Job-killing legal technologies? They only look that way
It is stunning how quickly technological advances become a ‘natural’ part of our landscape. In the mid 1990s, Richard Susskind was being labeled “dangerous” and “possibly insane.” His heresy? Susskind suggested that email would become the principal means of communication between lawyers and clients. His detractors asserted that he understood neither security nor confidentiality and was bringing the profession into ill repute.
Today, lacking any sense of irony, senior lawyer
Ask the Marketer: Getting the Most Out of Your Marketing Budget
Six marketing experts explore how to determine the right mix of marketing dollars and return on investment for your organization When it comes to marketing, many organizations question whether or not they are getting “the most bang for their buck.” Are you really taking the right integrated marketing approach with the right amount of marketing dollars to maximize the sales pipeline? Here’s how six marketing experts approach this problem.
– Valerie Chan, founder, Plat4orm PR
Expungement Is Denied, but Court Offers Novel Relief
While a federal judge declined to expunge a woman's fraud conviction, he devised his own certificate meant to prove her rehabilitation to employers, landlords and others. Eastern District Judge John Gleeson said he could not provide Jane Doe with her sought-after remedy of expunging her 2002 conviction, but gave her a "lesser form of relief" through his issuance of a certificate of rehabilitation where he said he recommended Doe "for employment, housing, benefits and other op
Avoid the Accidental Attorney-Client Relationship
The attorney-client relationship gives rise to unique obligations and duties by an attorney to that client. For that reason, generally speaking, an attorney cannot be liable at law to those outside the limited class of people to whom the attorney owes a legal duty to exercise ordinary care, skill and diligence in the performance of professional services. In most cases, this means that an attorney owes a duty to his or her clients to perform legal service in accordance with th
How an Attorney Should Handle a Mistake
Although there are steps that attorneys can take to reduce the likelihood of making an error, mistakes still happen in the course of an attorney-client relationship. An attorney might miss a tax lien during a title search or fail to take a certain action within the applicable statute of limitation. The attorney could make an error in procedure, foreclosing certain grounds on an appeal. Every attorney makes a mistake at some time during practice. How an attorney responds in th
Low cost, affordable flat-fee mediation is now available in Connecticut
We now collaborate with a non-profit affordable mediation service, Connecticut Mediation Service. They charge a flat fee for from 1 to 3 mediation sessions of up to 6 hours each.
They have offices through Connecticut: Bridgeport, Danbury, Hartford, New Haven, Putnam and Windsor Locks.
They mediate on issues of family law (divorce, child custody, parental rights, parenting time, asset / debt distribution, spousal maintenance ("alimony")) as well as business matter mediat
Are You Making 'Reasonable Efforts' to Safeguard Your Client’s Information
Despite ample warning and rules, many law firms and lawyers are still not doing enough. In 2009, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) first warned that law firms were the targets of hackers. The agency repeated the warning in 2013 with the special agent in charge of cyber and special operations for the FBI’s New York Office saying, “We have hundreds of law firms that we see increasingly being targeted by hackers.” This should not come as a surprise. Law firms have a wide
Bad Deposition Conduct and Its Consequences
The State Bar of California has adopted Attorney Guidelines of Civility and Professionalism. Beginning in 2014, the oath for new lawyers to the bar was amended to reflect this growing emphasis on professionalism: "As an officer of the court, I will strive to conduct myself at all times with dignity, courtesy, and integrity." One area of litigation that is rife with the potential for incivility or abuse is depositions. Depositions can be a valuable tool to obtain evidence and
10 Tips for Deciding When to Litigate
In his 2016 State of the Union Address, President Barack Obama said the U.S. currently "has the strongest, most durable economy in the world." This should come as no surprise, especially for those of us in Silicon Valley. With a quick search on the Internet, you can find just about anything you seek. With increasing business opportunities and ideas, however, comes the potential for conflict and increased litigation. Determining the best way for your client to resolve conflict
Appeals Court Upholds Conn. Attorney's Money Laundering Conviction
Just before his trial on money laundering charges, Seymour attorney Ralph Crozier asked if he could serve as his own co-counsel. A federal judge denied the request. When Crozier appealed his conviction and 30-month prison sentence, he said his constitutional rights were violated when he was barred from serving as an official member of his own defense team
Once again, the courts have ruled against Crozier. In upholding his conviction, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second
