Jay Reeves practiced law in North Carolina and South Carolina. He was Legal Editor at Lawyers Weekly and Risk Manager at Lawyers Mutual. He is the author of The Most Powerful Attorney in the World, a collection of short stories from a law life well-lived, which as the seasons pass becomes less about law and liability and more about loss, love, longing, laughter and life's lasting luminescence.
For anyone who finds “Terms of Service” disclosures on websites too long, unreadable or just plain annoying, here’s good news. The Terms-of-service Labeling, Design and Readability Act (TLDR Act) might make life easier. The TLDR Act was passed in January with rare bi-partisan support. &ld… Read More
Imagine a world where there is no such thing as the Law School Admission Test, and you can commence your law school studies when you’re still in undergraduate school. That world may be fast approaching, after a March decision by The Law School Admission Council to green-light an initiative known … Read More
Practicing law in rural North Carolina is not like practicing in Charlotte or Raleigh. Of course you don’t have to live in either place to appreciate that. But for those who do practice in rural areas, the differences go beyond lifestyle to include a panoply of topics such as staffing and labor issues,… Read More
Every law firm wants to build a loyal, cohesive team that works together for a common purpose. But how to do it? Especially in this age of uncertainty and change? A time when law firms are too busy just finding people to do the work, to sit around brainstorming team-building exercises or stringi… Read More
A spoonful of courtesy and sprinkling of manners will not only make life sweeter – it might also save your reputation. Just ask the judge in Michigan who reported herself to the state judicial ethics authorities for investigation of possible misconduct after being caught on video berating a 72 year-old… Read More
Making sustainability a priority at your law firm is a smart business strategy. It’s nice for Mother Earth globally. It’s a way for your firm to make a positive contribution locally. You’ll earn cred with top young legal talent, who place high value on community service and environmental st… Read More
Don’t look now, but it’s no longer the information economy, or the digital economy, or the gig economy, or the crypto economy. Welcome to the attention economy. “It’s harder than ever to capture people’s attention because of the availability of content alternatives,” acco… Read More
How did a real-life double homicide from the 1980s inspire a new novel set in North Carolina involving antique gold, biker gangs and lots of courtroom action? And how did a trial lawyer and college professor from Asheville come to write such a book? For answers, we turned to William D (Bill). Auman, a longt… Read More
The Corporate Transparency Act, passed by Congress in 2021, is mandatory reading for lawyers who practice in the areas of real estate, corporate law and business transactions. Lawyers Mutual issued a Risk Management Alert on the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), as appears below. Lawyers Mutual is here for No… Read More
Burnout can happen to any lawyer, but there are some simple ways to keep it from happening to you. The first step is to acknowledge that burnout is real, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Even before the pandemic, more than one in four lawyers said they sometimes struggle with depression, and ne… Read More
When you interview a new client, do you ask if they’ve ever worked with an attorney before – and if so, how did it go? It’s important to know this, because their prior experience with lawyers will likely affect their relationship with you. Another question to always ask: how di… Read More
If you’re a new lawyer thinking of opening a solo practice, now could be the perfect time. Over the past two years, the legal industry has been turned on its head, with space opening up for new players and new ideas. But the basics of going solo successfully haven’t changed: work… Read More
When a lawyer leaves a firm, what happens to their email account? Should the firm put an outgoing auto-reply message on the departing lawyer’s email account announcing the departure? Can the firm simply shut the account down? Or should the lawyer simply have all messages forwarded to their new em… Read More
After two years of disruption and complications, bar examiners across the country are abandoning remote testing and returning to in-person exams. But in addition to the normal application documents, most candidates are having to submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination, a negative COVID test, or both. Specific r… Read More
If you’re angling for a promotion at your law firm, start by asking for one. Too many lawyers make the mistake of assuming their value to the firm is recognized and appreciated, and that it’s only a matter of time before it’s rewarded. But that’s not how it works – especially in… Read More
For lawyers handling real estate closings, it’s important to know that seller fraud continues to rise, especially with the upcoming holiday season when distractions are high, and fraudsters are active.
Lawyers Mutual has published previous alerts regarding the new filing requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) that went into effect January 1, 2024. After reviewing additional resources, we want to emphasize concerns that we have about the risks and increased potential liability for lawyers undertaking the reporting requirements. This is especially true for the continuing reporting requirements after entity formation and initial reporting.