Judge Won't Dismiss Case Against County Law Director

Anderson County, Tennessee, is comprised mostly of four small cities and a dozen coal-mining communities. One, Heiskell, is little more than a post office. But the county government boasts that it has evolved into "a world-leading technological powerhouse." That's...

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Thank FRCP Rule 10 for Incorporation by Reference

One often overlooked, but widely used and awesome, provision of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure is the little subsection that allows incorporation or adoption by reference. Thanks to FRCP Rule 10, subsection (c), we lawyers don't have to...

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How to Take Your Niche Law Practice to the Next Level

For the wordsmith in all of us, here's the difference between a "niche" and a "specialty" law practice: Specialty: concentrate on and become an expert in a particular subject or skill. Niche: a comfortable or suitable position in life...

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Rounding Hours: Which Way Do Your Fees Curve?

Attorney billing is often a controversial subject. And one of the biggest concerns when it comes to hourly billing is the rounding of those hours. For the most part, lawyers are rarely known for rounding their hours down. After...

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If Your Firm Solicits Google Reviews, You Might Get a Surprise

Do a Google review, get tickets to the zoo. It was a law firm contest that almost worked. The Kentucky lawyers thought it would be a good way to generate positive Google reviews, and it did. A lot of...

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How to Train your Paralegals to Improve Client Communication

At a time when digital assistants can talk, it's still a good idea to have a real-live person talk to clients. Unfortunately, too many lawyers do not communicate enough with their clients. The "too much work, not enough time"...

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3 Reasons Why You Should Number Pleading Paragraphs

One of the most important rules when it comes to drafting a pleading, or any document that will (or could) get filed with the court, is not codified anywhere except in the minds of good legal writers: Keep it...

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Divorce in the Age of Hiding Assets in Cryptocurrency

It is by no means unbelievable, especially for lawyers, that divorcing spouses will attempt to hide money and assets from each other. However, for an experienced divorce lawyer, finding hidden assets can often tilt the scales of justice in...

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Why You Shouldn't Hire Your Kids to Work at Your Law Firm

If President Trump goes down as the worst president in U.S. history, he could blame it on his kids. While first-son Donald Trump Jr. and son-in-law Jared Kushner are galavanting around the globe, many political commenters view the president...

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Court Denies El Chapo's Request to Ask Family for Money

If the attorneys representing El Chapo, a.k.a. Joaquin Guzman, the infamous leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel, were overly concerned about getting paid, they may have wanted to think twice before accepting the representation. Getting paid has been an...

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How to Stand Out at Your Law Firm

Maybe it goes without saying that sticking out and standing out are entirely different things. But this is a blog so we're going to say it anyway. Plus, the difference may be more subtle than you think when it...

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How to Cover for a Co-Counsel's Mistake

In the business world, covering for a coworker's mistake is something that doesn't get done unless there's a motivating factor, like friendship, or if the team's collective performance benefits each individual's compensation. So, you can expect that it may...

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3 Things You Can Learn From Bad Clients

'I just need some quick advice' -- famous first words from that time-wasting, non-paying client. Not to be harsh, but if someone starts with that line, your "no-pay-radar" should beep or something. Sure, you should give "quick advice" when...

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Should Law Firms Reply to Every Online Client Review?

When it comes to online reputation management, law firms often fear the damage that can be done as a result of negative online reviews. The fact that there are several platforms that allow the public to write reviews for...

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Can Your Law Firm Break Into Environmental Law?

If you've been considering getting into environmental law, you may be wondering whether or not it's a worthwhile pursuit for your practice. And whether your firm has the passion or maybe already has the clients, may be the determining...

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Don't Freak Out About the Case You Can't Handle

Harold LaFlamme's very first case turned into a murder trial. He didn't freak out, and his client was not executed. But LaFlamme, who passed away last year, was like that: a fearless courtroom champion. Of course, his first career...

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Oxford Comma Case Settles for $5M

In recent years, no case has made such a splash over a statute's lack of punctuation as the Oakhurst Dairy overtime case. On appeal, the First Circuit overturned a lower district court ruling finding that dairy delivery drivers in...

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Tips for Lawyers: How to Eliminate Office Distractions

Did you ever notice how a teenagers can focus on video games so intently, an earthquake couldn't shake their attention? Or how about those basketball players who make free throws while 20,000 fans scream and wag those monster fingers...

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Sour Justice: Lime Juice Self-Defense Appeal

For criminal defense attorneys and defendants, sometimes getting creative is the only way to get justice. Unfortunately, most of the time creativity can't carry the day when the facts and evidence are just stacked against your client. One Indiana...

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Strategic Ways to Prepare for an Interview

You've done everything to prepare for that job interview, right? Resume? Check. References? Check. Self-interview? Wh-what? Exactly. There are some things to do before a job interview that you may not have thought of. In a tough job market,...

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Will the New Tax Law Lead to More Divorces?

It's only a matter of time before divorce lawyers start thanking the recently passed tax bill for all their new clients. Experts believe that changes to the way alimony is taxed will lead to a spike in divorces. This...

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Judge Not Thrilled With 53 Law Firms on One Case

'What is this, some kind of convention for plaintiffs' lawyers?' That's what Judge Lucy Koh could have been thinking when two law firms brought 49 more firms into a data breach case. Then she told the attorneys what she...

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Worst Fonts to Use in Court

When it comes to the debate over what fonts should be used in legal filings, there are generally only definitive answers of what not to do. Don't use tiny fonts, don't use comic sans, or other clearly non-professional fonts,...

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Jurors Will Be Anonymous in El Chapo Trial

Who could blame a juror for wanting out of the El Chapo trial? After all, according to reports, the Mexican drug lord has hired hitmen to kill potential witnesses and informants in the past. But not jurors, Joaquin "El...

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Legalese Words Lawyers Need to Stop Using

When we lawyers draft a pleading, words like herewith, therewith, forwith, whichwith, and other seemingly required, yet almost nonsensical, phrases materialize effortlessly. Whether they get used to draw attention to our list of demands, or to transition to a...

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ABA Approves Privacy Law Certification

The American Bar Association narrowly approved a certification program for specialists in privacy law. It was so close on a voice vote that it took a second call for the ABA House of Delegates to pass the resolution and...

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How to Ask for Part-Time Work at Your Law Firm

It's not too late, but you probably should have asked about part-time work at your law firm a while ago. That's because most firms today have part-time policies, and it's one of those things you can know even before...

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What Your Coffeemaker Says About Your Law Practice

In this day and age, it is virtually inexcusable to not have a coffeemaker in your office, even if you have a virtual office. And due to the wide variety of ways to brew coffee, what kind of coffeemaker...

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Should Your Law Firm Accept New (or Old) Cryptocurrencies?

With the price of Bitcoin going absolutely bonkers, law firms, like many other businesses, are wondering whether they should accept, or even invest in, new, and even old, cryptocurrencies. However, few cryptocurrencies will ever make it off the ground,...

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How to Legally 'Stalk' a Debtor

Stalking is a crime, even when collecting a debt. So how can you "legally" stalk a debtor? It can be done, but requires due diligence. In other words, you can be the bad guy if you follow the laws...

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5 Podcasts to Enrich Your Legal Practice

If you practice for long enough, say, more than a few days, the novelty wears off and you may need some enrichment while working. After all, sometimes you need something to listen to while zoning out and hammering out...

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