A new Lawyers Best Friend - Pre drafted legal forms:

A newly admitted lawyer to the Massachusetts Bar, has several options upon receiving his or her license to practice law.? They can apply for an associate position with a big firm, and conduct research for the next five years; they can apply to work in a small firm and do all the work the senior lawyers do not want to deal with; they can hang their own shingle.? This article will take the perspective of the later, i.e., a recent law school graduate with an entrepreneurial spirit, a little cash on hand, and a desire to start his or her own practice.

Forget about the fact that marketing and obtaining clients is going to be the most difficult aspect of the new venture.? Forget that the new attorney must choose an area of practice, for even a general practioner can't work in every field of law.? Once the client walks in the door and the attorney wants to accept the case, the flood-gates of paperwork will open.?

The first document a new lawyer must draft is a fee agreement.? There are several internet sites out there that have these types of legal contract, as well as other legal forms, but those legal documents are very general in nature and likely do not satisfy the Massachusetts General Laws.? However, a quick look in any Lawyer's weekly will show a host of legal software companies who have created word documents drafted specifically for Massachusetts, or what ever state your practice requires.

Next is the whole process of filing a complaint or answer if a law suit is involved, drafting HUD statements if real estate is the issue at hand and so forth.? One new Massachusetts Probate Attorney, recently said, "I didn't know where to start before I had the direction of my document generation software and my online research tools".? She went on to state that, "but for the form generating software, I would have had to consult for hours the Massachusetts Practice Series and other form books".

Once a case has been filed, the real onslaught of paper work and forms hits the fan - DISCOVERY.? There are interrogatories, request for production of documents, requests for medical records, requests for police reports, subpoenas' for depositions, etc.? There are motions for summery judgment, motions to compel, and so many more.? A new lawyer who has never drafted these documents has virtually no where to turn, but to the form books for hours and hours of unbillable research time.?

The biggest problem for new lawyers is they did not learn how to try cases in law school.? Rather, they are more equipped to argue an appeal in front the The United States Supreme Court then they are to handle a simple will contest, or personal injury matter.? The bottom line is, in order for a new attorney to be efficient, they can either purchase one of these up to date, form generating software packages, be lucky enough to have a mentor, or put their dreams and aspirations on hold for two or three years, while working for a small practice.? In the case of the young probate attorney, she decided to purchase the software, and was lucky to have one of the premier real estate and probate attorneys in the state as a mentor.? However, not all new lawyers are so lucky, and if you are going to spend 30 hours a week researching what forms are needed to follow procedure, you will be hard pressed to find time to actually represent your clients, let alone conduct legal work that can be justified as billable hours.

The gist of all of this is that it would be highly advisable to look into the technology that is available today if you are a new lawyer, and in fact, even if you are an experienced lawyer, this technology allows you to stay current with any changes in the law and procedure for state courts in your document library.

The following article was drafted by Michael Goldstein, Esq. who writes select articles about technology for Turbo Law, a Massachusetts legal form software application.

New Jersey Employment Lawyers

An employment lawyer works two ways. He represents the employer, as well as the employee. As an employment lawyer for the employee, the lawyer can review the employment agreement and negotiate and propose additional terms or deletions to protect the employee?s interests. He also works towards negotiating severance or retirement packages. If you believe that you have been discriminated against, treated unfairly or wrongfully terminated, an employment lawyer can guide you in your rights as an employee and your options. In addition, an employment lawyer represents you in various situations like overtime pay claims, sexual harassment in the work place, employment discrimination, and the family leave act.

As an employer, you always need the services of a lawyer. Even though as an employer you might be expert in handling most of the employment matters, some issues are particularly tricky and are difficult to handle without the help of an employment lawyer. An employment lawyer keeps you updated on the rapidly changing laws, which may be difficult for you to interpret and understand on your own. An employment lawyer can quickly review and troubleshoot any employment-related agreements you routinely use with your workers, such as employment contracts, severance agreements, or releases, and he can review an employee handbook or personnel policies to ensure legal compliance. Additionally, lawyer protect you from violating any laws regarding overtime pay, family leave, final paychecks, or occupational safety and health, to name a few. An employment lawyer can also guide you in making difficult decisions like whether terminating a worker is legal and what steps you can take to minimize the risk of a lawsuit. Usually, an employment lawyer specializes in either representing the employee or the employer; he can?t represent both at a time.

Employment laws vary from state to state, so it is always an advantage to hire an employment lawyer who is well versed and experienced in handling the employment cases in a particular state. In a state like New Jersey, where there are strict codes of ethics for both employer and the employee, the role of a business lawyer becomes all the more important. To find an employment lawyer in New Jersey, contact the state bar association and seek a referral, go through the online directory or yellow pages, or go to a lawyer recommended by your friends and relatives.



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Michigan Real Estate Lawyers

Real estate refers to land, whether it is used for residential, industrial or commercial purposes. Real estate has become a hot topic in Michigan after the state legislature amended the constitution to prohibit eminent domain seizures of property from private owners solely for the purpose of transferring it to other private owners for economic development or to increase tax revenues. This negated an earlier court ruling.

Real estate laws are enacted by the state and the department of Housing and Urban Development, so homebuyers can have a hassle-free and fair buying process. Laws also regulate mortgage rates, and cover landlord-tenant issues and other commercial transactions. Michigan has enacted laws to regulate the practice of real estate brokers, salespersons and appraisers. These are approximately 4,500 appraisers, 20,000 brokers and 40,000 salespersons overseen by the Michigan state board.

Real estate laws are designed to prevent fraudulent behavior during home-buying transactions, establish clear titles for properties, clarify landlord-tenant disputes, and handle other matters regarding the evaluation of property, and disputes between architects, contractors and engineers. Some of the laws in the real estate domain include property laws, tenant laws and construction acts.

Some of the common lawsuits regard foreclosure, a process in which mortgaged property is sold off to pay the loan of the defaulting borrower. Equity skimming is a scam exploiting the foreclosure procedure, in which the scamster lures the financially troubled property owner to deed out the property, promises to pay the mortgage and later defaults on the mortgage payment and allows a foreclosure procedure. Other lawsuits are related to the ownership of the property and landlord-tenant cases.

Besides lawsuits, real estate lawyers handle a broad array of real estate transactions for developers, individuals and businesses. These include the drafting of deeds for property transfers, land contracts, leases, construction contracts and mortgages. They help provide services in insuring properties.



