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Saturday, October 8, 2011

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Judge Rejects Efforts to Lift Gag Order in Phila. Sex Abuse Case Top
A Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judge presiding over the second criminal prosecution of Roman Catholic Church officials for the alleged sexual abuse of parishioners is keeping in place a gag order.
 
Constitutionality of Facebook Threat Charges Challenged Top
A Pennsylvania man who was indicted for making violent threats on Facebook is now challenging the constitutionality of the federal cyberstalking statute, arguing that the law criminalizes "pure speech" and is vague and overbroad.
 
Suit Over Phila.'s Tax Assessment System Tossed Top
A Philadelphia trial judge has tossed out a suit by a group of Philadelphia taxpayers that alleged the city's tax assessment practices are illegal.
 
Breyer, Scalia Tutor Senate on Finer Points of Law Top
An elementary introduction to constitutional law, as well as some pointed questions about how the U.S. Supreme Court operates, came to Congress on Wednesday courtesy of two of the court's own justices.
 
N.Y. Foreclosure Firm Fined $2 Mil., Agrees To Revamp Practices Top
One of New York state's biggest foreclosure law firms will revamp its practices and pay a $2 million fine to settle a six-month probe by the Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney's Office.
 
Class Action Alleges Some Nissan Transmissions Have Defect Top
An allegedly defective transmission has some Nissan owners stuck in neutral, and they claim the carmaker knew of the problematic component but sold models equipped with it anyway.
 
Defense probes ex-House GOP tech chief's motives Top
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A defense lawyer's cross-examination of a former state House Republican computer supervisor is under way with questions about whether he holds a grudge against former Rep. Brett Feese.
 
Think Different: What the Legal Community Can Learn From Steve Jobs Top
 
Southeast Pa. Democrat Joins State Attorney General's Race Top
Daniel McCaffery, an unsuccessful candidate in 2009 for Philadelphia district attorney, former Philadelphia assistant district attorney, and shareholder with Friedman Schuman, announced his candidacy for the Office of Attorney General Monday.
 
Fee Awards: Have Judges Separated Themselves From Practice Realities? Top
Contributor Anthony Volpe looks at the trend of recent decisions in which judges have granted fee awards, but have been critical of the number of attorneys that contributed to the matter under consideration or the hours expended in the representation.
 
Jury Analysis: When Common Sense Isn't so Common Top
Jury analyst Melissa M. Gomez explains why you may want to think twice before telling jurors to use their "common sense" in deliberating your next trial.
 
Reporter's Notebook: More on Koken & Auto Accident Law Top
In a talk Tuesday given to the Philadelphia Association for Defense Counsel, Louis E. Bricklin, a defense attorney with Bennett Bricklin & Saltzburg in Philadelphia, provided more insight on the unsettled nature of this area of law.
 
Written Expert Reports - Retaining Counsel Assistance and Proofreading Top
Citrin Cooperman's Joseph Barbagallo offers an extension on a previous article, focusing on the potential disadvantage of an expert significantly relying upon counsel's assistance in the editing and proofreading of his/her report.
 
'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Repeal Just the Beginning for Former Pa. Congressman Top
Former U.S. Congressman Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., made his rounds today to media outlets to discuss Tuesday's official repeal of the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy regarding gays in the military.
 
Successful Rainmakers Stay the Course Top
Contributor Kimberly Alford Rice explains why frustration and lack of response is no excuse; taking proactive, consistent steps to build and strengthen professional relationships is imperative to developing a solid practice.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - Sept. 16 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this Friday morning? Consider this your personal delivery service.
 
Fairness Commission Calls for Improvements in Indigent Defense Top
The Pa. Interbranch Commission for Gender, Racial and Ethnic Fairness is working with the state Supreme Court to increase diversity among the lawyers who are appointed to represent indigent criminal defendants, said the commission's report released today.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - Sept. 15 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning?Consider this your personal delivery service.
 
Using LinkedIn to Build Professional Relationships Top
Blog contributor Gina F. Rubel expounds on the professional benefits of having a LinkedIn profile. For those readers who do not (or do not maintain it regularly), it's time to get with the program.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal (and Delaware!) - Sept. 14 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Consider this your personal delivery service. PLUS get our Delaware Law Weekly section and check out our online newsletter, the Delaware Business Court Insider, out each Wednesday!
 
Three Local Firms on 'Best Law Firms for Women' List Top
Three Pennsylvania firms can be found among the top 50 law firms nationally for women to work. Ballard Spahr, Drinker Biddle & Reath and Fox Rothschild were named to the list, compiled by Flex-Time Lawyers and the National Association for Female Executives.
 
Buchanan Ingersoll Raises First-Year Salaries Too Top
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney has edged up the starting salaries for its Pennsylvania first-year associates. The firm had paid $100,000 in Pittsburgh and $110,000 in Philadelphia last year. It will increase those figures to $105,000 and $112,500, respectively, for 2011.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal (and PLW) - Sept. 13 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Check out our roundup of today's contents. Today's paper also includes our Tuesday Pennsylvania Law Weekly section.
 
Back to School for the Legal Industry? Top
New blog contibutor Julia Claire wonders, with all the changes to the legal profession in the last few years - will there be a generation of 'lost' lawyers? Maybe it's time the profession considered going back to school.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - Sept. 12 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? (PLUS a link to our new video content?)Consider this your personal delivery service.
 
A Note on Our Special Sept. 11 Issue Top
A few weeks ago, editor Jaime Bochet wrote a post on this blog asking you, our readers, to tell me where you were 10 years ago, on Sept. 11. Your responses poured in, flooding Jaime's in-box and repeatedly touching a nerve that for many of us is still painfully raw.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - Sept. 9 Top
Today is a little bit different here at The Legal Intelligencer, and your paper looks different too. This won't be your usual round-up of news stories, because today's coverage is devoted almost entirely to commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
 
K&L Gates Opens Qatar Office Top
K&L Gates said Thursday that it has opened an office in Doha, Qatar. The new location, the 38th for the Pittsburgh-based firm, will be the second location in the Middle East.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - Sept. 8 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Consider this your personal delivery service - and your paper won't be wet from all this rain!
 
Barely Legal: 'Lessons I Learned During Last Month's Earthquake' Top
Blog contributor 'Barely Legal' reviews a few interesting observations that came to light after experiencing the recent East Coast earthquake.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - Sept. 2 Top
Happy Friday! Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Consider this your personal delivery service.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - Sept. 1 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Consider this your personal delivery service.
 
Checking in on Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b) Top
Pennsylvania Rule of Appellate Procedure 1925(b) has caused problems for numerous appellants over the years. The most common problems relate to service of the Statement of Errors Complained of on Appeal and waiver of issues on appeal due to defective statements.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal (and Delaware!) - August 31 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Consider this your personal delivery service. PLUS get our Delaware Law Weekly section and check out our online newsletter, the Delaware Business Court Insider, out each Wednesday!
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal (and PLW) - August 30 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Check out our roundup of today's contents. Today's paper also includes our Tuesday Pennsylvania Law Weekly section.
 
Is the Constitution the Roadblock to Meaningful Patent Reform? Top
The issue of patent reform and the enforcement of the rights afforded by patents has been making headlines. But each side is attacking the other. Is it possible that the Constitution has built into its genius the very root of the problem?
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - August 29 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Consider this your personal delivery service.
 
Phila. Bar Association Opposes Immigration Bills Top
The Philadelphia Bar Association has submitted testimony opposing 14 immigration bills pending in Pennsylvania's House of Representatives' State Government Committee.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - August 26 Top
Happy Friday! Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Consider this your personal delivery service.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - August 25 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this Thursday morning? Check out our roundup of today's contents.
 
Conahan's Sentencing Set for Sept. 23 Top
Former Luzerne County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael T. Conahan's sentencing has been scheduled for Friday, Sept. 23, in Scranton. The news comes less than two weeks after Conahan's alleged co-conspirator Mark A. Ciavarella was sentenced to 28 years in prison.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal (and Delaware!) - August 24 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Consider this your personal delivery service. PLUS get our Delaware Law Weekly section and check out our online newsletter, the Delaware Business Court Insider, out each Wednesday!
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal (and PLW) - August 23 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Check out our roundup of today's contents. Today's paper also includes our Tuesday Pennsylvania Law Weekly section.
 
10 Years Later: Where Were You on Sept. 11? Top
We want to know: Where were you 10 years ago, on Sept. 11, 2001? The Legal is gathering your stories to publish in a special commemorative issue scheduled for Sept. 9, so read on to find out how you can participate.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - August 22 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this Monday morning? Check out our roundup of today's contents.
 
Barely Legal: 'Oddly Enough, Emily Post Has Nothing to Say on This Situation' Top
Blog contributor 'Barely Legal' wonders what etiquette expert Emily Post would say about how to proceed now that a professional relationship has crossed a line - informal greetings outside the office.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - August 19 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this Friday morning? Check out our roundup of today's contents.
 
Ciavarella Tells Court He's Broke Top
Former Luzerne County Judge Mark A. Ciavarella has filed an application asking the court to declare him indigent.
 
Legal Proceedings and Written Expert Reports Top
Blog contributor and Citrin Cooperman consultant Joseph Barbagallo looks at written expert reports; why you may want or need them in your case, and what they should include.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - August 18 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this Monday morning? Check out our roundup of today's contents.
 
Fox Rothschild Wants to Represent Trocadero Theater in Bankruptcy Top
Fox Rothschild is looking to represent Philadelphia entertainment venue Trocadero Theater in its bankruptcy filing in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
 
3rd Circuit: No Constitutional Right to Privacy for Sharing "Secret" Opinions Top
The 3rd Circuit has rejected a school board member's claim that she had a Fourteenth Amendment right to privacy of opinions she shared in an investigation into an illicit relationship between a teacher and a minor student. Wendy Beetlestone examines the case.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal (and DLW!) - August 17 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Consider this your personal delivery service. PLUS get our Delaware Law Weekly section and check out our online newsletter, the Delaware Business Court Insider, out each Wednesday!
 
