Lawyers USA Your Business Partner

Budgeting time and money for marketing expenditures 

Published: April 20, 2012

Tags: budget, marketing

Despite all the financial demands solos and small firm attorneys face, it’s crucial to make some room in the budget for marketing expenditures, says Jared Correia, a Senior Practice Advisor at the Law Office Management Assistance Program in Boston.

Can the lawyers ‘script’ direct party-to-party contact? 

By: W. William Hodes
Published: April 19, 2012

Tags: "no-contact" rule, client communication

Under the rules of professional conduct, lawyers cannot communicate with opposing clients directly. However, nothing restricts opposing clients from communicating with each other, and lawyers are permitted to explain this to their own clients. But how much preparation can lawyers give their clients in these situations?

Smartphone data more important in litigation 

Published: April 19, 2012

Tags: cell phones, e-discovery, smartphones

Smartphones are increasingly becoming not just useful tools for lawyers on the go, but potentially important factors in litigation.

Legal malpractice policy could be rescinded 

Published: April 17, 2012

Tags: fen-phen, legal malpractice, malpractice insurance

A lawyer’s failure to disclose an ongoing state bar association investigation against him constituted a material representation justifying the rescission of his malpractice insurance, the 6th Circuit has ruled in affirming judgment.

Lawyer isn’t liable for defaming former client 

Published: April 16, 2012

Tags: conflict of interest, defamation, qualified privilege

A lawyer’s alleged defamatory statements against his former client were protected on the ground of qualified privilege, the Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled in affirming judgment.

The important do’s and don’t’s of law firm press releases 

Published: April 12, 2012

Tags: lawyer marketing, press release, public relations

Firing off a press release about your law firm’s latest news and sending it to a bunch of media outlets might seem like a simple thing, but there’s more to it than you think, says Gina Rubel, the author of “Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers.”

First court approves computer-assisted e-discovery review 

By: Correy Stephenson
Published: April 12, 2012

Tags: computer-assisted review, e-discovery, New York

For years, technology experts and attorneys have been predicting the rise of computer-assisted coding and review for electronic discovery.

Earlier this year, U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew J. Peck of the Southern District of New York was the first to issue a reported opinion in support of the technology – also referred to as “predictive coding” or “intelligent review” – calling it “an acceptable way to search for relevant [electronically stored information] in appropriate cases.”

How to protect your practice from difficult clients 

By: Dustin A. Cole
Published: April 11, 2012

Tags: client relations

Keeping control of clients who become difficult to manage and making sure you filter out the not-so-good clients in the first place are essential to maintaining a successful law practice and holding on to your sanity. This can be especially important in family law matters, where emotions tend to run high, this also applies in other practice areas. Here are five “rules of engagement” to help you protect your practice and yourself from difficult clients.

Plaintiff had duty to check e-docket, update e-mail 

Published: April 10, 2012

Tags: age discrimination, excusable neglect

An age discrimination plaintiff had an affirmative duty to monitor the district court’s electronic docket and keep his attorney’s e-mail address current, the 6th Circuit has ruled in upholding the denial of relief from judgment.

‘Cloud computing for lawyers’ 

Published: April 9, 2012

Tags: cloud computing, practice management, technology

“The day of reckoning has come for our profession,” writes Nicole Black in the introduction to her new book “Cloud computing for lawyers.”