Statement of Concerned Lawyers of North Carolina
Regarding Two Proposed Constitutional Amendments

"As concerned lawyers from all political spectrums and from throughout the State, we ask that you read this Statement, endorsed by all six former Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of North Carolina, regarding the Judicial Selection and Separation of Powers constitutional amendments proposed by the North Carolina General Assembly." 
 
Click here to read the Statement.

What is intellectual property?
 
“Intellectual” property refers to creative works used in business that have economic value.  The four most common types of intellectual property (“IP”) are trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets.  Trademarks protect words, names, symbols, and logos that are identified with a brand; copyrights protect artistic works like books, music, and photographs; patents protect inventions; and trade secrets are property that are valuable and have been kept secret and out of the public domain.
 
We’ll be starting a series explaining each of these types of property in detail over the next few weeks.  As the word “property” signifies, intellectual property is an asset. Thus, it is important for both business planning and estate planning.  In the business context, it is crucial to determine who owns the IP.  Is it the individual who brought it into the business (and will take it with them when they leave) or does the business itself own it?  If there is a possibility for litigation, it may be worthwhile to form a separate LLC to own IP so the other business assets stay separate and protected.  Next time you look at fast food packaging, you’ll probably see that the company’s trademarks are owned by a separate business.
 
For estate planning purposes, we want to know about IP just like any other asset – how much is it worth?  Who inherits it?  So make sure to share this information with your estate planning attorney.
 
The next blog article will go into trademarks.  Stay tuned!
​

Kelly will be co-hosting a complimentary estate and retirement planning seminar with Joe Roseman, Jr. Managing Partner who will be talking about retirement at the Morrison Regional Library.
Sign up today!

*Determine if a TRUST is right for YOU
*Avoid the most common mistakes retirees make with their estate plan
*Reduce future costs and taxes for your FAMILY 
*Understand how to avoid letting the NURSING HOME take your house
*Discover powerful retirement and estate strategies you never knew existed
​
RSVP using this link:
https://www.events.retirementu.us/jr-ep-18-8-28

In our second installment of Meet Our Team Members, we are interviewing Ed Jesson. 
 
Q:  Most of our readers probably know that you and Kelly are both partners in the Jesson & Rains firm, but many of them might not know that you are originally from England. 
Ed: If they haven’t heard me talk!  (laughs) 
 
Q:  What do you miss most about England?  And what brought you here to the United States?
Ed: I miss a lot of things--family and the sheer amount of Indian food to name a couple--but I’m certainly very happy over here in the US, too. England and the US are very similar in a lot of ways.  I moved over to attend college as I didn’t really know what I wanted to do at university back home. In England, you have to pick your college major while you’re still in high school, and once you do, you’re kind of locked in. My best friend was from the US and moved back after high school in England and told me about how great US colleges are with the ability to take your time to pick a major.  I thought that was a good fit for me, and here I am!
 
Q: So have you always wanted to be a lawyer?  What did you eventually choose as your major in college? 
Ed: No, I was a sports and entertainment management major at the University of South Carolina and I wanted to work in that industry. It was after working with and getting to know the general counsel at Speedway Motorsports during an internship that my interest in the law was really piqued.
 
Q: What does your family think of your job as a lawyer? 
Ed: My family is very proud of what Kelly and I are building at Jesson & Rains (or at least that’s what they tell me). My dad was a lawyer (solicitor) back home in England. While our practices are completely different, it’s always interesting talking to him about the differences in US v. English practice.
 
Q:  Your focus in practicing law is construction litigation.  What qualities does an effective litigation lawyer have?
Ed: In litigation, I think being able to see both sides of the argument is a very valuable skill. It allows you to try and see where the other side is coming from and hopefully help the parties reach an understanding that everyone can live with.
 
Q: What are your future plans?  Where do you see the firm heading in the next couple of years?
Ed: Our firm is still relatively new.  We’re in our third year, but Kelly and I definitely are excited to continue to grow and foster good relationships with our clients and others in the local legal community.
 
Q:  What is your favorite type of food?
Ed: Indian food, hands down. The town I grew up in had a population of around 10,000 people and had at least 4 Indian restaurants when I was still living there. Indian take out is England's equivalent of Chinese takeout.

​- By Jesson & Rains Associate Attorney, Danielle Nodar

Anthony Bourdain, acclaimed chef, television host, and travel writer, encouraged people to explore the world and continues to do so after his death. When Bourdain’s will was probated in New York, it was revealed that he left most of his estate to his eleven-year-old daughter. However, according to The New York Times’ Page Six, Bourdain bequeathed his frequent flier miles to his estranged wife. Bourdain stated in his will that she should “dispose of [them] in accordance with what [she] believes to have been my wishes.”
 
Considering Bourdain’s jet set career as the host of CNN’s Parts Unknown, this gift is likely a substantial amount of frequent flier miles. While most of us have not racked up a similarly significant amount of miles, Bourdain’s estate plan still calls into question what kind of property we can leave to our loved ones and how.
 
Every airline and credit card company has a different policy for their points or rewards programs. When a customer signs up for a loyalty program, they are entering into a contract and must abide by the company’s terms and conditions.  Some programs specifically indicate that rewards points are not property of the rewards member. In these cases, the rewards points are neither assignable during lifetime nor inheritable at death. Other loyalty programs may allow rewards points or accrued miles to transfer to a person through a will or divorce decree. However, even in these cases, it is sometimes up to the discretion of the airline whether to honor a transfer of miles.
 
If you are interested in leaving a loved one your accrued airline miles or rewards points after your death, you should read the terms and conditions to determine (1) if you they are transferable and (2) if they are, how to transfer them properly. 
 
“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”
― from “No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach”