Attorney Help Blog

Dear AttorneyHelp.org Readers,

Welcome to the Attorney Newsletter (11/13/2009). In this edition we have included news, articles and videos. You can find more resources on our website: AttorneyHelp.org.

Attorney News

Mass. law pushes utilities to improve services (AP via Yahoo! News)
Gov. Deval Patrick has signed a new law penalizes utility companies that fail to provide safe and reliable service to customers after major storms. (More)

Law Firm Loyalty Is Sometimes Overrated, Consultant Says
Loyalty to a law firm is laudable—to a point, a consultant says. Lawyers also need to consider loyalty to clients, their families and themselves, according to Frank D’Amore, founder of the legal recruiting firm Attorney Career Catalysts. These allegiances are more important than loyalties to a law firm that is a bad fit or is facing financial troubles, he asserts in an article for the Legal Intelligencer. Some lawyers “have found the perfect firm that treats them well, stands by them in good and bad times and deserves every ounce of their fealty,” D’Amore writes. “At the other end of… (More)

Convicted Germans Seek to Edit History in Suit Against Wikipedia
Two Germans convicted of killing an actor in 1990 are suing Wikipedia’s parent in an effort to force the online, publicly edited encyclopedia to remove their names from an English-language entry about their crime. The plaintiffs, Wolfgang Werlé and Manfred Lauber, say their right to privacy should prevail, the New York Times reports. “The legal fight pits German privacy law against the American First Amendment,” the story says. “German courts allow the suppression of a criminal’s name in news accounts once he has paid his debt to society, noted Alexander H. Stopp, the lawyer for the two men, who are… (More)

Attorney Disputes Government’s ‘Alarmist’ View of Elections Law Ruling (Law.com via Yahoo! Finance)
Plaintiffs attorney Pierce O’Donnell has filed an appellate petition disputing claims that dismissal of the government’s campaign contributions violations case against him would create a “loophole” in federal elections law that would render contribution limits “meaningless.” (More)

US Attorney - Dozen Defendants Arrested For Passport Fraud - American Law Announcements (LawFuel)
LawFuel.com - American Law Announcements - Passport Fraud Sweep Leads to Charges Against 20 in Los Angeles Area LOS ANGELES – A joint enforcement initiative by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles has resulted in the arrest of 12 defendants who have been charged with felony violations related to fraudulent applications … (More)

Attorney Videos

How to interview for an attorney job, law firm interviewing tips

How to interview for an attorney job, interviewing with law firms, in house counsel interview tips, how to interview as a summer associate, interview tips for lawyers, interviewing for a senior attorney position

Attorney Articles

Ways to Find Out Who Lives at This Address
This article elaborates the mostly used ways to find out who lives at this address. By going through this article one would be able to know how one can perform this research and can become a private investigator. (More)

Filing Multiple Bankruptcy Cases - What You Should Know
Three situations are responsible for 80% of all bankruptcy cases filed, and they are largely beyond your control. Un-reimbursed medical expenses are the leading cause of bankruptcy. Job loss is second… (More)

Class Action Lawsuits
What is this ‘Class Action’ all about? ‘Class Action’, which is also known as ‘Representative Action’, is actually a form of lawsuit where a large group of people collectively bring a claim to t… (More)

Everything You Need To Know About A Construction Safety Checklist
If you want to see whether your worksite complies with workplace health and safety legislation, then a good idea would be to use a Construction Safety Checklist. While legislation varies in each state… (More)

This newsletter is provided by AttorneyHelp.org.

Dear AttorneyHelp.org Readers,

Welcome to the Attorney Newsletter (11/6/2009). In this edition we have included news, articles and videos. You can find more resources on our website: AttorneyHelp.org.

Attorney News

State gun storage law is argued before SJC (Boston Globe)
The Middlesex district attorney’s office argued before the state Supreme Judicial Court yesterday that a law that requires guns to be stored in locked containers or outfitted with trigger locks is valid. (More)

Banned Kenyan attorney general plans to sue U.S. (People’s Daily)
Kenya’s attorney general said on Wednesday that he is seeking legal advice as to whether he can sue the U.S. government for revoking his travel visa. Addressing a news conference in Nairobi, Amos Wako also confirmed he is the senior government official issued with a U.S. visa ban last week. He said he would seek legal advice on American law before filing the proceedings in the United States on … (More)

No one above law, says top Qatar official (The Peninsula)
DOHA: No one, not even the ministers, are above the law in Qatar, says the Attorney-General, citing the example of four ministers who were grilled along with other top officials in a corruption case some four years ago and asked to quit. (More)

Attorney Argues ‘Stolen Valor’ Law Is Unconstitutional (Metropolitan News-Enterprise)
A federal act making it a crime to falsely claim that one holds the Congressional Medal of Honor violates the First Amendment, the attorney for a former member of the Three Valleys Municipal Water District board told a Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel yesterday in Pasadena. (More)

