ProfNet Experts Available on Same-Sex Divorce, Asbestos Litigation, More

NEW YORK, April 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area.

You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network – it's easy and free! Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/alertswire.

EXPERT ALERTS

• Texas High Court Allows Evidence of Seat Belt Use
• Put Same-Sex Divorce Plans on Hold -- For Now
• Texas Bill Could Mean Fatal Delay for Asbestos Victims
• Be Vigilant as China Cracks Down on Corruption

MEDIA JOBS

• Senior Writer – Carbonated.TV (CA)
• Syndication Writer – NerdWallet (CA)
• News Editor – NBCUniversal (NY)

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

• Seven Tips for Keeping Your Blogging Goals in Check
• Five Things You Need to Know About Clickbait
• PR Newswire's Media Moves, April 20 Edition

EXPERT ALERTS:

Texas High Court Allows Evidence of Seat Belt Use
Caleena Svatek
Attorney
Chamblee, Ryan, Kershaw & Anderson, P.C. in Dallas
A recent Texas Supreme Court decision allowing defendants to introduce into evidence whether plaintiffs were wearing seat belts at the time of a vehicle crash could change the legal landscape. Says Svatek: "The Supreme Court of Texas' March ruling overturned 40 years of precedent, reversing the prohibition on evidence pertaining to whether plaintiffs wore seat belts for the purpose of proportioning responsibility. One factor that moved the court in this direction is Texas' seat belt law. If a defense lawyer can tell a jury that a plaintiff was not wearing a seat belt during a crash, it can add weight to the defense argument of plaintiff's contributory negligence. It could also impact how much a plaintiff can claim from injuries caused by a crash if it can be shown the lack of a seat belt exacerbated the injuries."
Contact: Dave Moore, [email protected]

Put Same-Sex Divorce Plans on Hold -- For Now
Jim Mueller
Divorce and Custody Attorney
VernerBrumleyMcCurley in Dallas
Legally married same-sex couples who live in a state where their union is not yet recognized should wait until after June if they are now considering divorce. That's when the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue its opinion on the national recognition of same-sex unions. Says Mueller: "There is so much ambiguity and confusion right now in the area of same-sex marriage and divorce that any same-sex couple considering splitting up would be well-advised to put those plans on hold for a few months. The court may or may not make a decision that makes their divorce easier, legally speaking. But at the very least, the court will provide some clarity to the current patchwork of marital laws regarding same-sex marriage."
Contact: Amy Hunt, [email protected]

Texas Bill Could Mean Fatal Delay for Asbestos Victims
Jeffrey Simon
Attorney
Simon Greenstone Panatier Bartlett, PC in Dallas
The Texas Legislature is considering Senate Bill 491, authored by Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown) that would require plaintiffs in asbestos lawsuits to file numerous bankruptcy trust claims before proceeding to trial against corporate polluters. Passage of the bill could mean victims of asbestos exposure die before they are able to have their day in court. Says Simon: "This bill gives asbestos manufacturers exactly what they want: delay. And when your client has fewer than six months to live, any delay is too much. The business-backed lobbyists for this bill claim they seek only 'transparency' and 'fairness,' but it's clear that its real purpose is to restrict living mesothelioma victims' 7th Amendment rights to trial by jury. The desire to have special laws enacted to benefit their special interests against mesothelioma victims and their families is both cynical and hypocritical."
Contact: Amy Hunt, [email protected]

Be Vigilant as China Cracks Down on Corruption
Tom Fox
FCPA and Compliance Ethics Lawyer and Author
Advanced Compliance Solutions in Houston
U.S. companies doing business in China should be acutely aware of what's happening as the former chairman of China's biggest oil company is currently on trial for bribery and abuse of power. It is the latest example of that government's sweeping crackdown on corruption, including targeting Chinese officials and companies doing business there. Jiang Jiemin previously headed the China National Petroleum Corp. and also is a senior Communist Party official. Says Fox: "The Chinese government crackdown on corruption continues unabated. While the current phase is focusing on corrupt government officials who accepted bribes, any company that has done business in China the past several years needs to investigate its Chinese operations to prepare for the inevitable knock on the door from regulators."
Contact: Kit Frieden, [email protected]

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/

• Senior Writer – Carbonated.TV (CA)
• Syndication Writer – NerdWallet (CA)
• News Editor – NBCUniversal (NY)

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]

• SEVEN TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR BLOGGING GOALS IN CHECK. So you've gotten into a good flow of blogging -- great! Now what? Unfortunately, it's easy for bloggers to settle in their comfort zone. Do not lose sight of your goals! Today on ProfNet Connect, The Blog Blog's Melissa Ibarra shares seven tips to help you keep your blogging goals in check: http://prn.to/1FTpl5R
  
• FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CLICKBAIT. You've probably noticed your newsfeed crawling with headlines such as "The 10 Most Amazing Things You'll See All Day" or "You'll Never Believe What This Celebrity Wore!" What you're witnessing is the latest marketing trend sweeping the Internet: clickbait, an exaggerated story that persuades readers to click by making them crave the information left out in the headline. Though some are turned off by the blatant ploy for Web traffic, clickbait appears to be a successful model for sites like BuzzFeed, whose mocking headlines rake in more than 10 million unique monthly visitors every day. Here are five things you should know about clickbait: http://prn.to/1PYoun8
• PR NEWSWIRE'S MEDIA MOVES, APRIL 20 EDITION. PR Newswire's weekly audience research newsletter, PR Newswire's Media Moves, is chock-full of media news and job changes. In this week's issue, you'll read updates on ABC News, Quartz, New York Times, Bloomberg Radio, Architectural Digest, Food Network Magazine, Thrillist, Enterprise Tech, Philadelphia Daily News and more: http://prn.to/1P4QLal

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