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.
Verizon Business Survey Even though small businesses have been hammered by the pandemic, 68 percent of them are optimistic they can recoup COVID-related losses. And close to half say they will be able to remain open without significantly cutting staff. Those are two encouraging findings from a Verizon surv… Read More
The judicial system has been completely disrupted by the pandemic, and one judge in Louisiana has adapted by going virtual in a big way. Judge Scott U. Schlegel, who presides in the 24th Judicial District in Gretna LA, has launched the website www.onlinejudge.us. Its tagline says: “Introducing a new wa… Read More
A poodle in Seattle named Lucy was honored as a Lawyer of Distinction in the field of personal injury law after applying for the award and paying a membership fee. When she applied for the honor in 2017, Lucy claimed to hold a “Juris Dogtor” degree and belong to the King County Bark Association. … Read More
Some of the COVID-necessitated changes to the legal industry will fade when the crisis abates, but others – like working remotely – will become permanent. Another trend expected to gain momentum: multi-disciplinary practices with lawyers and non-lawyers under the same roof. “Many technolog… Read More
There’s an important Law Lesson to be learned when baseball is played in empty parks, in front of cardboard cutout fans, by players who are not allowed to spit. Read More
Jurors Nap, Cook, Babysit During Virtual Voir Dire You’ve probably never conducted a voir dire where some prospective jurors are napping, tending to toddlers and working out on an elliptical machine. Yet that’s what a defense lawyer says happened during a virtual voir dire in an asbestos case in… Read More
If ever there was a time when civility was needed, it’s now. So let’s take a moment to see what the NC Rules of Professional Conduct have to say about the subject: “The legal system provides a civilized mechanism for resolving disputes, but only if the lawyers themselves behave with dignit… Read More
Plexiglass and Cubicles As law firms scramble to retrofit their offices for COVID safety, two unlikely winners are plexiglass and cubicles. On the way out are shared workspaces and open floor plans. “Office spaces are rapidly evolving for the post-coronavirus era,” says Sean Peek in this articl… Read More
When was the last time you had a “style conversation” with your staff – especially those who are relatively new to the team? No, this doesn’t mean chatting about wardrobe or fashion. It means discussing what style of communication works best for you. In these unsettled times, it&rsquo… Read More
More than 40 percent of law firms say they’re planning to add one or more practice areas because of the pandemic, and 20 percent have already done so. But these adapters say they’re taking it slowly, to allow time for retraining, marketing and reallocation of resources. Those are some of t… Read More
If you’re planning a late summer or fall getaway as a respite from the pandemic, be sure to research the coronavirus restrictions in place at your destination site. By doing your homework in advance, you won’t arrive to find there’s no place to stay and nothing to do. “Travel and oth… Read More
One easy way to keep your practice thriving in these tough times is to simply let people know you’re open for business. And while you’re at it, assure them that despite the distractions of COVID, you’ll make sure their case gets quick and immediate attention. Those are two findings from a … Read More
5 Ways to Position Your Team For Success The best thing you can do as a legal employer in a pandemic is to be flexible and make adjustments that will set your team up for success. The worse thing you can do is to be inflexible, which will only cause frustration, floundering and failure. “To lead effe… Read More
It’s never good to have a job offer rescinded, but when it happens during a pandemic it’s even worse. Yet that’s the reality law graduates across the country are facing. “Law grads have had employment offers rescinded at 49 percent of the law schools surveyed by the National Associat… Read More
ABA FEO 492 You might want to rethink how you handle consultations with prospective clients, in light of a new ABA ethics opinion. Formal Opinion 492, released in June by the ABA’s Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility, provides guidance on Rule 1.18, Duties to Prospective Clien… 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.