Are You Filing Sales/Use Tax Returns?
There is good news for law firms and providers of legal services. Since they are exempt from sales tax in all states, they are not subject to collecting and remitting sales tax. However, because of the use tax (which is the other component reflected on the tax return), law firms and legal service providers should still file sales tax returns in their resident states. More and more law firms and other exempt service providers are being audited by the states for sales and use tax. These audits are resulting in firms being assessed thousands of dollars in use taxes, interest, and, in some instances, penalties.
Executive Committees' New Role: Focus on Integration
Information Resources (formerly called the Library in most firms) and Marketing/Business Development now must form a union to help the firm's senior management with strategic positioning, competitive analysis and revenue generation through firm strategic intelligence. The time for dotting the "I" in Information and crossing the "t" in Marketing has come. It is no longer enough to obtain information about a client.
Optimizing Retirement Plans for Law Firms
Part One of this article compared some hybrid retirement plans (combinations of defined contribution and defined benefit plans) that are potentially desirable for law firms. In Part Two, we provide spreadsheet analyses to illustrate the benefits of these plans and to reconcile them with nondiscrimination criteria of the Internal Revenue Code and of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA).
News Briefs
Highlights of the lastest franchising news from around the country.
Tax Shelters: Avoidance or Evasion?
Recent hearings of a subcommittee of the Senate Committee Governmental Affairs have again focused a harsh spotlight on the abusive use of tax shelters. As if to stress the point, On Dec. 29, 2003, the Treasury Department proposed changes to Circular 230 that "set high standards for the tax advisors and firms that provide opinions supporting tax-motivated transactions."
Enron Versus Wall Street
In late September 2003, Enron Corp. and Enron North America Corp. sued more than 40 banks and financial institution defendants for knowingly participating with insiders of Enron in a "multi-year scheme to manipulate and misstate Enron's financial condition." Complaint at '1.
Study: Forget the 'Blockbusters'
A study whose results were reported December 8 asserts that the pharmaceutical industry's "blockbuster" approach to developing new drugs is no longer viable in today's marketplace.
A Personal and Professional Marketing Plan for New Partners
The congratulatory letters and well wishers have come and gone and the honeymoon is over. Now it's time to assume the role of partnership. For some this will be a simple transition; for others it becomes on ongoing challenge. Associate life is basically akin to rankings in the military ' private, corporal, sergeant, lieutenant. Partnership is akin to making the move up through the ranks to captain, major, colonel or general. Along the way things change. Expectations are different and even if as an associate an individual has been doing his or her fair share of marketing, now you are an owner and more than ever, you need create your own personal and professional marketing plan.
A Look Back and A Look Forward
Four months ago when I was asked to become Editor-in-Chief of <i>Marketing The Law Firm</i>, I never imagined that I would have the opportunity to engage a wonderful group of authors; select an outstanding Board of Editors; and moderate the first of what I hope will be many exciting and interesting Web audio seminars. As I look back on the last four months, I think the one thing that stands out in my mind is the fact that we had so many wonderful contributors to the newsletter. So I thought that we might take a look at the last 4 months and some of the highlights. Although I would love to be able to select all of the articles we've published, given the constraints of space, I am only able to pick two from each issue to feature. In case you missed reading these issues, we'll give you a nutshell version of these articles. I would also be remiss if I didn't say how much I appreciated the efforts of Russ Lawson and Mike O'Horo, whose monthly columns provided all of us with a look at the intricacies of marketing both in a law firm setting and to smaller firms and solos. And as we look forward, we'll take a look at what's coming up and a preview of our editorial calendar.