Bizarre Beatles Song-Selling Defense: Techies Created—and Can Copyright—New Tunes
The music of the Beatles isn’t legally available on the Internet. However, a little-known company is not only offering the back catalog of the famous 1960s rock ‘n’ roll group online but is trying to copyright it, based on what Ars Technica’s Law & Disorder blog characterizes as a “entertainingly weird” legal theory. The theory is explained in the federal copyright action that almost immediately resulted. It was filed Tuesday in the Middle District of California with other music company plaintiffs by EMI Christian Music Group Inc., the company that controls the sale of Beatles music on CDs. BlueBeat and… (More)

After Difficult Year, Latham & Watkins Announces 23 New Partners
Latham & Watkins has promoted 23 associates to partner, about 25 percent fewer than last year. Still, the number outpaces promotions at a few other law firms that have announced new partners. Eric Bernthal, managing partner of Latham’s Washington, D.C., office, told The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times that the promotions are a show of confidence. “These promotions show that we are prepared to vote on talents, not on short term economics,” Bernthal told the BLT. The firm promoted 23 associates to partner and 13 to of counsel. The move follows a difficult year for Latham. In 2008, the… (More)

Associate Pay May Need to Return to 1998 Levels, Consultant Says
In 1998, law firms in Atlanta paid new associates about $72,000 a year. That may be more to the liking of Altman Weil legal consultant James Cotterman, who told participants in an Oct. 27 webinar for law firm clients that associate pay cuts didn’t go low enough, according to the Fulton County Daily Report. Associate pay at large law firms dropped from $160,000 to $145,000, but that was only “about half of what was needed,” Cotterman said, according to the Daily Report account. “They probably should have set pay back a decade, to 1998. That’s what I was expecting,” he… (More)

Attorney Articles

What is a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
Most people know that when a person is murdered, they are tried in a criminal court. But why then is there a type of civil lawsuit that can be brought against an individual or a company when a person dies? Wrongful death is a claim in common law jurisdictions for a death of an individual. Rather than a case brought forth by the government, such as for murder, these types of cases are usually enacted by close relatives or friends. (More)

Family Law Solicitors
Family law solicitors focus in those areas of law that specifically involve family matters. A relationship breakdown can be both emotionally and financially taxing. This necessitates the role of a lawyer, who aids in attaining an outcome that facilitates the client’s financial and familial requisites. (More)

Personal Injury Claims
Personal injury (PI) claims constitute an ever growing area of legal claims. This is partly due to marketing; particularly advertisements on day time television, which are aimed at those who … (More)

There is No Such Thing as an Accident
There was a saying that ‘there was no such thing as an accident’. Of course to some people this might seem a little bit unfair, because so many of us have had an accident of some sort. Basic… (More)

Be Alert To The Signs Of Elder Abuse
Recently, there has been an increase in nursing home negligence, and it is unclear why these cases of abuse have been on the rise. People leave their elderly family members in nursing homes so they ca… (More)

This newsletter is provided by AttorneyHelp.org.

Dear AttorneyHelp.org Readers,

Welcome to the Attorney Newsletter (10/30/2009). In this edition we have included news, articles and videos. You can find more resources on our website: AttorneyHelp.org.

Attorney News

Attorney sues Columbia police official, city over open records request (Columbia Missourian)
COLUMBIA — A Columbia attorney’s quest to see surveillance video from the Columbia Police Department has become a lawsuit. Attorney Stephen Wyse sued the city of Columbia and the Columbia Police Department’s custodian of records on Wednesday about an open records request. Wyse said he filed a Sunshine Law request for surveillance footage from the Police Department lobby and holding area. He … (More)

One-time Alabama law school dean reaches plea deal in health care fraud case (Mobile Press-Register)
Prosecutors said 39-year-old Tari Devon Williams agreed to plead guilty to obstruction of justice and lying to law enforcement. The U.S. attorney’s office said Thursday Williams was an assistant dean at the University of Alabama law school at the time. (More)

Plaintiffs Attorney John M. O’Quinn Remembered as Being ‘Bigger Than Life’ (Law.com via Yahoo! Finance)
News spread fast through the legal community about the death of plaintiffs attorney John M. O’Quinn, named one of the “100 Most Influential Lawyers in America” by The National Law Journal in 1997. (More)

District attorney affirms earlier decision on open-meeting law (The Kansas City Star)
The Johnson County district attorney reaffirmed Thursday an earlier opinion that found no violation of the open meetings law during a closed meeting of the county’s community college board. The board’s executive session was held in February to evaluate the performance of college President Terry Calaway. At the end of the session, Calaway presented the board with a document outlining 64 potential … (More)

Ex-Ohio Justice Plans to Replace Stolen Gun After 2 Home Invasions in 1 Week
Former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Craig Wright got a rude awakening by intruders—twice, in the same week. In the first incident on Oct. 20, two men entered the home of the 80-year-old judge, awakened him in his bedroom, and demanded money, the Columbus Dispatch reports. Wright said the two men “took off like big rabbits” when he warned that his son-in-law was on the way over. In the second incident two days later, two intruders awakened Wright and asked him to make out a check for them, the story says. They also stole jewelry and other items. Wright walked out… (More)

