Practice Tip: Lessons from the 'Bumbo Baby Sitter' Recall
February 28, 2008
In the wake of a consumer product company's decision to offer revised warning labels for roughly one million of its baby seats, plaintiffs' lawyers have filed at least two new product liability lawsuits against the company and one of the seat's retailers, including a putative nationwide 'economic loss' class action. This 'recall' highlights significant risk management issues for consumer product manufacturers, including a possible 'disconnect' between written warnings and advertising that allegedly depicts improper usage of their products.
Fantasy Baseball First Amendment Rights
February 28, 2008
Recently, the right of publicity of baseball players featured prominently in a federal appellate decision. <i>C.A.C. Distribution and Marketing, Inc. v. Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P.</i> The Eighth Circuit concluded that the First Amendment rights to run a fantasy baseball league by using the names, performance, and biographical data of professional baseball players superseded the players' rights of publicity.
Attorney Telecommuting
February 27, 2008
Telecommuting is all the rage in many sectors of our economy. With increasing regularity, lawyers and their firms alike are participating in this trend. Modern technology is a wonderful thing, and telecommuting permits firms (law and other types) to spread their tentacles into far-off uncharted waters. For attorneys and law firms, is telecommuting a bridge over troubled waters, or a long walk on a short pier? That is the question I address in this article.
Vytorin and the ENHANCE Study
February 27, 2008
The news that the drug Vytorin' may not be very effective for its advertised purpose has created a crisis for its manufacturers. Critics claim the results of a clinical trial of the medication's efficacy were released months, if not years, after the drug companies knew their product was not what they had originally claimed. Now, government oversight agencies are investigating the possibility that the drug's manufacturers are guilty of insider trading, medical test manipulation and/or false advertising. In addition, shareholders are upset and consumers are suing.
Where Have All the Technophobes Gone?
February 27, 2008
Legal Tech is the excellent and information-rich three-day conference that brings lawyers and technology together. Here is an interesting review by a Legal Tech insider.
Practice Building Skills: Networking to Grow Your Practice
February 26, 2008
If you don't focus on improving your networking skills and networking behavior, it will become a tedious and uncomfortable business development behavior that will lead to failure and frustration in the business development part of your practice. The authors give some helpful tips.
Legal Sales & Service: The Most Important Trend in Legal Business Development
February 26, 2008
Recently, the author spoke with the general counsel at a Fortune 500 firm about some of his best, and worst, experiences with law firms. His central message was that 'Social events and personal relationships just don't matter like they used to. These days, if a firm wants a steady flow of new business, [it] must deliver value.'
Client Speak: Trading Places
February 26, 2008
Marketing abounds with buzzwords and bromides ' and dangerous ones at that. When, for example, we sling catch-phrases like 'partnering,' or pontificate about how important it is to 'understand the client's business,' it becomes way too easy to talk a lot of sanctified talk without ever really walking the proverbial walk.