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Michigan Personal Injury Lawyers

The United States of America, as a federation of fifty states, delegates powers to each of the states to enact laws for governance. The legislature of each state can enact laws to protect citizens, control law and order, and manage the economy and other aspects of governance. Hence, laws can vary from state to state.

Michigan, with its thirteen countries and a population of 10 million, enacts laws through the legislature. It protects its citizens from injuries caused by another party, defective products, or animals.

In the Michigan law, personal injury is defined as a physical, mental or psychological injury caused by another party. Personal injury cases are governed by ?tort laws.? According to the Michigan Judicial Institute Handbook of legal terms, a tort is defined as an injury or wrong committed against the person or property of another, arising out of violation of a duty established by law rather than by contract. The keyword in establishing the case for personal injury is ?negligence? in regards to a rule, procedure or a standard of code.

Personal injuries can be caused by auto accidents, birth injuries, dog bites, medical malpractice, product liability, on-the-job mishaps and more. Lawyers who are licensed to practice law in the state of Michigan by the state Bar of Michigan are allowed to take cases related to personal injury.

It should also be kept in mind that not all law firms and lawyers take personal injury cases. Among those who do, some restrict themselves to niche areas like medical malpractice. These lawyers take up the case with the objective to get maximum compensation for the injured.

There are cases where the lawyers have obtained millions of dollars for the injured from the defendants, usually, insurance companies or product manufacturing companies. The testimonies and credentials of lawyers can be obtained from the state bar of Michigan, from the websites of the respective law firms.



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Dallas Federal Criminal Lawyers

Crimes can be of many kinds. Although petty crimes such as theft involve the criminal getting slapped with a hefty fine and imprisonment, more serious crimes can bring more serious consequences. Dallas, Texas, is known for crimes and a lot more use of the death penalty than any other state or, for that matter, country. Also, it is very important to get the case written off even before it goes to court as the chances of being let off easily reduce drastically once the accused appears in the court. Crimes can include simple theft, drug marketing, drug trafficking, embezzlement, and money laundering, as well as assault and battery with a weapon.

Dallas federal criminal lawyers deal with all the federal and state crimes, both for defense and prosecution. These crimes can include the white and blue-collar crimes; finance-related crimes dealing with money, checks or credit cards; weapon-related crimes; drug trafficking and drug possession; environmental crimes; homicide; and other felonies. Federal crimes are tried in the federal courts, as are appeals for federal crimes.

Federal courts have a different method of sentencing compared to the state courts. Also the procedure involved is more complex. Since the guidelines for the federal courts are not mandatory anymore, all the judges need to consult the United States Sentencing Guidelines manual before adjusting the sentence as per the judge?s judgment based on other factors.

Most of the federal cases are the white and blue-collar cases and the drug offenses. It is imperative to hire a good federal criminal lawyer at the earliest when charged with a federal offense. Federal crimes have a lot of impact on the lives of the accused. White collar crimes affects the work environment and most of the times the accused are immediately suspended from work or forced to take a sabbatical while being investigated. It is very important to hire a lawyer even before the charges are filed in the court. This, in most cases, ensures that the charges are not quite as high and sometimes helps to even avoid the charges altogether.

Federal crimes are serious offenses. The charges can be severe and the penalties can be very high in most cases. In such cases, the experience of a federal criminal attorney speaks for itself. Since these federal cases are not related to physical offenses but are very complicated - involving a lot of investigation and other legal issues - these cases drag on for a long time. A legal counsel at the initial stages of investigation from a qualified attorney can help protect the rights and interests of the accused. It is up to the defense lawyer to ensure that the accused is cleared of all charges and to retain the position in the office and society.

A number of websites have an exhaustive list of all the federal criminal lawyers in Dallas. Getting in touch with a lawyer who has good credentials and experience can be very helpful when encountering filed federal charges.



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Louisiana Mesothelioma Lawyers

Mesothelioma is a serious disease caused by breathing asbestos, which is the name given to a number of naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals that are essential for their useful properties. Asbestos can only be identified under a microscope. It is made up of microscopic bundles of fibers that may become airborne when distributed. These fibers get into the air and may become inhaled into the lungs, where they may cause significant health problems. Asbestos affects the chest, the abdomen and the heart of the person who is exposed to it.. Exposure to asbestos may cause lung cancer. It must be noted that a Mesothelioma lawsuit must be filed within a certain period of time as required by the Statute of Limitations. The time period varies from state to state.

While hiring a lawyer to file a lawsuit for Mesothelioma, care should be taken to see that the prospective lawyer is not only a specialist in this area, but is a thorough professional who can empathize with the client and works for him in a caring, understanding and respectful manner.

A person who has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related malady can file a Mesothelioma lawsuit. Legal action must be taken when a person feels the symptoms of the disease, such as chest pain and pain in the lower back, difficulty breathing, coughing, weight loss, fever, muscle weakness, swelling of the face and arms, hoarseness, and night sweats.

In most cases, the statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit is one or two years from the date a person is diagnosed with the disease or, in the case of a wrongful death, the date that a person died of Mesothelioma. It is important to contact a Mesothelioma lawyer before the statute of limitations passes. Your lawyer can protect your rights and represent your interests. A specialist lawyer can tell you that several areas of personal injury law may apply to your case, such as product liability, professional malpractice and wrongful death.

Before hiring a lawyer, you must visit your local law center or library to see if he has actually won cases pertaining to Mesothelioma. It would be better to ask for references from those who had already filed lawsuits through him, to find out his success rate, fees and general conduct. A written contract must be signed before entrusting your case to him, so as to avoid any future misunderstandings.

Two good resources for finding qualified mesothelioma lawyers in Louisiana include: AllLaw.com and the Louisiana State Bar Association (www.lsba.org).



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Louisiana Probate Lawyers

Though the Louisiana state laws may ostensibly appear similar to the laws in other American states, they are essentially different and have to be presented and interpreted in a manner very specific to the court system prevalent in the state of Louisiana. Therefore, it is advisable to hire a lawyer who is well versed with the finer points and knows the ins and outs of the Louisiana Probate Law.

Probate law deals with the estate left by a dead man, to ensure that the assets are justly distributed among the heirs and the descendants in his family, and the creditors are paid properly. A probate is a petition presented before a court to name the representative of the deceased so that his legacy is properly administered. The court publishes a public notification and the parties involved appear before it and are paid their due.

Though the process appears quite simple at its face, it is quite complicated when the depositions of the claimants run at cross-purposes against each other. This happens more often in the state of Louisiana, where the laws are different from other American states.