Federal Judge Approves Phila. Jail Overcrowding Settlement Top
A federal judge has approved the settlement of a class action that alleged the conditions in the Philadelphia Prison System violated the U.S. Constitution and that inmates housed three to a cell did not receive essential services.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal (and PLW) - August 16 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Check out our roundup of today's contents. Today's paper also includes our Tuesday Pennsylvania Law Weekly section.
 
Should Lawyers Google+? Top
Blog contributor Gina F. Rubel looks at the new Google+ platform and its potential appeal for lawyers and law firms.
 
Live Tweeting Ciavarella's Sentencing Top
Follow reporter Zack Needles on Twitter @ZNeedlesTLI tomorrow for live tweets from former Luzerne County Judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr.'s sentencing hearing beginning at 9 a.m.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal (and DLW!) - August 10 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Consider this your personal delivery service. PLUS get our Delaware Law Weekly section and check out our online newsletter, the Delaware Business Court Insider, out each Wednesday!
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal (and PLW) - August 9 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Check out our roundup of today's contents. Today's paper also includes our Tuesday Pennsylvania Law Weekly section.
 
Court Clarifies Procedure to Challenge Frivolousness in Double Jeopardy Top
Mandi L. Scott examines the Pa. Supreme Court's recent action to clarify the procedure required for a criminal defendant to seek limited appellate review of a trial court's written finding that the defendant's double jeopardy challenge is frivolous.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - August 8 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this Monday morning? Check out our roundup of today's contents.
 
Drexel Law School Gets Full Accreditation Top
Drexel University Earle Mack School of Law has received its full accreditation from the American Bar Association. The Council of the ABA's Section on of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar approved the application Friday at its annual meeting in Toronto.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - August 5 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this Friday morning? Check out our roundup of today's contents.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - August 4 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Check out our roundup of today's contents.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal (and PLW!) - August 2 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Check out our roundup of today's contents. Today's paper also includes our Tuesday Pennsylvania Law Weekly section.
 
Why Firms Should Develop Strategic Plans Top
Kimberly Alford Rice explains that the strategic planning process, if well-defined and carefully implemented, will cultivate a greater sense of teamwork and strengthen common goals and direction at all levels of a firm.
 
Introducing our 2011 Lawyers on the Fast Track! Top
Following are the names of the 27 Pennsylvania attorneys who have been selected as this year's "Lawyers on the Fast Track."
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - August 1 Top
Welcome to another morning round-up of the articles inside today's Legal. Read on to check out all of the day's legal news and contributed columns.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - July 29 Top
Happy Friday! Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Check out our roundup of today's contents.
 
Supreme Court Posts Amounts Paid to Luzerne County Victims Top
The state Supreme Court posted three special master determinations that collectively listed the names of over 100 victims of juveniles whose convictions were tossed out following the Luzerne County "kids-for-cash" scandal and the amounts each will be compensated.
 
Warning Signs of a Bad Expert Witness Top
Blog contributor Terry Silverman emphasizes that it's important to have an expert witness who not only has the qualifications, but also a good team approach, sufficient communication skills and a likable enough personality.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal (and DLW!) - July 27 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Consider this your personal delivery service. PLUS get our Delaware Law Weekly section and check out our online newsletter, the Delaware Business Court Insider, out each Wednesday!
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - July 26 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Check out our roundup of today's contents. Today also includes our Pennsylvania Law Weekly section, and a special Energy Law supplement.
 
Magid Agrees to 100-Day Suspension Over Political Activity Top
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - July 22 Top
Happy Friday! Start the end of the week off right with your daily round-up of stories in today's edition of The Legal Intelligencer. (Some stories may require registration or a paid subscription.)
 
Will Uncertain Client Demands Continue to Fuel Turbulence in IP Marketplace? Top
We have seen an increase in the amount of movement of IP attorneys to smaller boutiques with a limited focus on certain practice areas. Blog contributor Anthony Volpe explores the questions such moves raise.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - July 21 Top
Welcome to your daily round-up of stories in today's edition of The Legal Intelligencer. (Some stories may require registration or a paid subscription.)
 
Pulling the Curtain Back on Appellate Fact-Finding Top
Blog contributor Bruce P. Merenstein explores a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that highlights the use of secondary authority cited in appellate briefs to engage in what amounts to appellate fact-finding.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - July 20 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Consider this your personal delivery service. PLUS get our Delaware Law Weekly section and check out our online newsletter, the Delaware Business Court Insider, out each Wednesday!
 
Reporter's Notebook: Follow-Up to 'Preconception Torts' Article Top
Last week, reporter Zack Needles posted a blog item wondering why more attorneys weren't taking notice of a recent Superior Court decision on "preconception torts." Now he's followed up with an article gathering perspective on the issue from med mal attorneys.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - July 19 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this morning? Simply read on! (PLUS get our Pennsylvania Law Weekly section, out each Tuesday!) Click the links below to access stories directly, or head to The Legal homepage. (Some stories may require registration or a paid subscription.)
 
The Trouble with Loss of Consortium Claims Top
Loss of consortium is an important claim in those cases that warrant it. Not all cases do. Blog contributor and jury consultant Melissa M. Gomez explains when it might be prudent to withdraw loss of consortium claims.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - July 18 Top
Can't find a paper, but want a sneek peak at the stories inside The Legal this Monday morning? Simply read on! Click the links below to access stories directly, or head to The Legal homepage. (Some stories may require registration or a paid subscription.)
 
Reporter's Notebook: The Big Case Hardly Anyone's Talking About Top
It's been more than a week and a half since the Superior Court issued what has the potential to be a landmark case in the largely undeveloped area of "preconception torts," and reporter Zack Needles is more than a little surprised it hasn't received more attention.
 
Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal - July 15 Top
Can't find a copy of The Legal this morning? Here's a peek at the stories in today's paper, from the breaking news of the day to our featured columns. Check the blog every morning for the round-up.
 
New Daily Blog Feature: "Fresh Ink: Inside Today's Legal" Top
Can't get ahold of a copy of The Legal this morning? Here's a peek at the stories in today's paper. Check the blog every morning for the round-up.
 
Judge Denies Stay of Production of PHA Legal Bills to HUD Top
A federal judge in Philadelphia has denied a motion to stay the production of legal invoices from the Philadelphia Housing Authority to HUD while the PHA's former executive director appeals the order allowing the bills to be turned over.
 
I Remain, Very Sincerely Yours Top
Blog contributor Gina Rubel reminds us that PR is just as much about what you write as it is about what you say. The content and tone of e-mail messages, letters, text messages and social media messages affect the recipient and their perception of the sender.
 
PBA Hires First Diversity Officer Top
Today is the first day of work for the Pennsylvania Bar Association's first diversity officer, the PBA announced today. Janis M. Leftridge was hired to facilitate efforts to improve diversity within the bar association as well as the overallbar in Pennsylvania.
 
How to Communicate Effectively Without E-mail Top
Blog contributor and productivity guru Neen James offers creative suggestions to help your message stand out in your prospective clients' and important contacts' minds.
 
Exploring Early Settlements: A Sign of Weakness or Ethical Duty? Top
Contributor Charlotte Thomas maintains that trying to settle a case early is not a sign of weakness, but usually is the right thing to do for our clients to save money, time and the psychological commitment of litigation.
 
Don't Ask If You Don't Want the Answer Top
Editor Jaime Bochet is starting to believe that firms really don't care how their clients think they?re doing -- especially after seeing the results of a new LexisNexis survey.
 
Had A Couple of Drinks? There Should Be An App for That Top
Blog contributor Barely Legal wishes technology existed to save us from ourselves when the urge to e-mail after imbibing a few drinks inevitably kicks in.
 
Rules Regarding Records Top
Blog contributor Mandi L. Scott focuses on a few Rules of Appellate Procedure relating to the record -- both original and reproduced.
 
New York's Chief Judge Advocates for Civil Legal Aid Top
Civil legal aid for the poor is in crisis, Jonathan Lippman, chief judge of the state of New York, told the attendees of the Philadelphia Bar Association quarterly luncheon today.
 
Greene Asks Judge to Stay Order Allowing PHA Bills Turned Over Top
Former Philadelphia Housing Authority executive director Carl Greene has asked the court to stay its order allowing the PHA to turn over thousands of pages in unredacted legal bills until he can appeal the judge's decision.
 
Supreme Court Denies Emergency Stay in Family Court Construction Top
The state Supreme Court divided along partisan lines today in rejecting an emergency stay requested by a disappointed bidder so it could protest the award of the electric contract for the new Philadelphia family courthouse.
 
Senate Vote Portends Abolition of Joint and Several Liability Doctrine Top
Pennsylvania's negligence regime appears likely to change after a vote in the state Senate today.
 
Will Non-Lawyers Investing Destroy the Legal Profession? Top
The fight over allowing non-lawyers to become investors in law firms is heating up. While the debate is one over changing a tradition, there are issues of transparency. Blog contributor Anthony Volpe explores the issue.
 
Creating an Effective FCPA/UKBA Compliance Program Top
David A. Anderson of Citrin Cooperman presents Part 2 of his posts on the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the U.K. Bribery Act. This one explains the key components of an effective compliance program.
 
Attorney: PHA Review of Legal Bills Shows No Privilege Regarding Greene Top
The Philadelphia Housing Authority has completed a review of legal bills from six law firms, concluding there was no privileged information contained in them regarding former executive director Carl Greene.
 
A Sliver of a Silver Lining for Microsoft Top
The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Microsoft v. i4i appears, at first, to be a complete loss for Microsoft. But Joshua Wolson finds a small silver lining for Microsoft and other infringement defendants that might just keep the ruling from being a total disaster.
 
