Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Ancillary Businesses: Assessing Their Overhead Costs

By Jim Jones and Mike Short
August 13, 2003

[Editor's note: In February's edition of the A&FP newsletter, an article and accompanying worksheet provided an overview of various law firm resources that might need to be committed to a proposed ancillary business. That article focused on how an ancillary business might unexpectedly challenge the physical, financial or service resources of the law firm. This month's article examines somewhat the reverse issue: financial strains on the ancillary business that could unexpectedly result from its association with the law firm.]

Seeking to differentiate their firms in a competitive legal marketplace by providing a broader range of services, an increasing number of law firm planners find themselves performing a cost-benefit analysis of proposed ancillary businesses ' non-legal ventures that offer services complementary to those provided by the law firm. Services provided by ancillary businesses include, among others: advertising, consulting, claims administration, document management, government relations, human resources, real estate appraisals, real estate development, title insurance services and tax counseling.

Analyzing Costs Comprehensively

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws Image

This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.

The Article 8 Opt In Image

The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.

Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin Image

With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.

Removing Restrictive Covenants In New York Image

In Rockwell v. Despart, the New York Supreme Court, Third Department, recently revisited a recurring question: When may a landowner seek judicial removal of a covenant restricting use of her land?

"Holy Fair Use, Batman": Copyright, Fair Use and the Dark Knight Image

The copyright for the original versions of Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse have expired. Now, members of the public can create — and are busy creating — their own works based on these beloved characters. Suppose, though, we want to tell stories using Batman for which the copyright does not expire until 2035. We'll review five hypothetical works inspired by the original Batman comic and analyze them under fair use.