Law Prof Argues Pay Czar Is Unconstitutional
Is the appointment of pay czar Kenneth Feinberg constitutional? Stanford law professor Michael McConnell, a former federal appeals judge, thinks not. In a Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) opinion column, McConnell argues that Feinberg’s appointment violates the appointments clause requiring Senate approval of all officers of the United States. Feinberg was appointed to the pay czar position by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner under the law establishing the Troubled Asset Relief Program. The law authorized Geithner to require TARP recipients to meet “appropriate standards” for executive compensation. “Because he is not a properly appointed officer of the United States, Mr. Feinberg’s… (More)

US Recommends Asylum in ‘Iconic’ Domestic Violence Case
The United States has recommended asylum in the closely watched case of a Guatemalan woman fleeing domestic abuse. Rody Alvarado Peña will likely win asylum because of the U.S. stance, her lawyer, Karen Musalo, told the New York Times. This “has been the iconic case of domestic abuse as a basis for asylum,” said Musalo, director of the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies at the University of California’s Hastings College of Law. Asylum lawyer Jayne Fleming of Reed Smith in San Francisco told the Times that the recommendation is “a giant step forward.” Alvarado, who is a housekeeper at… (More)

Attorney Articles

Legal Articles for Checking Criminal Records of Employees
The one biggest mistake if made by some business corporation would be that hiring an employee which has been already proved to be a criminal. You should never hire a person who was a criminal for your organization until he has not been reformed. (More)

How to Search State Court Records on the Internet
Until fairly recently, the general public was able to decide who they allowed to run credit and criminal record checks on themselves. Modern technology has, unfortunately, changed this. State court records are considered public records in many instances, and many states have now made it incredibly simple to find out the details of most court cases. (More)

How to Get Out of Speeding Tickets
In the U.S. over 100,000 people get a speeding ticket every single day. Most of the time these people will just give in and take the fine and the long term effects it has on their driving record and their insurance. This does not have to be the case. You can fight a speeding ticket and you should! (More)

Importance of Property Damage Liability Coverage
Most motorists tend to focus more on liability coverage that covers bodily injuries; they forget that they also have to worry about possible property damage as well. Sometimes, the amount of damage t… (More)

Insurance Claims Do’s and Don’ts
If you have been involved in any accident, whether it is a traffic accident, a slip and fall accident or a product defect accident, it is important that you do not do things that will hurt your insura… (More)

The Difference between Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct
Sexual harassment and misconduct claims are legal actions against behaviors that are sexual in nature in the workplace. Although the two terms are normally used interchangeably, there is a difference… (More)

This newsletter is provided by AttorneyHelp.org.

Dear AttorneyHelp.org Readers,

Welcome to the Attorney Newsletter (10/24/2009). In this edition we have included news, articles and videos. You can find more resources on our website: AttorneyHelp.org.

Attorney News

Attorney: Ethics charges unfounded (The Advocate)
State ethics charges against a Baton Rouge lawmaker have been brought erroneously and should be thrown out, the legislator’s attorney argued Friday. The charges against state Rep. Michael Jackson and his law firm were filed too late, lawyer Charles Patin said. (More)

Attorney says he made mistakes in law practice (Corpus Christi Caller-Times)
CORPUS CHRISTI — A local attorney under indictment and facing an unrelated pending disbarment said Friday he has made mistakes and intends to repay those affected. David Bonilla, whose disbarment goes into effect Nov. 29, had a news conference Friday at his law office to address allegations of wrongdoing against him. At Bonilla’s side were his father, William Bonilla, his sister, Susanne … (More)

Attorney general talks about war on terrorism (AP via Yahoo! News)
Keeping the country safe from terrorism is a real concern, and the United States must not abandon the rule of law as it did in the early days of the war on terrorism, U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said Friday. (More)

Pa. Jail Taped Inmate Calls to Counsel, Sent Some to Feds, Lawyer Says
Adding another jurisdiction to those in which defense lawyers have previously accused officials of improperly recording inmate phone calls to their legal counsel, Federal Public Defender Lisa Freeland says in an e-mail this week to the Allegheny County defense bar that this has been happening at their local jail, too. Allegheny County Jail officials apparently may have accidentally included some inmate-counsel conversations in recordings of jailhouse calls routinely sent to prosecutors, because a revamping of the phone system—which is not supposed to record calls to lawyers—inadvertently eliminated some legal numbers from the do-not-record list, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. However, Freeland… (More)

Lawyer Who Once Weighed 386 Pounds Is Now Running Marathons
Michigan lawyer Bob Springstead thought he needed bariatric surgery when he stepped on the scale almost two years ago and saw that he weighed 386 pounds. Because his insurance required a year of diet and exercise first, the Fremont lawyer gave it a try. Now he is down to 235 pounds and running marathons, the Grand Rapids Press reports. This week Springstead was planning to run in the Grand Rapids Marathon, his first 26.2-mile event. He began training by trying a 5K (3.1 mile) event, prodded by his then-10-year-old daughter, Jessica, who wanted her Dad to run with her in… (More)