New Online-Only Story Package: 'Mega-Verdicts' Top
There is a brand-new Online-Only package on The Legal's homepage called "Mega-Verdicts: Eight Figures and Up," and those are exactly the stories you'll find included there: verdicts and settlements of $10 million and over.
 
Accepting and Adopting Digital Communication for Lawyers Top
Many lawyers still say that they don?t want to "communicate online." But according to blog contributor Gina F. Rubel, "It's not about you." It's about who you're trying to reach, where they are, and how they wish to be communicated with.
 
Report: Phila. Mortgage Foreclosure Program Helping Many Stay in Homes Top
A majority of homeowners who participated in Philadelphia's mortgage foreclosure diversion program and who struck an agreement with their lenders have been able to remain in their homes, according to an independent community development financial institution.
 
The Third Side of the Story Top
Jury consultant Melissa Gomez explains that the search for a truth that exists outside of what they are being told often leads jurors to look beyond the testimony and presentations in the courtroom.
 
It's Official: More Stringent Rules for Phila. Homicide Counsel Top
New criminal rules have been adopted for lawyers representing Philadelphia homicide defendants, according to an order today by Philadelphia Common Pleas Court President Judge Pamela Pryor Dembe.
 
Getting to Know Us: Meet Our Newest Reporters! Top
Back in April, we introduced you to the staff of The Legal, from our editor-in-chief to our copy desk editors and reporters. Since then, we?ve added a couple of new faces to the newsroom, and we?d like you to meet them!
 
Mediation: Early and Often for Cost-Effective Litigation Top
In seeking out cost-effective strategies, one universal rule holds true: the sooner the lawsuit concludes, the more likely it is to be cost-effective. Blog contributor Charlotte Thomas shares some pointers from her recent jaunt in mediation.
 
Problems With Filing Bad Faith, UM/UIM Claims as Insurer's First Notice of Suit Top
According to blog contributor Charles Haddick, when the first notice to an insurer of a UM/UIM claim is a civil complaint, which also contains a bad faith count, it is rather like a patient handing his surgeon a medical malpractice complaint on the way into the OR.
 
Rainmaking at Its Best: Focusing on Clients First Top
 
Judge Rendell Appointed to MDL Panel Top
 
Daniel McCaffery to Announce Pa. Attorney General Bid Top
 
Now Accepting Nominations for Lawyers on the Fast Track! Top
If you know an outstanding Pennsylvania attorney who is under the age of 40, nominate them to be one of The Legal's 2011 Lawyers on the Fast Track!
 
Criminal E-Filing on the FJD's Horizon Top
The First Judicial District is aiming to roll out e-filing in criminal cases for members of the criminal bar by April 2, 2012, according to an announcement today by the administrative judge of the Philadelphia Common Pleas Court trial division.
 
Ciavarella's Post-Trial Motions Denied Top
U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Edwin M. Kosik has denied former Luzerne County Judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr.'s post-trial motions to be granted a new trial or to have his racketeering and honest services fraud convictions overturned.
 
Castille: Filing Fees Should Be Made Permanent Top
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille said in a statement Thursday that he agrees with an auditor's recommendation that court filing fees should be turned into a permanent funding stream for legal aid organizations.
 
McLaughlin Credits Party, Labor in Judicial Primary Win Top
Reporter Amaris Elliott-Engel chats with Maria McLaughlin, one of the 11 victors in the Democratic primary for 10 Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judges and one Philadelphia Municipal Court judge.
 
Are Your Clients at Risk Under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or the U.K. Bribery Act? Top
David A. Anderson of Citrin Cooperman explains why a company currently conducting or planning to conduct business in any foreign country could face a significant financial risk and a risk of prosecution of its management under either the FCPA or UKBA.
 
Court Denies Reargument Request in Board of Ethics Defamation Suit Top
The Commonwealth Court, rejecting the request of Philadelphia's ethics watchdog agency and its executive director, has refused to take a second look at its ruling that the officials may not be entitled to quasi-judicial immunity.
 
Scranton Firm Announces Merger With Phila. Nonprofit Law Boutique Top
Scranton, Pa.-based general practice firm Myers Brier & Kelly has announced a merger with three-lawyer, Philadelphia-based nonprofit law boutique Lundy & Flynn.
 
Spoliation and Legal Malpractice Top
Courts generally take a hard line with cases regarding spoliation, and summary judgment because of it is not unheard of. However, as blog contributor Anthony S. Volpe writes, the issue does not end with the disposition of these simple cases.
 
Barely Legal: Something to Talk About Top
Anonymous blogger Barely Legal surmises that the co-workers the office gossips about are usually not the ones having an indiscretion ...
 
Right Time, Wrong Place Top
Blog contributor Bruce P. Merenstein examines two recent Pennsylvania Superior Court decisions that emphasize the importance of not only filing on time, but in the right place.
 
Meehan Testimony in Discrimination Case Delayed Top
U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan had been expected to take the witness stand this week to testify about events during his tenure as Eastern District U.S. Attorney in a discrimination lawsuit brought by Paul Mansfield, a former assistant U.S. attorney who claims he was fired in retaliation for lodging complaints of age and disability discrimination. But Meehan's appearance has now been delayed indefinitely.
 
Reporter Live-Tweeting Hearing on Fair Share Act Top
The state Senate Judiciary Committee is slated to hold another hearing on a proposal that would change Pennsylvania's liability regime, and reporter Amaris Elliott-Engel will be live-Tweeting from it beginning at 12 noon today.
 
Effect of Appeals: Supersedeas and Stays Top
In her summary of just a few of the Rules of Appellate Procedure governing the effect of the filing of an appeal, Mandi Scott finds it quickly becomes apparent that the general rule is much more complicated than many practitioners think.
 
Making a Case That Fits Your Client Top
Jury consultant Melissa Gomez explains how changing your tactics to accept your witness's personality is better for your case than trying to change who they are.
 
Eight Tips for Solid Radio Interviews Top
Regardless of the size and scope of your business, there may be a time when radio interviews come into play -- especially if you're dealing with high profile litigation. Gina Rubel offers advice on nailing those interviews.
 
Fumo Arguments Rescheduled Top
The date for oral arguments in United States v. Fumo has been rescheduled and is now set for Wednesday, May 25, at 2 p.m. before 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judges Julio M. Fuentes, Richard L. Nygaard and Leonard I Garth.
 
Alumni Connections Key in Associates' Business Development Arsenal Top
According to blog contributor Kimberly Alford Rice, the relationships you developed in law school are one of the keys to your success. She offers tips on cultivating those relationships.
 
3rd Circuit Remands Title VII Case for Failing to Properly Apply Burden-Shifting Framework Top
In a recent opinion that helped further flesh out how to apply the burden-shifting framework in Title VII cases, the 3rd Circuit vacated a district court's summary judgment ruling for further proceedings consistent with the guidance it had provided. Blog contributor Wendy Beetlestone examines the case.
 
Two Firms Shake Up Office Management Top
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney and Pepper Hamilton have each announced changes in leadership at one of their non-headquarters offices.
 
Legal Representation in Orchestra Bankruptcy Becomes Somewhat Clearer Top
At a hearing Monday regarding the bankruptcy proceedings of the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, the Academy of Music and Encore Series Inc., no one objected to ESI hiring separate counsel in Archer & Greiner. But it looks like Peter Nero and the Philly Pops' objections over Dilworth Paxson's representation of the orchestra will continue.
 
Tips to Beat Summer Procrastination Top
Blog contributor Neen James offers helpful tips to help you stay focused this summer - even when you just want to get outside!
 
New Family Court Building Moves Closer to Getting Built Top
The state Department of General Services on Friday officially acquired the air rights to 15th and Arch streets, the site of a new family court building, allowing construction of the project to begin in the coming weeks.
 
Phila. Bar Rates One More 'Not Recommended' Top
The Philadelphia Bar Association?s judicial candidate ratings arm said Wednesday that Philadelphia judicial candidate Leon A. King II is rated "not recommended."
 
New Online-Only Section: Firm Openings and Closings Top
In the interest of keeping you up on the larger trends in the Pennsylvania legal landscape, we grouped those recent stories of law firm office openings and closings together into a special (FREE!) online-only package.
 
Supreme Court: Candidates in DROP Stay on Ballot Top
The state Supreme Court ruled 5-2 Friday that Philadelphia candidates involved in the controversial Deferred Retirement Option Plan may still run in this month's primary.
 
Phila. Bar Rates Four More 'Recommended' Top
The Philadelphia Bar Association?s judicial candidate ratings arm has said that Philadelphia judicial candidates Diana Anhalt, Stephen J. Negro, Stephanie M. Sawyer and Marvin L. Williams are rated ?recommended.?
 
Supreme Court Renews Press for Budget Increase Top
According to the "State of the Commonwealth's Courts" report released this week, the court will be short $47.2 million of its self-identified needs in the 2011-2012 fiscal year if it does not receive more funds from Gov. Tom Corbett and the General Assembly.
 
Memeger and 'The Legal' Team Up to Celebrate Diversity Top
In The Legal's 2011 Diversity supplement, which was published in early April, we recognized 20 individuals from across the commonwealth as Diverse Attorneys of the Year, and now, we?re gearing up to honor them in person on Tuesday, June 7, at the Crystal Tea Room in Philadelphia.
 
Do I Need to File a Post-Trial Motion? Top
A recent Pennsylvania Superior Court case illustrates just how important it is to understand when a motion for post-trial relief is required. Blog contributor Mandi L. Scott examines the issue.
 
Ballard Spahr Gets Former GC to Arizona Governor Top
Joseph Kanefield, the former general counsel to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, has joined Ballard Spahr's Phoenix office. He will practice in the firm's government relations, regulatory affairs and contracting group.
 
