dimanche 26 février 2017

Family Law: Selecting a Good Lawyer

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Family Law: Selecting a Good Lawyer

Your divorce or custody battle is as unique as your family’s circumstances. It’s important to find the right lawyer for your particular case. A good lawyer can help you navigate the murky waters of divorce and can help you feel confident about your decisions. By contrast, an ill-equipped or inexperienced lawyer may end up complicating your case. But what kind of lawyer should you hire and where do you start?

What Type of Legal Assistance Do I Need?

If you’re filing for divorce, it’s obvious that you’ll want to hire an attorney who’s experienced in family law rather than personal injury or probate matters. In other words, you’ll want someone who knows how to handle your divorce case and can speak from experience. Yet it’s still important to decide why you want to hire an attorney in the first place. Your reasons for hiring a lawyers will factor into the type of attorney hat’s best equipped to handle your case.

For example, is your spouse a bully, who yells and frightens you into agreements? If so, you may feel like you need an attorney who will stand up for your rights and handle all communications. Are you completely overwhelmed by the divorce process? Then you may want a lawyer who will handle the entire case, from filing the petition through the trial. Do you want to handle the divorce yourself, but would like to have a consulting attorney available to give you legal advice and review documents? These are all very different reasons for wanting an attorney on your side and a different type of attorney will fit each of these circumstances. Once you’ve decided what you’re looking for in an attorney, you’re ready to begin the search.

How Do I Narrow My Search?

While an online search engine or your local bar association are both great places to begin looking, you may need to do more research to find the right attorney for your case. Many online search tools will group attorneys by practice areas and location. Once you’ve found a family law attorney in your area, check out the prospective attorneys’ websites. Do you think the website is tasteful? Does the attorney look professional? It can also be helpful to ask around and see if anyone in your network knows a prospective divorce attorney.

Also, you should review any biographical information on your attorney. For example, find out if this person practices family law exclusively. Does the lawyer’s website mention mediation? An attorney with mediation experience might be more focused on a collaborative approach, which can be good if you want to avoid trial. Alternatively, does this lawyer go by the nickname “Bulldog,” “Strong arm” or some other tough title? This probably indicates this attorney takes a no-nonsense approach and will be an aggressive litigator in your case, which may mean more legal fees for you.

Interviewing Potential Attorneys

Once you’ve narrowed down your list to a handful of attorneys, you’ll want to meet with each lawyer in person. Be aware that some attorneys charge an initial consultation fee. You should bring relevant divorce paperwork and information to your first meeting with a lawyer. An attorney needs to understand your circumstances to make an accurate assessment of your case.

Any attorney you hire should practice in your local community. Family law cases often require courtroom appearances, and almost all attorneys bill for their travel time. You should also consider how much your attorney charges and whether you can afford it. Ultimately, the attorney you hire should be someone you’re comfortable with. You should like your attorney’s style and general demeanor. A good attorney will explain the process for your case and create a plan that’s tailored for you.

Questions for Your Attorney

What do you think of my case? What are my chances of succeeding?
What is your retainer fee and hourly billing rate? What does that include? Do you charge for travel, photocopies, emails, and phone calls.
What kind of experience do you have in handling cases like mine?
How would you describe your approach in divorce cases?
See more at http://family-law.lawyers.com / family-law-selecting-a-good-lawyer.html

Hire a DUI lawyer

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Hire a DUI lawyer

If you’ve been arrested for DUI (Driving Under the Influence), DWI (Driving While Intoxicated), or any other drunk driving-related offense, you should seek the legal advice of a DUI lawyer.

A good DUI lawyer can help minimize or avoid severe penalties and consequences often associated with DUI. Knowing when to contact or hire a DUI attorney can make the difference between going to jail, losing your license, and getting a non-guilty or reduced plea verdict.

Below is important information you should know concerning why, when, and how to hire a DUI lawyer.

