Developments

• U.S. Cracks Down on ‘Contractors’ as a Tax Dodge

  Federal and state officials, many facing record budget deficits, are starting to aggressively pursue companies that try to pass off regular employees as independent contractors …

• Distressed investors target real estate

  The poll of distressed investors found 41 percent expect real estate will be particularly attractive this year, up from 19 percent in 2009 …

• Arbitrators rule against Silverstein at Ground Zero

  An arbitration panel ruled that The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey fulfilled its primary obligations to Larry Silverstein at Ground Zero and does not have to pay the developer billions of dollars in damages or reduce his rent, the agency said Wednesday …

• Kudman Trachten Aloe LLP client wins 3.8 million-dollar settlement in multi-national libel suit filed against Whitney Information Network Inc.

  Embattled attorney Scott Rothstein likes to portray his firm as having tough litigators, but two court cases allege he went too far …