When the law firms of Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP and Wildman Harrold Allen & Dixon LLP merged in 2011, marketing efforts, specifically the online and digital Web presence, were quickly devoted to achieving a cohesive "one voice, one brand, one solution" approach.
Online technology presents numerous challenges to attorneys during litigation, while managing their firms and marketing their services, and in trying to keep up with the newest legal developments and rulings. A recent decision in a case of first impression by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York highlights how online technology also presents challenges in criminal law enforcement.
As anyone involved with insurance coverage litigation knows, "contra proferentem" is a rule of contract interpretation that requires an ambiguous contract term to be construed against the drafter of the contract. That the doctrine is also called the "contra insurer" rule speaks to the fact that, when interpreting insurance policies, courts sometimes forget that general rules of contract construction still apply.
In this continued age of economic uncertainty and transition for law firms, the back office and support services functions have become an increased target of opportunity. Firms are thinking more strategically about how to reduce and recover back office costs, increase efficiency, and implement newer technologies, all while maintaining or increasing services to the end users.
Just as chief marketing and business development officers came to the fore following the recession, "chief strategy officers" are making their way to the managing partner's cabinet.
Part One, last month, discussed the current state of law firm valuation, how to determine what it is that is being transferred, and a few of the methods used for valuing a law firm. Part Two will examine a possible solution to the differing valuation methods and look at issues that arise in an external transfer when someone outside of the firm is interested in buying it.
The American Bar Association adopted a policy on cybersecurity last month at the 2014 ABA Annual Meeting in Boston.
Hey, wanna know the one rule for a flat stomach? How about the secret $5 wrinkle buster? Spoiler: There is no one rule or $5 secret. But it must be part of the human condition to seek out quick solutions to thorny problems because people keep clicking these ads. This trickles into my little corner of the "teaching Office 2013" world through a seemingly harmless question: Should I turn that off?
Being singled out by one of the research-based legal rankings or directories can be a big client booster, whether it's a practice area or individual lawyers that are recognized. Here's how to achieve those rankings.
With the modern technology that allows businesses to do more things on computers and on other electronic devices, efficiencies can be achieved, but unintended negative consequences can also result. When a breach of the data on these devices occurs and confidential information is accessed by unauthorized persons, the financial consequences to the business entity may be substantial.