So if you are involved in a similar case in the state of Louisiana, be sure to hire a lawyer who is well versed with the special probate laws of the state and understands the importance of the legal procedures there. The state of Louisiana requires a certain format for preparing documentation, and only a specialist can understand exactly the procedures and standards set by the state. Failure to understand the state law and follow it up properly may delay the determination of the case. It is therefore advisable to hire a lawyer right in the beginning of the case, rather than trying to settle it through one?s own efforts and be frustrated later on.

A Louisiana Probate Lawyer may have to prepare a notarized testament in accordance with the probate laws of the state before it is executed. Only a lawyer can write it. Like the common cold with multitudinous strains, which can be differentiated and diagnosed by a doctor only, probate problems are sometimes very singular in nature and therefore require a unique approach and presentation for their resolution. Thorough enquiries should therefore be made before selecting a lawyer to deal with your probate problems in Louisiana.



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Dallas Criminal Lawyers

Crimes can be of many kinds. Although petty crimes such as theft involve the criminal getting slapped with a hefty fine and imprisonment, more serious crimes come with more serious consequences. Dallas, Texas, is known for crime and more use of the death penalty than any other state or, for that matter, country. Also, it is very important to get the case written off even before it goes to court as the chances of being let off easily reduce drastically once the accused appears in the court.

Texas is popular for bounty hunters, who are famous for searching all the hidden criminals that have a prize on their heads. These bounties are put up by the state and many bounty hunters are alert for the big prizes. People who are caught by the bounty hunters and brought in front of the court have, in simpler terms, no freedom to defend themselves out of the situation. It is, for this reason, difficult to get away from law in Texas or in a big city like Dallas.

Dallas criminal lawyers are involved with all the usual criminal cases as in other states. One major distinction is that Dallas lawyers need to work twice as hard when it comes to defending a criminal. This is because of the rather strict penalties that the state of Texas implements when punishing criminals. Once the accused enters a court and is accused of a crime, there could be drastic consequences and the defense needs to be very strong to get the accused out from the jaws of the legal system.

It is the duty of the prosecution lawyers to convince the court that the crime has been committed by the accused. Without a good defense lawyer, the prosecution can sometimes end up sending a wrong person to the prison by proving that the accused did indeed commit the deed. A good defense lawyer can keep an innocent person out of jail or in some instances even out of a death penalty.

It is very important to hire an experienced and qualified attorney when slapped with a criminal charge in Dallas, who would be able to handle the criminal charges with ease and keep an individual out of jail, or at least reduce the sentence if the circumstances warrant. Available are many websites that provide excellent legal advice and help find a well-qualified and experienced Dallas criminal lawyer. The consultation is usually free and requires the individual to provide some basic details of the case in the application provided online. Individuals can select some professional lawyers from the list and credentials provided on the website also.

On receipt of the application the company would review the case and check whether the requested attorney is available at the moment. The applicant would receive all the proposals from experienced lawyers, all through e-mail within the least possible time - often in just a matter of minutes.



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Peritoneal Mesothelioma Lawyers

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a form of cancer caused mainly by exposure to asbestos. Despite being well aware of the risk of peritoneal mesothelioma after long exposure to asbestos, asbestos companies continue to expose workers to the dangers. The survival rate for peritoneal mesothelioma patients was grim. Now, however, there are a few effective treatments for peritoneal mesothelioma. The chances for successfully battling the peritoneal mesothelioma depends upon the stage of the cancer.

If you or a family member is unfortunate enough to suffer from peritoneal mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure, you are advised to contact a peritoneal mesothelioma lawyer. The suffering and loss inherent in this type of cancer can be extensive and a lawyer who specializes in litigating this type of case will be aggressive and will help you to seek compensation for the damages you are entitled to. Most reputable lawyers will be able to provide you with information on previous cases including how many mesothelioma lawsuits they?ve handled, how quickly the cases were resolved, and how much compensation was obtained.

Peritoneal mesothelioma lawyers specialize in fighting the case for peritoneal mesothelioma victims. An expert and reputable mesothelioma lawyer will be able to guide you if a strong case exists and obtain compensation for you from the responsible company. A knowledgeable and understanding mesothelioma lawyer will help you fight for justice and the financial compensation to offset those spiraling medical expenses and to provide financial security for your family's future. If the case is presented through the right lawyer, he can get thousands of dollars to millions of dollars as compensation.

Most mesothelioma lawyers work on a contingency basis, that is, for a percentage of the amount of the compensation claimed; therefore you won?t have to pay legal fees unless you win compensation. Although there is no guarantee that your claim will be successful, if you are awarded damages you may be able to secure your family?s financial future if your claim is successful.



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Beverly Hills Lawyers

A lawyer is a man or a woman who represents the members of the public in court; they are licensed to do so. The lawyer is also referred to as an attorney, counselor or a solicitor. The duty of a lawyer is to make sure that all the points of law and any facts that relate to the client?s case is brought to notice in the court resulting in getting justice for the client.

To practice law a person must be trained and licensed. In order to practice law in the United States one should have a degree in law from a law school. Law school standards have been raised through the work of the American bar Association (ABA) and the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). In the past more men chose to be lawyers. The number of women lawyers is steadily increasing. The United States has approximately 630,000 lawyers.

Each state in the United States has its own lawyers who have a license to practice. Such a body of lawyers is known as the bar. The word bar refers to the railing that separates the audience from the proceedings in the court. The lawyers represent their client before the bar than from the audience area.

The majority of lawyers in Beverly Hills conduct much of their business out of court. Lawyers - especially those who specialize in the criminal area - do more trial work. There are a lot of lawyers in Beverly Hills who provide quality legal services. The lawyers provide every kind of legal service, from creating wills and other legal related papers to court cases. Some lawyers concentrate only a specific branch of law. For example, the branch could be administrative or corporate law. The large business set ups in the city of Beverly Hills hire expert lawyers in corporation law. The law is complicated and specialized and the law is also constantly developing. Every field has a set of laws and each law firm or a lawyer specializes in certain fields among the vast range of fields. Some of the areas that lawyers practice are civil litigation, real estate, business law, personal injury and employment. Since there is a demand for legal services most lawyers have more cases than they can handle. When faced with such situations the firms hire people called lawyer?s assistants. These assistants would do the routine cases thereby letting the lawyers handle the more complex legal cases.

A licensed lawyer with his experience should assure his or her clients that he or she has the adequate skills and knowledge to assess and dissolve any problem in the most effective and diligent manner.



