Professional Development
May 30, 2007
The author started conducting etiquette-training sessions in the mid 90s. The typical program focused on good manners and business protocol. Fast-forward to the new millennium and she is discussing etiquette topics that were unknown a decade ago, like appropriate use of cell phones, PDAs and electronic mail. Interesting thing about etiquette, she says: It constantly changes to keep up with society, technology and new business philosophies.
A Rare Extradition In IP Case
May 30, 2007
One of the first U.S. extraditions for an intellectual property crime highlights the growing sophistication and reach of cybercriminals ' and the extensive resources law enforcement must devote to reining in cybercrime.
'Dear Abby' Law Firm Blogs a No-No, Carrier Says
May 30, 2007
One of the largest carriers of lawyers' professional liability insurance has set out guidelines for law firms that want to get into the business of blogging, without hurting their insurability.
The Place to Network
May 30, 2007
There is clearly a branding benefit to touting diversity. It certainly raises the image of the firm, and may get it through the RFP process. However, the question from a marketing standpoint is ' how can law firms use diversity to network successfully for business development?
Practice Tip: What the Jury Hears
May 30, 2007
Every day there is a new product liability headline. Every day jurors hear of a sensational new product liability verdict. Every day business is pitted against consumer safety. Trial counsel on both sides of the courtroom have to know what jurors expect from product liability cases and understand how to adapt their respective cases to those expectations. The expectations with which the jurors enter the courtroom will, to a great extent, determine what they will hear regardless of what you say.
Consumer-Generated Content Is Hot
May 30, 2007
Over the past year, a growing number of companies have begun to sponsor promotions involving consumer-generated content. These types of promotions offer many advantages for marketers. If a promotion is executed well, it could generate publicity for a relatively small investment. Consumers are also likely to spend more time on a company's Web site watching videos and learning about the company's products than they would otherwise. Moreover, a company may end up with a great commercial at a fraction of the price they would have had to pay an agency to develop it. Along with these advantages come a number of legal challenges.
Career Journal
May 30, 2007
Employer brand is top of mind for many firms. The way a firm's brand is perceived by staff and potential employees is a critical success factor. There was once a time when marketing and HR were very different schools of thought; people from each discipline had very little in common. Now, HR professionals are beginning to put on marketing 'thinking caps' and utilize marketing principles and strategies to brand their firms; therefore, successfully attracting talent ' and not just fee-earner talent!
Defective Pet Foods: New Litigation Theories Or Just the Same Old Chow? An Animal Law Attorney Argues for More Than Market Value Damages
May 30, 2007
One of the biggest stories in product liability in the past month has been the recall of tens of thousands of cans of food sold to consumers to feed to their companion animals. The news has attracted public attention because it is a tragedy of potentially epic proportion: Somewhere between 20 (according to the FDA) and 20,000-plus (by extrapolating statisticians) of the nation's nonhuman family members have developed serious illnesses and/or died from eating food containing something very toxic that has caused renal failure (still being debated). Furthermore, in the litigation arena, plaintiffs' attorneys ranging from sole practitioners to the large class action law firms most often in the headlines have all filed actions representing both individual clients and broad-ranging classes of thousands of individuals affected by the poisoned food. (At the time of this writing, more than 30 cases had supposedly been filed across the country.)
The Case for Mentorship
May 30, 2007
Career guidelines, career plans and mentors. These are familiar terms to most lawyers, especially law students and laterals looking for the right 'fit.' And many, if not most, large law firms highlight one or more of these career-planning tools on their Web sites and recruiting materials. But the 'inside' story of their effectiveness might not be as rosy. Several recent articles in legal journals and newspapers have bemoaned the state of mentoring programs at larger firms, saying that they are boilerplate, empty promises designed to recruit, and that they are usually unsuccessful due to lack of follow-up. Here's how our company overcame these problems.
