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Recent Articles from BridgeTower Media Newswires
A lateral move requires discreet investigation
Thinking of making a lateral move to be a partner at another firm? Prepare to do a lot of research, because the grass is not always greener under another firm’s shingle. Your research topics should include the firm’s financial situation, compensation, culture, staffing, integration of new partners, diversity of clients, marketing and professional development. Be […]
Five reasons why you lost your jury, and your case
Litigating is a mix of science and art. It takes the right amount of craft, knowledge, intelligence, evidence and personality to get the people in the box to see things your way. Sometimes it’s easier to do in some areas than in others; for example, if your case has very strong evidence, other elements can […]
Why associates leave and how to stop them
One of the most serious challenges facing law firms today is recruiting and retaining young talent. Firms of all sizes are finding it increasingly difficult to hold onto associates for more than a few years. That means partners and firm administrators have to pay more attention to keeping their best young lawyers in the fold. […]
Billable hours for watching ‘48 Hours’?
With the onset of fall, the kids are back in school and football has begun. Perhaps more even more important to me — a child of the ’70s who was raised with the TV as a babysitter — a new season of shows is on the air. Indeed, television is an important part in the […]
Six strategies for effective mediation advocacy training
As mediators, attorneys and educators, we understand the importance of preparing litigators to engage in mediation advocacy effectively. We also understand the realities of law firm practice and the scarcity of time attorneys have to devote to professional development. However, we believe that mediation advocacy — which rarely is taught in law school — should […]
Legal tech in 2015: All about efficiency
The International Legal Technology Association conference in Las Vegas, or ILTACON, is described on the conference website as “a four-day educational conference that draws on the personal and collective strengths of professionals working in technology within law firms and legal departments. ILTACON will empower us to share what works, what doesn’t and the tools to […]
Wearable tech data may become evidence
When I first started writing about the importance of social media to lawyers in the mid-2000s, it was an uphill battle to convince lawyers that social media should matter to them. It wasn’t until social media began cropping up in cases a few years later, both as the medium for the commission of crimes and […]
Cloud a better option than in-house services
Cloud computing offers many benefits for firms that need data storage and information services and functions that would be difficult, and expensive, to provide in-house, technology experts say. It does “lower the barrier to entry for firms on a leaner budget,” but “the key question any lawyer needs to ask is ‘What’s the worst case […]
The good old days seem so long ago
The unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been since April 2008, but pay packets are still noticeably thinner than they were before the bubble burst – especially for lawyers. According to a report published this month by the National Employment Law Project, real wages have declined since 2009 for most U.S. workers. This pinch has […]
What to expect from the next generation
Are you tired of reading about millennials, that demographic of socially conscious, socially networked, free-thinking, tech-savvy people born around 1980 or later who are the absolute darlings of marketers everywhere? Well you’re not alone. As this kale- and quinoa-eating demographic (who of course are not always averse to tucking into a Taco Bell Doritos Locos […]
How to relax at work — without ever leaving your office
For many law firm associates, making time to relax and take care of themselves seems impossible within their busy schedules. On the surface, it sounds like a good idea (in the same way having a mandatory firm-wide nap time in the middle of the day does). But many associates express a hidden fear that, by […]
Fixed fees: both sides of the debate
Is it possible for lawyers to embrace some other type of billing besides hourly billing? In particular, is it possible for lawyers to embrace fixed-fee or task-based billing, in which a fee for a specific task is determined before the engagement? Let’s look at the major pros and cons of this thorny issue. Pros Time: […]
Verdicts & Settlements
- Driver struck twice in rear-end collision at red light — $350,000 settlement
- Drunken driver strikes vehicle on interstate — $200,000 settlement
- Trip and fall on mat leads to knee replacement surgery — $1.5M verdict
- Woman suffers permanent injury in broadside crash — $2.325M settlement
- Teacher injured in accident during morning commute — $1.5M settlement
- Woodshop incident leads to amputation of fingers — $1.3M settlement
- Motorcyclist’s foot amputated in collision — $7M settlement
- Contractor rear-ended on interstate on way to wedding — $825,000 settlement
- Man suffers back injury in crash with out-of-state driver — $530,000 settlement
- Driver crossed center line, struck 89-year-old’s vehicle — $1.2M settlement
- Jury returns defense verdict in favor of gastroenterologist
- Teens killed in T-bone collision with officer — $3.1M settlement
Opinion Digests
- Court silent on if ALJs were constitutionally appointed
- Homeowner’s lawsuit barred by res judicata
- Uncertainty over service prevents default judgment
- No stay of case pending resolution of motion
- Man’s unlawful search, seizure claims dismissed
- Amazon shows patent claim is ineligible abstract idea
- Geographical separation dooms trademark claim
- ‘Narcotics trafficker’ defense rejected
- Litigant’s suit against courts, judges dismissed
- Body cam footage properly admitted
- Motion to withdraw pleas properly denied
- Evidence supports murder, conspiracy conviction
