Commentary

Nov 15, 2011

BLAWG LOG: Fallone on the original intent of the recall power; Slavin on typography for lawyers

Some opponents of the effort to recall Governor Scott Walker have claimed that the recall provisions of the Wisconsin State Constitution are intended solely to permit the recall of elected officials when they have engaged in criminal or grossly unethical conduct.

Nov 14, 2011

Going solo means learning to cut corners on costs

The way Randall Ryder sees it, many lawyers who go solo get it backward. They figure out how much it will cost to set up all their systems, hire an assistant and to subscribe to Westlaw, then try to make ends meet.

Nov 14, 2011

BEV BUTULA: Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln houses the Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The website provides the “text of the celebrated Nebraska edition of the Lewis and Clark journals, edited by Gary E. Moulton.

Nov 11, 2011

10 keys to great client service

Research based on 240 in-depth interviews with corporate counsel conducted by the BTI Consulting Group concluded that 53 percent of clients are willing to replace their primary law firm with a competitor who delivers better value, superior client service, and greater flexibility or a more innovative approach.

Nov 10, 2011

BLAWG LOG: Borsuk on Ellen Gilligan: Optimism amid big problems; Geske on reflections from a semester abroad

A wave of new leaders is one of the reasons to believe a new initiative to improve Milwaukee’s overall level of educational success can bring progress, one of the most influential of those new leaders said Tuesday at Eckstein Hall.

Nov 9, 2011

Only punitives will deter insurers’ unfair practices

The Supreme Judicial Court heard oral arguments Oct. 6 in the case of Rhodes, et al. v. AIG Domestic Claims Inc., et al., SJC-1091. The primary issue for the court was: “Upon finding a willful violation of Chapter 93, did the trial court commit legal error in failing to double the underlying judgment when calculating punitive damages?”

Nov 8, 2011

BLAWG LOG: O’Hear on life without parole for juveniles

Yesterday, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in two new cases that will test the limits of the Court’s important 2010 ruling in Graham v. Florida, which banned the sentence of life without possibility of parole for most juvenile offenders.

Nov 7, 2011

BEV BUTULA: GPO offers access to federal court opinions

The Government Printing Office’s Federal Digital System offers free access to various federal publications including the Code of Federal Regulations, Federal Register and the Congressional Record.

Nov 4, 2011

Tips for better client retention

Given the number of social media sites reviewing everything from barbeque to Botox, some law firm consultants say that lawyers should be asking their clients to post positive reviews on websites like Yelp!, Avvo and Google Hotpot.

Nov 3, 2011