Does Current Economy Justify Law Schools' Emphasis on Business of Law? Top
There appears to be a developing chorus for law schools to provide additional training and courses directed at the "business of law," apparently driven by recent economic conditions. But blog contributor Anthony S. Volpe sees it as instilling a false sense of security in students.
 
Secondary Authority Revisited Top
Blog contributor Bruce P. Merenstein examines a recent decision in which the PA Superior Court declined to rely on an amicus brief because "the information contained in the amicus brief was not provided to the trial court for consideration."
 
Public Service Attorneys Urge Young Lawyers to Think Broadly Top
For young lawyers who think there is only one career path that leads to success, a recent Philadelphia Bar Association panel of heavy-hitters has news for you: think again.
 
Reporter Live-Tweeting Nutter's Remarks to Lawyers Top
Legal reporter Amaris Elliott-Engel will be live-Tweeting from noon to 1 p.m. today from the Philadelphis Bar Association's Chancellor's Forum, where Mayor Michael Nutter will be speaking.
 
Getting to Know Us: Meet the Reporters! Top
The Editorial Department of The Legal is relatively small, but each person plays an integral role. Just as we want to know our audience as best we can, we want you to get to know us. Today: Meet the reporters who bring the news to you each day!
 
The Lost and Found of Embezzled Law Firm Funds Top
Blog contributor and Citrin Cooperman partner Joseph S. Barbagallo offers advice on how to proceed if you suspect your firm has been the victim of embezzlement.
 
Getting to Know Us: Meet the Copy Desk! Top
Part 2 of a series: The Editorial Department of the Legal is relatively small, but each person plays an integral role. Just as we want to know our audience as best we can, we want you to get to know us. Today: Meet the editors on the copy desk!
 
Measuring a Lawyer's Use of Social Media Marketing Top
Blog contributor Gina F. Rubel offers insight on how to determine if your firm's time is well spent in social media engagement.
 
Dilworth Paxson Looks to Get Orchestra's Bankruptcy Work Top
The Academy of Music of Philadelphia Inc., the Philadelphia Orchestra Association and Encore Series Inc. have asked the court to approve Dilworth Paxson as counsel in their Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings initiated April 16.
 
Getting to Know Us: Meet The Legal Staff! Top
The Editorial Department of The Legal is relatively small, but each person plays an integral role. Just as we want to know our audience as best we can, we want you to get to know us. Today: Meet Editor-in-Chief Hank Grezlak.
 
Front Page Flashback Top
The words are on the front page of the Legal every day: "The Oldest Law Journal in the United States 1843-2011." Ever wondered what that very first issue looked like?
 
Insight on Diversity: Diverse Attorney Retention: A Two-Way Street Top
The expansive reach of the Internet and the inescapable web of social networks have resulted in a smaller and more interdependent global society.
 
Asset Management: Law Firms Employing 'Independent Contractors': Beware Top
Using independent contractors can be risky for many law firms, and remains an age-old concern for businesses in general.
 
Employment Law: When Legal Sense Doesn't Convey Practical Sense Top
In the "Alice in Wonderland" world of employment law, one of the hard parts of an in-house lawyer's job is telling an internal client that something that makes zero practical sense makes complete legal sense.
 
Bankruptcy Update: Bankruptcy Jurisdiction: Where Is the Site of the Fight? Top
Bankruptcy court jurisdiction might not be one of the most exciting aspects of bankruptcy practice, but, as is the case with all litigation, selection of the forum where the controversy will be heard and who will adjudicate the matter is often an important strategy consideration.
 
Young Lawyer: How Would Students Grade Their Law Schools? Top
Recent news articles describe soaring tuition costs and growing enrollments, all in the face of fewer jobs awaiting law school graduates. See, e.g., David Segal's article, "Law School Economics: Ka-Ching!" in the July 17 New York Times. A related question is whether law students are receiving value for their tuition money. Law schools are charged with the responsibility of preparing students for the practice of law. Law schools grade students. How would the students grade law schools?
 
Law Firm Management: A Four-Phase Formula for Strategic Planning Top
Over the past decade, significant changes have occurred within the legal profession that have required law firms to do long-range planning. The market for legal services has become, and will continue to be, more competitive. Mergers and acquisitions have reduced the number of "blue chip" clients available to be served by law firms. Overly aggressive and poorly managed corporate clients have experienced financial distress, others have joined with larger and better managed organizations and many have gone out of business.
 
Intellectual Property: Patent Reform Measures, Job Creation and the Hangover Top
After six years of anxious anticipation, serious benefactors and observers of the U.S. patent system, and those of us professionally involved in the system, may come to regret the congressional piñata know as the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act.
 
GC Mid-Atlantic: When Doing Business in Nigeria, 'Touts' Can Lead to FCPA Violations Top
To the untrained eye, they often appear as scrubby derelict vagabonds, haunting the steps of administrative offices throughout the developing world.
 
Commercial Litigation: 'Trial by the Clock': Has the Time Come? Top
A few weeks ago, we had a trial in federal court. The case involved alleged misrepresentations in connection with the sale of auction rate securities and was relatively complex. There had been 25 depositions, and over 500,000 documents were exchanged. Liability was vigorously contested, and damages were complicated because the principal damage was lost liquidity — not a readily calculated drop in the security's price.
 
Business of Law: The Myth of Attracting the 'Perfect Lateral Partner' Top
Lateral partner recruiting is vital to all law firms today — even the holdouts, who may have eschewed such expansion in the past, have now jumped into the fray.
 
Ethics: A wise judge is consistently on time and rarely absent Top
Every time I go to a hearing at my local courthouse at 9:30, the judge doesn't come out until 10 or 10:30. Is that a violation?
 
Commentary: What to Do When the Media Gets It Wrong Top
How many of you have experienced the following situation when reading a story in the newspaper the morning after you participated in an interview?
 
Commentary: The Cause of a Bone Fracture Is Not Always Obvious Top
One obvious and often encountered injury in a personal injury setting is a bone fracture.
 
Capitol Ideas: Harrisburg Leadership Skips a Generation Top
Ten years ago, I would have called you crazy if you suggested that an entire generation of legislative leadership in Harrisburg would retire, be defeated or go to jail.
 
Commentary: Examining Attorney Liability Defenses Top
In adjusting an attorney liability claim, it is important to understand all of the available defenses.
 
Public Interest: Fed. Health Reform Will Help Consumers, Small Firms Top
For practitioners in large law firms, health insurance is provided by their workplace, and getting that coverage is pretty straightforward.
 
Real Estate: Broker Not Entitled to Commission in Oral Agreement Top
In a real estate transaction involving the lease or sale of commercial property, a real estate broker will typically play a significant role in the transaction.
 
Intellectual Property: The America Invents Act in Action: Top
Patent reform is being hailed as an economic lifeline for the technology industry and a tool to restore momentum to the economy.
 
E-Discovery: Unanswered E-Discovery Questions in the 3rd Circuit Top
Before a court may give an adverse inference instruction to punish a party's spoliation of evidence in violation of Rule 26 and Rule 37's preservation duties, the court must find that the evidence was within the party's control.
 
The Role of Motive and Intent in Franchise Terminations Top
In a recent case decided by Judge R. Barclay Surrick, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania was called upon to decide the ticklish issue of whether motive or intent is relevant in examining the termination of a franchise.
 
New Partners 2011: A Tougher Hurdle to Clear Top
Just as Mario Garcia-Serra expected when he started as an associate at Greenberg Traurig, he worked hard and got promoted a little more than eight years later.
 
Intellectual Property: How to Jump Ahead of the Backlog of Patents Awaiting Examination Top
Current backlogs at art units of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office are between 18 months and four years, with the overall average time between filing date and first office action at 27 months.
 
GC Mid-Atlantic: What to Do If Your Lawyer Moonlights as a Dominatrix Top
Imagine this: You come into work on a Monday morning to find out one of the most accomplished lawyers in your legal department is actually moonlighting as a dominatrix. What do you do?
 
U.S. Supreme Court: As New Term Begins, Out With the Old, in With the New Top
Next week, the U.S. Supreme Court begins its new term. Before diving into the exciting cases awaiting decision in the coming year, it is worth pausing to examine a few interesting aspects of the court's work from the prior term.
 
Criminal Practice: Court Applies Public Transportation Sentencing Law in Flash Mob Case Top
The Summer 2011 flash mobs in Philadelphia were followed by a public outcry for police, prosecutors and the judicial system to swiftly and decisively detain and prosecute the individuals who sought to destroy the public security of downtown Philadelphia. Publicly, the city enforced a more restrictive summer curfew.
 
Ethics: Tone is critical when contacting former clients who have left with a departed associate Top
An associate of mine left the firm and I just received letters from clients of the firm for whom the associate was working, and they have indicated they wish their file to be transferred to the associate. Can I call or contact the clients to ask them to reconsider?
 
Litigation: Simply Persuasive: Seven Habits of Highly Effective Legal Writers Top
Some attorneys are courtroom attorneys, some attorneys are pre-trial litigation attorneys, but all attorneys read and write. And, like it or not, a lawyer's written product is a reflection of part of his or her worth as an attorney.
 
Environmental Law: De Novo Review in the Environmental Hearing Board Top
On Aug. 26, Chief Judge Thomas W. Renwand of the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board rendered an opinion in Consol Pennsylvania Co. v. Department of Environmental Protection , exploring some basic ? if confusing ? principles of EHB jurisdiction and procedure.
 
Intellectual Property: State and Federal Laws Control Patent Rights in Employment Agreements Top
There has been a recent series of litigation that raised the issue of how an inventor's assignment obligation is created and how it is perfected. The issue would appear to be simple because it is the constitutional right of an inventor to personally secure the patent rights.
 
Health Care Law: CMA Issues Final Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractors Rule Top
Pursuant to Section 6411 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), on Sept. 14, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a final rule in the Federal Register (76 Fed. Reg. 57808) for the Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractor Program (Medicaid Program).
 
