Jun 24

Living and being granted official permission to work in the United States has always been a luxury that many foreign nationals dream of. While there are millions of people who dedicate their efforts to be afforded this opportunity, there are only a select few who actually manage to make their dreams become a reality. Most individuals looking to live or work in the United States go about this is two different ways, either trying to get a permanent green card that provides for citizenship and ability to work in the US job market, or trying to be granted US work visas, which are not a permanent option of living in the states.

While the green card lottery UK system is the most highly sought after way to be allowed to live and work in the US, it is also the most difficult to achieve. The United States government only allots 50,000 green cards per year that are randomly given out among the millions of applicants, making the chances of being one of the lucky few selected slim to none.

US work visas uk are slightly easier to come by since they do not provide for permanent citizenship in the country and only allow the holder a limited amount of time to conduct business in the US before being re-evaluated and either allowed to continue working here or be deported back to their country of original. Several different categories of work visas exist, including E2 visas for investors, HIB specialty occupation visas, L1 intra-company transfer visas, and others. Having more categories of requirements allows for a better chance of being granted the opportunity to work in the US.

 

Jun 20

For people who have back taxes, it is common knowledge that the punishment could include litigation as well as monetary penalties that won’t be easy to cope with. However, the punishment for those who hide money offshore includes punishment in the form of monetary penalties and imprisonment of up to five years.

It can be difficult, to say the least, leading to a financial nightmare, so if you are in a situation such as this one, you will have to find a lawyer with adequate experience to help you get out of a bind.

Another option that you will find is the IRS offshore amnesty which allows taxpayers to voluntarily pay their taxes especially if they have sources of foreign income that they haven’t revealed yet. Interestingly, the Internal Revenue System has been requesting information from European and Swiss banks about US citizens who have been involved in such criminal activity so that justice can be served.

However, the offshore amnesty avoids the fact of imprisonment but ensures that if taxpayers step up and pay their back taxes with interest apart from other terms as set by the IRS, they will be free to get on with their lives rather than find themselves incriminated as a result.

There have been two initiatives that were launched requesting taxpayers to avail of the IRS amnesty program in 2009 and 2011, and the second voluntary disclosure program is currently underway.

Apart from this the IRS is also checking with Asian banks to find information of undisclosed accounts of US citizens as well so that the offenders can be booked or will be forced to pay taxes using the foreign account amnesty program.

As most people who have been through this ordeal will tell you, that it isn’t something that you want to go through as it will result in financial hell, so if you are an offender, it is in your best interest to take into consideration legal counsel that can help you get out of this mess.

Dec 6

The United States of America, courtesy of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, is playing on the belief that its Saudi Arabian ally is weak against putting a cap on terrorist fundraising activities in its own territory. This was reported on a cable featuring Clinton that was leaked by WikiLeaks and published in both the New York Times and The Guardian. Clinton says that it has been an unending problem for America that Saudi officials themselves fail to focus their policies on dealing with terrorist financial activities in the heart of Saudi Arabia.

Clinton also called out wealthy donors in the Arab country as the largest source of funds with which Sunni terrorists groups operate on a global scale. The secretary’s remarks were heard for the first time since the advent of WikiLeaks and their public disclosure of highly confidential government cables being exchanged in between embassies and consulates worldwide. As early as November 28, WikiLeaks has been releasing illegally obtained documents and government cables much to the dismay of the Obama administration.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange threatens to release up to 251,287 reports soon, as his latest exposures fuelled even more embarrassment on the part of Republicans in government. Quoting Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, Assange has inflicted a great blow to the nation and deserves prosecution to the highest extent by legal arms. After unending DoS (Denial of Service) attacks on WikiLeaks, Assange has resorted to switch domain names to keep his site operational. Meanwhile, Assange’s lawyer in the U.K. defends his client by giving hints on their possession of several, extremely sensitive documents.

Feb 4

If you are a smaller company, dealing with a sexual harassment case can be a serious burden and major disruption to your business. An employer who receives a complaint from an employee regarding such harassment should begin an investigation right away, even if the employee hasn’t yet mentioned plans to hire a sexual harassment attorney. The person who has been accused of harassment should never have any control over the investigation, either direct or indirect. The investigator should take the time to interview the accuser, the accused harasser, and any other employees who might have information relevant to the investigation. The employer should also ensure that any harassment isn’t allowed to continue. If this means that the parties need to be separated, the burden of transfer should never fall on the employee making the complaint. That could result in employment litigation with charges of illegal retaliation, even if the transfer wasn’t intended as a punishment.

Dec 5

If you’ve been searching for a law firm in the Boston, Massachusetts area, you’ve no doubt come across many. While we emphasize that our combination of experience, excellent track record, small size, and low rates certify us to tackle almost any case, there are several other reasons why you should consider Engel & Schultz, LLP.

  1. Our business and corporate law expertise extends from corporate and business formation to shareholder agreements, loans and debt, production, commercial contracting, trademarks, employee contracts, stocks and options, mergers, and more. With more than half a million new businesses launching every month in the United States, business law is more important than ever, especially as startups try to navigate the uncertain waters of today’s shaky economy.
  2. The face of trademark and intellectual property law is changing. With the rise Internet usage leading to a number of legal issues, including online ownership issues, it’s not uncommon for inventors and entrepreneurs to solicit a trademark attorney. Boston is home to more than one firm that specializes in this field. However, if you need a Boston trademarks attorney, you’d be hard pressed to find a firm more skilled than Engel & Schultz, LLP in everything from service marks, copyrights, patents, trade secrets, and intellectual property to portfolio strategies and cost structure.
  3. Our Massachusetts divorce mediation services range from division of property to custody disputes. While the national per capita divorce rate has been declining from its peak in 1981, the fact remains that an estimated one in five adults has divorced at least once, and when there are children involved, the process becomes even more complex. We work to achieve the best possible solution for everyone involved, whether that is conciliation, mediation, or even litigation.
  4. Today’s soft housing market has made both home buying and selling difficult, and some firms are not equipped to tackle the intricacies of purchase agreements, title analyses, or zoning and environmental matters. But for this Boston law firm, real estate law is just another part of what we do every day. Whether you would like us to represent you in the purchase or sale of your home or just counsel you on leasing issues, trust Engel & Schultz, LLP to help you make effective, profitable decisions—no matter what the state of the market.

For more information about Engel & Schultz, LLP, please contact us by telephone at (617) 951-9980 or email us at mail@engelschultz.com.