Avoid a bad lawyer: 7 tips -114

Let's tell it like it is: A lot of us aren't fond of lawyers.

But an attorney who is difficult to work with or provides shoddy legal advice can magnify an already touchy relationship.

To illustrate: What would you do if a partnership went sour and the lawyer that once represented both of you goes on to represent your former partner? Conflict of interest, yes. However, in this case, you also signed a legal document agreeing to this without being informed of the possible implications.

So what was bad legal advice back then—no forewarning about what might happen if your partnership ended—has morphed into a bigger problem now.

What can you do to avoid becoming one of these cautionary stories? First, know that finding a good lawyer, and avoiding a bad one, can be a process as detailed as finding a new employee. And it could potentially mean even more to your business.

Tanya Starnes, an attorney and author of Mad at Your Lawyer, offers these seven tips for avoiding a bad lawyer.

1. Don't go for a general practitioner when you need a specialist.Using the same business lawyer you've trusted from the beginning may lead to a bad experience if you really need a specialist. Should the case end up in court, you don't want a lawyer who has never performed litigation cutting his teeth at your expense. The word "specialist" may cause you to cringe and think of high cost. However, Starnes argues that a specialist may turn out to be less expensive, depending on your needs. Where a general small-business attorney may take days to research and draw up the right documents, a real estate or tax specialist may solve your problem in a matter of hours.

2. Do some legwork to find a good attorney.Simply put, don't let your fingers do the walking when it comes to tracking down competent legal advice. "Don't be lazy," Starnes says. "You can't go to the mall and get a lawyer." If you need a specialist, ask your current lawyer for a referral. Don't stop there, though; ask people you know with some connection to your legal community. Get references and do background checks. The more time you put into your search, the better your chances of getting a competent lawyer who's also suited to your business.

3. Do some due diligence on lawyers' costs and fees, too.Before you contact a lawyer, consider how much time and money you are willing to spend on one. Make sure to account for time away from your business. Do some research on the Web and make some phone calls to get basic understanding of lawyers' costs and whether your problem is worth what it might cost. If you decide that the issue is big enough, then it's time to meet with a lawyer to discuss the problem and the fees required to solve it. But proceed cautiously: In the hands of the wrong lawyer, your $3,000 problem can quickly escalate into $30,000 and take months to resolve. If you lose, you now have to deal with both the original problem and a hefty legal fee.

4. Don't sign up unless you're completely comfortable with the fee arrangement and relationship.Make sure an attorney is worth what you're spending—agree only to a fee structure that suits you. Small-business owners are often asked to sign blank checks or retainer fees. Avoid doing this if at all possible, Starnes says. It means that you are dependent on the honor system and likely will have no idea how much time your lawyer actually spends on your case. Instead, ask your lawyer for an estimate at the beginning. This will allow you to set up a budget and to avoid any unexpected surprises when the bills arrive. Take it as a serious red flag if the lawyer balks. As an attorney, "I can give you an estimate on just about anything that I know how to do," Starnes says. "At the very least, I can give you a range and tell you the factors that will make it higher or lower. "Also, insist on a written fee agreement where all anticipated costs and fees are specified. In other words, get it in writing.

5. Understand what an attorney is doing for you.The last thing you want is for a legal problem to bite you later because your lawyer neglected to file the documents with the right government department-or, just as bad, did not let you know what the documents meant. That said, another warning sign is your lawyer failing to explain any sort of legal document he or she is drafting. To keep your relationship running smoothly, keep a written account of all interactions that you have with your attorney. As Starnes says in her book, "One of the most helpful things you can do, especially early in your relationship with your lawyer, is to provide a written summary and chronology of what happened. "This is particularly important in discussions concerning money. By documenting your understanding of fee changes or potential settlement discussions along the way, you will ensure a fair and quick resolution of any future disputes. As you move through each stage, question the things that you don't understand. A good lawyer will take the time to explain and answer these questions.

6. Insist on a good system of communication.Insist in advance on how and how often you should communicate. If you have to wait days or weeks to hear back from your lawyer, either you didn't relate your expectations well enough, or you have a lawyer too busy to take on your business. Give some thought to finding a new one as soon as you can. Starnes points out that you could have the best lawyer in the country, but if she is too wrapped up in a high-profile case, she isn't devoting much time to you. That means your problem is unnecessarily going to take more time, and more money, to resolve.

7. Be wary of the "slam dunk" claim."Any lawyer who tells you you've got a slam dunk case is probably not a very good lawyer," Starnes says. "I have seen very few slam dunks in my time. The law is rarely black and white. Oftentimes, there is a disagreement, and who will win and lose is difficult to predict. "Depending on the case, an attorney likely will have to do some research and talk to several people before making any kind of assessment. While his confidence may be reassuring, his actions on your behalf are more important. Also, trust your gut. If you feel doubts about a lawyer's comments or competence, you may be best to cut your losses, terminate the relationship, and move on.