Jackson White Law’s Arizona Bankruptcy Attorney Offers Free Bankruptcy Consultations (PRWeb via Yahoo! News)
With the downturn of the economy, more and more people and businesses have been forced to turn to bankruptcy as their only chance of redemption. John N. Skiba is an Arizona bankruptcy attorney that works for Jackson White Law, one of the largest law firms in east Phoenix. As a bankruptcy attorney, he offers free bankruptcy consultations to help clients decide whether filing for bankruptcy is a … (More)

Attorney Articles

Access Public Police Arrest Records Online
Each state has been reprimanded to keep an updated compilation of all the public arrest records for the benefit of everyone. Like for instance the Arizona arrest records, they put all the police criminal reports together under the Criminal History Records and made it as the central state repository of Arizona’s public documents. The online service providers help a lot in making the search for the police arrest records faster and simpler. (More)

Become Positive Regarding Your DUI Case by Hiring DUI Lawyer
It is not easy to face a legal problem regarding your drive drunk charges. If you have been caught for the first time, there is no need for you to get a DUI Lawyer but if it is your second or third offense, you should not waste your time and look for reliable DUI Lawyer because you will be facing a lot of problems which will surely give you a stressful experience. (More)

Why You Need the Expertise of an Employment Law Service
There are legal regulations that govern small to medium businesses, called SME (Small to Medium Enterprises) laws; they offer protections for both employers and employees alike. These laws are… (More)

Serious Traffic Charges Require a Skilled Criminal Lawyer
There are numerous cases when a person may be charged with a traffic offense and therefore need legal assistance to successfully navigate through the legal proceedings. The most common misdemeanors an… (More)

Lawsuit Claims Obstetrician Agrees To See Pregnant Patient At Hospital Then Never Shows
As fetal distress is a serious complication in pregnancy that often involves a loss of oxygen supply to the unborn baby. Thus, when fetal distress is noted action must be taken immediately to preven… (More)

This newsletter is provided by AttorneyHelp.org.

Dear AttorneyHelp.org Readers,

Welcome to the Attorney Newsletter (10/18/2009). In this edition we have included news, articles and videos. You can find more resources on our website: AttorneyHelp.org.

Attorney News

Attorney general seeks law to protect pension fund (The Warwick Advertiser)
ALBANY, N.Y. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has proposed replacing the elected state comptroller as the sole trustee of New York’s massive public employee pension fund. (More)

Attorney may have to pay for frivolous gambling lawsuit (Detroit News)
The attorney representing a Macomb County man who sued MotorCity Casino to recover his gambling losses has violated a court law against filing frivolous lawsuits, a judge ruled today. Lawyer Frank A. Cusumano Jr. appeared this morning before Wayne Circuit Judge Michael Sapala, who ordered a Nov. 6 evidentiary hearing on the matter. (More)

Resident joins law firm as associate attorney (Lawrence Journal-World)
The Law Firm of Sloan, Eisenbarth, Glassman, McEntire & Jarboe L.L.C. announces Danielle N. Davey of Lawrence, joined the firm as associate attorney effective Sept. 25. (More)

Firm Run By Well-Known Lawyer Is in Receivership as Feds Look for $3.6M
A partnership operated by a well-known South Florida lawyer and forensic accountant has been placed in receivership as federal investigators attempt to track down $3.6 million from bank accounts overseen by attorney Lewis Freeman. The Miami Herald says Freeman told his staff today that Lewis B. Freeman & Partners is being dissolved and is now in receivership. Citing unidentified sources familiar with an FBI investigation, the newspaper says the agency is trying to locate $3.6 million reportedly missing from bank accounts he controlled. No charges have been filed. Earlier, the FBI reportedly raided Freeman’s offices in the Miami area and… (More)

Lawyer Protests 120-Day Contempt Term for Language Used in Court Filing
Sentenced to a 120-day jail term for harshly criticizing a judge, other court officials and a prosecutor in a legal filing, attorney Carl Smith, 62, is asking the Missouri Supreme Court to overturn the sentence. Although his lawyer, Bruce Galloway, says Smith’s claim in his filing of “personal interest, bias and purported criminal conduct” by Douglas County officials could have been better expressed, lawyer discipline proceedings are the proper forum for addressing such issues, reports the Associated Press. “The key thing here is what is the appropriate sanction when an attorney overstates or inartfully drafts an argument,” attorney Bruce Galloway… (More)

Expert: Meetings over attorney skirted law (Daily News Journal)
A Rutherford County Commission subcommittee consisting of two commissioners and Mayor Ernest Burgess violated the law by meeting in private to study the county attorney’s office, an expert said. (More)

Attorney Articles

Background Checks - Get Access to Background Information to Confirm Your Gut Feeling
Crime has become a major issue no matter where you live or work at. In an attempt to get by in the world’s rough economic state, people are doing what ever it takes to get by, this includes resorting to criminal activities. And no matter how violent a person has been in the past, they will still need a form of income just like the rest of us. (More)

