With a ruling in its favor at the International Trade Commission (ITC), Apple has emerged as the most recent victor in the ongoing, multi-front Apple vs. Samsung patent war that includes dozens of pending patent infringement lawsuits around the world.  

On top of this victory, Apple's release of two new iPhone models has already resulted in nearly double the sales of previous releases, according to the  New York Times Bits technology blog. Apple said on Monday it sold nine million new iPhones over the first weekend that the phones, the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, went on sale. 

Recently, there has been an increasing trend of companies bringing their patent infringement concerns before the ITC because it has proven to be more amenable to banning the sale of infringing products, as compared with the more traditional federal courts.

To be sure, Samsung will be hard at work to release software updates to work around the Apple patents. But even if a workaround is not found, Samsung may be let off the hook if President Obama decides to issue another rare veto and overturn this ITC product ban order as well.

Strauss Troy Attorney Kevin Sprecher

• Requiring service providers and independent contractors to undergo the same background-screening process that the company's employees go through
• Requiring staffing firms to use a background-screening company that is acceptable to the employer  

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has announced that it is continuing and increasing its Enhanced Enforcement Inspection Program. These inspections will look closely at whether employees may be exposed to workplace violence and whether the employer has established a comprehensive workplace violence prevention program. 

Strauss Troy Attorney John Fischer

Internships are great avenues toward a career -- they give you experience, training and an impressive block of text on your resume. Are these benefits really worth free labor from the student's perspective, and is the free labor legal? Here's what you need to know. 

According to the  Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), there are six different circumstances under which individuals who participate in "for-profit" private sector internships or training programs will not be compensated. These include whether or not the internship experience "is for the benefit of the intern" and if the internship "is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment."

Unpaid internships are legal under these standards, but at least one group is working to fight this: The Fair Pay Campaign. Co-founded by Mikey Franklin, this organization is working for legislation that would require payment for internships.

Strauss Troy Attorney John Fischer

As of September 16, 2013, employers must treat lawfully married same sex couples as married for purposes of withholding and benefits. 

• Individuals may amend their open tax returns (generally 2010 through 2012) to change their filing status if validly married during that year.
• Individuals may file for a refund of any taxes paid on "imputed income" of health coverage for their spouses.  
• Employers may not recoup over-withheld income taxes, but in some cases may apply to receive a refund for the employer portion of withholding for social security.   

On August 29, 2013, the US Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service issued a ruling that answers many questions raised when the Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Windsor finding Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional.

The Windsor case invalidated the designation of marriage as only between a man and a woman, but left unresolved the effect on many aspects of federal law.

Revenue Ruling 2013-17 resolves the status of couples validly married under state law for federal tax purposes: they are considered married no matter where they reside.

Strauss Troy Attorney Claudia Allen