Calculating Structured Judgments
November 30, 2014
Historically, a defendant would become obligated to pay the full amount of a personal injury judgment in a lump sum as soon as the judgment was entered. In 1985, New York enacted a Periodic Payment of Judgments Act as part of the State's effort at tort reform.
Changing the Law Firm Business Model
November 02, 2014
If a law firm wants to conform to a client's need for responsiveness in the new competitive environment, big changes are required in its business model and, culturally, lawyers need to recognize that other professionals are better at certain tasks than lawyers.
Deferred Compensation Plans under Section 409A
November 02, 2014
Section 409A applies to any arrangement that postpones payments of compensation to subsequent years. The Notice spells out what is and is not deferred compensation, Single-person Plans, "defined benefit" non-qualified plans, Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs) and arrangements for non-employees (directors, trustees and independent contractors).
Plugging Profitability Leaks
November 02, 2014
We've long known that vague, incomplete or misunderstood instructions from partners to associates is a prime source of profitability leaks ' revenue lost because of all the time spent on reinventing the wheel, because of do-overs, and because of significant amounts of time written down or eventually written off. We've also long known that an amazingly simple delegation improvement technique can help reduce write-downs of time by up to 18%.
Law Firm Security Pressures Alleviated With Financial Strategies
November 02, 2014
We know the consumer-industry stories of hackers infiltrating Target and, more recently, Home Depot. Law firms are now at the center of the storm because they store some of their clients' most sensitive business information and are viewed by criminal elements as a less-defended path to that data. Firms must take care to understand and respond to evolving security trends with response strategies.
Spinning Off an Underperforming Division
November 02, 2014
Spin-offs have become a common way for corporations to address underperforming assets. However, if the newly spun-off company runs into financial difficulties, it can be, and often is, second-guessed by creditors and lawsuits can follow.
What Happens to Your Digital Estate After You Die?
November 02, 2014
Ever wonder what happens to your social media accounts, e-mail, online texts and other digital content when you die? Do they simply expire, leaving nothing behind but digital dust? Or can you authorize someone to take them over after you pass on? And if so, what powers would such a person possess?
Cross-Border Cybercrime and the Cybersecurity Wars
October 02, 2014
The Home Depot data breach may be the largest in the U.S. yet, affecting not only millions of customers in the U.S., but also shoppers at its 180 stores in Canada. Home Depot said customers who shopped at its U.S. and Canadian stores as far back as April were exposed, meaning the breach extended for more than four months including the busy summer season.
Practice Management Takes Hold in Smaller and Mid-Size Firms
October 02, 2014
Even though lawyer management in most mid-size firms recognize the importance of developing and implementing principles of practice management as a means to insure the high quality service to clients and to improve profitability, the extent to which practice management may be implemented varies greatly from firm to firm.