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There May Be A Benefit In Hiring Car Accident Lawyers

Most of us have cars which we use everyday. It has become an integral part of our lives. Ever wondered what would happen if you were to meet with an accident and damage your car? If you have car insurance and have been paying up your premiums regularly, the insurance company should be able to replace or fix the damage to your car depending on who is at fault. But how about a scenario wherein the accident happened because of a lapse on your part? Or worse, god forbid, if you were physically or emotionally affected. In cases like these, insurance companies cannot do much. And this is where the car accident lawyers come into the picture.

There are many lawyers that specialize in one specific field of law. We have all heard of criminal lawyers, civil lawyers and litigation lawyers. Well, a car accident lawyer is the latest buzzword and they specialize in car accidents. They can be of real help in providing you relief, particularly when the other party does not have adequate insurance or if there are other legal tangles.

A real life example can help prove this point. A speeding car that had jumped the signal hit one of my friends car. The driver was a minor without a license and had no insurance coverage. My friend, apart from suffering from concussion and broken ribs, found that his car was a total write off and beyond repair. The minor could have been sent to jail but that would not have helped my friend. He then decided to approach a car accident lawyer and was lucky to have found a good one. With the help of this lawyer, my friend was able to get the money from the insurance company. And to top it all off, he was also successful in reducing the subsequent rise in his insurance premiums. He related his experience to all his friends including me and that is when we came to know of car accident lawyers.

There is only one word of caution though. As is true for any legal case, there are two possible outcomes. Winning a case is great but it is also possible that you might lose. You might find that the chances of your winning the case might be slim and you could end up in a situation where you are the one who ends up paying. So it is prudent to ponder over this point before knocking on the doors of a lawyer!
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Asbestos Mesothelioma Lawyers

Mesothelioma is only one of the asbestos-related diseases, but it is the most serious among them because it can be a deadly form of cancer that affects workers who have been working unprotected in an asbestos environment.

Mesothelioma cases in the States are still rare. It is estimated that there are about 2,000-3,000 new cases every year, but this is probably due to the fact that the majority of people who had been affected by asbestos in the 1930s and 1940s have already died and those who have been exposed to it in the 1960s-1970s still have not developed mesothelioma, so it is fair to say that more mesothelioma cases can be expected in the years to come.

Since mesothelioma is clearly related to unprotected exposure to asbestos in the past, there have been many lawsuits of the victims of the asbestos against companies, who instead of taking measures to protect them against the dangers, chose to hide from the general public facts about the devastating effects of asbestos on human health.

It is this wrongdoing that makes companies liable to their workers and gives grounds for asbestos mesothelioma lawyers to file lawsuits on behalf of their clients. There are lawyers who have significant experience in such cases and have won impressive verdicts for the companies, whose behavior was next to criminal.

Additionally, lawyers who have specialized in the area of mesothelioma know enough about the disease itself to plead the case in court and help their clients. There are mesothelioma lawyers who had virtually done miracles to defect their clients in court!

Therefore, if you or your family is considering starting a mesothelioma lawsuit, the first thing to do is to find a good asbestos mesothelioma lawyer.

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When The Feds Come Knocking: What Business Lawyers Need To Know About Criminal Law

But I?m a business lawyer. I don?t deal with criminals.

That doesn?t mean criminal matters won?t crop up in your practice. Maybe your client will be the target of the investigation, or only a witness, but odds are that you will encounter a criminal investigation.

Even upstanding and ?law abiding? companies can become targets of criminal investigations because of the expansive doctrine of respondeat superior. Corporations can be criminally liable for the acts of their agents and even their most junior employees so long as the acts were committed in the course and scope of employment, and were intended to benefit the corporation. Since the corporation is the deep pocket, the corporation may be targeted, along with culpable employees.

There has been a steady trend toward criminalizing conduct that used to be addressed primarily through administrative or civil remedies. Prosecutors now target certain health care and environmental cases for criminal prosecution when, in the past, these same cases would have been addressed through recoupments of overpayments or administrative fines and penalties. The broad reach of federal criminal statutes renders almost any wrongful conduct a potential crime.

There has also been a trend toward coordinating the full range of government enforcement tools ? criminal prosecution, civil suits and administrative sanctions ? through parallel or sequential investigations

How Is a Criminal Matter Likely to Come Up?

White collar matters may come up in a number of way. A client may seek advice about misconduct of an employee. A civil suit may allege criminal conduct through RICO, False Claims Act, or other fraud allegations. Evidence of white collar offenses may also come up during discovery.

Your client might also become a target, subject or witness in government investigation. In federal investigations a target is the focus of the government?s investigation, a subject is one that might become a target, and a witness is one the government believes may have information relevant to the investigation, but is not a target or subject. It is important to determine which category the client fits into as quickly as possible, and also to recognize that the status can change from one category to another.

Most white collar crime investigations begin in secret. The investigation may be triggered by a Qui Tam complaint alleging a violation of the state or federal False Claims Act. These complaints are filed under seal. Or the investigation may be triggered by an agency referral or a report from a complaining victim. During the covert stage of the investigation, the government may attempt to use undercover techniques such as consensual monitoring of conversations to elicit incriminating admissions. The government will use this period to develop probable cause to obtain a search warrant.

There are many telltale signs an investigation may be going on, from non routine focused audits, to agent interviews of current or former employees. It is common for agents to drop in on employees at home in the evening to avoid alerting the company. Confirmation that an investigation is in progress comes when the government issues subpoenas or executes a search warrant.

In a white collar case, a subpoena will likely be issued by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of a particular department, or by the grand jury. Production of documents may also be compelled through an Authorized Investigative Demand (AID) which may be issued by the U.S. Attorney?s office.

A grand jury subpoena may compel the production of documents and testimony. As indicated above, since grand jury proceedings are subject to strict secrecy rules, criminal prosecutors sometimes use OIG subpoenas or AID?s so the information may be shared with those investigating civil allegations.

Issuance of a subpoena does not necessarily indicate the government has solid evidence of criminal conduct. A search warrant, on the other hand, can only issue if the government convinces a magistrate that it has probable cause that evidence or instrumentalities of a crime will be found. A subpoena is often issued to non target third parties while a search warrant is generally used to obtain evidence from targets of the criminal investigation.

How Should I Respond?

Carefully. Responding inappropriately not only could prejudice your client, but could land you in jail. Federal obstruction of justice statutes are broad and lying to a federal agent is a crime whether or not the statement was given under oath (just ask Martha Stewart!).

