Lawyers Mutual

North Carolina allows a surviving spouse to petition for a year’s allowance in the amount of $60,000. This allowance is paid out of the personal property in the estate and is intended to provide a means of support for a surviving spouse during an estate administration. Under the existing statutory framewo… Read More

Most people don’t enjoy going to the doctor for a physical exam. There is all the poking and prodding and the lectures from your doctor about your lifestyle, diet, weight, and exercise. There is the potential that the doctor might find some illness or disease that you were unaware of. And yet most of us c… Read More

 Eighty percent of legal consumers looking to hire an attorney will move on if they don’t here back from an attorney within 48 hours. Seventy percent of consumers review online content before engaging with an attorney. This includes blogs, websites, online reviews, social media sites, and testimonia… Read More

A recent ABA Journal article offers a cautionary tale for lawyers who commit malpractice. The article describes the case of a Georgia lawyer who was disbarred after submitting falsified documents in her disciplinary case. The lawyer had been hired to represent a personal injury client who had been injured in … Read More

On March 1, 2024, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama Northeastern Division declared the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) unconstitutional. In National Small Business Association v. Yellen, Judge Liles C. Burke found that Congress had exceeded its powers in enac… Read More

 North Carolina allows a surviving spouse to petition for a year’s allowance in the amount of $60,000. This allowance is paid out of the personal property in the estate and is intended to provide a means of support for a surviving spouse during an estate administration. Under the existing statutory f… Read More

Lawyers Mutual congratulates retired Superior Court Judge Quentin T. Sumner, who was honored with the Chief Justice Commission on Professionalism (CJCP) Judicial District Professionalism Award. The award was presented to Judge Sumner by Chief Justice Paul Newby at an 8th District Bar luncheon and CLE presente… Read More

Email plays a crucial role in the daily activities of legal professionals. Whether they are exchanging messages with colleagues, communicating with clients, or staying informed about court notifications, lawyers find their email inboxes flooded with a continuous flow of messages, creating a potentially overwhel… Read More

  Lawyers Mutual congratulates Kinston attorney Jimbo Perry on his appointment as the new Executive Director of the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism. Perry replaces former Executive Director Melvin Wright. The announcement was made in a January 29, 2024, press release from the North Ca… Read More

It is a common practice for lawyers to jointly represent a husband and wife in preparing an estate plan. Married couples often desire this arrangement, as they may save money by hiring a single lawyer to prepare documents for both parties. As with any joint representation scenario, though, there is always a p… Read More

Burnout and attrition are very real problems for the legal profession. Law firms are struggling to keep top talent. Some firms have tried to throw money at the problem, but research shows that this is not the answer. In an in-depth study of lawyer satisfaction, law professor Lawrence Krieger and psychologist … Read More

If you practice long enough, you are going to end up with a client you wish you didn’t have. Maybe you have discovered that they have wildly unrealistic expectations about the value, timing, or merits of their case. Maybe you have come to realize that they are just overly vindictive and vengeful and only … Read More

Black History Month was established to celebrate the rich history and countless contributions of Black Americans from the past and recognize the struggles that Black Americans have faced throughout history. But it is also an opportunity to highlight the achievements of Black Americans today. In celebration of … Read More

The NC State Bar has issued an opinion outlining the ethical responsibilities of lawyers who are retiring or phasing out of practice. Read, print or download NC Formal Ethics Opinion 1 here. A companion guide is the Lawyers Mutual publication, “Buying or Selling a Law Practice,” which you can read… Read More

If you’re having trouble writing a brief or coming up with a winning strategy for a difficult case, you probably won’t be able to think your way out of the thicket. In fact, overthinking will only ratchet up the pressure. A better way to break the cycle is through a technique psychologists call br… Read More