How to Avoid a Frightful Halloween Lawsuit
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Halloween is one is of America’s most dangerous and deadly holidays. Statistically, Halloween usually competes 1-2-3 with Fourth of… (More)

What is the Role of the Court Reporter?
If you’ve ever been to a courtroom during a trial, or watch a TV show or movie depicting a courtroom proceeding, then you’ve probably noticed a court reporter. Court reporters are the people who you s… (More)

DUI - Can You Get Treatment Instead of Jail Time?
In the case of those who have been charged with multiple DUI’s or show a need for treatment for more chronic alcohol abuse, the case may be referred to a DWI or Drug Court. These special courts will give the defendant an opportunity to get clinical treatment and help to deal with their dependency problem. These programs are much more long-term, structured, rigorous and demanding than regular DUI cases, but are more effective and beneficial for both the community and the offender. (More)

This newsletter is provided by AttorneyHelp.org.

Dear AttorneyHelp.org Readers,

Welcome to the Attorney Newsletter (10/12/2009). In this edition we have included news, articles and videos. You can find more resources on our website: AttorneyHelp.org.

Attorney News

County attorney: Crime by illegal immigrants down (East Valley Tribune)
Crimes committed by illegal immigrants dropped by 18.5 percent from 2007 to 2008 thanks to law enforcement’s hardline against those in the country unlawfully, said Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas on Sunday. (More)

Sunshine Law workshop (Park Hills Daily Journal)
A free workshop pertaining to the Missouri Sunshine Law will be held Sept. 21 at 2 p.m. in the Madison County Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Square Fredericktown. The one-hour class will be conducted by Tom Durkin, public education director for the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. (More)

Attorney balances law and bodybuilding (The Sarasota Herald-Tribune)
By THOMAS BECNEL With the poise of a trial attorney, Lynette Mancuso argues that practicing law and developing muscles have a lot in common. “Same discipline and drive and determination,” she says. (More)

Novel About Wily 16th-Century Lawyer & Adviser to Henry VIII Wins Rave Reviews
It may not be the best choice for those seeking winter resort reading. But a challenging novel about a 16th-century lawyer who served as a top advisor to Henry VIII is winning rave reviews both in the United Kingdom and the United States. Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall brings Thomas Cromwell (Oliver Cromwell’s lesser-known relative) vividly to life, reports a Wall Street Journal book review. (In a New York Times book review, Janet Maslin describes the book’s characters as “scorchingly well-rendered.”) “Make no mistake: In the shark-tank that was Henry’s court, Cromwell was as skilled and as deadly as any,” states… (More)

3rd Circuit OKs $567M Legal Bill for Work By 72 Firms on Fen-Phen Case
A $567 million fee awarded by a federal district judge for 350,000 hours of legal work logged by 72 law firms in Fen-Phen diet drug litigation has been approved by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Rejecting arguments over the cost to plaintiffs who opted out of the complex diet-drug litigation and the process by which the chief judge of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania determined the legal bill, a three-judge appellate panel found it to be reasonable under the circumstances, reports the Legal Intelligencer in an article reprinted in New York Lawyer (reg. req.). “The amount of the… (More)

Attorney Articles

An Examination Of Lawsuits Resulting From Crosswalk Motor Vehicle Accidents
Are you safe by following the rules and using a crosswalk to cross the street? You make sure that you cross a street at a marked crosswalk. If only there were a guarantee that drivers would follow the… (More)

Background Checks - Fast, Accurate Research Into Anyone’s Past From Your Own Home
Unlawful activity is all over the place in our modern world. Joblessness is just one of the reasons individuals are having a hard time and doing what they must to stay alive; begging, shoplifting, robbing. Even the most violent and immoral person need to do some kind of work. (More)

Asbestos Solicitor Comment
Can new treatment beat asbestos cancer? A remarkable breakthrough in the treatment of a previously untreatable cancer has helped a woman, given only months to live two years ago, survive mesothel… (More)

Steps on How to Conduct a Background Check
While hiring an employee in your office or a personal maid or nanny, we all often feel the pangs of suspicion and anxiety about their credibility and authenticity. Instead of suppressing these suspicion pangs and doubts… (More)

Think About Bankruptcy Alternatives Before You File
Most people who find themselves in financial trouble, think bankruptcy is the exclusive option. They often think they should file for bankruptcy as soon as they recognize they’re in trouble. But, ba… (More)

This newsletter is provided by AttorneyHelp.org.

Dear AttorneyHelp.org Readers,

Welcome to the Attorney Newsletter (10/6/2009). In this edition we have included news, articles and videos. You can find more resources on our website: AttorneyHelp.org.

