Legal Tech: Recovery Models for e-Discovery and Litigation Support Services that Make an Impact
April 01, 2020
With big data and the resulting explosion of electronic documents, texts, images and voicemails that are subject to discovery, the cost burden was increasing at a pace that required firms to reconsider their recovery approach. This is why in 2019, Mattern conducted its first deep dive into e-discovery and litigation support cost recovery in the 2020 e-Discovery and Litigation Support Cost Recovery Survey. Some of the results were surprising.
Law Firm Mergers and Predictions for the Year 2020
April 01, 2020
2019 went down as another record year for law firm mergers. But what do the numbers teach us? Did the tendency to merge apply to law firms across the board? Is the merger mania likely to continue in 2020? What was the impetus for record number of mergers? This article breaks down the available data to answer these questions and attempts to give us a glimpse into the future.
Construction Management Agreements: Pricing
April 01, 2020
This article covers the pricing of construction management agreements (CMAs), including the fee of the construction manager, general conditions costs, subcontract costs, contingency and insurance. Note: Where appropriate, we will make distinctions between "cost-plus" and guaranteed maximum price (GMP) CMAs.
Case Notes
April 01, 2020
Tenant Entitled to Relief from Failure to Timely Exercise Renewal Option
Neighbor Has Standing to Seek Damages for Violation of Zoning Ordinance
Client Maximization: Doing Well by Doing the Right Things
April 01, 2020
Making the most of your firm's client base need not be a costly undertaking. There are several steps a firm of any size can undertake to improve client experiences, ultimately, while also increasing the firm's chances of thriving.
The Importance of 'Particulars' in Criminal Fraud Cases
April 01, 2020
This article discusses the standard for ordering a bill of particulars in the Second Circuit, drawing a comparison with the standard for civil fraud claims, and then describes a recent decision ordering a bill of particulars in the high-profile prosecution growing out of the Theranos blood-testing scandal. The decision in that case highlights the importance of seeking bills of particulars in fraud cases.
A New Regime in Preference Litigation
April 01, 2020
One of the provisions of the Small Business Reorganization Act amends the language of Bankruptcy Code Section 547 —
which gives trustees and debtors in possession the right to seek to recover a payment to a third party in the 90-day period prior to the commencement of a bankruptcy case as a "preference" — to add a due diligence requirement. Though the intent behind the added language seems clear, it may not have its intended effect.