Corporations face severe sanctions if found guilty of criminal offenses. In additional to the criminal fines and penalties faced by a company, civil and administrative consequences are onerous. For example; an entity that committed Medicare fraud could be liable for treble damages under the False Claims Act plus civil monetary penalties of up to $11,000 for each claim submitted. Companies are probably most fearful of the ?death penalty,? that is, exclusion or debarment from government programs, which is a possible and sometimes mandatory consequence of a criminal conviction or adverse civil or administrative determination.

Individuals face lengthy incarceration as well as dire financial consequences. Under the federal sentencing guidelines, white collar criminals rarely escape some period of incarceration. Also, prosecutors routinely use money laundering charges to enable them to forfeit property belonging to the defendant.

Search Warrants

Suppose a client calls frantically and tells you federal agents (with guns!) are at the door with a search warrant. What do you advise?

If the agents have a search warrant, they have a right to enter the property and search the locations described in the warrant. This first step, then, is to obtain a copy of the warrant to determine its scope and to identify the assistant U.S. attorney who approved it. An attempt should also he made to get a business card from the agents executing the search. At this stage the affidavit which sets forth the evidence establishing probable cause will generally not be available.

The most critical advice to a client whose premises are being searched is not to interfere with the agents conducting the search. If agents perceive that someone is interfering with them, they will not hesitate to arrest the person for obstruction of justice. At the same time, it is helpful if the client can monitor what the agents are doing and keep a record of what they are seizing. The client should make efforts to advise agents of privileged or other sensitive material that may require special handling or documents or equipment that is essential for maintaining the operation of the business.

While searching, agents will attempt to interview employees. Whether an employee wishes to submit to an interview is a personal decision. Under no circumstances should the client advise an employee not to talk to law enforcement agents since that could be considered obstruction of justice. On the other hand, it is permissible to explain to employees their right to refuse to speak to the agents if they decide not to and that they can request that counsel be present. Since this is a sensitive area, the best practice is to have knowledgeable counsel provide advice to employees regarding these matters.

Subpoenas

A grand jury subpoena may call for the production of documents or the testimony of the witness, or both. Subpoenas for documents can be very broad. A document subpoena will be upheld so long as it seeks documents which may be relevant to the investigation and production does not result in an undue burden on the recipient. Consequently, motions to challenge a grand jury subpoena rarely succeed. However, the prosecutor is often willing to negotiate limitations on the scope of the subpoena, or will agree to a ?rolling? production.

When your client gets a subpoena, it is important to quickly identify the client?s status in the investigation. Is the person or entity a witness, subject or target of the investigation? If an individual has potential exposure to criminal prosecution, he or she may refuse to testify without a grant of immunity. Federal law provides for ?use? immunity. If a person is granted ?use? immunity, the prosecutor may not use the testimony of the witness, or any evidence derived from the testimony, in a prosecution of that individual. Immunity can be formal or informal. With formal immunity, the prosecutor seeks an order from the district court to compel an individual to testify. For informal grants of immunity, the prosecutor agrees not to use statements or testimony of a witness under certain conditions.

Before granting immunity, the prosecutor will want to know what the witness has to say. This can be accomplished through a proffer or what is known as ?Queen for a Day? immunity. Under this procedure, the government reserves its decision to grant full immunity until it has had an opportunity to interview the witness, but agrees that it will not use the statements made during that debriefing session if it decides not to grant immunity.

A corporation has no 5th amendment right to refuse to incriminate itself. Consequently, a corporation must generally turn over documents in response to a subpoena. A corporation, however, may assert an attorney client privilege as to documents to which the privilege attaches.

Agents will usually attempt to interview witnesses when they serve the subpoena. Some agents have been known to tell the witness that he or she won?t have to attend the grand jury session if they agree to be interviewed. Your client should be aware that they do not need to speak to the agent, and if they choose to, they should tell the truth. Making false statements to federal agents, even if not under oath, is a felony offense.

Representation Issues

When the white collar investigation involves a business entity, a variety of representation issues arise. Separate counsel may be necessary to represent the interests of the entity and its employees, officers and agents. The employer may be required to indemnify its employees, officers and agents for legal fees incurred during the investigation.

When a company gets wind that the government is conducting an investigation, it will often conduct its own internal investigation. To the extent that investigation is done under the auspices of counsel, it may be protected by the attorney client privilege. Counsel for the company and counsel for individuals involved in the investigations may enter into joint defense agreements to facilitate sharing information without having to disclose it to the government. While the results of an internal investigation may be privileged, the government may require the company to waive the privilege and turn over its report of investigation as a condition of any settlement.

Difficult Tactical Choices

Because most white collar investigations now involve parallel proceedings, clients are often faced with a ?Hobson?s Choice? in deciding how to proceed. For example, if the client attempts to assert his or her 5th Amendment privilege in a related civil case, an adverse inference may be drawn. On the other hand, testifying in the civil proceeding may waive the 5th Amendment protection and the testimony will be admissible in the criminal case. Sometimes these dilemmas can be minimized by obtaining a stay of the civil matter pending resolution of the criminal investigation.

Another difficult tactical decision is whether to voluntarily disclose evidence of criminal conduct to the government. In some circumstances disclosure is mandatory. Most often, though, there is no legal duty to report but the pros and cons of voluntary disclosure must be carefully weighed.

What to Do?

Since the stakes are high, government investigations should always be taken seriously. Business lawyers should be alert to the first signs of a criminal investigation and be prepared to advise their clients, or refer them for advice, about the many risks involved and the difficult decisions that need to be made.

Geoffrey Goodman is a former federal and state prosecutor who specializes in defending companies and individuals against the government in criminal and regulatory investigations and prosecutions. He also conducts internal investigations and handles matters in both federal and state court. http://murphyaustin.com

Cerebral Palsy Lawyers

Cerebral Palsy is a condition that describes a group of disorders which impair ones ability to move. This condition develops at birth and only gets worse over time. This condition causes damage to the motor areas of the brain which controls ones posture and movement. The damage caused to the brain happens in ways that are not normal and makes life much more challenging when performing ordinary tasks in life.

Children who have been diagnoses with Cerebral Palsy are in constant need of care and attention. They have special needs for everything from movement, interaction and communication with others. This can often times be extremely frustrating for the parents of children diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.

It is very important to realize that most children with Cerebral Palsy have the mental capacity for intellectual and emotional development. Sibling of children with Cerebral Palsy should also not be neglected. Many times a parent tends to spend more attention to their child with the special needs, that they are unaware that they are neglecting the child's sibling.

