Lawyers Win Contingency Fee Fight Against Estate of Blues Icon's Son
October 01, 2019
There have been disputes over rights to the two existing photographs of blues icon Robert Johnson as well as over who was his rightful heir. The latest court decision involves a contingency fee agreement originally entered into by a law firm hired by Johnson's son, who died in 2015. The case offers an example of what rights counsel may gain from such an arrangement following the death of the signatory client.
Increasing Client Requirements: Securing Law Firms for the 21st Century
October 01, 2019
Gone are the days of "basic security." What used to be optional is now standard: two factor authentication, complex passwords, clean desk policies, data encryption at rest and in transit, mobile device management and up-to-the-minute patching. Clients expect these items to already be in place and are further expanding their expectations.
The 'Silly Season'
October 01, 2019
That term refers to the months of October through December. It's a way of pointing out to partners that the necessary activities of practice management that so many of them had avoided for the first nine or 10 months of the year now had to be addressed. Clients that had not been billed now had to be invoiced. Outstanding invoices, many issued in the cold days of early March and April, now had to be collected and current work would not only have to be billed but collected as well.
"Mismarking": Developments in Valuation Fraud
October 01, 2019
As the DOJ expands its mismarking inquiries beyond stocks and bonds and into areas like private equity, recent cases illuminate the increasing need for robust internal controls designed to eliminate the incentives for an employee or manager to overvalue assets.
What Is Your Dashboard Report Telling You? Chances Are, Not Much.
October 01, 2019
Firms are struggling to capture compelling business intelligence about themselves. Until recently, most operated with a cadre of legacy operating systems, financial platforms and reporting technologies from different manufacturers that have no mechanism for connecting with each other. The disparate nature of these technologies has exacerbated the struggle to leverage data and display results in a reporting mechanism that helps direct the firm's decision-making.
Producing Breakthroughs in Client Development
October 01, 2019
It is easy to understand why many lawyers feel that only certain special individuals are blessed with the qualities necessary to be rainmakers. But almost anyone willing to develop the qualities necessary can become a rainmaker.
Law Firm Leadership Isn't a Role, It's a Mindset
October 01, 2019
When a law firm does not subscribe to a traditional corporate structure
At most companies, the leadership structure is typically clear and hierarchical. But what does leadership look like at a law firm when a traditional corporate structure doesn't apply?