Why You Need a DUI Lawyer

A DUI arrest is a serious matter. If you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence, there’s a good chance you’ll face jail time, have your license suspended, and/or pay hefty fines – not to mention the potential hardships you may encounter at work, with your future career prospects, and personal relationships. In addition, if someone died as a result of your drunk driving, you will potentially have to deal with severe psychological issues as well. While some legal matters may be handled alone, a DUI arrest warrants the legal advice of a qualified DUI attorney or someone who knows how to handle the intricacies of your DUI case. And not just any criminal defense attorney will do. Because DUI laws are highly centralized and specific, DUI cases are best handled by experienced DUI attorneys or someone with specialized knowledge in this area, including knowledge of traffic laws, motor vehicle laws, and ignition interlock devices, for example.

Moreover, a good DUI attorney may challenge certain aspects of your DUI charge based on his or her specialized knowledge of breathalyzers, blood test, and chemical testing procedures.Therefore, you need a good DUI lawyer who can help guide you through the often confusing word of DUI.

What to Look for in a DUI Lawyer

Qualified DUI lawyers handle a variety of cases involving DUI arrests, DWI, and other drunk driving-related offenses. When looking for a DUI lawyer, you should concentrate on the lawyer’s expertise, skill level, commitment, and location or area served. For example, an experienced DUI attorney may help:

reduce or eliminate jail time;
eliminate a revoked license;
reduce your DUI charge to a lesser offense, and/or
avoid trial with a plea bargain.

Also, it’s important that the attorney you hire has the necessary skill level and is the one who actually conducts most of the work on your case.

Lastly, because DUI laws vary so widely by state and county, it’s important that the attorney have experience in the city or county where the arrest took place.

How to Find a DUI Lawyer

There are numerous ways to find a DUI lawyer. Referrals from friends and family or online research may be a good start. However, not all websites are the same — and unless you live in the same county as your friend or relative, or have unlimited hours to spend online, you may wish to find a local DUI lawyer using one of several quality-assured lawyer directories, such as FindLaw, devoted to connecting you to an experienced lawyer in your area.

As the #1 trafficked legal website on the web, FindLaw offers a comprehensive lawyer directory of experienced DUI attorneys in your area for free. Click here to find a quality DUI lawyer in your area now.

Questions to Ask a DUI Lawyer

Before selecting a DUI lawyer, you should feel comfortable enough to speak with him or her concerning all aspects of your DUI or drunk-driving related charge. Below are some of the questions you should ask before hiring a DUI attorney.

How much of your criminal defense practice is devoted to DUI/DWI cases?
How much of my DUI case will you actually handle?
How many DUI/DWI cases have you defended?
Are you aware of the state’s breathalyzer requirements and/or loopholes?
What are your attorney’s fees, and how are they calculated?

DUI Lawyer Fees

The cost of fighting a DUI charge will vary, and depends on a number of factors. First, not all DUI attorneys are the same, and a good DUI lawyer will probably cost more than an average DUI lawyer. Second, DUI fees will likely vary according to geography, or where you live, so a New York DUI lawyer may cost more than a DUI lawyer in Kansas. Third, DUI charges are case-specific and the fees will vary based on the amount of work needed to represent your case (for example, a first-offender vs. habitual offender). In all cases, it is wise to consult with a variety of DUI attorneys in your area to find one you feel comfortable with in representing you and get a sense of the cost involved in fighting your case.

Get Free Legal Advice

DUI defense is highly technical and depends heavily on the facts of the individual situation. A qualified local attorney can provide invaluable assistance by reviewing your case in detail at a free consultation. Take this opportunity to learn more about your defense options and interview an experienced practitioner about how they can help.

Source : http://dui.findlaw.com/dui-laws-resources/hire-a-dui-lawyer.html

mercredi 22 février 2017

Family Law: Selecting a Good Lawyer

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To whom it may concern

Family Law: Selecting a Good Lawyer

What Type of Legal Assistance Do I Need?

How Do I Narrow My Search?

Interviewing Potential Attorneys

Questions for Your Attorney

What do you think of my case? What are my chances of succeeding?
What is your retainer fee and hourly billing rate? What does that include? Do you charge for travel, photocopies, emails, and phone calls.
What kind of experience do you have in handling cases like mine?
How would you describe your approach in divorce cases?
See more at http://family-law.lawyers.com / family-law-selecting-a-good-lawyer.html

mardi 21 février 2017

All you need to know about Mesothelioma and it's settlements

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All you need to know about Mesothelioma and it's settlements

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare, asbestos-related cancer that forms on the thin protective tissues that cover the lungs and abdomen. A combined approach to treatment is helping people improve their survival and ease symptoms.

