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    FORMER YEEZY EMPLOYEE SUES KANYE WEST FOR UNPAID WAGES AND MISCLASSIFICATION OF WORKERS

    Earlier this month, fashion designer and former Yeezy employee, Taliah Leslie, filed a lawsuit against Kanye West alleging West violated California labor law by, among other things, failing to pay her for required, off-the-clock work.  Leslie further alleges West misclassified workers as independent contractors to skirt wage and benefits requirements, despite those workers having the duties of full-time employees.  Leslie also contends West failed to pay her for required out-of-town travel, compensate for overtime hours, and provide off-duty meal breaks for workers as required by California labor laws.  Moreover, Leslie accuses West of failing to maintain payroll records documenting the hours workers logged and the wages West paid them.  Leslie…

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    Federal Court Vacates CDC Eviction Moratorium, but it Remains in Effect in North Carolina

    On May 5, 2021, a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia vacated the national moratorium on evictions previously issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The judge granted summary judgment in favor of the plaintiffs—three rental companies—reasoning that the CDC exceeded its statutory authority to respond to public health emergencies pursuant to the Public Health Service Act.  However, despite this ruling, North Carolina’s moratorium on evictions remains in effect, as Governor Roy Cooper previously issued his own executive order extending the moratorium on evictions in North Carolina through June 30, 2021.  Whether Governor Cooper will continue to extend the mortarium on…

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    TONY HSIEH’S FRIEND FILES MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR BREACH OF CONTRACT LAWSUIT AGAINST THE FORMER ZAPPOS CEO’S ESTATE

    Tony Hsieh, the former CEO of the online apparel retail company Zappos, was killed in a house fire in November 2020.  Since his untimely death, Hsieh’s estate has been hit with multiple claims, including $93 million in creditor claims filed by his longtime friend and assistant Jennifer “Mimi” Pham, consisting primarily of a large claim for anticipated profits from a streaming service venture of Hsieh’s.  Most recently, another longtime friend of Hsieh’s (and his financial manager), Tony Lee, sued the Hsieh estate in Las Vegas for breach of a $7.5 million contract. In his lawsuit, Lee alleges, pursuant to the contract, Hsieh agreed to pay Lee $1.5 million per year…

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    Introducing Odyssey: North Carolina Courts’ New E-Filing System

    On April 21, 2021, The Supreme Court of North Carolina adopted amendments to its General Rules of Practice for the Superior and District Courts related to the Judicial Branch’s ongoing eCourts initiative.  The amendments, which will become effective May 10, 2021, pave the way for the implementation of Odyssey, a statewide electronic-filing and case-management system, to begin this summer.  While the entire implementation process is expected to take approximately five years, Mecklenburg County, as an “early adopter,” is expected to begin rollout later this year.   Currently, North Carolina still operates under a paper filing system; parties must print their documents and physically file them with the Court in hard-copy…