LJN Newsletters

A comphrehensive listing of everything contained in this issue.

Despite its ancient origins, adverse possession doctrine retains considerable contemporary importance. Disputed questions of fact explain the continuing volume of adverse possession litigation, but unfortunate statements of law have also been a factor. This past spring, in Walling v. Przyblo, the Court of Appeals took a significant step toward clarifying and simplifying adverse possession doctrine in New York.

Recent rulings of interest to you and your practice.

Although there are bad apples among them, most private investigators dig up information using only proper means. Even putting aside the significant, well-regarded 'white collar' operations laden with former FBI executives and the like, many one- or two-person shops also comport with the law. But still, issues sometimes arise. Recent events have raised the consciousness of lawyers, particularly criminal and divorce attorneys who employ private investigators on a regular basis.

Legal disputes over control of the physical remains of a person after death belie the phrase requiescat in pace. The problem can come up when parents of the deceased are divorced, they are the next of kin and they disagree as to what should be done with a child's remains. It can emerge when people remarry and their children's ideas clash with those of their new spouse. The problem can also surface when same-sex couples in non-legally recognized relationships are left out of the burial decision-making process.

For the past 5 years, Corporate Counsel has conducted a survey of Fortune 250 general counsel, asking them to list their 'primary' outside counsel. This year, 93 companies provided information on their top law firms for corporate transactions, litigation, labor and employment, and intellectual property. Those companies named a total of 380 law firms.

A&FP has for several years followed the problematic interaction of: Laws and regulations relating to the federal taxability as income of compensatory damages in 'nonphysical' personal injury cases; The classification of contingent at-torney fees in those cases as income for the client (as well as for the attorney); The operation of federal fee-shifting statutes; and The alternative minimum tax (AMT). '

An update on movement on our Board of Editors.