Creating a Competitive Situation
October 02, 2015
When it comes to the business processes that legal organizations should be improving immediately for long-term success, back-office support and the recovery of those costs tops the list. With the pressure on rates and cost recovery not abating, it is critical that firms develop a strategic plan to decrease and control their support costs and recover them in a fair and transparent manner.
Billing Scrutiny Creates Tension Between Firm and Client
October 02, 2015
Legal bill scrutiny in its many forms ' internally by legal departments, by nonlawyer staff elsewhere in the company, by third-party auditors, or via e-billing software ' has the potential to affect how and when law firms get paid, but the practical effect is up for debate.
Quarterly State Compliance Review
October 02, 2015
This edition of the Quarterly State Compliance Review looks at some legislation of interest to corporate lawyers that went into effect between Aug. 1 and Oct. 1, 2015, including amendments to Delaware's corporation and LLC laws. It also looks at some recent cases of interest, including two decisions from Delaware's Chancery Court.
Using Digital Tools To Assess and Remedy Online Reputational Damage
October 02, 2015
The speed with which negative Internet postings spread can cause immediate reputational harm. To remedy this harm, the nature and extent of the damage must be quantified, which is no easy task. This is true whether a defamation lawsuit is pursued or whether a public relations strategy is used. However, new digital tools can now be used to assess and quantify damage caused by these kinds of negative Internet postings.
Case Notes
September 02, 2015
Analysis of a case in which a 'missing' $20 million is at issue in two lawyers' divorce.
FATCA's Due Diligence Expansion
September 02, 2015
In 2010, Congress enacted the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) in order to target U.S. taxpayers using offshore accounts to hide monies overseas. Although Congress' purpose and intent in passing FATCA was met, it has been achieved at a cost of imposing heavy burdens on those already compliant.
The Attorney-Client Privilege
September 02, 2015
Despite the ubiquitous nature of the attorney-client privilege, attorneys generally understand far less about the nuances of the invocation of the attorney-client privilege than they should, particularly in the context of interacting with former employees of a corporate client.
Ashley Madison Data Breach Sparks Suits
September 02, 2015
Infidelity website AshleyMadison.com and its parent company Avid Life Media Inc. have been hit with a pair of class actions in Los Angeles federal court stemming from the site's recent data breach.
Building a Vendor Management Program
September 02, 2015
Last month, we reviewed vendor selection and management, vendor score cards, and attorney involvement, particularly in-house counsel. We conclude this month with a discussion on development metrics and processes, and how to get started.