Did you know that doctors diagnose an estimated 3,000 cases of mesothelioma annually in the U.S.? The majority of those are traced to job-related exposures to asbestos. Most people have the pleural type, which forms on the lining of the lungs, but the cancer can also form around the lining of the abdomen or heart.

Although asbestos use in this country has dropped in recent decades, a steady number of people are still getting mesothelioma. That's because this cancer can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years after asbestos exposure before symptoms appear, and an oncologist can make a definitive diagnosis.
While there's no cure for mesothelioma and the outlook is generally poor, researchers have made significant progress in understanding the cancer and developing new treatment options and alternative therapies.

How Does Asbestos Cause Cancer?

Mesothelioma typically develops after people are exposed to asbestos in the workplace – in industrial settings, shipyards, auto repair shops, old houses, schools and public buildings. While it usually takes long-term exposure to put someone at risk, short-term and one-time exposures are also known to cause this cancer.
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lundi 20 février 2017

How to Buy Car Insurance for a Used Car

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How to Buy Car Insurance for a Used Car

Purchasing insurance for a used car generally follows the same process as buying it for a new car. However, there are a few differences when it comes to the rates you will pay. Although you will likely have lower insurance payments because used cars are less valuable, you are still required to purchase liability coverage as required by your state and automotive loan lender, if you have one. Additionally, the car’s individual history and the model’s reputation may have additional impact on your rates. Be sure to have these considerations in mind when calling to purchase insurance for your used car.

Determine your contractual responsibility to carry insurance. If you own your vehicle, outright, you can choose whether to simply buy liability insurance, or to buy optional expanded coverage to protect your auto. However, if you are leasing a vehicle, or owe money to a bank or dealership for your car, you likely are contractually required by your loan or lease to purchase a certain amount of additional coverage. If you don’t own your car outright, contact your lender to determine what coverage you are required to buy.

Choose your liability coverage. Liability insurance pays for any damage you cause to other people or their cars while you are driving. All drivers are required to carry liability insurance by law. This cost will be identical in buying insurance for a used car as it would for buying insurance on a new car. In most states, you are required to have insurance of at least $15,000 in liability coverage.

Your insurance policy will have a liability limit, which is the maximum amount the insurance will pay in case of an accident. If you have valuable assets, such as property or savings account, you may want to protect these assets in case of accident.
The liability limit on the policy does not limit the amount of damages that may be rewarded in the event of a lawsuit. As a consequence, many people carry excess liability insurance for extra protection.
Decide whether to buy other coverages. Comprehensive insurance pays for damages not caused by automotive accidents, including damage caused by natural events and animals. Additionally, collision insurance is another optional coverage that pays for damage on your car from striking another vehicle or object.
When deciding whether to opt for comprehensive or collision coverage, you should consider the value of your car. Your insurance company will pay at most the fair value of your car before any damage. If, for example, you drive a dated VW Jetta worth only $1,500, it likely isn’t cost effective to pay each month for comprehensive coverage in case of an accident. A good rule is to drop these coverages if they cost more than 10% of the value of your car each year.
The costs of these coverages will vary with your chosen deductible (the amount you are responsible to pay before the insurance covers you). Generally this is between $500 and $2,000, but you can also choose to have a $0 deductible. The lower your deductible the higher your insurance payments will be, but the less you will need to pay out of pocket in case of an accident.

Research other factors that may increase your insurance costs. Insurance costs are tabulated by insurances providers using complicated models that predict the risks associated with certain owners and cars. Several variables beyond the price of the car can have an effect on your rates, including:

If your car includes the words « turbo » or « supercharged » in the name, or is a highly powerful or four-wheel drive vehicle, your rates will experience a significant boost.
If your car has ever been in a serious accident and been rebuilt or had any other serious modifications or repairs made, your rates may be significantly higher. Check the vehicle’s detailed history report to see if this is the case.
If your car is commonly stolen, this may also result in higher rates. And don’t think that your car is not commonly stolen just because it is an old model; the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reports that 7 of the top 10 most commonly stolen vehicles in 2012 were models dating from 1991 to 1999.

