The Value of a Good Plumber
I’ve used the same plumber for 10-years. The owner of the bike shop I regularly use recommended him to me. The first time he came to my house my dog (a 100-pound all black German Shepard) chased him down the street and the plumber had to jump on the hood of his truck to escape…
When Someone Else Has to Pay for Your Lawyer
There are times when someone else has to pay for your lawyer. Most countries in the world follow the English rule on attorney’s fees. This means the losing party has to pay the winning party’s attorney’s fees. The United States is the exception. We follow the American rule (makes sense). The American rule means each…
The High Price of Do-It-Yourself
Over the past few years, pre-printed legal forms have become widely available at office supply stores and on the Internet. LegalZoom operates a website that offers various legal forms that allow customers to prepare various documents including those necessary to start a business, rent a house or draft a will. Their website is fairly sophisticated…
$23.6 Billion in Punitive Damages
A Florida jury recently awarded $23.6 billion in punitive damages against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company for causing the smoking-related death of a longtime smoker. The jury also awarded $16.8 million in compensatory damages. Because the punitive damage award is so disproportionate to the award of compensatory damages, it’s almost a certainty that the trial court…
The Robot Lawyers are Coming
There was an interesting article in the Washington Post about a Silicon Valley start-up that is developing a law firm that will automate some of the routine tasks that lawyers perform. The firm is developing software using artificial intelligence that will automate certain routine but complicated legal tasks – like fundraising from venture capitalists and…
