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[embedded content] ​"​And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills 'Til the landslide brought me down ..."​​-- Stephanie Lynn (AKA Stevie) Nicks, American singer/songwriter​Here in the Empire State, we generally don't have to worry much about earthquakes. New York gets some seismic activity, but it's usually minor and certainly not on par with what our fellow citizens in the midwest and west must contend with. But does that mean we shouldn't be concerned about the ubiquitous earth movement exclusions found in personal and commercial property insurance policies? A couple in Colorado has learned the hard way that there are different kinds of earth movement losses, and their experience could…

​​Big I New York members often call our office with questions about non-compete agreements - Can I use one? How long can I make it effective? How broad can it be?  Attorney Bradley A. Hoppe​ has  a new blog post about a recent New York appellate court decision that illustrates that the answers depend on where in the state your agency is located.Specifically, in (King v. Marsh & McLennan Agency, LLC), the First Department again recognized the governing rule for courts (and companies and employees) located within the First and Second Departments (i.e., New York City and downstate counties) that a non-competition or non-solicitation covenant is unenforceable…

​Lumber prices are, if you'll pardon the pun, going through the roof.Last Thursday, February 18, the price per 1,000 board feet of lumber on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange hit a record $1,004.90. By the close of trading Friday, it had retreated​ to $997.90, but this was up from $478.30 on October 29. One market watcher speaking to CNBC last week predicted another 30 to 35% increase from current prices. A boom in home renovation activity in the wake of state stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus pandemic has boosted demand for lumber and steel, experts report. At the same time, lumber mills expected mass job losses last spring…