Lawyers, Providers Split over Divorce Sites
August 01, 2003
You might think a couple wanting a quick divorce would first stop at a lawyer's office ' or maybe two lawyers' offices, one for each. Not necessarily. Their first stop may be the computer. Welcome to the new world of dot-com divorce.
Direct Evidence Not Needed in Mixed-Motive Cases
August 01, 2003
The Supreme Court ended its last term holding that direct evidence of discrimination is not necessary in a Title VII mixed-motive case. <i>Desert Palace, Inc. v. Costa</i>, 123 S. Ct. 2148 (2003) brings an end to an appellate court split regarding evidentiary burdens that began with the Court's plurality decision in <i>Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins</i>, 490 U.S. 228 (1989).
Managing E-commerce Partnerships
August 01, 2003
Q: What do you risk getting when you mix commerce with the Internet?<br>A: A host of possible legal issues.<BR>Proper planning, however, will reduce the legal risk associated with e-commerce pacts and make for a less bumpy ride should the partners decide down the road that they want to go their separate ways.
Key Considerations in Choosing a Survey
August 01, 2003
Part One of this article offered a general overview and comparison of the major surveys currently available for US law firms (Altman Weil's "The Survey of Law Firm Economics"; Hoffman Alvary's "The Flash Report on Law Firm Economics"; and Pricewaterhouse Coopers' "The Law Firm Statistical Survey"). Part Two offers advice on how to select a survey.
A New York Perspective on Workplace 'Spam'
August 01, 2003
When employees lose their jobs, bitterness may breed revenge - revenge that goes well beyond the pilfering of pens on the way out. Disgruntled former employees have been known to defame the company to its clients, offer inside information to competitors, and initiate frivolous litigation, all at great cost to their former employers. But there is another problem that may be on the rise: spam, the Internet's version of junk mail.
Around the Firms
August 01, 2003
Movement among major law firms and corporations.
Law Firm Management Beware: Seven Ancillary Business Pitfalls
August 01, 2003
Some law firms create unique, successful ancillary business models that not only boost the bonus pool, but also attract related legal business. Other firms make assumptions about market need, create management teams around partner free time, and generate little or no revenue. How will your firm find a successful model that fits the your own firm culture?
Making Internal Communications Work
August 01, 2003
When a client asks two different people in your firm the same question ' and is given two different and conflicting answers, then you might get the idea that maybe the concept of internal communications is more than just a management clichZ. When an instruction from the managing partner is completely diluted as it goes down the line, then how can we dismiss internal communication as inconsequential? Why is it so often taken for granted? Why does internal communication rarely work to anybody's satisfaction?
Confidentiality Controversy
August 01, 2003
By a slim 17-vote margin, the American Bar Association's House of Delegates during the association's annual meeting changed model rules governing the attorney-client privilege in the hopes of combating corporate fraud.