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.
In the wake of one of the most devastating hurricanes in US history, NC lawyers are needed to help in recovery efforts. Hurricane Florence struck North Carolina more than two months ago. But many of the 34 counties that were designated by FEMA as disaster zones are still suffering. Some of their residents lack… Read More
Looking for a last-minute stocking stuffer for someone special on your Christmas list? How about a Himalayan Salt Night Light ($11.89) for cool Aunt Edna, or a set of stainless steel eco-friendly drinking straws ($5.89) for your environmentally conscious teenager? If those choices don’t grab you, h… Read More
Stepping away from private practice – either full-time or part-time – doesn’t mean you have to disengage from the law. To the contrary, it can open new possibilities for growth in your law life. One option is to share your wisdom by teaching. There’s a good chance that a nearby law sch… Read More
A powerful opening is a key to persuasive legal writing, but a weak close can make it all for naught. Too often, lawyers overlook this when drafting a brief or delivering an oral argument. They start tepidly and gradually run out of steam. They end with a whimper instead of a bang. The key is understanding th… Read More
The other day at the local recycling center I spotted a stack of boxes filled with discarded law books. It was a small mountain of trashed tomes. There were elegant Restatements of the Law, finely-bound Southeastern Reporters and what appeared to be an entire set of North Carolina General Statutes. All the law… Read More
A story on the importance of sitting down to reflect. Read More
If you’re like me – and by me I mean all right-minded people in the universe – you’re a single-spacer. In fact, I was under the impression that this argument ended long ago with the demise of dot-matrix printers, monospaced fonts and old-school typesetting. But no. Apparently the battl… Read More
At a growing number of cities across the nation, lawyers don’t have to chase ambulances anymore – ambulances are bringing sick and injured patients directly to them. It’s part of a sweeping initiative to connect patients with legal services on issues of health insurance, housing, transportati… Read More
There’s no “right” look for a law firm website – but there’s one thing yours should do, or you might as well take it down. It should tell a story. The goal of the story – like all stories – is to engage the reader. The setting is your law practice. The plot should be … Read More
Here’s a fun marketing tip: take your clients to the movies. It works for one Connecticut lawyer, who schedules group outings to the local cinema as a way of thanking her clients. It’s also a teachable moment. She chooses films relevant to her foreclosure defense practice. “I took a group of… Read More
Imagine this scenario: while doing legal research for an upcoming court hearing, you discover an obscure ruling that is directly on point and a game-changer. Unfortunately, it hurts your case and helps the other side. What should you do? Forget about the ruling and hope your opponent doesn’t find it. … Read More
Two little words – Thank You – can make a big difference in your law practice. Just ask Vinny Gambini. In the cinematic classic “My Cousin Vinny,” the defense lawyer played by Joe Pesci gave a rambling, ludicrous and incoherent opening statement. The judge ordered the entire statement s… Read More
Are you a lark, an owl or a third bird? Knowing which one you are – and arranging your schedule accordingly – could make you more productive in the law office. It will also improve your quality of life. Larks are morning people. They are sharper and more energetic in the early hours. Owls come to … Read More
In a world of online streaming and saturation ads, the ungainly billboard might seem an unlikely candidate for a comeback. And yet marketing specialists say those oversized signs can bring an impressive return on investment for businesses ranging from law offices to lawn care. “Billboards are everywhere… Read More
What’s the scariest place you’ll visit at work today? Is it the courthouse, to attend a hearing you’ve barely prepared for? Or maybe the conference room, where an encounter with a difficult client awaits? Or, heaven forbid, the dreaded copy room, where the copier is making unearthly sounds an… 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.