Taxes remain one of the certainties in life but a new interpretation by the Internal Revenue Service could have clients – and lawyers – paying even more if they aren’t careful.
Read More »Author Archives: Correy Stephenson, BridgeTower Media Newswires
EEOC publishes guidance on religious garb, grooming
As the expression goes, “the clothes make the man.”
Read More »Speak up: Tips for combatting fear in public presentations
Lawyers are supposed to be great orators, but oftentimes, fear gets in the way, said oral advocacy professor Molly Bishop Shadel.
Employer wellness programs could run afoul of federal, state laws
With health insurance costs on the mind of all employers, a way to cut expenses and get healthier employees sounds like a good option.
Covered entities can’t put it off any longer: HIPAA compliance now required
September was a busy month for attorneys guiding doctors, hospitals, medical providers and those that do business with them.
How to be the bearer of bad news
A lost summary judgment motion. A lowball offer to settle. The denial of an appeal. Lawyers frequently are the bearers of bad news.
Read More »For same-sex couples, IRS answers one question
When the U.S. Supreme Court in June struck down part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, it left many unanswered questions.
Read More »Changes to diagnostic manual will affect litigation
Changes in the latest edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual are likely to have an effect in the courtroom.
Read More »Bad news bearers: How to tell clients what they don’t want to hear
A lost summary judgment motion. A lowball offer to settle. The denial of an appeal.
Read More »What to do when your business gets hacked
Lawyers have an ethical obligation to understand risks.
Read More »Control is key for test of employee v. independent contractor
For years, employers have struggled with correctly classifying workers as employees or independent contractors.
Read More »Rule changes would deal with discovery
Lawyers are concerned that discovery is getting out of hand.
Read More »Hot topics in e-discovery
Ever-evolving and constantly growing, electronic discovery presents a variety of challenges for litigators.
ABA’s 20/20 Commission proposes final changes
With the release of a final set of proposed changes to the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, the American Bar Association’s 20/20 Commission completed its work last month.
Read More »Justices of US Supreme Court provide clarity — but no relief — for immigration defendants
A decision from the U.S. Supreme Court that a seminal Sixth Amendment rights case is not retroactive has provided clarity for attorneys while dashing the hopes of thousands of defendants.
DOJ settlement over food allergy sets the table future actions
Does a food allergy constitute a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act?
Read More »Destroying client files will cost firm more than $1M
The price of protecting client confidences will cost defunct law firm Dewey & LeBoeuf almost $1.4 million.
Read More »Lawyers predict boom in computer-assisted document review
Less than one year after a federal court judge issued a seminal electronic discovery decision blessing the use of computer-assisted review, the technology is already appearing in courts across the country.
Read More »App roundup: Latest tools help with jury selection, CLE and more
Wondering what apps to try and what ones to skip? Check out this roundup of the latest legal apps worth considering.
Tips for buying tech for your firm
The prospect of investing in technology strikes fear in the hearts of many sole practitioners and small firms.
Read More »Ownership of digital assets concern for estate planners
So much of an individual’s life now appears online, including bills, Facebook accounts and photo-sharing websites. But what happens to those assets when a person dies?
Read More »Public defenders prevail in right-to-counsel cases
In March of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court extended the right to effective counsel to the plea stage of criminal proceedings in a pair of cases, Lafler v. Cooper and Missouri v. Frye.
Read More »Can you make ‘the cloud’ work for your solo practice or small firm?
There are a number of ways cloud computing can benefit a solo or a small firm legal practice.
What you need to know about e-discovery in 2013
Reflecting the always-changing world of technology, electronic discovery presents new challenges for lawyers in 2013. At the forefront: social media evidence, smartphone data and the judicial blessing of a new form of discovery review.
Read More »Tips for taking your practice paperless
A paperless law office can provide a more efficient, flexible and cost-effective practice.
Read More »Bone decay results in $10.5 million verdict by federal jury
A federal jury in New York weathered Hurricane Sandy to award a plaintiff almost $10.5 million after she developed necrosis of the jaw from taking Zometa.
Read More »Courts weigh in on social media discovery requests
Lawyers still making their way along the learning curve of social media evidence may struggle to find guidance from court opinions.
7th Circuit says life sentence for crack dealer doesn’t violate Eighth Amendment
The Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment does not preclude a mandatory life sentence for dealers who possess a smaller quantity of crack cocaine than the quantity of powder cocaine necessary to trigger a similar sentence, the 7th Circuit has ruled.
Read More »Federal Circuit rules ‘induced infringement’ broadened by court decision
A defendant can be found liable for induced infringement of a method patent if it has performed some of the steps of a claimed method and induced other parties to commit the remaining steps, or if it has induced other parties to collectively perform all the steps of the claimed method, the Federal Circuit ruled.
Read More »Mother can’t sue state for son’s suicide, rules 7th Circuit
The duty to take more active anti-suicide measures arises only when the risk is imminent, the 7th Circuit has ruled, affirming summary judgment for state officials who treated a teenager who hung himself while in a youth detention facility.
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