve. 

In Germany, the main celebration, including gift-giving, happens on December 24th. Families gather for a festive meal, sing carols, and open presents after dark. 

🎅🏼 Children leave their shoes out for St. Nicholas. 

On the eve of St. Nicholas Day (December 5th), children place their shoes or boots outside their doors. On December 6th, a well-behaved child may find gifts, sweets, or fruit in their boots, while a naughty child might find a lump of coal. 

🎄Germany gave the world the Christmas tree tradition. 

The tradition of decorating a Christmas tree, or Tannenbaum, is German. However, it is traditionally decorated and only put up on Christmas Eve in many German households. 

📆 The first Advent calendars were created in Germany. 

The first printed Advent calendar with 24 doors was made by a German printing company in Munich in 1908 to help children count down the days until Christmas. 

❄️ Christmas markets are a significant part of the season. 

Germany is famous for its Christmas markets, called Weihnachtsmärkte or Christkindlmarkt. These markets appear in towns across the country, offering traditional foods, hot drinks, and handmade gifts. 

Sources: the Internet

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ICE Raids: What Communities and Employers Should Know to Stay Safe and Prepared

In recent months, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased targeted enforcement actions across several U.S. regions, including Charlotte, NC. This presence has left many families, workplaces, and communities concerned about what to expect during an ICE operation. Whether you are an employer, a community member, or someone directly affected, understanding your rights and responsibilities is critical to staying safe. 

For individuals, officers must have a valid warrant signed by a judge to enter a private home without permission. Individuals also have the right to remain silent and the right to refuse to sign documents they do not understand. Carrying a “Know Your Rights” card, avoiding sudden movements, and staying calm can help prevent escalation during stressful encounters.

For employers, ICE may conduct workplace audits or request I-9 documentation; however, businesses are not required to provide access to non-public areas without a judicial warrant. Adequately training staff, designating a point of contact for law enforcement inquiries, and maintaining accurate employment records can help protect both the business and its workers. Clear workplace policies ensure that managers know how to respond legally rather than react out of fear. We here at BridgehouseLaw assist clients with running mock I-9 audits to ensure compliance. Please feel free to contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Our firm assists individuals and businesses in understanding immigration enforcement procedures, preparing workplace policies, and protecting their rights. In times of uncertainty, knowledge is one of the strongest tools you can have. Staying informed, staying prepared, and knowing your rights can make all the difference during an ICE encounter.

Please be on the lookout for our upcoming webinar on the topic. Let us know if you would like to pre-register.

Kelsey Greene, BridgehouseLaw LLP, Law Clerk, Charlotte

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What Do Touring Artists Have in Common with a Majority of Our Clients?

When K-pop sensations like BTS, Stray Kids, or BLACKPINK announce US tour dates, fans rush to grab tickets. But behind the lights, choreography, and screaming crowds lie something less glamorous, but legally crucial: immigration!

Just like many of our clients, international performers need work authorization to legally perform their jobs in the United States. Before stepping on stage, each artist must secure the appropriate visa. The process for obtaining a visa varies by visa type and the applicant's purpose. Most visas regarding working in the U.S. require evidence of the applicant’s qualifications, professional achievements, and reason for coming to the United States. The process can take months and often involves coordination between employers, immigration attorneys, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Failure to obtain the proper visa or to adhere to its conditions can lead to denied entry, removal, and even long-term bans on re-entry. 

This is a sharp reminder that immigration law affects more people than we think, from global pop stars to business owners and professionals pursuing opportunities abroad. So, the next time you hear that your favorite K-pop group is performing in your city, remember: their journey to the stage started with the same kind of visa process that many of our clients navigate every day.

Kelsey Greene, Law Clerk, BridgehouseLaw LLP, Charlotte

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Merging Media Giants: Why Regulators Are Scrutinizing the Netflix–Warner Bros. Deal

On December 5, 2025, Netflix announced its agreement to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s

film studio and streaming operations. Under the arrangement, WBD’s “Global Networks” (cable-

TV brands and other linear networks) would spin off into a separate publicly traded company

before closing. The acquisition promises to unite Netflix’s global reach and distribution

infrastructure with Warner’s vast library of films, prestige TV, and blockbuster intellectual

property (IP) — from legacy cinematic and television titles to marquee franchises like those

under the DC Comics or HBO banners.

The significance of the merger rests not in its commercial appeal but in what such consolidation could mean for competition, consumers, and the broader structure of the entertainment industry.

