The days are darker and colder, our clothing is bulkier, and the holiday parties are in full swing. Knock, knock — the inevitable 10-pound weight gain is at the door. Batten down the hatches and take a plunge into the wonderful world of water.
Normal law practice succession planning involves developing a plan for your law practice that will be implemented over the next one to five years. But what about having a plan to deal with issues such as short-term illness, disability, vacations and death?
Among the hot-button political issues of our time is criminal justice reform. Critics rightly point out that the system at the state and federal levels can marshal its extensive resources to target poor and marginalized communities. Although such abuses receive extensive commentary in the press, less focus is devoted to the potential for governmental abuse in prosecuting white-collar crime.
In civil litigation, causation is a critical element in establishing the plaintiff’s cause of action by linking the defendant’s alleged misconduct to the claimed economic harm. Because of this linkage between causation and damages, qualified financial experts are often in a position to provide analyses to the trier of fact that can assist in deciding whether the causal link has been proven by the plaintiff.
Technology can be a boon for your writing if you know how to use it, but knowing how to use it is key. Today’s built-in and add-on programs may help improve your writing without the obvious use of assistive software. The end result may just be a more persuasive, clear, and concise written product.
Movie reviewer Robert Hammerle says not to believe the critics who pan the Freddie Mercury biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody,” while the edge-of-your-seat “Free Solo” ranks among the year’s best documentaries.
As 2Ls who recently, and very thankfully, came out of a challenging season of firm recruitment successfully, a small fraction of that stress is no longer weighing on us, but that does not change the overall mental health landscape typical of law school. Beyond that, the workplace culture that we will enter upon graduating and passing the bar is nearly guaranteed to continue that cycle.
Why is there so much talk about automation in the practice of law these days? Almost every legal technology source extols the benefits of automation. There must be a reason, right? Yes. Automation of routine tasks can benefit your practice in multiple ways.
Commercial construction lawyers use American Institute of Architects (AIA) forms more than any other. Every 10 years, the AIA updates its contract documents to reflect legal trends and changes in the industry. If you are one who has waited to make the switch to the 2017 forms, your time is up.
As part of the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, socially conscious investors now have the opportunity to defer or even avoid taxes on capital gains received from the sale or exchange of an investment. Under the new tax benefit, investors can defer tax on prior capital gains if their prior capital gains are invested in a Qualified Opportunity Fund.
It is imperative that our legal system work on sustainable solutions to the opioid crisis. This epidemic is not only a major public health crisis — it also creates a variety of civil legal challenges.
Do we all feel like we are drowning? Probably not, or at least I hope not. Some days I definitely feel like I have it all together. But what can we all do to help each other — and not just defense attorneys, but all members of the Indiana bar — during those days and weeks when we are struggling?
The Indiana Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program is staffed by five passionate individuals. We all have different specialty areas but are well cross-trained to jump in and do whatever needs to be done.
I have essentially been a “new lawyer” twice — the first time as a newly admitted lawyer in Illinois (Chicago) in 2015, and the second time as a newly admitted lawyer in Indiana (Indianapolis) in 2017. So, if I know anything, it’s what it feels like to be a new lawyer. This has provided me with some perspective on what a new lawyer can do to help him or herself get ahead of the curve.
We may have found work-life balance a bit easier during our student days, at least in hindsight — finding a way to squeeze in homework and chores with sports, theater, band or just hanging out. I’m not sure it really was.
Being a first-year associate is a lot like being on a TV cooking competition show. My personal recipe for surviving the first year of practice has many ingredients that, when mixed together in the proper proportions, should result in success.
Movie reviewer Robert Hammerle sings the praises of period pieces “First Man” and Robert Redford’s swan song, “The Old Man & the Gun.”
Understanding the conclusions reached in a business valuation report requires a basic knowledge of the economic theory underpinning the generally accepted valuation approaches. Familiarity with the concept of levels of value will also aid in understanding the conclusions reached by a BV professional.
Very few people consider the legal needs of their now-“adult” son or daughter. Absent a power of attorney or other delegation of authority, however, you may not be able to act on your child’s behalf with respect to his or her health care or financial affairs if he or she becomes incapacitated, or just needs assistance.
For many firms, improving profitability is as simple as engaging in some common-sense strategies that other businesses observe. Here are a few tips to get you started on improving your profitability.