Bankruptcy Update: LLC Members Held to Be Insiders for Preference Liability Purposes Top
Generally, any transfer made by a debtor within 90 days before bankruptcy is considered preferential and may be recoverable by the estate.
 
Employment Law: ABA Opinions Clarify Ethical Obligations in E-Mail Interception Top
One of the "trending" topics in employment law circles and blogs revolves around employees communicating by e-mail with their lawyers while on the clock and the extent to which such communications may be privileged.
 
Paralegals Page: Could You Survive a Social Media Background Check? Top
As of September 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 14 million people are unemployed.
 
Young Lawyer: Making the Leap: My First Full Week as a Lawyer Top
Last week was my first full week of work. As a lawyer.
 
Litigation: Having the Law on Your Side Isn't Always Enough Top
It's happened to all of us. You wrote a perfect brief: The law was clear and seemed to be on all fours with your facts.
 
GC Mid-Atlantic: EEOC Continues to Target Inflexible Leaves-of-Absence, Attendance Policies Top
Since the enactment of the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, and its broadening of the definition of "disability," employers have recognized that they will be faced with an increased number of requests for reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
 
Commentary: Pa. Lags in Guarding Against Mistaken Identifications Top
Eyewitness evidence has long been recognized as the "least reliable" evidence in the prosecutor's arsenal. Fully 80 percent of the 272 people exonerated through DNA to date were identified at their trials by an eyewitness who told the jury something like, "I will never forget that face," but were, in fact, wrong.
 
Law Firm Marketing: What to Do When Facing a Communications Crisis Top
Newspapers and the Internet can deliver much bad news about attorneys and law firms — malpractice suits, defecting partners, trial losses, employee harassment, layoffs or declining profits. More frequently, the bad news can be about clients, which quickly turns their legal problems into public relations problems as well.
 
Ethics: A lawyer who has had contact with a party may represent the other side, if key information wasn't exchanged Top
A client had called and discussed a potential case with me but chose not to hire me. The other side of the case has now called me. Can I represent the other side?
 
Crime & Punishment: Eyewitness Identification Comes to the Forefront Top
Eyewitness testimony is often thought of as the best and most reliable evidence presented during a criminal trial.
 
Law Firm Management: Warning Signs of an Unhealthy Firm Culture and What to Do About Them Top
A firm's culture may be its greatest strength for determining and achieving its immediate and long-term objectives.
 
Cyberlaw: Cost-Shifting — Another Potential Game-Changer? Top
The recent opinion in Couch v. Wan, a 2011 U.S. District Court case for the Eastern District of California, introduces or, better yet, reminds us of another factor that may influence future discovery requestors: cost-shifting.
 
Litigation: Arbitration Administrator Rules Provisions - Watch Out! Top
Bob is no dummy. Yes, he has made some mistakes in drafting arbitration clauses, but he always keeps his eye on the prize and understands the importance of drafting airtight arbitration provisions.
 
Intellectual Property: The Implications of the New Patent Reform Bill Top
On Sept. 8, the Senate passed long-awaited patent reform legislation, bringing patent reform one step closer to reality after years of congressional debate.
 
Financial Advice: Contemporary Estate Planning Involves Social Media, Electronic Personal Property Top
User-generated content defines the Internet today. No longer are websites repositories unilaterally providing static information.
 
Environmental Law: EPA Proposes Revised Rules to Regulate Hazardous Waste Recycling Top
On July 22, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published in the Federal Register a proposal to revise its Definition of Solid Waste rule.
 
Securities Law: How Will the Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Rules Affect Companies? Top
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act), signed into law by President Obama on July 21, 2010, created a whistleblower program that will reward and protect from employer retaliation individuals who report violations of federal securities laws to the Securities and Exchange Commission. On May 25, 2011, the SEC adopted rules to implement the program, which became effective on Aug. 12, 2011.
 
Young Lawyer: Divining the Bonus Pool: Scenes From the Safari Channel Top
It's September in South Florida. The long, hot summer will soon give way to the not-quite-as-long and not-quite-as-hot late summer, known in other parts of the nation as "fall."
 
Employment Law: Interactive Process Critical to ADA Accommodation Case Top
As cases under the amended Americans with Disabilities Act begin to reach the courts, less emphasis will be placed on whether an employee is "disabled" and a greater emphasis will be placed on the questions of whether an employee is a "qualified individual."
 
GC Mid-Atlantic: West Takes Helm of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association Top
It was a natural disaster that put Joe West on the path to his new perch at the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA).
 
Eastern District Practice: Awarding Costs of Litigation to the Prevailing Party Top
This article discusses litigation costs that may be awarded to the prevailing party in a lawsuit pursuant to Local Civil Rule 54.1 and 28 U.S.C. § 1920. The article will not discuss the award of attorney fees.
 
Appellate Law: It's a New Day for Openness in the Pa. Appellate Courts Top
Today, for the first time in its long history, which dates back to before the United States even existed as a nation, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is scheduled to allow television cameras to record its oral argument sessions.
 
Ethics: Lawyering, not technology, should drive the practice Top
With modern technology, I want to have a totally paperless office and no paper files. I want every file I have maintained electronically without a corresponding paper file. Is that ethical?
 
Commentary: Avoiding 15 Minutes of Shame Top
In my last column titled "Are You Ready for Your 15 Minutes of Fame?" we looked at what it takes to be ready in advance of, during and after media interviews under normal circumstances.
 
Commentary: Terminology Essential in Litigating Ankle Injury Claims Top
The ankle is among the most frequently injured joints in the body. According to often-cited statistics, there are 25,000 ankle sprains per day in the United States.
 
Family Law: Recent Cases Illustrate That Family Law Is Fascinating Top
While family law may not make the practitioner a multimillionaire, it certainly is fascinating. Sometimes the facts of the cases are more unusual than the fiction created by soap opera writers.
 
Commentary: Despite Naysayers, Juris Doctor Degree Still a Valuable Investment Top
The other night over dinner, a colleague told me that his brother-in-law was still looking for a job - and so were all his brother-in-law's pals.
 
Insight on Diversity: A Deeper Look at the Business Case for Diversity Top
Is the business case for diversity mere "wishful thinking"? A report issued earlier this year by the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession — titled "The Business Case for Diversity: Reality or Wishful Thinking," suggests this might be the case.
 
Young Lawyer: Economy Spurs Recent Law Graduates to Go Solo Top
When Evelyn Rojas decided to go to law school, she was under the impression that job offers would be falling like manna from heaven by the time she finished her second year. Not quite.
 
Litigation: Talking 'Tort Reform' to the Public as Trial Lawyers Top
As trial lawyers, we are constantly bombarded with cries for "tort reform" from politicians, mega-corporations and insurance companies each and every day.
 
GC Mid-Atlantic: Examining the Evolving 'Power' of Today's General Counsel Top
In the rise and fall of industries, Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter's most famous phrase — "creative destruction" — describes the fall that precipitates the rise of the next era.
 
Business of Law: How Mastering Body Language Can Transform Business Communications Top
Some lawyers may eschew this topic, as it may seem too "soft" and even ephemeral. I actually believe that this subject is more important for lawyers, since they often rely so heavily on their intellect, precedent and facts that they miss crucial physical and tonal clues.
 
First Amendment: 9th Circuit Mulls Religious Banners and the First Amendment Top
If you were a high school teacher, what posters and inspirational items would you put up in your classroom? What if at your school, "no posters" was not an option, and you were expected to make some personal statement to your students and peers? The next question you may have to ask is: What are the limits your employer can place on what you say? What rights does the administration itself have in this scenario?
 
Ethics: Attorneys must make an extra effort to avoid inadvertent contact with jurors during a trial Top
I am in the middle of a jury trial and during the lunch break, I was eating lunch at a local restaurant. Suddenly a voice said, "I'm one of the jurors on your case and you should stop talking."
 
Family Law: Examining Emancipation and Child Support Obligations in Pennsylvania Top
Issues relating to one's child or children, whether in an intact family or not, can often present difficult challenges.
 
Government: Circuits Differ on Standard of Review in False Claims Act Cases Top
On June 30, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals handed down its decision in United States ex rel. Wilkins v. United Health Group Inc., a False Claims Act case.
 
Litigation: How to Deal Effectively With Questions From the Bench Top
One of the most stressful moments of a hearing or argument comes when the judge looks up from her papers, clears her throat and says, "Counsel, I have a question."
 
Asset Management: The IRS Whistleblower Program: A Tool to Target Noncompliance Top
The U.S. tax system relies on the truthful self-reporting of income by taxpayers, reinforced by IRS auditing and ever-expanding computer matching programs.
 
Law Firm Management: Proven Strategies to Help Differentiate Your Firm From Competitors Top
For many lawyers, the world has never appeared to be as hostile, bewildering or unstable as it does today.
 
Young Lawyer: Shingle-Hanging 201: Never Take Another Day for Granted Top
Besides the exact route, my car ride into work every day is probably much like yours if you drive into the city.
 
Public Interest: Rights for Mentally Ill in Immigration Court Still Developing Top
The request simply noted that the respondent had been crying so uncontrollably that she could not continue with her preliminary hearing.
 
GC Mid-Atlantic: In Wake of Student's Death, Colleges Revisit Online Harassment Top
As the new academic year begins at Rutgers University, some things about dorm living have changed. There are now more housing options for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.
 
Commentary: Amendments to Pa. Law Change Self-Defense Landscape Top
On June 28, Gov. Tom Corbett signed into law Pennsylvania's first legislative reform to the law of self-defense since 18 Pa. C.S.A. § 505 was enacted in 1972. House Bill 20 of the 2011 session, which became effective Aug. 27, modified 18 Pa. C.S.A. § 505, which, for more than 35 years, was the codification of common-law self-defense.
 