The causes of Cerebral Palsy are widely believed to be caused as a direct result of birth delivery mistakes. Sometimes these delivery mistakes are a direct result of the mother, but sometimes doctor errors can be made that have severe consequences. For example a doctor must ensure that the baby receives enough oxygen during the delivery process. If a complication is to arise, it is the responsibility of the medical staff to help save the lives of both the child and the mother. Sometimes this requires cesarean sections to prevent birth asphyxia which can lead to brain damage, cerebral palsy and sometimes even death.

Other causes of Cerebral Palsy include certain types of infections. For instance, women with preexisting infections of the uterus, bladder, kidneys or bloodstream have a much higher risk. Children are nine times as likely to suffer from cerebral palsy if the mother has these conditions while giving birth.

If someone in your family or your child has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, it's very important that you learn your legal rights for this situation. There are many cases where a cerebral palsy diagnosis is caused by medical negligence. Settlements of this type can help a family receive compensation and much needed support in a child's development therapy and treatment.

To learn more about hiring a cerebral palsy lawyer or a birth injury attorney, please visit our website at http://www.resource4cerebralpalsy.com This article may be freely reprinted as long as this resource box is included and all links stay intact as hyperlinks.

California Business Lawyers

This article provides useful, detailed information about California Business Lawyers.

There are two ways you can find and meet with business lawyers in California. One is the traditional way of referrals. The second is through the Internet, where you can visit a firm's website. Basically, a business lawyer would provide legal advice, counsel, and representation.

Business lawyers offer services that cover the following major services: counsel to small businesses and startups; California Incorporation and business formation; nonprofit organization and regulation; venture capital and private equity/debt financings; preparation and review of contracts; shareholder, employment and intra company disputes; opinion of counsel business and commercial litigation mergers and acquisitions (M&A); sale or purchase of a business; intellectual property protection and technology; restricted stock transfers; secured transactions; Federal and California disclosure laws; business and nonprofit tax issues.

In a nutshell, your business lawyer will assist you in formulating a legal structure or entity for your business, from articles of incorporation, business licenses, bylaws, partnership agreements, operating agreements, initial director's meetings, managing partner or manager's meetings, stock certificates, share registration, EIN application, tax-exemption filing, reseller's permits, state business authorizations, option plans, employment compliance, invention assignments, nondisclosure agreements; and employment agreements, as provided for under the California Incorporation and Business Formation Services guidelines.

Your California business lawyer will also help you deal with financial lenders, investors, and venture capital firms. Your lawyer can offer expert opinion on the different kinds of mergers and ensure that you always get the better end of the bargain. He will also be the one to draft disclosure documents required by the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as the various contracts you will need. He will see you through restricted stock transfers and merger & acquisition transactions. These are a just a few advantages you will enjoy when you have an experienced California business lawyer as your counsel.

California Personal Injury Lawyers provides detailed information on California Lawyers, California Personal Injury Lawyers, California Business Lawyers, California DUI Lawyers and more. California Personal Injury Lawyers is affiliated with California Personal Injury Lawyers Web.

Most Lawyers End Up Dead Broke

The public perception of lawyers is that they make a lot of money each year and are very wealthy.

Isn't it common knowledge that they all drive expensive foreign cars, are members of exclusive country clubs and wear expensive suits? I mean after all... anyone who is raking in $150...$250...$350...or even $500 per hour has got to be loaded. Don't you think?

The reality is most lawyers end up dead broke. Surprised? I'm not. Especially when you consider the fact that most attorneys have no clue when it comes to making money, managing it and keeping it.

Why?

Because, no one ever taught them how.

They all went to college... then graduated from law school and headed directly into a law firm to practice law. This seems pretty straightforward, doesn't it? I mean, it's kind of what you would expect them to do.

The challenge is... that in those 7-years of advanced education (4 in college and 3 in law school) they were never taught how to look out for themselves financially. Instead they were learning how to help you and me. This is great for us...but in the process they short-changed themselves and their families.

Most lawyers are working long hours (55+ per week), often including weekends.

And...

The reality of those high hourly rates they charge is this...very little of those rates trickle down to them- like maybe 10-15%. The majority goes to paying overhead. Which even is a tiny solo practice can be high when you include the costs of rent, malpractice insurance, phones, computers and software, advertising, secretarial, research library, paralegals, accounting, billing, and collections... and it goes on and on.

On top of all that, you can throw in clients who are completely unappreciative of their lawyer's work and then to add insult to injury...lawyers deal with clients don't pay their bills on time or at all. Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse to practice as a lawyer...you have to deal with the endless issue of cash flow or lack of it.

Is it any wonder that all lawyers don't end up dead broke?

Jack McDonough is a licensed CPA in Colorado, speaker, author and consultant to professionals who desire to make more money while working less hours. Jack is President of Wealthy Professionals, LLC. www.wealthyprofessionals.com

Criminal Defense Lawyers

Each year there are over 800,000 assaults reported to local law enforcement agencies. Assault is typically defined as trying to strike an individual when the individual is aware of the danger being presented. A 'felonious' assault is an attack, or attempt to attack, through force, in order to cause physical injury to an individual. Even if the individual doesn't get hurt, but a weapon is involved, then it still falls under the category of a felony.

Assault & Battery is an incident where actual contact was made and resulted in the need for medical treatment. This is also a felony. The consequences of an assault crime can be imprisonment, probation, fines, anger management classes and more. The punishment usually has to do with the circumstances of the situation and the background of the offender. If the offender has a prior history of assault these punishments will most likely be inflated.

Not every instance of an assault crime is straight forward and clear-cut. For instance, an assault may have been committed due to self-defense or defending another person or property. This is why it is so important to hire a professional assault attorney. A qualified attorney will be able to complete an extensive investigation and use their professional expertise to help dismiss or minimize the sentence.

White Collar Crimes are defined as non-violent acts committed by individuals or businesses in the course of daily working activity. Some of these crimes include embezzlement, bribery, tax evasion, false advertising and other types of fraud. They are generally used to obtain money, property or services to gain advantage in business or in ones personal life.

According to the FBI, white collar crimes cost the United States more than $300 billion annually. These crimes are considered to be federal offenses and even though state and local law enforcement may be involved in the cases, charges will most often be presented by federal agencies such as the FBI, IRS, US Customs, Secret Service, EPA or the SEC.

