Law Blog

I doubt I ever once considered that I would work on weekends when I was a student aspiring to one day become an attorney. It probably took about a year or so after I began practicing law for me to become part of the "weekend team." That meant I was a trusted enough...

There are various ways that any attorney can charge for services. The most common are hourly billing, flat fee, and contingency. There are also billing arrangements that involve a hybrid or combination of these approaches. You should give consideration to all possible...

I had the pleasure to meet a potential new client this week. She had already spoken to two other attorneys, neither of whom felt she had a case. She was referred to me by a colleague who knows me well. I spent a few hours speaking with the client and we were able to...

The Rules of Professional Conduct require attorneys to communicate with their clients about their goals and objectives. Sadly, many attorneys do a poor job of communicating. I'm not talking about returning phone calls or responding to emails. That is important too....

For those of you who are sports fans, you probably know that professional head coaches negotiate severance packages that apply in the event that the team fires them before the end of the contract term. Many employees do not have the bargaining power to negotiate a...

The Alabama Supreme Court’s opinion was in the news this weekend. To listen to the media, the decision was based on one’s religious/political views about when life begins. But I read the opinion, and the actual decision is very limited.  The decision was simply based...

Parties to a contract are always able to modify their contract. The requirements for a binding modification are the same as for other contracts. The parties need to reach a meeting of the minds on the terms of their modification. Importantly, contract modifications...

I have an employment dispute case that polarizes opinion. I have discussed the matter with many colleagues and they each have a strong opinion about the correct outcome. My colleagues who represent employers think the employer should win. My colleagues who represent...

Hiring a professional of any type is a process and that process changes with the times. As a young lawyer (pre-internet), referrals from other attorneys was the primary method for establishing relationships with new clients. Nowadays, the primary method seems to start...

Business litigation often involves the use of expert witnesses. An expert witness is someone who will provide an opinion at trial that would not otherwise be permitted to be offered by a “lay” person. For instance, expert testimony may be required to establish a...