Brian Akkashian	Rich Apkarian

What is the best litigation-avoidance strategy? It’s not to litigate. Your job is to focus on closing deals, customer retention and increasing ROI—not lawsuits with your suppliers. So what is the best strategy? Develop well-drafted supplier contracts, terms, agreements and related documents.

Join Brian Akkashian and Rich Apkarian, of Dickinson Wright PLLC, on Thursday, April 14, at 10:00 a.m. (PDT)/1:00 p.m. (EDT), as they discuss best practices for developing contracts with suppliers. Akkashian and Apkarian are partners at Dickinson Wright, a full-service law firm with more than 285 attorneys practicing in Detroit, Las Vegas, Nashville, Phoenix, Toronto, Washington, D.C. and throughout Michigan. Akkashian and Apkarian have a general commercial litigation and business-law practice, with considerable experience litigating contract disputes between automotive suppliers and customers, counseling clients on a wide range of contract issues and drafting contracts, terms and conditions and related documents. They represent clients of all sizes, from individuals and small businesses to Fortune 500 companies.

During this session, they will discuss practical advice on:

• How to avoid legal issues and problems during contract formation with suppliers.
• How to deal with unexpected problems during the life of a contract, including increased raw material costs.
• How to properly terminate supply contracts and business relationships.

Join Akkashian and Apkarian for this instructive session on litigation avoidance, Thursday, April 14, 10:00 a.m. (PDT)/1:00 p.m. (EDT).

Participate live or download the webinar when it’s convenient. And remember: SEMA webinars are free to SEMA members and only $29 for non-members.

SEMA members: click here for more information and to register.

Non-members: click here for more information and to register.

 

Brian Akkashian	Rich Apkarian

What is the best litigation-avoidance strategy? It’s not to litigate. Your job is to focus on closing deals, customer retention and increasing ROI—not lawsuits with your suppliers. So what is the best strategy? Develop well-drafted supplier contracts, terms, agreements and related documents.

Join Brian Akkashian and Rich Apkarian, of Dickinson Wright PLLC, on Thursday, April 14, at 10:00 a.m. (PDT)/1:00 p.m. (EDT), as they discuss best practices for developing contracts with suppliers. Akkashian and Apkarian are partners at Dickinson Wright, a full-service law firm with more than 285 attorneys practicing in Detroit, Las Vegas, Nashville, Phoenix, Toronto, Washington, D.C. and throughout Michigan. Akkashian and Apkarian have a general commercial litigation and business-law practice, with considerable experience litigating contract disputes between automotive suppliers and customers, counseling clients on a wide range of contract issues and drafting contracts, terms and conditions and related documents. They represent clients of all sizes, from individuals and small businesses to Fortune 500 companies.

During this session, they will discuss practical advice on:

• How to avoid legal issues and problems during contract formation with suppliers.
• How to deal with unexpected problems during the life of a contract, including increased raw material costs.
• How to properly terminate supply contracts and business relationships.

Join Akkashian and Apkarian for this instructive session on litigation avoidance, Thursday, April 14, 10:00 a.m. (PDT)/1:00 p.m. (EDT).

Participate live or download the webinar when it’s convenient. And remember: SEMA webinars are free to SEMA members and only $29 for non-members.

SEMA members: click here for more information and to register.

Non-members: click here for more information and to register.

In response to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) withdrawal of a proposal to require employers with 10 or more workers to record certain work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in their OSHA 300 Log, a series of teleconferences has been scheduled to obtain feedback from the small-business community. In February, OSHA pledged to meet with small-business representatives to discuss how any future effort to require a MSD injury log would impact these companies. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is helping to arrange the teleconferences.

An OSHA 300 Log is a record of work-related injuries and illnesses that many employers are required to maintain. OSHA proposed adding a new column for MSD disorders for employers already required to keep injury/illness records. MSDs are defined by OSHA as disorders of the muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage and spinal discs (e.g., carpal tunnel and rotator cuff syndrome, herniated spinal disc, low back pain, etc.), but do not include disorders caused by slips, trips, falls, motor vehicle accidents or other similar accidents.

SEMA encourages member companies to participate in a teleconference to provide input on OSHA’s proposal. SEMA remains concerned that the proposed rule could expose employers to lawsuits and OSHA penalties if they misdiagnose a problem or improperly recorded a MSD. The teleconferences are scheduled for:

• Monday, April 11 at 1:30 p.m. (EDT)
• Tuesday, April 12 at 9:00 a.m. (EDT)
• Tuesday, April 12 at 1:30 p.m. (EDT)

If you are interested in participating in a teleconference, please contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org for registration information.