Attorney News

Former US Attorney for Nevada joins law firm (The San Francisco Examiner)
LAS VEGAS — Former U.S. Attorney for Nevada Gregory Brower is joining a law firm with offices in Las Vegas. Snell & Wilmer LLP said Monday Brower will be a partner at the firm, which has more than 400 attorneys practicing in eight offices, including Los Cabos in Mexico. (More)

Meet Orly Taitz: Lawyer, Dentist and Birther Waging ‘Alice in Wonderland’ Crusade
Lawyer Orly Taitz’s lawsuit challenging President Obama’s right to hold office has so provoked a federal judge that he compared her crusade to Alice in Wonderland. Yet Taitz has emerged by some accounts as the most visible face of the movement seeking to prove that Barack Obama was born in Kenya and is ineligible to be president, the Washington Post reports. She has “developed a scenario” in which Obama’s mother persuaded bureaucrats to alter his birth records and allow him into the United States. Or perhaps he is a citizen of Indonesia, she says, where Obama lived for a time… (More)

More Black than White Associates Report Too Little Work, Anxiety and Job Search
A survey of midlevel associates finds more African Americans than whites are reporting light workloads and anxiety about the future. More than 20 percent of African American associates said their workloads are too light, compared to a little more than 15 percent of Asian Americans and Hispanics, and 13 percent of whites, the Minority Law Journal reports. African Americans and Asian Americans projected billables this year at just under 1,825 hours, compared to 1,840 for Hispanics and about 1,890 for whites. Veta Richardson, executive director of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, said the low billables are likely tied to problems… (More)

ABA Gets ‘Shout Out’ in Oral Arguments About Attorney-Client Privilege
An ABA amicus brief got the attention of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. in oral arguments yesterday on the right to appeal an adverse ruling on attorney-client privilege. The National Law Journal noted the ABA mention, saying Roberts “offered a rare shout-out to the American Bar Association.” The ABA brief (PDF) says parties should be able to immediately appeal when a judge rules they have waived attorney client privilege. Roberts mentioned the brief when addressing Yale law professor Judith Resnik, who represents a fired worker seeking access to interviews by his company’s general counsel. “We–I, at least–look at a… (More)

Sotomayor Speaks ‘Early and Often’ in Oral Arguments
As the Supreme Court opened its term on Monday, Justice Sonia Sotomayor lived up to her reputation as a frequent questioner in oral arguments, outpacing her fellow New Yorker, Justice Antonin Scalia, in the first hour of questioning. The Los Angeles Times and the National Law Journal had the count. Sotomayor asked 36 questions in the first hour, while Scalia asked 30. According to the Associated Press, Sotomayor “jumped into the questioning early and often,” although she occasionally forgot to turn on her microphone before speaking. Sotomayor’s questions sounded as if they were formulated by a prosecutor or trial lawyer,… (More)

Attorney Articles

How to Do a Background Check - Simple Steps to Do Background Checks on People
If you own your own business or if you are the head of the human resources department at your place of employment, then knowing how to do a background check is crucial to be sure that you are hiring a person without any criminal history and that this person will be the right candidate for the job and not be a threat to your employees, yourself or others. Background checks are also very important if you are hiring a new nanny for example and you want to make sure that your children will be watched by someone that is reliable and that is not a threat to them while you are away. (More)

Skills That Private Investigators Need to Solve Their Cases
Finding someone can be tricky especially if they do not wish to be found. There are several areas in which an investigator must develop his skills and knowledge in order to effectively fulfill his obligations to his clients. (More)

Aristotelian Justice - A Study By Artur Victoria
Aristotle calls himself the “friend of truth.” He founded the philosophical logic and method, constructed from which several thoughts. The logic is rational and deductive demonstration of two … (More)

What Is A Whiplash Injury And Can You Make A Whiplash Injury Claim?
Many people have heard stories of people suffering a whiplash injury, but it is not until you suffer one yourself that you really understand how debilitating and painful it can be. If you think you ha… (More)

When Should I Consider Filing for Bankruptcy?
“A person is insolvent whenever the aggregate of his property is not sufficient to pay his debts” - First State Bank v. Sibley County Bank, 105 N.W. 485 What is Bankruptcy? T… (More)

This newsletter is provided by AttorneyHelp.org.

Dear AttorneyHelp.org Readers,

Welcome to the Attorney Newsletter (9/30/2009). In this edition we have included news, articles and videos. You can find more resources on our website: AttorneyHelp.org.

Attorney News

Macon police’s union hopes may be limited by state law (Macon Telegraph)
While a number of Macon police officers are pushing for the department to unionize, the city attorney says state law prohibits cities from entering into binding contracts with unions when it comes to terms of employment. (More)

Law office adds associate attorney (Press & Sun-Bulletin)
BINGHAMTON Sian E. Allen Esq. has joined the Law Offices of Remy R. Perot as an associate attorney. (More)

Feldman Law Center Supports Attorney General’s Efforts on Behalf of Homeowners (PRWeb via Yahoo! News)
The Feldman Law Center, one of California’s premier loan modification law firms, has announced its support of California State Attorney General Jerry Brown’s intentions to defend homeowners from underhanded loan modification companies. (More)