Financial Advice: Insuring Children: Sound Financial Planning or Unnecessary Expense? Top
The question of purchasing life insurance on a child is two dimensional. One might assume that the insured is always a toddler or young child. There are, however, certain instances, albeit limited, where purchasing life insurance on adult children is prudent.
 
Ethics: A suspended or disbarred attorney is very limited in what he or she can do Top
I am a suspended lawyer and a law firm has hired me to be their paralegal. My main job is doing the intake with clients, interviewing them about the case, and writing summaries to the managing partner, and then making recommendations to the managing partner as to what to do.
 
Civil Practice: Federal Court Applies Discovery Rule Used in Med Mal to Legal Mal Claims Top
It was only a matter of time before a court would wield against lawyers the same sword that we have utilized against doctors. A federal court has applied in malpractice cases the discovery rule hated by doctors in medical malpractice cases.
 
Politics: What If the United States Could File for Bankruptcy? Top
To say that we are in the middle of some of the worst economic times in recent memory is not a news flash.
 
Taxation: Divorce and Taxes: Innocent Spouse Relief Under the Internal Revenue Code Top
Many married couples file joint tax returns, and with good reason, since a lower tax bill is frequently the result.
 
Antitrust Law: U.S.-China Antitrust Memorandum a Step in the Right Direction? Top
Three years ago, China's first comprehensive antitrust law, the hotly debated Anti-Monopoly Law of the People's Republic of China (PRC), took effect. Late last month, China took another significant leap into the global arena of competition policy and enforcement when it signed a widely anticipated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Antitrust and Anti-Monopoly Cooperation with the United States.
 
Real Estate Law: Commonwealth Court Reaffirms the Lofty Variance Hardship Standard Top
The recent case of Goldstein v. The Zoning Hearing Board of the Township of Lower Merion filed April 21 by the Commonwealth Court emphatically illustrates the importance of not disregarding the mandates of local ordinances when constructing additions or new structures on one's real estate. As we shall soon see, neither the long-standing nature of a nonconformity, the expense of compliance, nor the acquiescence of one's immediate neighbors will afford relief to the landowner when a hardship is not directly tied to a pre-existing unique physical condition on one's property.
 
Employment Law: Internal Review Does Not Relieve Employer of 'Cat's Paw' Liability Top
Applying the recent U.S. Supreme Court precedent from Staub v. Proctor Hospital, a unanimous 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision determined that an internal and supposedly independent disciplinary review of an employee does not necessarily protect the employer from liability for a supervisor's unlawful discrimination. This is commonly known as the "cat's paw" theory of liability.
 
Bankruptcy Update: 5th Circuit Expands Documents Applicable to Determining Claim Preservation Top
In a matter of apparent first impression, in Spicer v. Laguna Madre Oil & Gas II LLC (In re Texas Wyoming Drilling Inc.), the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held in an opinion dated July 21 that it was permissible to consider both a plan of reorganization and its accompanying disclosure statement when determining whether a debtor had sufficiently preserved certain causes of action pursuant to § 1123 of the Bankruptcy Code.
 
YL Editorial Board: Associate's Death a Work-Life Balance Reminder Top
We were saddened to learn about a 32-year-old corporate associate who passed away in June of an apparent heart attack. Some commentators have suggested a connection between her premature death and her workload, which had been especially severe in the weeks immediately preceding her death.
 
LEGAL MARKETING: Sorting Out Social Media for Lawyers, Part II: Top
The first installment of this series addressed social networking platforms including LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus. It also addressed lawyer and law firm review and recommendation sites including Avvo, Yelp and Martindale. Part II of this series focuses on social content sharing and location-based services.
 
GC Mid-Atlantic: Down Economy, Increased Regulation Impact Corporate Fraud Top
Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive." Only now, with a down economy and an uptick in new compliance measures, that web has grown even more tangled.
 
Legal Marketing: Sorting Out Social Media for Lawyers, Part I: Top
Social media has certainly taken a stronghold in online communications. There are literally hundreds of tools online to connect, converse, tag, share, review, post, recommend, save and message others.
 
Litigation: Lost Profits Calculations Can Be a Minefield for Practitioners Top
Lost profits calculations can be a very tricky proposition and are not to be entered into lightly.
 
Commentary: Bill Entangles Pa. in Liquor Makers' Relationships With Wholesalers Top
On July 28, Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, unveiled House Bill 11, detailing his vision of the privatization of the commonwealth's liquor and wine wholesale and retail operations. While H.B. 11 has not yet been formally proposed — as the General Assembly is out on its summer recess — the measure has already attracted much media and political attention, including drawing legislators and other interested parties to hearings before the Pennsylvania House of Representative's liquor control committee over the last several weeks.
 
Ethics: A Proposal Would Empower the Disciplinary Board to Issue Public Reprimands Without Court Approval Top
A set of proposals to change the state Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement were published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin of Aug. 6. If adopted, these changes would create a whole new form of discipline in Pennsylvania.
 
Criminal Practice: It's Time for Pennsylvania to Get Moving Against Wrongful Convictions Top
In November 2006, Sen. Stewart J. Greenleaf, R-Montgomery, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sponsored a resolution passed by the Pennsylvania Senate that created an Advisory Committee on Wrongful Conviction. Senate Resolution 381 directed that the joint state government committee, which is responsible for performing research for both houses and both parties of the General Assembly, establish the advisory committee.
 
Civil Practice: U.S. Supreme Court Weighs In on Campaign Finance Reform Top
Campaign finance reform is without question the only change in our political system that can save this nation from sliding into the total abyss. The unforgivable scene in Washington recently over the debt ceiling, borrowing and taxes is only a glimpse of much worse to come.
 
Environmental Law: Environmental Rights Amendment to the Pa. Constitution: A Force for 'Yes'? Top
In July, the Commonwealth Court decided a case under the Environmental Rights Amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution. Energy Conservation Council of Pennsylvania v. Public Utility Commission upheld the Public Utility Commission's decision to allow an electric utility to construct a transmission line over challenges raised by environmental groups and the Office of Consumer Advocate under, among other things, Article I, Section 27, of the state constitution.
 
Health Care Law: CMS Approves Noncompetition Clause in Physician Recruitment Agreement Top
Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued an advisory opinion (No. 2011-01) approving under the federal Physician Self-Referral statute a physician recruitment arrangement that included a noncompetition clause.
 
Public Interest: Key Questions About Pa.'s Public Education Agenda Top
Pennsylvania lacks a long-term plan for preserving and strengthening its 3,300 public schools, which serve 1.8 million children in the commonwealth. Leadership and commitment are absent on the key issues.
 
Public Interest: People With Disabilities Hurt by State Budget Cuts Top
Throughout the country, the recession has created budgetary constraints at the state level. Pennsylvania is no different. The budget pressures have resulted in diverse efforts to contain and reduce expenditures.
 
Intellectual Property: Luxury Designer Red-Faced After Failing to Monopolize Shoe Color Top
Christian Louboutin, famed creator of well-heeled shoes for well-heeled women, is seeing scarlet since a Manhattan judge recently denied his motion for a preliminary injunction that sought to prevent fashion house Yves Saint Laurent from using the color red on the soles of the shoes in its 2011 "Cruise Collection." Christian Louboutin S.A. et al. v. Yves Saint Laurent America Inc. et al.
 
Litigation: Overcoming the Fear Factor in Adverse Expert Cross-Examination Top
All trial lawyers experience a degree of fear and trepidation when facing the prospect of cross-examining the sophisticated adverse expert — the head of surgery for a hospital, the author of an authoritative textbook or an airline's chief pilot, for example.
 
Young Lawyer: Social Media and the Death of the Conversation Top
I get cranky in August, and this year's end-of-summer rant is about social media. It is not that I am anti-social media, but I think social media is making us antisocial.
 
Paralegals Page: CLE Plays Vital Role for Paralegals' Professional Growth Top
The purpose of continuing legal education (CLE) is to maintain or strengthen knowledge and skills in a particular area. Some courses examine new areas of the law while others review basic practice and principles.
 
Immigration Law: Positive Changes for Immigrant Investors and Entrepreneurs? Top
Two initiatives of President Obama's are starting to have positive reverberations in the administration of our immigration laws.
 
GC Mid-Atlantic: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Class of 2011: Hacking Top
The previous column in this series — "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Class of 2011: The Cloud" — discussed cloud computing and what it means to corporate counsel.
 
How Can a Law Firm Effectively Organize to Deliver More Client Value? Top
Many firms have collections of great lawyers. The time may be coming when clients will expect them to go beyond this and become effective organizations." So predicted management guru David Maister five years ago.
 
Litigation: The Zen of Mediation: A Conversation With Mediator Jeff Kichaven Top
If you have ever had the pleasure of participating in a mediation with a talented mediator, you can appreciate the unique skill set required. How does a case transform from unsettleable to one in which all parties are satisfied with the results? I recently sat down with Jeff Kichaven, a Los Angeles mediator, to discuss the psychology behind a successful mediation, and his insight is helpful for all levels of practice.
 
Ethics Forum: Lawyers should not hold clients' estate money in escrow accounts or Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts Top
I have been handling a number of small estates that were resolved fairly quickly in six months to a year. I have not been opening a separate estate account, but have been keeping the monies in my escrow/IOLTA account. I then make distribution when there is a family settlement agreement or if the court approves it. Am I doing anything wrong?
 
Municipal Law: Maintenance of the Urban Forest Top
Most people don't think of metropolitan areas as being forested.
 
Liquor Law: Act 11 Opens New Frontiers for Liquor Licensees Top
A weekly pop-up pub? A cash bar at a monthly meeting held in someone's office? Easily implemented beer sales at public festivals? All were illegal until earlier this summer when Gov. Tom Corbett signed Act 11 of 2011, which opened the door for "catered function" events that could span all of these, as well as myriad other new uses for liquor licenses.
 
Law Firm Management: Strategies for Retaining Clients When a Partner Leaves Top
Anticipating the impact of a key partner's departure should begin when the client first comes to the firm.
 
