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.
Now that we've got your attention. The mere thought of hearing those words is enough to wake you up screaming in the middle of the night. Just as frightening is the idea of sitting helplessly and waiting for it to happen. Yet that’s what many law firms are doing. “Attorneys are increasingly targe… Read More
The best defense against a malpractice claim is to keep a close eye on your calendar. That’s because most claims are the result of administrative errors like missing a key deadline or not filing a document on time. “Although attorneys typically devote significant effort to ensuring that they get t… Read More
If you accept a case on an hourly fee basis, do you take the time to explain to your client exactly what activities will be billed, and at what rate? And if other attorneys might take the case on a contingent fee basis, do you inform the client of that? Do you discuss the pros and cons of each option? If not,… Read More
In a polarized world, litigators need to think like lizards in order to win in the courtroom. Meaning: make arguments that appeal to our primitive, reptile brains. A live workshop on how to do that – along with lots of other educational and social opportunities – are on the agenda for the 2019 Ann… Read More
Six female associates have filed a $200 million gender discrimination lawsuit against Jones Day, calling the firm a fraternity led by one man. The proposed class action, which was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges that the “hostile work environment” at Jones Day har… Read More
Got 15 or 20 minutes of unexpected free time on your hands? Put it to good use by giving your law practice a micro-boost. You might be surprised at the major benefits that could result. For instance, brainstorm three good topics for blogposts. Choose any subject that pops into your head. Odds are if it intere… Read More
The next time you catch yourself griping about the commute to your law office, be thankful you’re not in Los Angeles – where drivers spend an average of 102 hours stuck in traffic each year. Or New York City (91 hours), Atlanta (70 hours) or Miami (64 hours). And commuting in those locations doesn… Read More
You probably know it’s a good idea to confirm the terms of your representation – particularly what you have agreed to do and how you will be paid – in a written agreement with your client. But you may not appreciate how important an engagement agreement is for malpractice defense. A recent c… Read More
In the midst of an epidemic of robocalls and spoofing scams, lawyers need to be vigilant about telephone communications with clients. Robocalls, spam calls and other unwanted phone contacts are skyrocketing, according to the latest government statistics. And preventive steps like call-blocking apps and Do Not … Read More
It’s hard to imagine a more difficult or heart-rending conversation than having to break the news to your child that you have cancer. Monisha Parker not only found a loving way to do that, but she turned her experience into a published book: “What’s Going on With Mommy.” Monisha will c… Read More
If your heart pounds and your mind goes blank whenever you speak in public, you’re not a failure as a lawyer. In fact, you’re in good company. The fear of public speaking is one of the deepest and most common sources of anxiety. That’s true for laypeople and lawyers alike, including some cou… Read More
Who would’ve ever thought that being too nice could be a turn-off for some clients? Or that how you shake hands could blow your chance of landing the case – even before you’ve said a word? And yet, those are two ways clients size up potential lawyers. “It’s not hard to make some… Read More
As we enter the second quarter of 2019, have you already broken your resolutions for the year? If so, relax. It doesn’t mean you’re a failure. It means you’re among the 80 percent of people who find it easier to set goals than follow through with them. But here’s good news. A few simpl… Read More
If you’re worried about what will become of the law profession, 3L Gabriela Sevilla is Exhibit A that the future is in good hands. The third-year law student at Howard University was moved to action after meeting a homeless couple living in a tent on the streets of Washington DC. She launched a GoFundMe … Read More
The importance of creating a space all your own for relaxing and fun. Read More
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.
The North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (NCAOC) recently announced additional go-live plans for counties transitioning from paper files to Enterprise Justice (Odyssey), which currently serves Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Mecklenburg and Wake counties. Twelve northeastern counties comprising Track 3, as previously announced, will go live on February 5, and 10 counties comprising Track 4 (Alamance, Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Guilford, Orange, Person, Vance and Warren) will go live on April 29.