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In the last week of its session the NC General Assembly passed House Bill 118, which applies broadly to businesses, nonprofits and individuals, including planned community and condominium associations. Gov. Cooper signed the bill July 2. Now, associations will not be liable as a result of ordinary negligence in any claim brought by someone who claims to have contracted COVID-19 while on HOA or...

North Carolina has seen a surge of online “home sharing” in recent years.  Companies such as HomeAway, VRBO, and most notably, Airbnb, have faired remarkably well in a current business/political climate that mostly tolerates peer-to-peer rentals, home sharing, and the like.  While on its face, home sharing is touted as an industrious solution to overpriced, overcrowded hotels and resorts,...

On December 22, 2017, Congress passed and President Trump signed into law the most sweeping federal tax reform in more than three decades.  Commonly known as the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act”, this new federal law has major implications for estate planning.  The 2017 Act is effective for tax years beginning in 2018.  Most of the provisions of the 2017 Act, however, including those with estate planning...

Mediation is an alternative dispute resolution process used in lieu of formal procedures, where a neutral mediator attempts to help the parties come to a mutually acceptable agreement.  The mediator can facilitate negotiations, review positions, exchange offers, point out the best and worst possible outcomes, etc.  It is mostly an informal process, but typically follows a general pattern of...