Penalties for white collar offenses generally include fines, house arrest, community confinement and sometimes imprisonment. Federal agencies will many times make mistakes when prosecuting these criminals. They routinely make mistakes that violate peoples constitutional and civil rights. That is why it's so important to hire a lawyer if you've been charged with any of these types of crimes. Just going to trial can be enough to humiliate, embarrass and often time destroy the future of a growing business. It's best to just settle these cases outside of the courtroom and protect the name of your business.

To learn more about San Diego Criminal Defense and San Diego DUI Lawyer, please visit our website at  http://www.sddefenselawyers.com This article may be freely reprinted as long as this resource box is included and all links stay intact.

Trasylol Lawyers & Attorneys | Trasylol Side Effects

Trasylol is a drug that is used to prevent blood loss in patients who have had various types of cardiac procedures such as cardiac bypass surgery and coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). Unfortunately, many have had complications from this drug, which is recently coming under heavy investigation. The drug maker Bayer Pharmaceuticals is facing heavy scrutiny as reports have shown that the use of this drug can increase heart attacks by 48 percent.

In addition to an increase in heart attacks, a current study of 4,400 patients has shown cases of heart failure increasing by 109% and stroke increases of 181%. Due to these statistics the FDA has issued an advisory for the drug regarding its safety. Doctors have also been contacted and urged to warn patients of the potential side effects from using Trasylol.

Medical experts are now in search for alternative treatments for Trasylol. They are searching for other drugs that will not cause these potentially life-threatening complications such as heart attack, stroke and kidney failure. Currently there are around 10,000 people who have experienced kidney failure and currently receive dialysis. There are currently two drugs that should perform the same way as Trasylol without the debilitating side effects. Unfortunately, Bayer Pharmaceuticals is refusing to acknowledge claims that their drug has caused any significant harm. They are arguing that tests conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine were performed wrong.

If you or someone you love has developed kidney failure, suffered a stroke or heart attack or experienced any other negative side effects from using Trasylol, you may be entitled to compensation. It is very important that you act quickly and find an experienced Trasylol lawyer today to help you receive the compensation you deserve.

To learn more about Trasylol lawyers and Trasyslol side effects, please visit our website at http://www.sddefenselawyers.com/trasylol/ This article may be freely reprinted as long as this resource box is included and all links stay intact as hyperlinks.

Where To Find The Right Lawyers and The Question You Should Ask

Finding The Right Lawyer

This is probably the most important step and should be one of your first priorities if you are serious about buying a house in Spain. Seek the services of a good lawyer, before you start the hunt.
Why?
Because with Spain currently still experiencing a property boom, and the market favoring the seller, it is important that you are ready to act quickly, to avoid any disappointment, should that perfect property present itself. A lot of house hunters start searching first and then worry about other things later. Considering that this will be a large investment of your time and money it is important to start off with your paper work in order first.

Your lawyer should be an independent professional who will protect your interests, and should be someone with whom you are comfortable with in terms of service and of course price. He or she should be fully conversant with both Spanish and U.K law.

Your lawyer or Abogado must be fluent in English as any badly translated contracts can, and have in the past rendered them useless, and can lead to a whole host of problems and some massive headaches in the future.

It is very important that you never sign any documents without getting your lawyer to check them first. This may sound like common sense, and it is. But picture this scenario: You've decided to buy a property in Spain but you are not entirely certain what you want . So you decide to start looking, 'just to get a feeling for the market' You are with really nice agents and they have a great deal that has just come in that morning,a perfect property at a very low price. So you rush off to view it. And guess what,it's the one. But you haven't arrange a lawyer yet. "That's not a problem",say the nice agents,"all you need to do is place a deposit to reserve it, then we can take it off our books immediately (so no one else will snap it up) and then your lawyer can check the property and legal stuff later." So you go ahead read and sign the deposit contract, under the premise that you only are reserving the property.

But this isn't true, and the contract can have clauses that bind you to adverse terms in the main document that you receive at a later date. If you were to do this then you could well have a problem getting your deposit back later, should your lawyer find something that may make you not go through with purchasing the property. So get a lawyer in place before you start your search.

Check that the person representing you is actually fully qualified and is a registered member of the Law Society. He or she should be happy to give you their registration number for 'the Colegio de Abogados' which you can and should double check. If you should have any problems then you can and should complain to them. Also, by using a register lawyer/solicitor you are covered in the unlikely event that they make a mistake or act negligently. Register lawyers are covered by professional liability insurance, so you would be able to take action against them, knowing that the fund exists to compensate you if your lawyer is found liable.

An added bonus would be whether your lawyer can advise you on the various forms of property ownership and the associated taxes. It is however advisable to get the advise of a specialized financial advisor or accountant.

For a detailed list of law firms in Spain based on my own research and experience then visit http://www.find-a-lawyer-in-spain.com. Thank You.

Find A Lawyer in Spain is created by and based on the personal experience of Mike Davis

Coaching for Lawyers: 10 Ways a Lawyer Can Benefit from Working with a Professional Coach

D., CPCCMarie kept noticing that Diane seemed to be sailing through her career and receiving nods from the partners. According to Marie, Diane was extremely successful in handling her cases, developing strong relationships with her clients and seemed to be building a successful career on all fronts. Diane was viewed as a rising star in the firm and was getting several choice assignmentsmany of which Marie had hoped to get. After inviting Diane to lunch, Marie learned that Diane had been working with a Professional Coach. Diane reported that she credited her Coach with helping her develop a strategic action plan designed to help her succeed by improving weak areas in her performance and by enhancing and strengthening her professional image.
One week later, Marie hired her own Coach.
Professional Coaching is for lawyers who are ready to excel, enjoy a better quality of life and gain an edge on the competition.
Lets face it, the legal profession is all about successful outcomes and lawyers are trained to succeed in achieving favorable outcomes for their clients.
Coaches are trained to help clients achieve powerful results. There are systems of accountability incorporated into the coaching process to move clients forward and deepen insights.
Coaching is a collaborative process that is focused and results oriented. A Professional Coach can help lawyers overcome challenges, increase strategic thinking and improve communication skills. In addition, many lawyers hire Coaches to help them develop a savvy professional image, cultivate ongoing career and personal goals and to achieve greater work-life balance. Unlike a consultant, a Coach doesnt come in and solve the problem for you. Instead, a Coach partners with you to assess how best to resolve issues and achieve your goals.
A Professional Coach can provide the insight, accountability, resources and strategic planning that a lawyer needs build a successful career and fulfilling personal life.