A central legal concern stems from the fact that combining Netflix’s subscriber base with HBO

Max’s and Warner’s studio assets could dramatically amplify market concentration, with some

estimating the merged entity’s U.S. streaming market share could rise above 30–40%. Under

current U.S. antitrust guidelines, that level of market share raises a “presumption of illegality.”

Regulators will assess whether the merger would substantially lessen competition or tend toward monopolization. Because Netflix and WBD are not only streaming platforms but also content producers, the merger constitutes both horizontal (streamer vs. streamer) and vertical (content producer + distributor) integration — a combination that often raises even sharper antitrust flags.

One key concern: with control over so much content, Netflix could withhold popular

programming from competing streamers (or demand high licensing fees) — effectively

foreclosing rivals, and reducing diversity in content while consolidating power over what gets

produced and distributed.

Regulators will also weigh broader impacts, including content diversity, creative opportunity, price effects, and labor market consequences. For example, critics warn that the merger could reduce incentives to produce a broad slate of films, undercut theatrical releases, or lead to job losses for creative and technical workers across the industry. From the consumer side, the reduced competition could lead to fewer choices, less programming diversity, and upward pressure on subscription prices over time.

Given the scale and scope of concentration, the merger will almost certainly draw regulatory

scrutiny. Under U.S. antitrust law, the DOJ (and possibly FTC) will likely launch an in-depth

review, focusing on whether the merger would substantially lessen competition or enable abuse of market dominance.

Regulators may demand remedies before approval — for example, divestitures of certain assets (e.g., requiring that major franchises or libraries remain licensed to rival platforms), or

behavioral conditions (non-exclusive licensing or commitments to maintain theatrical release

windows).

There’s also the risk that the deal will be blocked entirely. Given historical precedents of blocked mergers in media and mounting opposition from lawmakers, creators, and public interest groups, the path to clearance is far from certain.

Beyond this single deal, the outcome will likely set a precedent for how regulators treat future

media consolidations in the age of streaming. If the merger is approved, it could open the door to further vertical and horizontal integration across content, distribution, and technology platforms — reshaping the economic and creative structure of Hollywood.

Conversely, if blocked, it may reinvigorate efforts to rethink and tighten antitrust guidelines or

media-ownership rules in the streaming context. Either way, observers suggest this merger could become a landmark case defining the legal limits of media consolidation in the 21st century.

In short, the proposed Netflix–WBD deal raises serious legal red flags under antitrust law, with

potentially far-reaching consequences for competition, creative freedom, consumers, and the

future shape of the entertainment industry. The coming months will be critical as regulators,

creators, lawmakers, and the public weigh its risks and rewards.

by: Thomas Joa, Attorney, BridgehouseLaw, Charlotte

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PROJECT FIREWALL Partnership between DOL and EEOC

PROJECT FIREWALL is an H-1B enforcement initiative that requires employers to prioritize qualified Americans when hiring workers and holds employers accountable for abusing the H-1B visa process. The purpose of PROJECT FIREWALL is to safeguard the rights, wages, and job opportunities of Americans while rooting out fraud and abuse that may occur in the H-1B visa system. The US Department of Labor (DOL) and several federal agency partners are working together to enforce current US labor and immigration laws.

On November 25, 2025, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) highlighted its partnership with DOL to combat illegal national-origin discrimination against all workers, including American workers. National origin discrimination is prohibited under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC defines national origin discrimination as treating job applicants and workers differently (favorably or unfavorably) based on where they are from, their accent, or their appearance (ethnic stereotyping), and as including preferring foreign workers, with or without a particular visa status, over American workers.

Employers need to ensure that job advertisements, pay structures, and employee benefits do not result in disparate treatment between applicants and workers of different national origins. Employees and job applicants who believe they are victims of national origin discrimination can file an online complaint with the EEOC, DOL’s Wage and Hour Division, or the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. Employees and job applicants who believe an employer has abused the visa procurement process can contact USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate via USCIS’s online tip form.

The US Secretary of Labor will certify the initiation of investigations against employers with credible complaints of national origin discrimination. The investigations will delve heavily into wage compliance, recruitment practices, and the displacement of American workers. Employers found in violation of US labor and immigration laws may be required to pay affected employees and applicants back wages, civil monetary penalties, and/or be debarred from future use of the H-1B visa program for a period of time. 

Employers with questions regarding hiring practices, employment policies, and utilizing the USCIS visa process should contact a BridgehouseLaw attorney for additional information specific to their situation.

Crystal McBride, Attorney, BridgehouseLaw, Charlotte

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