How to Sue an Insurance Company After an Auto Accident

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How to Sue an Insurance Company After an Auto Accident

If you were in a car accident and the insurance company denied your claim, then you may be able to sue the insurance company for a “bad faith denial” of your claim. However, before trying to win in court, you should try to settle the matter with the insurance company out of court. A successful suit against your insurance company will require that you show the insurance company did not satisfy its duty of good faith and fair dealing.

Understand automobile insurance. An insurance policy is a contract between the insured and the insurance company. The insured pays premiums and the insurance company, in exchange, agrees to cover the cost of certain claims. Typically, an insurance policy will cover two types of claims: first-party claims and third-party claims.

A “first-party claim” is paid directly to the insured.^[1] For example, some insurance policies will cover damage to the insured’s car or even an injury suffered by an insured. If you damage your car, you can make a claim for the insurance company to pay to fix it. Your insurer may also cover personal injuries you have suffered. Many driver’s make sure to get coverage for “first-party” claims because they fear that other drivers will not have insurance. In fact, in a “no fault” state, you will have no choice but to bring a claim against your insurer after an accident.^[2]
A “third-party claim” involves injury or harm to a third party.^[3] For example, if you get in a car accident and a jury finds that you were at fault, then your insurance company should pay some or all of the damages you owe to the other driver, up to your coverage limit.

Participate in a personal injury lawsuit. When drivers get into an accident, they often sue each other. They do not sue each other’s insurance companies. Instead, the insurance company will “indemnify” its insured, i.e., it will pay some or all of the damages owed, provided that the claim falls within the insurance policy agreement. If the insurance company refuses to pay a valid claim, then its insured may sue it for bad faith.

If you win at trial but the other driver’s company refuses to pay, you generally cannot sue the insurance company for “bad faith.” This is because the duty of good faith is owed to the insured, not to injured third parties.^[4] If you are injured and the other party’s insurer refuses to pay a claim in bad faith, then you can see if the state allows the other party to “assign” its bad faith lawsuit to you.
Understand an insurer’s duties. An insurance policy carries with it an implied covenant of “good faith and fair dealing” on the part of the insurer.^[5] This means that it must discharge all of its duties “reasonably.” An unreasonable delay or refusal to pay a valid claim is an example of bad faith.^[6]
Other duties include a duty to reasonably investigate a claim and a duty to defend against a claim.^[7]

Identify “bad faith” conduct. Bad faith can take many forms. To see if you have a claim for bad faith against your insurer, then you need to look for the following:^[8]

Deceptive practices or deliberate misrepresentations to avoid paying claims.
Deliberate misrepresentation of record or policy language in the hopes of avoiding coverage.
Unreasonable delay in resolving claims or a failure to investigate.
Unreasonable litigation conduct.
Arbitrary or unreasonable demands for proof of loss.
Coercive or abusive tactics used to settle a claim.
Compelling an insured to contribute to settlement.
Failing to investigate the claim thoroughly according to its own procedures.
Failing to maintain adequate investigative procedures.
Failing to disclose policy limits and explain applicable policy provisions or exclusions.
See more at http://www.wikihow.com/

mercredi 15 février 2017

Why pay Attorneys a Consultation Fee?

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Why pay Attorneys a Consultation Fee?

This week in Things I Wish I Knew…Joleena Louis approaches the much debated topic of consultation fees among solo attorneys and shares her views on it.

When I first started my matrimonial practice, I solicited advice from any solo attorney in good standing. I mean, everyone and anyone. In fact, the relatively decentralized nature of this information is why I started writing Things I Wish I Knew Before I Became a Solo Attorney.
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mardi 14 février 2017

Should Attorneys Charge a Consultation Fee?

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Should Attorneys Charge a Consultation Fee?

This week in Things I Wish I Knew…Joleena Louis approaches the much debated topic of consultation fees among solo attorneys and shares her views on it.

