2018 marked another twelve months of articles from the team here at Colligan Law, and as we close out the books on a banner year, we want to share our top stories with you:

1. Cannabis expansion. A top subject in 2018 was New York’s continued expansion of medical marijuana laws and the consideration of legalizing adult recreational cannabis. Medical practitioners, investors and entrepreneurs are all keeping their eyes on the New York State legislature as it takes up recreational cannabis in early 2019.

• Changes to New York State Labor Laws. 2018 saw several developments related to New York State labor laws which impacted businesses and families. Paid family leave and minimum wage were the most significant changes. Colligan Law attorney Joe Saeli made sure to keep us updated.
• No Snakes on a Plane (or dogs or cats?). After the headline grabbing death of several pets on United Airlines flights, the airline changed its pet policy. The most significant change was the prohibition of 47 different breeds of cats and dogs with a complete prohibition on all other pets. Now who is breaking the news to our Amstaff that he won’t be joining us to Miami Beach this winter?
• Another GDPR email? The Summer of 2018 had privacy attorneys and businesses buzzing with on acronym:  GDPR—or the General Data Protection Regulation. GDPR while only in effect in the European Union extended to businesses across the globe.  GDPR was a massive privacy overhaul and requires careful consideration of existing policies and compliance as the penalties can be substantial.
• Legalized Sports Gambling—Coming to a state near you? In May of 2018 the Supreme Court of the Untied States struck down a law prohibiting sports betting—essentially opening the door to States outside of Nevada which until the ruling had been the only state enjoying such privilege. Each state is developing its own legal and regulatory scheme with New York expected to do so within the next five years.

It was a fascinating year for legal developments and we thank all of you for engaging with us and sharing your business needs and stories. We look forward to a new year of content! Be sure to follow us on twitter @colliganlaw to keep up to date on the latest in legal and business trends.

Cheers to the New Year from all of us here at Colligan Law!