Re-engineering Underused Partners
June 30, 2009
In the current recession, partners whose practices depend on transactional areas of the law have experienced a significant decline in business. Some firms may have the resources and client work to carry them. Others may not. "Re-engineering" underutilized partners, although not the easiest solution, could be the least objectionable.
Virgin Advantage from a New, Near-Shore Corporate Frontier
June 29, 2009
With bona fides now suitably established, is it possible to actively leverage the USVI's fiber and bandwidth assets to deliver greater competitive and stakeholder advantage to the enterprise? Yes it is; an economic development program chartered in law by the USVI government, sanctioned under U.S. Treasury regulations and managed by the University of the Virgin Islands Research and Technology Park ("RTPark"), may be of particular interest to e-commerce and other knowledge-based businesses.
Verdicts
June 29, 2009
Recent rulings of importance to you and your practice.
Lawyers for Former Reznor Manager Must Hand over Client Documents
June 29, 2009
The Court of Appeals of Ohio, Eighth District, affirmed an order to compel the production of documents from trademark lawyers for John Malm, former manager of musician Trent Reznor, for use in litigation between Malm and his counsel from an earlier suit that Reznor had filed against Malm.
For Women in Law, 'Business Development Is Key'
June 26, 2009
A recent survey of women in law firms found that ' unsurprisingly ' women are concentrated at the lower levels of law firms. That wasn't news to Elizabeth Anne "Betiayn" Tursi, who three years ago helped to found the Women In Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF), a lecture series that focuses on helping women become firm leaders.
Ex-Heller Employees Sue Former Partners
June 24, 2009
Former employees of Heller Ehrman sued at least 179 former partners in April, demanding they fork over $32 million for the largest group of creditors in the defunct firm's bankruptcy.
Partial Plan Terminations
June 24, 2009
Management teams should be aware that reductions in workforce ("RIFs"), while seemingly cost-cutting in nature, can actually yield the opposite result, and can cause unintended and costly consequences with respect to a firm's tax-qualified employee benefit plan.
Advance Conflict Waivers
June 24, 2009
An advance conflict waiver is an agreement, given by your client, to a potential future representation by your law firm that would otherwise be precluded because of a conflict of interest. Law firms increasingly include such waivers in their standard form engagement letters. Here's what you need to know.
Best Practices in Client Relationship Skills
June 24, 2009
There are key activities that lawyers can engage in to promote the health of existing client interactions. All of these activities can be categorized into one of three stages: 1) establishing the relationship; 2) building the relationship; and 3) proliferating the relationship.
