We have written about the importance of not switching line spacing or typeface settings in an attempt to squeeze more words into a brief — especially after the court has rejected your request for additional pages. (See “In briefs, what ...
Read More »Demystifying legal transformation and its role in helping the enterprise
Companies, more than ever, are striving for an edge in today’s uncertain business environment. As organizations brace for the possibility of a recession, calls from the C-suite to cut costs and improve profit margins are mounting pressure on legal departments. ...
Read More »How to make calling your firm a positive experience for clients
I believe the telephone and the way it is handled is one of the most important aspects of running a successful law office. Here are some easy and free ways to improve the experience for all callers to your firm. ...
Read More »Preparing for VCDPA: What employers should do right now
Virginia’s new Consumer Data Protection Act, or the VCDPA, goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2023, but covered Virginia businesses should begin preparing now. The Virginia Attorney General can levy up to $7,500 per violation, so covered businesses should carefully ...
Read More »How to cross-examine an expert witness
The purpose of cross-examination is to continue to argue — and defend — your case by using leading questions to obtain affirmative answers. The leading question with the desired answer is the key to effective cross-examination of all witnesses, including ...
Read More »From ‘Bakke’ to ‘Fisher’: evolution of affirmative action cases
The Supreme Court took up the issue of affirmative action again — the second time in six years — but with the conservative majority now generally expected to end the use of race in higher education admissions. That would be ...
Read More »Real estate industry benefits from Inflation Reduction Act
On Aug. 16, President Joe Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA, of 2022. Although it garnered headlines mostly for its $80 billion commitment to the Internal Revenue Service, the IRA went a long way toward providing ...
Read More »How to expedite a patent application
The United States Patent and Trademark Office generally takes about 24 months to make a final decision on the approval of a patent application. Much of this time is due to the long queue that an application must get through ...
Read More »PPP loans have ended, but investigations are ongoing
On Aug. 5, 2022, the PPP and Bank Fraud Enforcement Harmonization Act of 2022 was enacted and established a 10-year statute of limitations, or SOL, for the prosecution of fraud by borrowers under the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program, ...
Read More »Seeing mental health as we see physical health
We all feel pain and experience struggles at times in our lives. Some of our struggles bring us closer to those around us, while other struggles result in feeling isolated. One crucial factor in how we experience our pain and ...
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