ProfNet Experts Available on Divorce Decrees, Securities Lawsuits, More

NEW YORK, June 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact them via the contact information at the end of the listing. To receive these updates by email, send a note to [email protected] with the industries you cover, and we'll add you to the appropriate edition. 

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EXPERT ALERTS

• Are Parents Legally Bound to Pay for College: The Debate Rages
• Rise in Securities Lawsuits
• Drone Use Still in a Holding Pattern
• Enforcing Divorce Court Orders Can Be Tricky

MEDIA JOBS

• Editor - Tech Times (NY)
• Sports Writer - Daily News-Record (VA)
• Reporter, South Bay Courts - Law360 (CA)

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

• How HuffPo Creates Value With Communities
• Tips for Writing an About Page When You Hate Writing About Yourself
• The Q&A Team: Anna Renault on Sharing Her Experiences Through Podcasts

EXPERT ALERTS:

Are Parents Legally Bound to Pay for College: The Debate Rages  
Tanya Helfand  
Founder  
Helfand & Associates  
Escalating college costs -- old news. Parents being legally bound to pay for college for their children -- currently in debate. Children of divorced parents are being treated differently in regard to who pays for their college education as opposed to who pays for college for children from intact families. With student loan debt crippling future generations before they even have a job or a chance to make money in this faltering economy -- along with unanswered questions on the age of when a child is legally emancipated, a lack of uniform federal guidelines on a parent's responsibility to pay for a child's college education, spiraling student loan debt, the potential for college educated graduates to have to file for student loan bankruptcy -- the public outcry is just starting. Right now it's just a whisper where there needs to be a roar. Says Helfand: "I am impassioned by the unfortunate trajectory of swelling college cost, a lackluster job market, laws that are not effectively in place to protect children and bankruptcy a sad option to thrust upon generations of college students."  
As the attorney for Rachel Canning, the New Jersey teen who successfully sued her parents for college support, Helfand can speak authoritatively on the immediate need for laws to offer adequate protections. This is a topic whose day has come.  
ProfNet Profile: http://www.profnetconnect.com/tanyahelfand  
Media Contact: Amy Delman, [email protected]  

Rise in Securities Lawsuits 
Michael Stockham 
Attorney 
Thompson & Knight in Dallas  
"Litigation alleging federal securities fraud – including violations of the Securities and Exchange Act and commodities exchange regulations -- appears to be on the rise. The increase comes as a surprise to many since such filings have been in a general decline for more than 18 months. The jump could be based on several factors, including the SEC adding greater capabilities to collect and interpret electronic data, helping federal investigators build cases involving insider trading and market manipulation. The SEC also has greatly increased its focus on accounting fraud, which could explain some of the increase. Along with a general uptick in regulator activity, we're seeing a trend for companies to revise their earnings guidance downward, which can cause stock prices to drop, triggering civil lawsuits as a result." 
Media Contact: Barry Pound, [email protected]

Drone Use Still in a Holding Pattern 
Jennifer Henry 
Aviation Law Attorney 
Thompson & Knight in Fort Worth 
"It's predicted that commercial applications for drones – unmanned aerial vehicles – could grow to become an $82 billion market and create 100,000 jobs in the next decade. Drones already are being used in agriculture and search-and-rescue operations, and innovative companies are planning for uses that include retail delivery, oil and gas exploration, wildfire mapping and airborne Wi-Fi access. But the lack of federal regulations is keeping many entrepreneurs grounded, as most commercial operations violate federal rules that govern the national air space. The FAA says it will have draft regulations for public review by the end of the year. It's expected that those regulations will further outline plans to approve drone use in phases, based on size and intended use, but regulations will need to address a number of questions, including safety, privacy rights, liability insurance and operator certification." 
Media Contact: Barry Pound, [email protected]

Enforcing Divorce Court Orders Can Be Tricky 
Jeffrey O. Anderson  
Family Law Attorney  
McCurley Orsinger McCurley Nelson & Downing, L.L.P. in Dallas 
"Once a divorce is final, ex-spouses often have to deal with the sticky business of making sure they each comply with court orders regarding custody, child support, property division and other elements included in the divorce decree. Because someone who violates a court order could be held in contempt and face potential jail time, motions for enforcement are considered quasi-criminal and must meet a high standard of evidence. When it comes to enforcing court orders, the key word is specificity. So if your ex is consistently late paying child support, you need to keep careful records regarding what was owed and when, and what was actually paid, if anything, and when. You can't just tell the court, 'My ex is always late with child support.' The same holds true when it comes to returning your child from a visit or delivering property the court has ordered to be turned over." 
Media Contact: Amy Hunt, [email protected]

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MEDIA JOBS:

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/

• Editor - Tech Times (NY)
• Sports Writer - Daily News-Record (VA)
• Reporter, South Bay Courts - Law360 (CA)

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 [email protected]

• HOW HUFFPO CREATES VALUE WITH COMMUNITIES. It is not about what is a community, but more about who is community. Community is about people and having relationships with these people. Huffington's Post Director of Community Tim McDonald discussed how to develop and maintain communities at a recent event hosted by HuffPost Code: http://prn.to/1kdj4G0
• TIPS FOR WRITING AN ABOUT PAGE WHEN YOU HATE WRITING ABOUT YOURSELF. Does anyone actually enjoy writing about themselves? An entire page about me? That's torture. For bloggers, however, an About page is essential. You can fight it all you want, but you'll eventually need to put fingers to keyboard and tell your story. Here are some tips for getting started: http://prn.to/1iUD6B0
• THE Q&A TEAM: ANNA RENAULT ON SHARING HER EXPERIENCES THROUGH PODCASTS. You have probably said at one point or another, "I should have my own radio show." Why not look into starting a podcast? In this Q&A Team, we feature Anna Renault who explains the basics of starting a podcast and provides helpful tips and advice to running a successful podcast: http://prn.to/1l3p4Bq

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SOURCE ProfNet