Provisions of the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010
October 27, 2010
President Obama signed into law the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act (SBJC) of 2010 on Sept. 27. More than $12 billion in tax incentives and relief provisions that are contained in the Act will directly or indirectly affect law firms, partners, their staffs and their clients.
Social Media Marketing
October 27, 2010
There are good reasons to believe that social media represents the next frontier in effective legal marketing, and many competitors have already hit the ground running. What do you need to know?
Who Is Dealing With Social Media Policies?
October 27, 2010
Survey results show that 38% of the 1,700 respondents didn't know who was dealing with social media in their company. The remaining answers were spread across human resources, compliance, marketing, and, at the bottom of the list, the legal department. And while 84% say companies should have policies in place to address social media risks, only 35% say they do have them. But the risks of social media ' legal and reputational ' are real, and companies need to deal with them.
Gradual Rollout Gains Increased Acceptance
October 27, 2010
Technology can be a very good thing ' especially if people actually use it! After several years in the legal industry, I have learned that the best technology in the world can have virtually no benefit if it is not marketed properly. However, if presented to users in a strategic way, a piece of software can be successful and have a revolutionary impact.
The Start of the Microsoft Office Synchronous XML Epoch
October 27, 2010
In Jan. 30, 2007, the Microsoft Office Asynchronous Binary era, with its shrouded commands, cascading menus and copious toolbars, ended with Office 2003 giving way to Office 2007. With trepidation, those of us who had a personal 18-year business relationship with it knew what was coming. We had a choice; we needed to either acclimatize to this new environment or fall behind technically like those who clung to Lotus 1-2-3 and WordPerfect 5.1.
Recruiting and Developing Associates
October 26, 2010
Ensuring longer-term and continuous improvements in providing greater value, and therefore sustaining higher levels of client satisfaction, requires addressing areas that have received little attention in the whole value discussion — the recruiting and development of associates.
Employer Accounting for Post-Retiree Health Care
October 26, 2010
The regulatory frenzy swirling about health care and employer plan accounting, coupled with our aging population and demographic shifts has created a perfect storm. We are besieged with commentary that Medicare is bankrupt, and the new accounting standards for employers require transparency to market and present value calculations of long-term liabilities, which creates havoc for employers for tax-planning and compliance purposes.
Rare Move By the U.S. Supreme Court
October 26, 2010
In a rare ruling, the Supreme Court unanimously held that a franchisee that stays in business cannot sue for constructive termination under the Petroleum Marketing Practices Act.
Developments in Distressed Lending
October 26, 2010
Recently, in two separate cases, secured lenders have received, as part of their adequate protection package, the right to obtain principal paydowns during a bankruptcy case.