Supreme Court to Ponder Juvenile Lifers, Government Cross and Dogfight Videos
The U.S. Supreme Court begins its new term Monday with a docket that includes two kinds of videos (one opposing Hillary Clinton and another featuring dogfights), a cross in the Mojave National Preserve, and life sentences for juveniles. More than half of the 45 cases already accepted for argument this term focus on business, the National Law Journal reports. Six cases involve the day-to-day practice of law, the National Law Journal reports in a separate story. One of the biggest questions is whether the court’s conservative bloc will become more unified this term, according to the Wall Street Journal. Those… (More)

Sears Roebuck Agrees to Record $6.2M ADA Settlement With EEOC
A federal judge today approved a consent decree in which Sears Roebuck & Co. agrees to a record-breaking $6.2 million settlement of an Americans with Disabilities Act case brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In an e-mail today, the EEOC says the settlement of claims that the giant retailer terminated more than 100 employees rather than attempt to make a reasonable accommodation for their disabilities as required by the ADA is the largest disability-related settlement for the commission, reports Bloomberg. “This record settlement sends the strongest possible message that the EEOC will use its enforcement authority boldly to protect… (More)

Attorney Articles

4 Things to Consider When Looking For an Family Lawyer
Hiring a family lawyer can be a very stressful, especially if you have no experience or family members who can guide you. This article will provide with 4 major points to consider upfront while choosing your lawyer. (More)

7 Sins of Legal Websites
Over 90% of those looking for legal help on the Internet will become someone’s client. Smart firms have optimized their websites to steal online visitors from their competitors. Unfortunately, just having a website presence has lulled many firms into a false sense of complacency. They fail to understand underlying reasons why their site isn’t attracting new clients. Let’s review the following sins that plague most legal websites to discover what your site is doing wrong. (More)

Background Checks in Business
In today’s America with both foreign and domestic criminal’s background checks are needed more then ever before. This well proposes additions and changes that I think would make us all safer. (More)

Advantages of using a Fictitious Business Name
A fictitious business name is a legal term that refers to the name under which a business operates and presents itself to the public. It is also known as “Do Business As,” trade styles, or a… (More)

Rights of Employees against Religious Discrimination
The Equal Employment opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported a high of 3,273 complaints of religious discrimination in 2008. That is the highest it’s been for more than a decade. In Los Angel… (More)

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Dear AttorneyHelp.org Readers,

Welcome to the Attorney Newsletter (9/24/2009). In this edition we have included news, articles and videos. You can find more resources on our website: AttorneyHelp.org.

Attorney News

Attorney: State law violated (The Gillette News-Record)
Eight counts of violating open meetings laws have been filed against four Campbell County Cemetery District trustees, and one former trustee. County Attorney Jeani Stone charged Dorothy Slattery, Christina Maycock, Eda Reno with two violations of Wyoming open meeting laws apiece. (More)

S.D. Attorney General Appeals Judge’s Ruling On Abortion Law (Medical News Today)
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley (R) is appealing a U.S. District Court ruling that struck down some provisions of a state informed consent law requiring physicians to make specific disclosures to women before abortion procedures, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader reports (Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 9/17). (More)

City attorney to chair state Public Law Section (The Desert Sun)
Indian Wells City Attorney Stephen P. Deitsch of Best Best & Krieger was elected to chair the Public Law Section of the State Bar of California, officials announced Monday. (More)

Former Public Defender Is Convicted in Sex-with-Client Case
If a private practitioner has sex with a client, it might be pursued as an a legal ethics violation. But because of his governmental role, a former assistant public defender in New York has been criminally convicted of a misdemeanor for admittedly doing so. An Albany County jury yesterday found Matthew Swedick, 39, guilty of one misdemeanor count of official misconduct but acquitted him on two others, reports the Times-Union. His conviction was supported by audiotape evidence, although not all of it could be heard, and testimony by Latoya Gorton, 32, who said Swedick told her he would work harder… (More)

Study Offers Tips About How Lawyers Can Succeed as Part-Time Partners
Conventional wisdom says that lawyers who cut back on their hours at work, often to make time for their families, also reduce their opportunities to succeed as partners, says Cynthia Calvert. But that isn’t necessarily true, according to a report (PDF) this month by the Project for Attorney Retention, where Calvert is co-director. She is also one of the ABA Journal’s 50 Legal Rebels. PAR is an initiative of the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law. PAR’s study is based on in-depth interviews with more than 100 lawyers, 53 of whom are… (More)

Attorney Articles

Health Care Agents and Living Wills - A Moral and Religious Perspective
As a Greenville, S.C. estates attorney and Greenville, S.C. trusts and estate… (More)

Prison Records - All the Information You Need About Convicted Felons and Inmates
Prison records can hold lots of information on convicted felons or prison inmates. You can search these to find out information about either of these and get some answers to your questions. Some people may want to see if a certain person is in prison or you may just want to check their story but whatever the reason, the quickest way to find these records is online. It’s quick and easy to use. (More)

Background Checks - Several Times Every Day This Service Can Be Used to Help Anyone Avoid Trouble
Why is it that background examinations for criminals is such a vital issue? Many of us believe that if we have been familiar with someone for a while, there is no need to check into their past. We don’t consider the chance that the person we think they know could in fact be an individual that went into hiding a long time ago. (More)

Take Action In Your Personal Injury Case While There’s Time
A personal injury could be a matter of grave concern and it is very important that you take the proper steps in time to get your lawful compensation. A personal injury refers to any kind of damage a p… (More)

This newsletter is provided by AttorneyHelp.org.

