This year, 17 Rhode Island communities will go through the rite of passage known as the revaluation cycle. State law requires a full property revaluation by the tax assessor in each city and town every nine years with less-detailed updates every three years. These values are important because, absent additional improvements or damage to the property, the values will stay the same for the entire cycle even though the tax rate will change each year. For many of us, that means this spring we’ll learn that the tax assessor, or a company hired by the assessor, has come up with a new tax value for any real estate we own. more

From top brass to junior attorneys, paralegals and receptionist, the staff at Taylor Duane Barton & Gilman LLP in Providence work together and play together. And occasionally listen to really loud music. more

The fate of several hospitals in the state and whether they remain solvent or dive headlong into bankruptcy may very well sit in the hands of state lawmakers. more

BOSTON – The Mass. Department of Environmental Protection has fined a Fairhaven company for dumping waste paint-wash water into a storm drain at the Dartmouth Mall, the agency announced. more

BOSTON – Two female members of Attorney General Martha Coakley’s team have been recognized for making “meaningful and inspiring contributions in the fields of social justice and advocacy.” more

On April 5, at a signing ceremony attended by a bipartisan group of lawmakers and entrepreneurs from around the country, President Barack Obama signed into law the Jumpstart Our Business Startups – or Jobs – Act. In his remarks prior to the ceremony, President Obama described the act as “a potential game-changer” for startups and small businesses. more

BOSTON – Attorney General Martha Coakley’s office said last week that it is seeking a $16 million fine against National Grid for its failure to “adequately prepare, respond and communicate” during Tropical Storm Irene and an October 2011 snowstorm. The penalty is the largest ever recommended against a utility in Massachusetts. more

PROVIDENCE – A Providence County Superior Court jury returned a verdict of more than $3.27 million against two of the nation’s largest automobile-insurance providers last month, ruling that they had acted with “malice” and “bad faith.” more

When a business is served with a lawsuit, the company and its legal counsel should undertake a prompt risk-management assessment of the potential exposure and estimated defense costs. more

PROVIDENCE – The General Assembly this month approved legislation toughening penalties for underage smoking. more