ProfNet Sources Available on Romney's Tax Returns, STOCK Act, Fracking, More

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EXPERT ALERTS

• Romney Tax Returns Intensify Debate
• U.S. Supreme Court Arguments Require Flexibility
• Employee Anti-Poaching Agreements Illegal
• Swimming Against the Alimony Tide
• Revised STOCK Act Eliminates Gray Area
• Fracking Comes to Europe

MEDIA JOBS

• Reporter - Washington, D.C.
• News Producer - NYC
• Associate Lifestyle Editor - NYC
• Reporter - Winchester, Va.
• General Assignment Reporter - Espanola, N.M.

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

• Protecting Privacy: What the Facebook/FTC Settlement Means for Users
• Interesting Expert of the Week, Super Bowl Edition
• Grammar Hammer: The Super Bowl! Rules on Exclamation Points
• Freelance Focus: Getting Started in Freelancing

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EXPERT ALERTS

Expert Alerts are listings of ProfNet members who are available to discuss timely news topics. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact their media representative at the end of the listing. You can also find Expert Alerts online at http://bit.ly/pncalerts

Romney Tax Returns Intensify Debate
Dan Baucum
Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120201/NY45743-a
Attorney at Shackelford Melton & McKinley in Dallas
Former Special Assistant to the IRS Associate Chief Counsel
"The release of Mitt Romney's tax returns has put an increased focus on both the arcane world of federal income taxes and the ongoing debate over classifying carried interest in partnerships. The review of Romney's returns is adding momentum to the growing demand for carried interest to be taxed as ordinary income, rather than the current capital gains model. If that change is ultimately made, it will be the biggest modification to partnership taxation in 50 years. It would also catch many small businesses and family partnerships in its wake, adding to an already unfavorable regulatory climate. Also, attracting interest are Romney's 'offshore' investments. These are part of a growing trend where investors seek investments that are globally diversified or not available in the U.S. because of regulatory restrictions."
News Contact: Rhonda Reddick, [e-mail] or [phone]

U.S. Supreme Court Arguments Require Flexibility
Richard O. Faulk
Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120201/NY45743-b
Litigation Chair
Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP
Faulk has presented oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court: "The high-profile cases currently pending before the U.S. Supreme Court will be presented by some of the country's very best attorneys, but with so much at stake, being the 'best' requires flexibility -- not a 'canned argument.' One of the biggest mistakes is thinking you are so prepared that you know exactly what you're going to say. But once you're there, it is not your argument anymore -- it's theirs. You're engaged in a conversation with people who are even more prepared than you are, because it's their court and they are going to make the decision. You can't be inflexible. You must engage them in an active dialogue."
Faulk recently participated in mock U.S. Supreme Court arguments on climate-change tort liability hosted by the Environment, Energy & Natural Resource Center at the University of Houston Law Center.
News Contact: Rhonda Reddick, [e-mail] or [phone]

Employee Anti-Poaching Agreements Illegal
Joe Ahmad
Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120201/NY45743-c
Executive Employment Lawyer
Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C. in Houston
"Corporate executives from various industries are closely watching an ongoing federal lawsuit in San Jose, Calif., where several tech companies have been accused of agreeing not to hire or poach the other companies' workers. Employees say the tech employers participated in a conspiracy to cut job competition and keep salaries low. It is a practice that is illegal. Essentially, it is a presumptive antitrust violation and will lead to both civil lawsuits and a Justice Department investigation. The effect and clear purpose of this conduct is to reduce competition and restrict wages for skilled employees. The key is when two or more competitors make this agreement, rather than simply deciding not to poach unilaterally. That scenario creates an illegal agreement to reduce competition and limit wages."
News Contact: Mary Flood, [e-mail] or [phone]

Swimming Against the Alimony Tide
Brad LaMorgese
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120201/NY45743-d
Partner
McCurley Orsinger McCurley Nelson & Downing LLP, a family law firm in Dallas
"Many states, including Massachusetts, Florida and New Jersey, are working to create stricter alimony laws that would provide less support to ex-spouses. Texas, however, is going in the opposite direction. In the last legislative session, Texas substantially increased the availability and amounts of alimony available after divorce. By national standards, though, Texas still offers less alimony than other states. It seems like the national consensus is moving toward a more fair number for both spouses post-divorce, with the lower states coming up and the higher states coming down."
News Contact: Rhonda Reddick, [e-mail] or [phone]

Revised STOCK Act Eliminates Gray Area
Donna Nagy
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120201/NY45743-e
C. Ben Dutton Professor of Law
Indiana University Maurer School of Law
Nagy is a securities law expert who testified before the Senate and House last month, and is available to discuss the revised Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act and general insider-trading laws.
"The revised STOCK Act makes it unmistakably clear that the insider-trading prohibitions under the federal securities laws apply to Congress and congressional employees, thereby eliminating what many regarded as an uncharted gray area in existing law. Questions surrounding the scope of Congress' obligations under the federal securities laws warrant clear and unambiguous answers, and the Senate's STOCK Act accomplishes that tremendously important goal."
News Contact: Brianne O'Donnell, [e-mail] or [phone]

Fracking Comes to Europe
Scott Schwind
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120201/NY45743-f
Thompson & Knight in Houston
"Poland, Germany and the United Kingdom are beginning to embrace natural gas from shale deposits, an energy alternative pioneered in America. And despite stiff challenges, major energy companies are gaining concessions to explore European shale reserves and use the controversial process of hydrological fracturing, or 'fracking.' Europe has little history or culture that supports onshore drilling, the geology is not as favorable, and there is no established oilfield services sector. So while Poland has awarded some 90 licenses for shale exploration, Bulgaria recently banned the fracking process within the country's borders. But because of higher energy prices on the European market and geopolitical incentives, there are opportunities for companies to leverage their shale expertise and experience. It's too early to say if the opportunities will translate economically, but shale development in Europe does not need to be a bonanza in order to be successful."
News Contact: Barry Pound, [e-mail] or [phone]

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MEDIA JOBS

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: http://bit.ly/pncjobboard

• Reporter - Washington, D.C.
• News Producer - NYC
• Associate Lifestyle Editor - NYC
• Reporter - Winchester, Va.
• General Assignment Reporter - Espanola, N.M.

See more listings here.

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OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at [e-mail]

• PROTECTING PRIVACY: WHAT THE FACEBOOK/FTC SETTLEMENT MEANS FOR USERS: PR Newswire's Christine Cube discusses how the recent settlement will affect users' privacy going forward: http://bit.ly/ABKtyK

• INTERESTING EXPERT OF THE WEEK, SUPER BOWL EDITION: ProfNet Director Maria Perez interviews Super Bowl advertising expert John Antil: http://bit.ly/yQFwFw

• GRAMMAR HAMMER: THE SUPER BOWL! RULES ON EXCLAMATION POINTS: ProfNet Editor Grace Lavigne explains how to use exclamation points appropriately, with examples inspired by the Big Game: http://bit.ly/xnHHip

• FREELANCE FOCUS: GETTING STARTED IN FREELANCING: ProfNet Director Maria Perez interviews two experienced freelancers who provide advice for aspiring freelancers: http://bit.ly/wbhJ3A

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/PRNewswire - Feb. 1, 2012/

SOURCE ProfNet