Alternative Dispute Resolution: Res Judicata, Collateral Estoppel and Arbitration: Part II Top
The relative informality of arbitration proceedings, the general incompleteness of the record, and the absence of a reasoned opinion that would fully reflect the basis and scope of the arbitrator's decision have caused courts to exercise considerable discretion in deciding whether to apply issue preclusion to arbitration awards
 
Business of Law: Six Steps to Follow for a Successful Job Search Top
Any lawyer contemplating a job switch in these economic times should have a clear game plan. Here are six steps that make sense for any law firm or in-house attorney planning a move.
 
From the Chief: Lawyers Are Needed Now, as Well as a Focus on Their Struggles Top
When I think of models for leadership, I don't often think of lawyers. Too much second-guessing, too much timidity, too often a lemming-like mentality and a horrible fear to do anything new or that goes against conventional wisdom. However, in these tumultuous times, I actually think lawyers have a lot to offer in terms of helping us out of this political and financial mess.
 
Construction Law: 'The Government Made Me Do It': Top
For government contractors, the possibility of third-party liability for work performed on a federal construction project is always a concern. However, the defense of government contractor immunity, or GCI, first articulated by the U.S. Supreme Court in Boyle v. United Technologies Corp. , has, when applicable, immunized government contractors from liability against negligence claims brought by third parties against contractors.
 
Young Lawyer: 10 Tips Mentors Should Adopt for Helping Young Lawyers Develop Top
According to the 14th annual Global CEO Survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, 98 percent of "millennial" workers believe that working with a coach or mentor is important to their development. More would choose training and development as a benefit than a cash bonus.
 
Public Interest Law: Community Lawyering: Resurgence of an Old Idea Top
April had seen enough. For weeks she had been waiting for the landlord to repair her heater, to no avail. She'd already notified management of the problem several times, and had even gone so far as to withhold rent in the hopes that this would snap the landlord into action. Her actions did force the landlord into action, though not the sort of action for which April had hoped.
 
Bankruptcy Update: Tweeter Affiliate Liable Under WARN Act as Single Employer Top
A nondebtor affiliate of Tweeter, the bankrupt electronics retailer, is liable with the debtor under the WARN Act to employees terminated just prior to Tweeter's bankruptcy filing with same-day notice.
 
GC Mid-Atlantic: Credit-Rating Downgrade May Keep In-House Lawyers Busy Top
Standard & Poor's removal of the AAA credit rating the United States has held for 70 years has generated a lot of finger pointing at and within the federal government.
 
Upon Further Review: The 3rd Circuit's Report Card From the U.S. Supreme Court - Part II Top
In last month's column, I reported that the U.S. Supreme Court agreed with the outcomes that the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals arrived at in two of the five cases that reached the Supreme Court directly from the 3rd Circuit in the recently completed 2010-11 term.
 
Ethics: It is a professional courtesy to grant an opposing lawyer an extension. Top
I am a young lawyer and my opponent has asked for an extension to respond to an outstanding motion. My client wants me to be very aggressive. Is there any ethical rule to give me guidance as to whether or not I should object to the extension of time request?
 
Family Law: Superior Court Weighs in on Jurisdictional Issues in Child Custody Top
Recently, a number of Pennsylvania Superior Court cases have been published pertaining to jurisdiction in child custody cases.
 
Public Relations: Are You Ready for Your 15 Minutes of Fame? Top
In my July 5 column titled "Will Your Story Sell?" we looked at when it's worthwhile to approach the media in order to meet one or more of your organization's objectives. I also talked about what constitutes a good story that will draw the interest of reporters, editors or producers. Now that you've met the criteria for each, you're almost ready to be interviewed for your "15 minutes of fame.
 
Rieders' Discourse: Superior Court Clarifies Law on Sequestration of Witnesses Top
Have you ever had a situation where you asked the lawyer on the other side not to share with factual eyewitnesses testimony of other witnesses?
 
Cyberlaw: Is E-Discovery Instant Karma Gonna Get You? Top
In my November 2010 column, "Is E-Discovery Practice the New Fourth Amendment?" I posed the question of whether Victor Stanley Inc. v. Creative Pipe Inc. in the U.S. District Court for Maryland and Rockwood v. SKF USA in the U.S. District Court for New Hampshire signaled a trend toward courts using sanctions for e-discovery violations as they do the exclusionary rule for Fourth Amendment violations, i.e. — to "police" the practice of e-discovery generally by imposing sanctions not simply to punish the litigant, but to deter the future misconduct of others.
 
Insight on Diversity: Are We Unconsciously Undermining Our Diversity Commitment? Top
As a diversity practitioner, one of my primary goals is to raise consciousness of the value of diversity in our schools, workplaces, government and in our lives generally, but also consciousness of the things that we think and do that undermine our conscious value for diversity.
 
U.S. Supreme Court: Justices Weigh In on Pharma Marketing, Corporate Speech, Data Privacy Top
The U.S. Supreme Court's June 23 decision in Sorrell v. IMS Health, Inc. is among the 2010 term's most important.
 
Bankruptcy Update: 2nd Circuit Provides Broad 'Safe Harbor' Protections Against Avoidance Actions Top
Within the Bankruptcy Code, "safe harbor" provisions exist that provide special protection for non-debtor parties against preference and fraudulent conveyance claims arising out of certain types of financial transactions.
 
White-Collar Law: U.K. Bribery Act's Potential Impact on Business and Commercial Hospitality Top
You are taking potential clients visiting from the United Kingdom to a "baseball match" in Philadelphia.
 
Intellectual Property: China's Intellectual Property Regime Comes of Age Top
China's intellectual property protection: Not too many years ago that would have been considered an oxymoron. Then the Chinese government announced its future economy would be based on innovation, not manufacturing.
 
Young Lawyer: 'The Rodent': Law Schools Are Producing Too Many Lawyers Top
The nation's law schools are producing too many lawyers!
 
GC Mid-Atlantic: Will Rupert Murdoch Be the FCPA Fish the DOJ Can't Land? Top
As Rupert Murdoch and News Corp. survive the first round of Parliamentary committee chastisement in the U.K., is the U.S. Department of Justice eyeing the media conglomerate and its disgraced chairman.
 
Law Firm Management: Motivating Lawyers to Stay With Your Law Firm Top
Managing partners in today's first-generation law firms are increasingly aware of the need for an effective method of motivating their lawyers.
 
Business of Law: The Benefits of Balancing Zealous Advocacy With Fairness Top
I was speaking to a young litigator recently who had just settled a contentious and seemingly nasty case.
 
Ethics: Questions & Answers on Professional Responsibility Top
I received a DB-7 20-day letter from the Office of Disciplinary Counsel. It is asking for my position. Should I respond or just say nothing?
 
Construction Law: Are Pa. Oil and Gas Wells Ripe Targets for Mechanics' Liens? Top
The Pennsylvania Mechanics' Lien statute has undergone several substantive revisions since its first iteration in 1803.
 
Commentary: When Work Gives You a Heart Attack Top
An always hotly contested claim involves allegations of a work-related heart attack in the workers' compensation realm.
 
Rieders' Discourse: The Government Urge to Spend Top
As a government official, I found myself at a budget meeting recently as the only person willing to raise the question as to whether we should approve a budget for the coming year 1.7 percent higher than last year, and more interestingly, what to do with a $600,000 surplus.
 
Domestic Disputes: Red States, Blue States and Rainbow States Top
It is July 24. I am at the breakfast table and going through the sections of The New York Times as I usually do on a Sunday morning. On page four of the first section, there is an article titled "Across New York, Day of Long-Awaited Weddings.
 
Antitrust Law: Antitrust Defendants Should Applaud 'Wal-Mart' Ruling Top
On June 20, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision when it decided Wal-Mart v. Dukes , and decertified what would have been "one of the most expansive class actions ever." In a 5-4 decision, the court, in an opinion authored by Justice Antonin Scalia, found that the plaintiffs failed to meet the "commonality" requirement for class certification under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(a), reversing both the district court and 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in a dissent joined by Justices Stephen G. Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, strongly disagreed with the majority and argued that the district court's finding of commonality "was hardly infirm."
 
Real Estate: 9th Circuit Holds Letter of Intent Enforceable Top
Clients like letters of intent. Letters of intent can be developed easily and shipped out quickly to get a deal rolling. They can lay out basic terms of a deal in laymen's language, and in just a few pages, so the parties can decide if they are generally on the same page. They can even be used to create certain obligations, say a no-shop provision, giving a buyer some comfort that it will not have the rug pulled out from under it before it can cut a deal.
 
Commentary: The Hatch Act: A Shadowy Minefield for Federal Employees Top
This much is clear — a federal employee may not solicit or accept contributions for a political candidate.
 
Technology Law: Is Your Smartphone Too Smart? Top
The smartphone in your briefcase is probably tracking and storing your location. As a consumer, you may enjoy this feature and even pay a premium to enhance its use.
 
Young Lawyer: Making the Leap: Not the Good Kind of Bar Top
Oftentimes this summer, I've considered the distinct possibility that I've lost my grip on the English language.
 
Paralegals Page: Professional Development Is Key for a Successful Career Top
Over the years, I have learned that professional development is essential for the growth and enhancement of one's paralegal career.
 
GC Mid-Atlantic: News Corp. Takes a Pie for the Team, Earns Media Home Run Top
So was the pie-throwing attack on Rupert Murdoch a setup? Was it all just a publicity stunt designed to draw attention away from his testimony before the British parliamentary committee?
 
Intellectual Property: Patent Law Is Changing - and Staying the Same Top
For the first time in the nearly 60 years since the passage of the Patent Act of 1952, Congress is on the verge of enacting patent legislation that would reform the existing patent system in major ways.
 