Dear AttorneyHelp.org Readers,

Welcome to the Attorney Newsletter (9/17/2009). In this edition we have included news, articles and videos. You can find more resources on our website: AttorneyHelp.org.

Attorney News

N.J. Supreme Court May Go Light on Judge Whose Law Firm Made Political Contributions (Law.com)
At a hearing this week, the New Jersey Supreme Court appeared sympathetic to a municipal court judge who faces ethics sanctions because his law partner made political contributions without his knowledge or consent. The judge’s attorney said the court will have to decide whether lawyers can be held vicariously liable for their partners’ actions, which could impact firms large and small. “This is … (More)

Sherman Oaks Family Law Attorney-Mediator Makes Available Free Resource for How to Avoid Being Bullied in Divorce (PRWeb)
Carmen Campeas, veteran attorney who specializes in mediation and collaborative law, offers practical tips for dealing with spouse who insists on having it all their way (PRWeb Sep 16, 2009) Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/09/prweb2880644.htm (More)

Mace General Counsel Gets 6 Months Home Confinement Over Illegal Workers
The general counsel of Mace Security International Inc. was sentenced yesterday by a federal judge to six months of home confinement and a year of probation for his role in hiring undocumented Mexican immigrants to work at company car washes in the Philadelphia area. Robert Kramer pleaded guilty in June to a misdemeanor count concerning the employment of more than 50 illegal workers, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer. He could have been sentenced to as much as six months in prison. U.S. District Judge C. Darnell Jones II also is requiring Kramer to pay a $75,000 fine from his own personal… (More)

Longtime Partner Leaves 250-Lawyer Firm to Join Small Competitor
A former managing partner of the Atlanta office of Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi is leaving the 250-attorney firm after 23 years there to join a small competitor. Brent Kaplan will now practice at Isenberg & Hewitt, a husband-wife litigation boutique, explains a press release. In the current economy, clients are “extremely sensitive to fee structures,” says Kaplan in an e-mailed statement provided by a representative. “My new firm will provide the opportunity to be more flexible in what I can do.” Earlier related coverage: ABAJournal.com: “Flight of the Rainmakers: Big-Firm Lawyers Opt for Boutique Practices” ABAJournal.com: “Smaller Law Firms… (More)

Slower Economy Leads to Lower Offer Rates at BigLaw Firms in Texas
What a difference a year makes. It wasn’t unusual for a BigLaw firm in Texas to make offers to almost all the law students in its summer program as recently as 2008. But this year the offer rate to summer associates dropped significantly at a number of well-known firms, in response to the difficult economic conditions of the last year. At Vinson & Elkins, for instance, the firm offered jobs to 75 percent of its 109 summer associates, down from 95 percent last year, reports Texas Lawyer in an article reprinted in New York Lawyer (reg. req.). Like its competitors,… (More)

Despite Inmate’s Efforts to Help, Executioners Couldn’t Find Suitable Vein
An Ohio inmate has gotten a week’s reprieve after an execution team was unable to find a usable vein for a lethal injection, despite his efforts to help. Romell Broom had been sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl. The execution team spent more than two hours trying to find a vein that would not collapse, the Associated Press reports. Gov. Ted Strickland ordered the reprieve after prisons director Terry Collins called him to relay the execution team’s troubles. Broom tried to help by moving his arm up and down, flexing his fingers, and moving… (More)

Attorney Articles

Background Records - Everything You Need to About a Potential Employee Or Partner
There are occasions in your life when you need to feel safe about the people around you. Maybe you are an employer, maybe you are letting a new love into your life, maybe you are just unsure about a new neighbor. Whatever the reason, a quick check through the background records could really put your mind to rest. (More)

How an Effective Evaluative Mediator Helps Businesses and Individuals Settle Lawsuits
Mediation is a widely used process in which a neutral third party, called a mediator, meets with parties in a dispute or litigation. The mediator tries to help the parties settle. Some mediators are “facilitative” mediators, meaning that they simply assist parties in setting forth their positions to each other. Evaluative mediators test the parties’ contentions and urge them to explore the validity of their positions and those of the other party. In the author’s experience, most experienced litigators vastly prefer evaluative mediators. This article will explore how an evaluative mediator helps the parties reach a settlement. (More)

Straight Talk Law: Texting And Auto Accidents
Copyright (c) 2009 Jason Epstein We�ve all been conditioned after years and years of public service announcements and tragic accidents we see on the news not to drink and drive. If we see someone ob… (More)

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