Every trial judge must balance the letter of the law with the conscience of the community. A judge must be able to put any case in a full social and human context before applying the technical rules of the law. To do otherwise is to lose the most important and powerful tool upon which every judge must rely: the ability to feel.
The primary reason why law practice succession planning is needed is to protect an attorney’s clients and their interests. We need to ask ourselves, “If I slow down, retire, close my office, become disabled or die, who will make sure that my clients’ legal needs are served?”
Any seasoned trial attorney who has worked with expert witnesses in litigation will get instant heartburn at learning that opposing counsel has raised a Daubert challenge. But do Daubert challenges always derail expert opinions and testimony, or can attorneys proactively take steps to deal with them?
Film reviewer Bob Hammerle says “Call Me By Your Name” earns its Best Picture nomination, and “Molly’s Game” contains some treats for attorneys.
Recently I received, as a gift, the Amazon Echo Show. I plugged it in, and, voila, Alexa could help me find almost anything. She gets a little confused on some things, but, for the most part, I have found her to be very helpful with basic questions and requests for information. I decided I’d find out what Alexa knows about finding new clients and business development.
Bob Hammerle shares his views on three films that on Tuesday received Academy Award nominations.
As the nation observed Martin Luther King Day Jan. 15, Indiana again took its unfortunate place as a bystander when it comes to honoring his legacy. Our state is known more for the legacy of laws tainted by the KKK when it ruled Indiana in the 1920s than for the progressive civil rights laws that took root in the 1960s. We have no real civil rights laws in Indiana. But, there is something you can do about it.
A good closing argument won’t win a case on its own — but, a poor one can surely lose it.
Effective Dec. 1, several federal rule changes took effect. Fortunately, this batch of amendments was modest.
Practicing law is stressful. Stress breeds anxiety, depression, problem drinking and other challenges to being a well-adjusted, successful lawyer. Help can come from many areas, such as friends, family and medical professionals. An American Bar Association-backed task force report recommends law firms should be squarely in this remedial mix.
Despite your effort to keep new year’s resolutions, you will almost certainly notice your descent back into your old habits. Resolutions are difficult to keep with a busy work life, dark and gloomy days that bring you down, and colder-than-normal weather. But with these tips, you can do it, no matter what goals you choose.
As attorneys, we can only counsel our clients, and we cannot always control their actions. But hopefully, we can help them understand how their actions may impact their children, even indirectly. Parents need to be careful not to place their children in the middle — and not only with words, but by their actions.
Film reviewer Bob Hammerle finds something to like — and not — in five recent movies.
I know that my desire to write and reach others who suffer is difficult for some people to understand. Many people view mental illness as a personal matter that should be kept private. I see nothing wrong with keeping it private. I do not think that anyone with a mental health diagnosis should feel pressured to disclose. Dealing with the disease in this way is just part of who I am. It was something that I tried, and it has worked for me.
“It’s only minimal competence.” This well-meaning phrase is meant to reassure bar examinees that, though the exam is difficult, you only need to pass it, not receive a high score. Despite the minimal competence standard, bar examinees still stress about the exam. As a recent examinee, I want to share how three significant changes surrounding the bar exam in the past 20 years have contributed to examinee stress.
Spring is closer than it seems, and so is The Indiana Lawyer’s Leadership in Law ceremony recognizing 15 Distinguished Barristers and 15 Up and Coming Lawyers, as well as those who’ve earned these honors in years past. The awards begin with your nominations, due Jan. 17.
Law practice succession planning is the development and implementation of a plan to protect a law practice’s clients and continue its legal legacy. In some ways, it is coming to terms with the fact that our legal careers are finite.
Bob Hammerle says Gary Oldman delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour,” while “The Last Jedi” is captivating as the latest “Star Wars” feature.
The ancient novel “The Book of the City of Ladies” serves as a reminder that in this and other unexpected places one can learn (or relearn) tactics to hone our craft. More broadly, it is reminder that today — as in fifteenth century France — there remains a need for effective advocates.
For 29 years, Bob Denney of Robert Denney Associates, Inc., has published his annual “What’s Hot and What’s Not in the Legal Profession.” Firm leaders, industry consultants and legal junkies like me have looked forward to Bob’s compilation of industry news. Alas, unless he changes his mind, the 2017 bulletin will be Bob’s last.