Source: http://www.microsoft.com/business/en-us/resources/finance/legal-expenses/avoid-a-bad-lawyer-7-tips.aspx?fbid=6dihpx_gMws

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Steps for Becoming a Lawyer -114

If you aspire to become a lawyer, read this article to know how to become a lawyer and the necessary steps for becoming a lawyer.

How to become a lawyer? Is it only a simple degree from a law school, or does it require something else? 

Law is a profession which requires a lot of hard work, dedication, research, patience and perseverance. So how to become a lawyer? The steps for becoming a lawyer may be arduous, but it is a rewarding career option. If anyone needs legal advice, it's a lawyer who is hired to fight the case. Lawyers are needed in every sphere of life, be it while buying a home, making legal documents, during marriage or even to start a business. There are numerous steps for becoming a lawyer which are described in the following paragraphs.

You will have to grind your way up to becoming a successful lawyer. To become a lawyer, you need to have at least a college degree of four years and then a three-year degree of law to be eligible for the test. This test determines if you are eligible for practicing in the country. 

Bachelor's Degree: A Must
Getting a bachelor's degree is one of the first steps. It has to be a four-year degree course. It won't be of any help if you have an associate degree. Though some may believe that a bachelor's degree does not make any difference, but any knowledge DOES make a DIFFERENCE! Try choosing a major which develops your skills and would be required for a profession in law. A lawyer requires professional writing skills, analytical skills and critical thinking, so it's always better to choose a subject which hones these skills of yours. 

Your grades in bachelor's degree is also important for admission to a good law school. It's a general perception that a person who can't get good grades while in undergraduate course, won't be able to do well in the tough grind of law school. Though there are other factors also which determine the final GPA, grades indicate the priority of studies in a person's life. 

Take a Look at the Law Schools in Your Area
One of the most important steps, is to research the best law school in the country. You need to review the qualification criteria required for getting into a law school. Each law school has a different set of criteria and curriculum, so you need to know exactly what is expected, to help you prepare in advance. Look at the opportunities offered and the kind of project work which are extended.

Take the Law Test
The standard test which any graduate should take to enter a law school is Law School Admission Test (LSAT). It's a standard test to test the logical reasoning and analytical skills of a student besides skills of reading comprehension. Moreover, the writing skills of an individual is also measured. The test is held four times in a year - February, June, October and December. 

Get Admitted into a Law School
For every law school, the deadline for application is different. Once you get the results of LSAT test, and you get the minimum qualifying marks, make sure you apply well in advance. Apply in three or four colleges, so that you stand a better chance of getting admitted in at least one of the colleges. Write down the important dates and deadlines so that you don't miss the deadline.

Graduate Successfully
The next step to become a lawyer is successful graduation. Usually, it takes three years to complete a law degree, if you opt for a full-time course. In case you opt for a part-time program, it would take four years to complete the program. During your first year, you will have to go through the rigorous program of law, which would require you to research and read about law. The reason for such a rigorous program is to accustom students to constantly think law. The first year is spent in familiarizing with the legal terminologies and laws related to acts of negligence and wrongdoings. Moreover, other laws covered include civil procedure law, constitutional law, criminal law and property law. In the second and third year, students have an option of choosing courses based on their interests. Throughout these years, students get a chance to argue in mock trials, write legal documents and participate in court activities. 

Passing the Bar Exam
The next step to become a lawyer is to pass the exam conducted by the bar. This exam determines whether a law graduate is qualified enough to practice law. Each state has a different agency which administers the test. If you want to practice law in a particular area, you have to take the test conducted by these agencies. 

Once you have cleared all these steps to become a lawyer, next you need to pass the fitness and character test. This stage is quite intrusive and checks the person's background. And if you fail in this test, you will not be admitted into the bar. Once the bar permits you an entry, you need to apply for a license to the responsible authority of the state. After the application is granted, he or she takes an oath, in which the applicant promises to follow the rules of law. In some states the license should be renewed, which requires continuous education so that the lawyers are abreast of the latest changes in law.

The steps for becoming a lawyer in Canada is similar to the steps to becoming a lawyer in America. The only difference is that in America, once you pass the bar exam and the character and fitness tests, you are eligible for applying for a license. On the other hand in Canada, once you have completed the steps for becoming a lawyer mentioned above, you need to finish a period of articling and after that, pass the course and exam set by the bar. This means that you have to invest at least 6 to 8 years for the whole process.

