Eight years ago, a customer ordered “boneless wings” at a restaurant. He experienced discomfort and later developed a bacterial infection in his thoracic cavity, leading to serious and ongoing medical issues. Doctors discovered a tear in his esophagus caused by a 5 cm-long chicken bone lodged there, likely from one of the “boneless” wings. Claiming ..read more

In 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) inaugurated Regulation A+, an expansive amendment to the existing Regulation A exemption of the Securities Act of 1933 (Regulation A). The amendment made Regulation A a more practical alternative to registered public offerings, yielding access to capital for small nonpublic companies with lower reporting requirements. But we ..read more

In the world of ecommerce, Amazon commands a considerable share of online retail transactions. Its dominance influences pricing strategies and market dynamics across the virtual storefront industry. This unparalleled market position gives Amazon significant leverage over competitors, enabling it to set trends and dictate terms for its sellers. In September 2023, the Federal Trade Commission ..read more

KJK is pleased to announce that Partner Carly Boyd has been named to the Cleveland Bridge Builders Class of 2025. This esteemed civic leadership development program, offered by the Cleveland Leadership Center, brings together outstanding mid-career professionals from the nonprofit, corporate, civic and public sectors. Through the 10-month program, Carly will work collaboratively and in small groups with her fellow Bridge Builders classmates to hone leadership and communication skills and complete a Leadership Action Project geared toward civic improvement. As part of KJK’s Family Law ..read more

On July 9, 2024, the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Officer (the County) released the newly appraised values for properties within their jurisdiction. As required by state law, every county in Ohio is required to update property values every three years and conduct a reappraisal every six years. The average value increase across the County was 32.22% for residential property, 8.45% for commercial property, and 8.49% for industrial property. However, it is important to keep in mind that tax rates do not increase or decrease proportionally to the change in property value due to House Bill 920 (HB 920 ..read more

Can you believe it? Summer isn’t over yet, but it’s already time to start thinking about the upcoming school year. For parents of younger children, this means shopping for school supplies and new clothes, reestablishing bedtime routines, and mentally preparing for nightly homework battles. Meanwhile, for parents of college-bound kids, it involves navigating the unfamiliar territory of young adulthood. This includes needing legal permission for things they once took for granted, such as accessing their child’s educational records. While parents of younger kids ensure they have the right pencils ..read more

Many wealthy families in the US and worldwide utilize family offices to manage their assets and various other needs. Last year, the number of family offices surpassed 4,500, collectively managing an estimated $6 trillion in assets. North America holds the largest concentration of these family offices. North America hosts approximately 1,682 family offices, managing over half of the global family office assets. Family offices address the unique needs of wealthy families, offering a broader range of services than traditional financial institutions. These offices may serve a single family or ..read more

In an era defined by rapid digital transformation and heightened concerns over personal data security, the landscape of consumer data privacy laws in the United States has evolved significantly. As of this writing, a patchwork of eighteen (18) similar, but unique, state laws dictates how businesses handle, store, and protect consumer information, reflecting a growing emphasis on transparency and individual rights that has already taken hold in Europe and elsewhere around the world. While the California, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah and Virginia privacy laws have been in force since last year, t ..read more

As Amazon maintains its chokehold on ecommerce sales, the United States Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is attempting to reclassify Amazon as a distributor of goods. If successful, this would expose Amazon to liability for third-party products sold on the Amazon Marketplace. Despite the uncertainty that arises from purchasing products from Amazon, Amazon is not currently liable for third party sellers selling dangerous products to consumers. Currently, Ohio and other states have determined that Amazon cannot be held liable for injuries to consumers from products that were purchased on the Ama ..read more

Judges and juries are doing what they can to punish bad actors across industries, in spite of legislative efforts to limit the same. Ohio’s Efforts to Limit Nuclear Verdicts In 2005, the Ohio General Assembly enacted tort reform by codifying R.C. 2315.18 (B)(2). That statute limits non-economic damages to $250,000, or three times the economic loss up to $350,000 per plaintiff, with a $500,000 limit per occurrence. There is no cap for catastrophic injury tort cases, such as those involving permanent and substantial physical deformity, loss of use of a limb, loss of a bodily organ system, or oth ..read more