10 Tips for Choosing a Law Firm

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10 Tips for Choosing a Law Firm

June is almost here, which means we are just a few weeks away from the release of the Vault Law 100 and Vault’s other law firm rankings for 2016--stay tuned! It also means that summer associate programs at law firms are well underway, and rising 3Ls are getting a taste of what it’s like to be a corporate attorney in the major leagues. Rising 2Ls, if they are not among the elite group of 1L summer associates, are diligently plugging away at their government or public interest internships. But they will soon face a flood of emails from their law school career offices and a daunting list of law firms attending the cattle call that is on-campus interview week. Either way, thousands of law students around the country are positioning themselves for a BigLaw career upon graduating.

Here at Vault's editorial desk we are busy reading what more than 17,000 law firm associates told us about their firms and what life in BigLaw looks like in 2015. We asked all associates the following question: “Based on your experience, please share any information you think would be helpful to a candidate evaluating your firm as a potential employer. You may include information pertaining to workload, quality of life, compensation, business outlook, or other topics not addressed above.” They gave us some great insights into what candidates for coveted law firm associate positions should be thinking about before they accept an offer for a summer or permanent position:

1. “Be aware of the differences in compensation among the firms, and the more ‘free market’ firms vs. lock-step firms.”

2. “There is no way to know whether firm life is right for you except to do it. If you don't already have exposure to it, as I did not, I would recommend accepting the offer that gives you the most flexibility in your career.”

3. “DO NOT BELIEVE what people tell you makes any firm ‘different’ from another. There are a lot more similarities than differences among peer firms. Instead look at the volume of work the firm does in areas that interest you and think about the individuals you have met who work there.”

4. “Your experience is very much what you make it. My experience at times is better, and sometimes worse than my colleagues who are of the same class year, so don't let one sour egg ruin the dozen.”

5. “Many BigLaw firms will try to tell you that they have a better quality of life. It's likely not true. It's hard being an associate at any BigLaw firm. But it's a great experience if you enjoy the work. So try to find a firm that does the work of work in which you're interested. (And don't worry if you don't know what type of work you like yet!)”

6. “Come for the experience, hold on as long as you can, get out before you no longer enjoy the work that you do. Everyone will want you.”

7. “It's hard to differentiate firms as a law student, but it's important to make sure that you go somewhere where you're going to get good experience, which means not worrying about getting good work or getting enough of it, and someplace that will be a launching pad for you for whatever comes next.”

8. “Make sure you think about who in the group you could see yourself working with, especially mid to senior-level associates. (Once you have an offer, go back and meet more people in the group to get a better feel.) Also, you should ask the firm about their financial strength, their overall outlook, and if they did significant layoffs after the 2008 recession, what assurances they can give that they won't do that again.”

9. “My favorite question to ask in an interview is ‘tell me about your favorite project that you worked on in the last year.’ It's a great litmus test for the interviewer and the office. Interviewers love to talk about their work and if you don't like what they have to say (or they don't have anything to say at all), that is a big red flag about working there.”

And my personal favorite (more applicable for once you start the job permanently, but it’s never too early to start thinking about this one):

10. “Have a plan to leave. Update it regularly.”

Happy summer!

Should Attorneys Charge a Consultation Fee?

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Should Attorneys Charge a Consultation Fee?

This week in Things I Wish I Knew…Joleena Louis approaches the much debated topic of consultation fees among solo attorneys and shares her views on it.

lundi 13 février 2017

Jean Monard a Michel Martelly: "Mwen pap tap janm ka desann nan LABOU kote w ye" KOCHON (video)

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Best article to undestand how to connect with your firm's clients

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We’ve gathered the top article picks that will help you better connect with your firm’s clients. Take a look!

Understanding your clients is necessary for your firm to enhance its productivity and build a solid reputation. These articles can help you do just that!

1. New Avvo study: understanding the Millennial legal consumer

As times are changing, so too are legal consumers. A recent Avvo study about the impact of millennials on the legal industry shows that 41% of millennials research lawyers and their legal issues online. This is higher than any other generation! Read More>>