Executive Benefits at Non-Profits after the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
July 01, 2018
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made significant changes to certain Internal Revenue Code provisions dealing with highly compensated employees. Among these are restrictions (in the form of excise taxes) on compensation of certain highly paid employees of “applicable tax-exempt organizations.”
Loan-Out Corporations after Tax Reform and CA Supreme Court Decision in 'Dynamex'
July 01, 2018
The tax reform bill signed by President Trump at the end of 2017 has caused us to take a fresh look at many long-held assumptions about how to take into account income taxes in planning for the entertainment industry. At the same time, the California Supreme Court recently decided a case that has the potential to eviscerate loan-out corporations entirely. This article discusses loan-out corporations in light of these two important developments.
Will Law Firms Be Ready When the Next Recession Hits?
July 01, 2018
<b><i>The Bottom Is Eventually Going to Drop on the U.S. Economy, and Many Law Firms Won't Be Positioned to Handle the Fallout</b></i><p>No economic expansion lasts forever. That's a hard-and-fast truth of macroeconomics, one that's on the minds of certain law firm leaders.
Prospering in the 'New Normal'
June 01, 2018
<b><i>Raising Costs and Declining Demand are Sapping Profits</b></i><p>The “New Normal” of today is one in which raising operating costs, associate salary increases, and reduced realization rates coupled with AFAs and demands from corporate counsel for reduced rates are sapping firm profits and there is no relief on the horizon. Law firm leaders, seeing current conditions, should be asking if there is a better way.
Estate Planning In the Age of Cryptocurrency
June 01, 2018
<b><i>Cryptocurrency's Technological Character Allows Estate Planning to Protect the Intent of Its Holders, But the Lack of Statutory Structure Necessitates Proactive Steps</b></i><p>Cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, has value and therefore is increasingly likely to become an estate asset. Due to the nature of cryptocurrency, typical wills and revocable living trusts may not be well suited to efficiently transfer this new type of asset. Consequently, new estate planning questions and clauses are needed.
Cash Flow Drought: How to Identify and Deal with It
June 01, 2018
Cash flow management can be particularly challenging. You need to account for the time lag between cash going out and cash coming in. This requires financial and management discipline, strong internal policies and procedures for billing and collection policies, planning and attention to detail.
Navigating the Fear and Promise of Artificial Intelligence
June 01, 2018
AI solves real challenges and answers real questions that lawyers face every day. It can accomplish or facilitate these tasks more quickly, accurately and efficiently than even the most capable human experts — with the goal of augmenting their skills rather than replacing them.