In response to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) withdrawal of a proposal to require employers with 10 or more workers to record certain work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in their OSHA 300 Log, a series of teleconferences has been scheduled to obtain feedback from the small-business community. In February, OSHA pledged to meet with small-business representatives to discuss how any future effort to require a MSD injury log would impact these companies. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is helping to arrange the teleconferences.

An OSHA 300 Log is a record of work-related injuries and illnesses that many employers are required to maintain. OSHA proposed adding a new column for MSD disorders for employers already required to keep injury/illness records. MSDs are defined by OSHA as disorders of the muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage and spinal discs (e.g., carpal tunnel and rotator cuff syndrome, herniated spinal disc, low back pain, etc.), but do not include disorders caused by slips, trips, falls, motor vehicle accidents or other similar accidents.

SEMA encourages member companies to participate in a teleconference to provide input on OSHA’s proposal. SEMA remains concerned that the proposed rule could expose employers to lawsuits and OSHA penalties if they misdiagnose a problem or improperly recorded a MSD. The teleconferences are scheduled for:

• Monday, April 11 at 1:30 p.m. (EDT)
• Tuesday, April 12 at 9:00 a.m. (EDT)
• Tuesday, April 12 at 1:30 p.m. (EDT)

If you are interested in participating in a teleconference, please contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org for registration information.

SEMA is supporting Nevada legislation to repeal a 2009 increase in the valuation of older vehicles for the purpose of assessing the yearly government services tax. The 2009 increase raised the tax assessment from 5% to 15% of the initial value of a vehicle nine years old and older. A.B. 343 changes the yearly assessment rate back to 5% of the initial value. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Taxation Committee for consideration. 

For more information, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

SEMA is supporting Nevada legislation to repeal a 2009 increase in the valuation of older vehicles for the purpose of assessing the yearly government services tax. The 2009 increase raised the tax assessment from 5% to 15% of the initial value of a vehicle nine years old and older. A.B. 343 changes the yearly assessment rate back to 5% of the initial value. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Taxation Committee for consideration. 

For more information, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

SEMA is opposing Iowa legislation to change labeling requirements on gas pumps across the state to only require labeling for unblended gasoline and E85. Current law in Iowa requires labeling when gasoline is blended with ethanol, in any amount. If enacted, the bill would remove labeling requirements for ethanol-blended gasoline containing 15% or less ethanol, thereby increasing the risk of misfueling and potential engine damage. Unblended gas is required to be labeled, but there is no guarantee that unblended gas will be available. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been urged to create national labeling requirements for ethanol-blended gasoline that are placed as close as possible to the pump’s product-selection mechanism. However, since such requirements are not currently in place, vehicle owners must rely on state-labeling requirements for information about the gasoline they use in their vehicles. The bill has been approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee and is pending consideration in the Ways and Means Committee. 

For more information, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

SEMA is opposing Iowa legislation to change labeling requirements on gas pumps across the state to only require labeling for unblended gasoline and E85. Current law in Iowa requires labeling when gasoline is blended with ethanol, in any amount. If enacted, the bill would remove labeling requirements for ethanol-blended gasoline containing 15% or less ethanol, thereby increasing the risk of misfueling and potential engine damage. Unblended gas is required to be labeled, but there is no guarantee that unblended gas will be available. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been urged to create national labeling requirements for ethanol-blended gasoline that are placed as close as possible to the pump’s product-selection mechanism. However, since such requirements are not currently in place, vehicle owners must rely on state-labeling requirements for information about the gasoline they use in their vehicles. The bill has been approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee and is pending consideration in the Ways and Means Committee. 

For more information, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

The Arizona Senate approved legislation to exempt all vehicles more than 25 years old from the state’s mandatory biennial emissions inspection and maintenance program. The bill was also passed by the House Environment Committee and now moves to the Rules Committee before a vote by the full House. Existing law in Arizona only exempts pre-’67 model-year vehicles and those vehicles designated as “collectible.”

For more information, click here.  For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

The Arizona Senate approved legislation to exempt all vehicles more than 25 years old from the state’s mandatory biennial emissions inspection and maintenance program. The bill was also passed by the House Environment Committee and now moves to the Rules Committee before a vote by the full House. Existing law in Arizona only exempts pre-’67 model-year vehicles and those vehicles designated as “collectible.”

For more information, click here.  For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.