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Briefly: Line dancing for lawyers
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 a difference a font can make,” Virginia Lawyers Weekly (Aug. 29, 2022).) Parties doing so […]
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. To rise to these demands, general counsel and their colleagues must provide more than sound […]
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. The greeting. The telephone greeting is really, really important. Instead of the cold and off-putting […]
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 consider the following consumer rights and action items to avoid penalties. Who does the VCDPA […]
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 the expert. It allows you to control the witness and obtain the desired answer most […]
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 a major shift for the court, which first ruled in favor of affirmative action policies […]
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 tax incentives to real estate and related industries. Selecting a few primary issues from the […]
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 prior to being examined by a patent examiner at the USPTO. However, there are several […]
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, or PPP. The 10-year SOL applies to Economic Injury Disaster Loan programs as well. Almost […]
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 heal from it is the support we receive from others. Stigma is one of the […]
Sharp words, unclear terms from Supreme Court
Just in time for the U.S. Supreme Court to launch its new term, here are my observations about the court’s legal writing in its flurry of end-of-term cases about abortion, guns and administrative law. The decision about abortion that overturned Roe v. Wade was bound to use the word “precedent” repeatedly. But the decision in […]
Federal judge sets stage for insurers to omit PrEP coverage
A federal judge in Texas recently issued an order that likely will make it harder for individuals to obtain PrEP. (See Braidwood Mgmt. v. Becerra, No. 4:20cv00283 (N.D. Tx. Sept. 7, 2022).) Pre-exposure prophylaxis — or PrEP — is a highly effective drug used in preventing HIV. Although not exclusively reserved for the gay community, […]
Verdicts & Settlements
- Plaintiff injured in crash with oncoming vehicle — $235,000 settlement
- Driver killed in rear-end collision with tractor-trailer — $1.5M settlement
- Man died from pancreatic cancer after delayed response — $1.8M settlement
- Worker fell off roof, rendering him a paraplegic — $1.25M settlement
- Driver sustained permanent hearing loss after traffic collision — $240,000 settlement
- Plaintiff suffered concussion in rear-end collision — $81,000 verdict
- Builder misrepresented home status to buyers — $675,000 verdict
- Low potassium led to cardiac arrest, death of patient — $1M settlement
- Excessive propofol caused death in dialysis patient — $850,000 settlement
- Pedestrian struck in crosswalk in hit-and-run incident — $300,000 settlement
- Navy veteran killed in collision with box truck — $1.85M arbitration award
- Motorcyclist ejected from bike in collision with SUV — $1.5M settlement
Opinion Digests
- Company owner dodges breach of contract suit
- Employee’s own allegations doom minimum wage claim
- Federal government defeats former employee’s claims
- Principal wasn’t entitled to exclusively remote work
- USPTO properly redacted info in responsive documents
- Untimely lawsuit allowed to proceed
- Engineering consultant dismissed from suit
- Rule 60 motion was filed too late
- Nonprofit directors immune from ex-employees’ claims
- City, employees immune from whistleblower claims
- Experts excluded in condemnation damages suit
- Judgment entered against company for horse’s death