Letter to the Editor:: Pa. Should Abolish Capital Punishment Top
As an individual who has had the privilege of working with the Federal Defender's Office in successfully representing a client in federal habeas corpus litigation in a capital case, and on behalf of the Jewish Social Policy Action Network, I would like to thank the Editorial Board of The Legal.
 
Litigation: Engaging the Jury: Lessons From a Museum Tour Guide Top
Every other Saturday, I volunteer as a docent at a local science museum. Before I could actually do this work, I had to take a number of classes.
 
Bankruptcy Update: Court Tosses '10 Rittenhouse' Owner's Bankruptcy Filing Top
As the old saying goes, "History repeats itself."
 
Ethics: Questions & Answers on Professional Responsibility Top
Lawyers should always cross-examine witnesses whose testimony is hotly contested.
 
Litigation: Call Me From the Road Top
In a 2010 column headlined "Hang Up and Drive: Lawmakers and Courts Tackle the Dangers of Cellular Phone Use by Drivers," I analyzed the current legislative and common law trends related to cell phone use while driving.
 
Commentary: How the State's Courts Have Weighed In on Standard of Care Top
In this column's examination of attorney liability, it is imperative to understand how Pennsylvania courts have adjudicated attorneys' deviation from the standard of care, or legal malpractice.
 
Commentary: 'Fair Share' Under Act 17 and Environmental Claims Top
On June 28, Gov. Tom Corbett signed Act 17 of 2011 into law. Act 17 purports to make joint and several liability the exception, rather than the rule, in actions against more than one tortfeasor in Pennsylvania.
 
Law Firm Marketing: You Want Clients? 10 Ways to Make it Easy for Them to Find You Top
Two immutable facts: You want clients and you are in the service business. Now, in spite of these two well-known facts, I am constantly shocked at how hard law firms and lawyers make it for clients to reach them. Well we are going to fix that right now.
 
Securities Law: Chancery Court Comments on Valuation of Potential Derivative Claims Top
In a recent Delaware Court of Chancery opinion, In re Massey Energy , the court provides an extended discussion concerning the valuation of certain pre-merger derivative claims against the directors and officers of Massey Energy Co. in the context of an announced $8.5 billion merger with Alpha Natural Resources. The plaintiffs sought to enjoin the Alpha merger, alleging that the price was unfair because the Massey stockholders failed to receive fair value for the derivative claims. As discussed below, the court denied the injunction due, in part, to multiple flaws in the plaintiffs' valuation approach.
 
Franchise Law: The Economy Needs More Franchise Financing Top
Franchised operations are expected to create 194,000 new jobs in 2011 according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers analysis. This would be a 2.5 percent increase over 2010 and corresponds to a 2.5 percent increase in total retail outlets expected in 2011. Total employment by franchise companies is expected to be 7.8 million this year. That is why the government is focused on financing for small business as a method of job creation.
 
COMMENTARY: 'Doom and Gloom' Headlines Overlook Important Pro Bono Data Top
The media's initial take on the recently published statistics detailing the 2010 pro bono performance of major law firms is striking: The Wall Street Journal Law Blog said "charity was … in short supply"; the pro bono environment was described in The American Lawyer as "choppy waters"; both publications observed that firm pro bono hours "plunged," "plummeted" and "slid." The melodramatic headlines and fraught language are certainly eye-catching. However, this topic can benefit from additional analysis of what happened in 2010 and why, and what's next for law firm pro bono.
 
Young Lawyer: Films That Inspire, for Your Summer Viewing Pleasure Top
As young attorneys, there are definitely times when we need a dose of inspiration.
 
Corporate Law: The FCPA: Can Your Company Survive the Wave? Top
For companies that conduct business overseas, especially in emerging or third-world markets, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and its high-profile, high-dollar settlements are all too familiar.
 
Special Series: E-Discovery Top
This is a weekly series examining the effects e-discovery has had on the practice of law.
 
The Marcellus Shale Play Special Report Top
Is the next wave of the natural gas boom happening right here at home? Click here for a collection of TLI stories about this lucrative site.
 
Luzerne County Scandal Top
Click here for a collection of articles on the corruption scandal in Luzerne County Court.
 
Embracing Mobile Technology in the Legal Profession Top
Brian Renken, solution advisor at Dell, discusses about the role of mobile technology in law practice and the expectations it creates in new recruits.
 
2011 Lawyers on the Fast Track Top
Each year, we at The Legal Intelligencer take this opportunity to recognize rising stars from across the state who not only stand out as young lawyers, but also serve as exemplary members of their communities and their profession.
 
First-Year Associates Top
A comparison of life experience and job experience; avoiding first-year job burnout; advice on getting feedback; developing a business program; and a breakdown of hiring and retention statewide are all featured in our First-Year Associates supplement.
 
Construction Law Supplement Top
OSHA standards, "Green" Building Codes, Lien Wavers, Evidence Preservation, Withholding Payments and Source Specifications are all explored in the August 16 Construction Law Supplement to The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Energy Law Top
Articles on the "Frack panel," Pennsylvania's solar energy industry, green energy on the local level, electric capacity prices, Marcellus Shale injury exposure, natural gas regulation, and oil and gas leases are included in this special supplement on energy law.
 
Cooking Up Justice: Cooking Up Justice Top
Dive into this tantalizing collection of recipes from local attorneys, jurists and even the staff of The Legal Intelligencer. From delicious starters, to magnificent main courses to fantastic finishing touches -- there's something sure to please your palate in these pages.
 
Family Law: Family Law Supplement Top
Click here to view the full text of the July 12, 2011 Family Law Supplement to The Legal Intelligencer.
 
GC Mid-Atlantic Top
Click here to view the full text of the June 28, 2011 GC Mid-Atlantic Supplement to The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Auto Law: Litigation II: Auto Law Top
Click here to view the full text of the June 21, 2011 Auto Law supplement to The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Labor & Employment: Labor & Employment Supplement Top
Click here to view the full text of the June 14, 2011 Labor & Employment Supplement from The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Verdict Search's Top Verdicts of 2010 Top
The Top Verdicts of 2010 as reported by Verdict Search contains charts of the top verdicts and settlements in Pennsylvania, along with breakout charts of selected verdict categories. Also included is a summary of the most significant verdicts.
 
Intellectual Property Supplement Top
Click here to view the full-text of the May 17, 2011 Intellectual Property Supplement to The Legal Intelligencer.
 
2011 Diversity Supplement Top
Click here to view the full text of The Legal Intelligencer's April 5 Diversity Supplement.
 
What's Hot, What's Not Top
Social media, regulatory, government affairs and health care practices, and international law are some of the topics in our "What's Hot, What's Not" special report.
 
Top Laterals: Top Laterals Supplement Top
Click here to view the full-text of the Top Laterals Supplement from the February 15 edition of The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Banking & Accounting: Banking & Accounting Supplement Top
Click to view the full-text of the February 8, 2011 Banking & Accounting Supplement to The Legal Intelligencer.
 
PaLAW 2010: Annual Report on the Legal Profession Top
View the online version of PaLAW 2010 magazine, our Annual Report on the Legal Profession.
 
Medical Malpractice: Litigation Supplement Top
Click here to view the articles from The Legal Intelligencer's January 25 Litigation Supplement dealing with Medical Malpractice.
 
Personal Injury: Personal Injury Supplement Top
Click to view the full text of the Personal Injury Supplement to the November 16 edition of The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Intellectual Property Supplement Top
Click here to view the full-text of the November 2010 Intellectual Property supplement to The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Healthcare Law: Healthcare Law Supplement Top
Click here to view the full-text of the October 26 Healthcare Law supplement to The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Real Estate: Real Estate Supplement Top
Click to view the full text of the October 12 Real Estate Supplement to The Legal Intelligencer.
 
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT: 2010 How-To Guide Top
A collection of practical, how-to articles for those working in and around the legal profession. An informative advertising supplement to The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Lawyers on the Fast Track: Lawyers on the Fast Track Top
Each year, we at The Legal Intelligencer take this opportunity to recognize young lawyers across the state who have worked tirelessly in their professional, personal and civic lives to improve the legal landscape and the future of others.
 
GC Mid-Atlantic Top
Click here to view the full text of the GC Mid-Atlantic Supplement from the September 14, 2010 edition of The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Alternative Dispute Resolution: ADR Directory & Supplement 2010 Top
Click here to view the full text of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Supplement in the August 17, 2010 edition of The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Construction Law: Construction Law Supplement 2010 Top
Click here to view the full text of the Construction Law Supplement in the August 3, 2010 edition of The Legal Intelligencer.
 
2010 Intellectual Property Directory Top
The 2010 Intellectual Property Directory features attorneys throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware who practice in the IP area.
 
New Associates: New Associates Supplement Top
Click here to view the full text of the July 13, 2010, New Associates Supplement to The Legal Intelligencer.
 
GC Mid-Atlantic: GC Mid-Atlantic Supplement Top
Click here to view the full-text of the June 29, 2010 GC Mid-Atlantic Supplement to The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Litigation: Litigation Supplement Top
Click here to view the full text of the Litigation Supplement in the June 22, 2010 edition of The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Nominations Now Accepted for Lawyers on the Fast Track Top
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2010 Lawyers on the Fast Track awards. Click here to download a nomination form.
 
Job Hunting Guide Top
Click here to view the full text of the Job Hunting Guide supplement to The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Pro Bono: Pro Bono Supplement Top
Click here to view the full-text of the May 25 Pro Bono Supplement to The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Intellectual Property: Intellectual Property Supplement Top
Click here to view the full text of the May 11, 2010 Intellectual Property Supplement to The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Environmental Law: Environmental Law Supplement Top
View the full text of the May 4, 2010 Environmental Law Supplement to The Legal Intelligencer.
 
Women in the Profession: Women in the Profession Supplement Top
View the full-text of the April 20, 2010 Women in the Profession Supplement from The Legal Intelligencer and Pennsylvania Law Weekly.
 

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