Becoming a lawyer is a long-drawn process and requires you to be patient besides being determined, but it is definitely a rewarding career option.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/steps-for-becoming-a-lawyer.html

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Leads for Lawyers -114

Ethical Considerations of Pay Per Lead Advertising for Lawyers

Pay Per Lead advertising is a newer form of online advertising for lawyers. Pay Per Lead (PPL) is similar to Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising. With pay-per-click ads, the lawyer pays the advertising agency only when someone clicks on their online ad. In contrast, pay-per-lead ads usually operate by presenting the consumer with a form when they click on an ad. The lawyer only pays the ad agency if the consumer fills out the form, or takes other action as directed by the ad.

Lawyers are bound by many ethics regulations dealing with lawyer referrals to get legal clients. There is some debate as to whether PPL advertisement can be considered lawyer referrals, and courts have not issued any major decisions regarding PPL and attorney referrals.

Recently however, the New Jersey Committee on Attorney Advertising issued an opinion regarding pay per lead advertising for lawyers. The Committee commented that PPL ads for lawyers are not inherently unethical. However, PPL ads still need to conform to professional standards for lawyers (i.e., they can’t be false or misleading, or result in an impermissible fee sharing arrangement, etc.).

Necessity and Risks of Generating Leads for Lawyers

It is without question that generating leads is a necessary part of maintaining a successful legal practice, especially for smaller law firms. However, there are some risks associated with pay per lead ads for lawyers. The main risk is that some advertising agencies may engage in deceptive practices, such as providing a false or bogus link.

For example, The New Jersey opinion arose after an investigation found that one pay per link agency engaged in advertising practices that were “misleading” according to the Rules of Professional Conduct for Lawyers. It’s clear that lawyers need to be alert when it comes to pay per link ads, which are still a new phenomenon.

The Need for Diverse Channels when Finding Leads for Lawyers

Even with newer options like pay per link ads, lawyers have an important need for diverse channels for generating leads. One method that has become popular is to create a legal blog, which might generate leads for an attorney’s personal website.

Another method is to utilize attorney-client matching services such as LegalMatch, which directs clients to attorneys in a manner that conforms to professional and ethical standards. Online attorney client matching has the potential to generate leads for lawyers while eliminating or reducing the need for PPC or PPL advertising. This can save the attorney much time and resources in the long run.

Source: http://www.legalmatch.com/attorneys/marketing/leads-for-lawyers.html

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What Makes a Successful Lawyer? -114

In the past, success in the legal field often involved sacrificing long hours to develop a client base. The traditional lawyer practiced in many different fields, and often had to advertise to several segments of the population just to build their practice. In more recent times, the successful lawyer is not necessarily one who exhausts the most time and resources on advertising; instead, success now depends on maximizing efficiency in engaging clients.

The modern lawyer earns success by complementing the conventional aspects of their practice with sound, innovative business practices that are current and up to date. As the legal field becomes more specialized, the hit-and-miss approach of conventional advertising needs to be supplemented with more innovative methods.

Benefits of Working with an Attorney Client Matching Service

More and more attorneys are discovering the benefits of working with an attorney-client matching service such as LegalMatch. In particular, the most cited benefits of lawyer-client matching online include:

Ability to Focus Practice

LegalMatch allows lawyers to tailor their accounts to specific areas of the law like bankruptcy or divorce. Satisfied solo practitioners like Gregory A. of Maryland and Peter L. of Illinois use LegalMatch to direct their marketing towards clients who match their firm’s profile. LegalMatch's matching system operates nation-wide in every major legal field- this creates exciting opportunities for an attorney to build his or her practice.

Increased Revenue

Attorney-client matching provides lawyers with leads that they might not otherwise obtain (such as out of state clients). To illustrate, Attorney Drew L. from Louisiana states,

“LegalMatch has provided me with cases that I would not normally receive… Without LegalMatch these types of clients would never have found me.”

Many lawyers who use the LegalMatch system draw a significant portion of their revenue through the system.

Efficiency

LegalMatch's streamlined matching system allows lawyers like Kelly M. to save time by reviewing only those clients and cases that are specifically of interest to them. In addition, attorneys will receive up-to-the-minute mobile notifications whenever a case is posted, and they can respond to potential clients immediately as needed.

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LegalMatch has helped countless lawyers create successful practices through attorney-client matching. Part of that success involves the ability to take advantage of the fast pace of internet-based consumerism. In the long run, the lawyer is able to save time, access more clients, and focus their attention on the quality of the services they provide.

