Many installments of this column have focused on true-crime documentaries examining murder convictions and the legal process and “evidence” that led to them. While those series or stand-alone shows are undoubtedly intriguing, we always seem to be left with the same conclusion: Even if the defendant didn’t kill the person, the person is still dead. But what if we were presented with a situation in which someone was convicted for the murder of a person who was subsequently found alive and well?
How often, I ask Leigh Steinberg, do people say to you, “Show me the money?” “How about every day?” he responds without a second of hesitation. The phrase was cemented into pop culture lexicon by its use in Jerry Maguire, the 1996 film starring Tom Cruise as a sports agent, telling the story of his relationship with the profession and one particularly demanding football player-client.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s October 2022 term ended just a couple of months ago, but it’s already apparent that the decisions are leading to a great deal of litigation. What are the major issues left open by the cases that are likely to be litigated in state and federal courts?
If getting paid for the legal work you perform is important, then you already know why legal billing software is an indispensable tool. However, now that generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT have burst upon the software scene, legal billing systems can seem mundane since they are practical and reliable rather than an exciting new category of software. Yet the importance of this software has not diminished and remains a key element of the infrastructure that supports modern profitable law firms.
I subscribe to quite a few news apps on my iPhone. I like to get my information regarding U.S. and world events from multiple sources, and feel that if I vary the input sources, there is less chance I’ll fall victim to the self-imposed echo chambers so many of us live in these days.
Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Katherine Allen, the CEO of Flo Recruit; Ross Guberman, the CEO of BriefCatch; and Jim Wagner, the CEO of the Contract Network.
This is a good a time as any to talk about artificial intelligence. In four words: I don’t like it. I am a technophobe. I spent more than 40 years in a litigation practice in the Toronto area, and given the rapid technological advances, I can easily say I’m happy I retired. I actually practiced in the days where we used typewriters, carbon paper and liquid Wite-Out. I started in 1974 B.C. (Before Computers), which qualifies me sufficiently to comment on the subject of AI. I don’t even like Google.
According to the Thomson Reuters 2022 State of U.S. Small Law Firms report, 22% of law firms admit that “differentiating your firm from your competition” is one of the top three goals or priorities for their practices. The report also indicates that 50% of firms find “challenges acquiring new client business” a moderate challenge, and 22% see it as a significant one. At the same time, almost three-quarters of the firms feel that the most competition comes from other law firms of similar size.
My regular readers will recognize that it’s been a few weeks since I shared a new column. But it’s not without good reason. First, I’ve had jury trials scheduled back to back. I secured favorable results, but the process I go through for trial prep doesn’t leave much room for anything outside of that preparation. So when I have multiple trials set within a month, I have to pull away from other endeavors and really dig in.
Although they did not receive the headlines of the most high-profile decisions of the October Term 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court decided two important cases concerning the law of the workplace. One involved the duty of employers to accommodate employees’ religious beliefs and practices. The other concerned when a union can be held liable for the economic consequences of a strike. Each is likely to engender a great deal of litigation.
