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 a practicing lawyer, few things are worse than realizing you’ve made a mistake in case. When it happens – and if you practice long enough, it will – the big question is what to do next. “Some mistakes are harmless and immaterial,” says Lawyers Mutual attorney and Relationship… Read More
It appears that rumors of the demise of the Law School Admission test were premature. At its mid-year meeting, the American Bar Association decided to keep the testing requirement for all ABA-accredited schools, despite predictions that the requirement might be lifted this year. “A proposed revision t… Read More
Do you subscribe to the newsletter that brings expertly curated tips on running your law office straight to your inbox each month? Lawyers Mutual Practice Reimagined – “A digest of news and resources for evolving law practices” – is delivered by email monthly. Here’s an excerpt f… Read More
I must confess to being a bit of a neat freak about my home and workspace. I believe the benefits of orderliness – knowing where things are, not wasting hours looking for what you need, having a comfortable landing pad after another hard day on planet earth – outweigh the modest cost in time and ef… Read More
Many books about partner compensation are written from a BigLaw perspective. But authors Camille Stell and Brenda Barnes recognize that most lawyers work in smaller and mid-size firms where core values and personal relationships mean so much. With RESPECT – An Insight to Attorney Compensation Plans, the … Read More
We read all the time about the feared, reviled and much-coveted Google search algorithm and its secret ingredients. But did you know Google uses 200 different ranking factors in coming up with its search criteria? This expert’s online roundup of Google’s 200 search factors is required … Read More
Sometimes you have to be away from the office for an extended time because of a health issue, personal matter or unexpected crisis. Other times you need some time off for mental health reasons. Either way, it helps to have an Extended Leave Policy in your law office. “Clients and staff need to understan… Read More
Panic attacks can happen to any lawyer – and quite possibly at the worst possible moment. When they do occur, it’s important to know what’s going on and what should be done. One in five lawyers report have “severe anxiety” on occasion, according to the 2016 ABA Report on Well-Bei… Read More
Creating an inclusive workplace is sometimes as easy as making a simple connection over a sports team, a movie, or pets. Unfortunately, up to 70 percent of professionals say their workplaces do a poor job of that. The concept of inclusion can be over-analyzed, but it is basically feeling that you belong to a … Read More
You probably don’t leap from bed every morning thinking about data governance. But if you don’t have a grasp of the basic principles of data governance, you’re putting your practice at risk. “Data governance is a subset of information governance,” writes legal tech expert Hans Wi… Read More
If you’re looking some reading material to ride out – or rather, read out – the final winter months, you’re in luck. We’ve got some great titles for you. For instance, Shoe Dog, the best-selling memoir of Nike founder Phil Knight from modest beginnings to global success is … Read More
Is your attorney compensation model outdated? If it rewards individual behavior, encourages silo practices and discourages collaboration, it probably is. “Outdated compensation models put the lawyer at direct odds with their clients’ interests,” writes Brenda Barnes, CPA, MBA and co-author o… Read More
The forecast for the 2023 legal marketplace calls for continued clouds and scattered storms. That prediction comes on the heels of a strong 2022 but with looming questions about sustainability. “In the latter part of 2022 and continuing into the new year, multiple challenges have emerged to threaten law… Read More
In the last quarter of 2022, the NC State Bar considered 292 lawyer grievances. Most of those files (257) were dismissed. Five lawyers were given reprimands, seven received admonitions, five received letters of warning, and one was censured. Two matters were continued. Four lawyers were referred to the Trust A… Read More
Files, files, everywhere are files – both digital and paper. How does a busy lawyer manage, organize and safely dispose of them all? The starting point is to have a written set of procedures. “Two ever-present elements in any legal practice are documents and time constraints,” says Lawyers M… 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.