Lathrop GPM LLP

Today marks an exciting milestone as Lathrop GPM and Hopkins Carley officially combine under the Lathrop GPM name. This combination enhances the capabilities and resources available to clients and grows our national platform, providing comprehensive legal services across a broad spectrum of practice areas. As we broaden our footprint in California’s dynamic legal market, we are expanding services across key practice groups, including Private Client Services and Real Estate & Development. We can’t wait to offer both firms' clients the benefits of our expanded industry knowledge, practice depth, and ability to leverage cutting-edge technology and innovation to deliver results. Read more in the firm's release here: https://bit.ly/4eqh5NJ #LawFirm #LegalIndustry #ClientServices #Growth #DealMaking #GrowthStrategy #BetterAsOne

Lathrop GPM Partner Alison Zinn gave insight to Us Weekly on the late actor Gene Hackman's will purportedly leaving his entire estate to his wife, Betsy Arakawa, who passed away before him. Correcting various media reports in this exclusive with US Weekly, she said: “A lot of people, kind of, have this situation wrong. His will leaves his estate to Betsy as trustee of the Gene Hackman trust. So, it doesn’t just leave it to her as an individual. It leaves it to a trust…The real question is who are the [trust’s] beneficiaries?” Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/4iCLcn0   #WillsandTrusts #EstatePlanning #Inheritance

Nonprofits concerned about a politically motivated audit or other enforcement action under the current presidential administration should pay close attention to President Trump’s Executive Order regarding the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) issued on March 7. While the scope of the order is limited to the administration of the PSLF – which itself is very important to many 501(c)(3) nonprofit employers and their employees – the text of the order also gives insight into what activities the Trump administration may consider and focus on as “illegal.” This is relevant well beyond the PSLF as having a “substantial illegal purpose” is also grounds for the IRS to revoke a nonprofit organization’s tax-exempt status. The latest legal update from our Executive Order Task Force details: 📌 What the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program is 📌 What the President’s Order does 📌 How this Order affects nonprofits more broadly 📌 What nonprofits should do #Nonprofits #PSLF #LegalUpdates #TaxExemptStatus https://bit.ly/3FjjxZw

Please join us in congratulating Lathrop GPM Partners Mara Cohara and Ruth Peters Brackney, who have both been honored with the 2025 Women’s Justice Award by Missouri Lawyers Media. Mara was recognized in the Litigation Practitioner category and Ruth in the Transactional Practitioner category. This prestigious award recognizes women across Missouri who have demonstrated leadership, integrity, service, sacrifice and accomplishment in improving the quality of justice and exemplifying the highest ideals of the legal profession. Congratulations, Mara and Ruth! Click here to read more: https://bit.ly/3XKgK1U #WomensJusticeAward #WomeninLaw #LawFirmExcellence

Lathrop GPM Partner Monique Jewett-Brewster joins an esteemed panel for a discussion on issues impacting women in the legal profession at the Santa Clara County Bar Association’s “Women in Law: Retaining and Promoting Diverse Leadership” on Tuesday, March 18. To register and learn more about this event, click here: https://bit.ly/41bnW9C #WomenInLaw #Women’sHistoryMonth #LawFirmLeadership

Partner Eric Sidler will present on the topic of consumer surveys in trademark litigation at Practising Law Institute (PLI)’s Advanced Trademark Law 2025: Current Issues taking place in New York on Thursday, March 27. Additionally, Lathrop GPM Senior Counsel Sheldon H Klein will deliver opening remarks as co-chair of the program. For more information and to register, click here: https://bit.ly/4bjkVYg #Trademark #USPTO #IntellectualProperty

On March 3, a committee of the Delaware State Bar Association announced revisions to Senate Bill 21 aimed at paring back some of the proposed protections seen as too controller-friendly. SB 21 was introduced in the Delaware General Assembly on February 17, proposing significant changes to the Delaware General Corporation Law. The bill has proven to be polarizing due to the nature of changes proposed and because of its purported connection to Elon Musk and Tesla (SB 21 was drafted with help from Delaware law firms representing both). Following the original introduction of SB 21 and its widespread criticism, the Council proposed revisions to the bill, and on March 3 recommended the approval and adoption of SB 21 in a revised form. Learn more about the bills proposed amendments and revisions in our latest legal alert from Lathrop GPM Counsel Jane Trueper: https://bit.ly/4i8Qfvd #SB21 #DelawareLaw #CorporateLaw

Lathrop GPM is pleased to welcome Jake Lorence as Counsel to the firm’s Minneapolis office and Labor & Employment Practice Group. Jake has extensive experience conducting and advising on internal investigations, drafting and negotiating employment agreements and advising human resources leaders on employee relations issues throughout the employee lifecycle. Welcome to the firm, Jake! Read more about Jake in our press release: https://bit.ly/43pJP6t

On February 10, the Trump Administration issued an Executive Order pausing enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for 180 days, with the possibility of extending this period. This announcement has raised critical questions for businesses operating internationally.   📌 What is the FCPA? The FCPA, enacted in 1977, prohibits U.S. entities from bribing foreign officials to secure business advantages. It also requires transparent accounting practices and robust compliance measures. Violations have led to significant penalties for major corporations, such as Goldman Sachs' $1.6 billion settlement in 2020. 📌 What’s Changed? The Executive Order halts DOJ FCPA enforcement for six months and instructs a review of current FCPA enforcement practices with a focus on balancing foreign policy prerogatives and American competitiveness. However, this pause does not affect SEC enforcement or the legality of the FCPA itself—engaging in bribery in a foreign jurisdiction is still illegal for US companies, even if the practice is legal or widely accepted in that country. 📌 What Should Businesses Do? Despite this temporary pause, businesses should not relax their anticorruption compliance programs. The FCPA still holds legal weight, and companies should remain diligent, particularly in light of international regulations such as the UK Bribery Act. Misconduct uncovered during this period could still lead to future enforcement under a different administration.   ➡️ Bottom line? Use this time to review and strengthen compliance efforts rather than scaling them back. For organizations that suspect potential violations, seeking legal counsel is critical to weigh the complexities of disclosure and compliance strategies.   How are you navigating compliance with FCPA and other anti-corruption regulations? Share your thoughts below! #FCPA #Compliance #Anticorruption #LegalUpdates   https://bit.ly/3F7X0Py

One of the new administration’s Executive Orders, “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” might make waves for DEI programs across the U.S. while creating potential liabilities for businesses. Here's what you need to know:   ✅ This EO introduces certification requirements for federal contractors and grant recipients to confirm compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws regarding DEI programs. ✅ Non-compliance certifications could lead to lawsuits under the False Claims Act (FCA), bringing significant risks, including fines, mandatory treble damages, and attorney fees. ✅ Whistleblowers now have broader incentives to file FCA claims, empowering insiders to call out alleged DEI violations while reaping up to 30% of recovered funds.   Pending legal challenges and a nationwide injunction have frozen these requirements, but DEI-related FCA claims could reshape the legal landscape for businesses. Companies tied to federal funds or contracts should review DEI programs rigorously, ensuring alignment with current federal guidelines to reduce liability. Want to dig deeper into how DEI, FCA claims, and whistleblower actions might shape your business? Read the full client alert here or let's discuss in the comments! 🔍 #DEI #FalseClaimsAct #BusinessCompliance #ExecutiveOrder Joseph Mark Billy Jones https://bit.ly/3DkQJiP