Retreating from the office
Meetings and events outside of the firm foster camaraderie and build relationships among staff.
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7th Circuit rebukes counsel involved in attempt to collect debt
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals had harsh words for counsel on both sides of a lawsuit involving an unpaid educational debt, finding the attorneys have demonstrated “appalling judgment” in this case.
Representation is imperative to due process for immigrants
The cases involving immigrant children coming to the U.S. from Central America are creating more need for pro bono legal representation and are highlighting an area of asylum law that the courts struggle to clearly define.
Bingham Greenebaum Doll celebrates influential century
Longtime lawyers say the firm’s legacy positions it for more growth.
The traditional suit still rules when in court
The decision by one Indiana attorney to not wear socks in the courtroom has sparked a discussion among lawyers about professional dress codes. Shined shoes, closed-toe pumps, crisp shirts and blouses, pants, skirts and jackets are the closet staples of lawyers. While the business world has gone casual, pitching the tie and welcoming sandals in some cases, the legal profession has largely remained true to conservative business attire.
Little-known Indiana baseball roots rediscovered in lawyer’s exhibit
Baseball once was Indiana’s game, and attorney Scott Tarter has a major-league passion about preserving its rightful, if obscure, place in history.
Dyer firm replaces stolen Boy Scout money
A northwest Indiana personal injury law firm has replaced the cash stolen from a Boy Scout troop at the Popcorn Festival in Valparaiso earlier this month.
Quick: Use the tools available to market today’s law firms
Lawyers are trying new and different ways to advertise with more focus on websites and digital media. But even today, problems remain.
Thomas: When drafting a will, be as specific as possible
To ensure that your client’s property will go to the beneficiaries of his or her choosing, as opposed to the beneficiaries that the state chooses, it is imperative that the last will and testament be very specific and provide for as many contingencies as possible.
Alerding/Latterell: A 2014 view of portability
Gift and estate tax planning has gotten easier for married couples thanks in part to a relatively new concept: porting of the federal gift and estate tax exemption to a surviving spouse.
Law firms find rewards in staging events just for kicks
Sometimes lawyers just want to have fun. For numerous firms large and small, it’s good practice to stake out events that offer an opportunity to socialize, cut loose and have a good time.
IP lawyer among first to accept Bitcoin for services
Intellectual property attorney Paul Overhauser’s clients are often on the cutting edge of Internet technology, so he decided that in addition to dollars, he’ll take digital dough.
Making Rain: When a room full of strangers freaks you out
As most good rainmakers know, it is all about networking, and sometimes this means talking to people who are total strangers. It can be daunting to attend an event that your firm is sponsoring or a conference that your target market attends and be expected to “go out there and make new friends.”
Companies need to draft ‘bring your own device’ policies
While the convenience of handheld, portable computers enables employees to peruse email, communicate with clients and review documents without being tied to the office, the “bring your own device,” or BYOD, trend is creating tensions between how much access an employer can have to the worker-owned device and how much privacy an employee can expect.
Federal judge, managing partner keep jazz on the radio in northwest Indiana
Each week longtime friends Bill Satterlee, managing partner at Hoeppner Wagner & Evans LLP in Valparaiso, and Kent Lindquist, senior judge for the Bankruptcy Court in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, share their mutual love of jazz by recording a two-hour show that airs Sunday nights on the local public radio station.
Ex-US Attorney Hogsett eyes Indy mayoral run
Former U.S. Attorney Joe Hogsett says he's considering a 2015 run for mayor of Indianapolis.
Video depositions can be a compelling trial tool
The ability to catch the nonverbal messages and vocal inflections made by witnesses and experts is the biggest benefits to videotaping depositions, attorneys say.
Metrics create benchmarks for ‘granular’ evaluations of lawyer performance
Metrics measuring attorney and law firm performance have exploded in recent years, and trend watchers say the implications for the industry are only beginning to be felt.
New partnerships require a shared vision, bit of nerve
Lawyers who’ve teamed up to start firms as partnerships say putting their professional names and reputations on the line together takes mutual trust, respect, a shared vision, and a fair amount of nerve.
ABA releases tool to assess cognitive impairment
To help attorneys who are concerned about the intellectual fitness of another lawyer or judge, the American Bar Association has recently released a cognitive assessment tool. The “Working Paper on Cognitive Impairment and Cognitive Decline” is a questionnaire designed to give attorneys guidance in determining whether a partner or friend is just having a bad month or is suffering from something more serious. It also provides recommendations for talking to a colleague who is exhibiting troublesome behavior.