Source: http://www.legalmatch.com/attorneys/marketing/successful-lawyer.html

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How to Be a Successful Lawyer -114

Lawyers have a responsibility to guide people through the legal system, but do it with grace and tact simultaneously. A good lawyer can make all the difference in the fate of their client. Read on to discover the secrets to being a successful and judicious lawyer

Lawyers have a responsibility to guide people through the legal system, but do it with grace and tact simultaneously. A good lawyer can make all the difference in the fate of their client. Read on to discover the secrets to being a successful and judicious lawyer

Steps

1. 1
   Know your information. Keep yourself up to date on your area of law, and memorize them as they apply in your jurisdiction.
2. 2
   Join a bar association. When you are with other lawyers you will be able to trade expertise as well as gaining influence.
3. 3
   Work at a reputable firm. It need not be famous, as long as you have a good success rate. Keep on top of your job so that you'll climb the corporate ladder.
4. 4
   Speak respectfully to judges and people in higher offices of court. Listen to them without interrupting.Your professionalism depends on how you present yourself.
   

1. 9
2. Use tact and grace when dealing with clients. Their unfortunate position may mean that they get agitated, but try to understand from their point of view. Don't let them verbally or physically abuse you, though.
3. 6
   Listen to your client. Never make judgments according to guilt unless you know the whole story. Remember, a client is innocent until proven guilty.
4. 7
   Keep up attorney-client confidentiality. A client's case is nobody's business other than yours, the Judge and prosecutor's. If the trial is publicized do not volunteer information about the client to paparazzi.
5. 8
   When interrogating a witness, ask appropriate questions relevant to the trial. Don't ridicule the witness if they get emotional on the stand but maintain professional distance. Keep in mind that special care should be applied to witnesses who are minors or crime victims of a violent nature.
6. Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Successful-Lawyer

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How Travel Insurance Works? -114

The question of whether or not to purchase travel insurance isn't easily answered. Some people throw caution to the winds and never get any insurance at all, much less travel insurance. Of course, these same folks may end up in debt for life if they're ever in a disabling accident. Travel insurance poses some new questions -- some vacations are low risk and cost very little money and therefore probably aren't worth insuring. A vacation that includeshang gliding on a remote island during hurricane season, on the other hand, may be worth insuring. If you're prone to injury, illness or flat-out bad luck, you might want to consider insuring your trip as well.

Airplane Image Gallery

Your personal insurance carrier, your credit card company, travel insurance specialists and travel agents all offer forms of travel insurance. It's important to note that many things related to your vacation may already be covered through your auto orhealth insurance, or your credit card. There's also a fair amount of tricky fine print and enough bad deals out there to make the casual traveler skeptical about purchasing the extra insurance. And sometimes filing a claim isn't as easy as you'd like.

A simple flight insurance policy can be had for as little as $10, covering you in the event of death by plane crash -- how's that to lift your s­pirits? Other more comprehensive policies fall in the range of 3 to 8 percent of the total cost of your trip. It all depends on what kind of coverage you want. The good thing about travel insurance is that it's so flexible. You can find out what you're already covered for and then order a la carte from the insurance menu.

So which variety of travel insurance should you choose? Or should you even bother with it at all? We aim to clear up these issues and provide you with the information you'll need to answer this question on your own. We'll walk you through the different types of insurance offered, give you some tips on how to get the best deal, explore some new options in the industry and get to the bottom of what your credit card covers.

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How Flood Insurance Works? -114

The town of Wilmington is the quintessential Vermont burg. Located in the southern part of the state near Mount Snow, Wilmington bustles during the winter, summer and fall. Each morning, diners, both local and otherwise, savor the inch-thick blueberry pancakes dripping with local maple syrup at Dot's Diner. Down the road at Al Wurzberger's 1836 Country Store, tourists fill shopping bags with tasty cheddar, mouth-watering fudge and even cuckoo clocks. Each summer, gardeners line Main Street with hanging baskets of flowers.

It's a wonderful place to spend an afternoon, a summer, a lifetime. That is until the flood of 2011 washed almost everything away. In August, hurricane-turned-tropical-storm Irene pounded Wilmington with heavy rain. The Deerfield River, as tame as a river can be, overflowed its bucolic tree-lined banks, sending a torrent of water racing downstream. At Dot's, located steps away from the Deerfield, water reached up to the building's second floor, not an easy feat. Stores and restaurants became muddied and waterlogged.

Wilmington wasn't alone. All across Vermont, flash floods tossed houses around like cord wood. Covered bridges, which stood for hundreds of years, became floating debris. When the water receded and the clean up began, many Vermonters found their homeowners insurance would not pay for the damage. Instead, they needed special flood protection provided by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Only 3,673 homeowners in the entire state had flood insurance [source: Jewell].

Run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), NFIP helps homeowners and renters rebuild after a flood occurs. Most insurance companies do not provide flood insurance on their own. The risks are too great. As a result, the government subsidizes the program and homeowners buy flood insurance through a private company. Go to the next page to find out how it works.

Source by clicking HERE <--

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