<b><i>Leadership</i></b>: Hidden Business Development Opportunities
December 31, 2014
These days, all firms must provide more value-added services. In the short run, the more you know the better chance you have at winning the business. In the long run, close client knowledge and an understanding of the marketplace will augment client retention.
Upping the Legal Training Ante
December 31, 2014
Womble Carlyle's technology training and online learning programs were in need of an upgrade. Unprecedented firm growth, heightened emphasis on developing lawyers' core technology competencies, and a need to streamline and automate existing e-learning processes led the firm to initiate a fundamental shift.
Strategies for Assessing Tenant Credit
December 31, 2014
When considering a lease, tenants are usually focused on the location, size and quality of the leased space, and perform some minimal diligence on the landlord and property manager to ensure fair treatment over the course of the term. Landlords have a more difficult task, however.
More of the New Normal?
December 31, 2014
As a result of the decrease in spending during the Recession, there is considerable cash sitting on the sidelines. Yet every year, there has been uncertainty hovering over the markets, preventing prudent companies from opening the cash spigot. So how does it look for 2015?
Making Your Net Work
December 31, 2014
Skilled social media navigators frequently brag about all the people they are "networked in" with ' scores, hundreds or even thousands of LinkedIn connections, Twitter followers or Facebook friends. But once you get it in reach, what happens then?
Will the Supreme Court Remove <i>Brulotte</i>'s Shadow Over Patent Licensing?
December 31, 2014
Fifty years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the collection of royalties after a patent's expiration constitutes <i>per se</i> patent misuse. Although criticized by scholars, antitrust agencies and the lower courts, <i>Brulotte</i> has not only endured, it has impacted licensing practices in a number of contexts. All that may change, however.
Why the Rise of Ascertainability Signals the Fall of 'All Natural' Consumer Class Actions
December 31, 2014
The filing of a consumer class action and the widespread publicity such a lawsuit draws often has an immediate adverse impact on the product, its brand, and its manufacturer. Taking control of these class actions early, containing them through appropriate corporate messaging, and ending them quickly at the class certification stage is therefore imperative, particularly in the food and beverage industry.
When Your Data Goes Viral: Insurance for Data Breaches
December 31, 2014
Data breaches are part of the technological age. Indeed, 2013 was dubbed the year of the "mega breach," and in 2014, as of October, there had been 621 publicly reported data breaches, exposing 77,890,487 records. In early October 2014, JPMorgan Chase reported a data breach affecting as many as 76 million households and 7 million small businesses, making it one of the largest data breaches ever reported.
When Your Data Goes Viral: Insurance for Data Breaches
December 31, 2014
This article explains the traditional insurance products that may provide a policyholder with insurance coverage for data breaches, and some of the newer products available to policyholders for these risks.