Below are 10 ways a lawyer can benefit by working with a Professional Coach.
1. Achieve better focus. When the majority of your time is spent juggling cases, keeping track of clients, meeting goals for billables and balancing your personal life, it's hard to focus on anything other than making it through the day. A Professional Coach will help you focus your energy so you can achieve your goals with greater ease despite your hectic schedule.
2. Manage and Develop a Successful Legal Career. Developing a successful career depends largely on your ability to structure your career in alignment with your personal and professional goals. Coaching can help you clarify your vision and goals. When was the last time you considered what YOU want in your legal career and in your personal life? The practice of law is fast paced and its tough to find time to slow down and ask yourself some meaningful questions. Through Coaching, you'll have the opportunity to examine what you want, what motivates you, where you get stuck or distracted and much more. The coaching process allows you to learn about what you value, what it will take to build a fulfilling career and how you can design a balanced personal and professional life. When was the last time you had a conversation with someone who was fully committed to you and your success? Thats the job of a Professional Coach.
3. Develop a Values-Based Professional Development Plan Success doesnt happen by accident. You must PLAN what you want to achieve and determine the best way to go about getting there. Consider your career plan as the roadmap for your career. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? How will you get there? What resources will you need? A Coach can help you create a plan that is in alignment with your personal and professional values and overall vision for your life and career.
4. Increase Productivity. Productive people have the ability to complete their work on time and in an efficient manner. How many times committed to completing a task to only have the needs of someone else get in the way? At the core of Professional Coaching is accountability. Knowing that you've made a commitment to yourself AND told someone else about it, makes you more likely to stay on task. Your Coach holds you accountable for what you say you want to accomplish, and then continues to work with you as you achieve your goals and increase productivity.
5. Navigate a Job Change or Career Transition. Too often, lawyers get locked into a job because they lack the tools needed to determine their next steps. Changing jobs, starting in a new practice area or transitioning to a new career can be tough. So tough in fact that many lawyers end up STUCK in an unfulfilling career. A Coach can provide you with the insight, resources and feedback needed to make concrete decisions regarding your career. If its time to move up or outa Coach can help you make that decision faster and with greater ease than you would on your own.
6. Improve Time Management and Practice Management Skills. Lawyers are slaves to time yet few if any law schools provide training on how to successfully manage time. Case files, motions, clients, conference calls, deadlines, e-mails and meetings are simply a fraction of what goes on in a typical lawyers day. Too often everything feels like a priority and lawyers report feeling overwhelmed, stressed and ultimately burned out. A Professional Coach can help you to take an honest look at your schedule and how you currently spend your time and manage your practice... Based on this information your Coach can help you create a strategy where you can achieve more in less timeoften with more time for a healthy personal life. Goodbye burnout!
7. Develop your unique brand for improved marketing. The practice of law is competitive and its important to create a brand that effectively communicates your value to your employer, colleagues and potential clients. Why should they hire you over another lawyer? A Coach can help you create and develop your unique value proposition and help you communicate it to others in a way that helps you develop a successful reputation and career.
8. Discover your Passion in the Law. Have you met lawyers who report feeling disillusioned with the law or report feeling lost? These feelings tend to emerge in a career when there is a misalignment between the work the lawyer is involved in and his or her personal and professional values. Sustaining a successful career in the law requires the pursuit and attainment of work in alignment with your passion, interests and strengths. Through Coaching youll have the opportunity to gain clarity about your ideal work and work environment and then take the necessary action steps toward designing a successful and gratifying legal career.
9. Create Boundaries. Working with a Professional Coach can help you evaluate what you say "yes" to because you want to and what you need to quit saying "yes" to. A Coach can help you find the cure for the "disease to please" and the inability to delegate effectively. What do YOU need to say "yes "to or "no" to in order to respect your boundaries and function more effectively in your legal career?
10. Achieve Work-Life Balance. Lawyers are required to maintain hectic schedules under incredibly stressful, high pressure situations. After keeping up such a pace many lawyers experience burnout, depression and other stress related illnesses. Lawyers are people too...and we all need to find a balance of mind, body and spirit. A Professional Coach is there to help you find that in your life. We cannot be our best selves if we are stressed, overwhelmed and unhappy. A Coach will help you to take charge and create a more balanced life. Through Coaching you can find a way to design and adhere to a daily practice that will renew you mentally, physically and spiritually.
One week later, Marie hired her own Coach.
Professional Coaching is for lawyers who are ready to excel, enjoy a better quality of life and gain an edge on the competition.
Lets face it, the legal profession is all about successful outcomes and lawyers are trained to succeed in achieving favorable outcomes for their clients.
Coaches are trained to help clients achieve powerful results. There are systems of accountability incorporated into the coaching process to move clients forward and deepen insights.
Coaching is a collaborative process that is focused and results oriented. A Professional Coach can help lawyers overcome challenges, increase strategic thinking and improve communication skills. In addition, many lawyers hire Coaches to help them develop a savvy professional image, cultivate ongoing career and personal goals and to achieve greater work-life balance. Unlike a consultant, a Coach doesnt come in and solve the problem for you. Instead, a Coach partners with you to assess how best to resolve issues and achieve your goals.
A Professional Coach can provide the insight, accountability, resources and strategic planning that a lawyer needs build a successful career and fulfilling personal life.

Below are 10 ways a lawyer can benefit by working with a Professional Coach.
1. Achieve better focus. When the majority of your time is spent juggling cases, keeping track of clients, meeting goals for billables and balancing your personal life, it's hard to focus on anything other than making it through the day. A Professional Coach will help you focus your energy so you can achieve your goals with greater ease despite your hectic schedule.
2. Manage and Develop a Successful Legal Career. Developing a successful career depends largely on your ability to structure your career in alignment with your personal and professional goals. Coaching can help you clarify your vision and goals. When was the last time you considered what YOU want in your legal career and in your personal life? The practice of law is fast paced and its tough to find time to slow down and ask yourself some meaningful questions. Through Coaching, you'll have the opportunity to examine what you want, what motivates you, where you get stuck or distracted and much more. The coaching process allows you to learn about what you value, what it will take to build a fulfilling career and how you can design a balanced personal and professional life. When was the last time you had a conversation with someone who was fully committed to you and your success? Thats the job of a Professional Coach.
3. Develop a Values-Based Professional Development Plan Success doesnt happen by accident. You must PLAN what you want to achieve and determine the best way to go about getting there. Consider your career plan as the roadmap for your career. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? How will you get there? What resources will you need? A Coach can help you create a plan that is in alignment with your personal and professional values and overall vision for your life and career.
4. Increase Productivity. Productive people have the ability to complete their work on time and in an efficient manner. How many times committed to completing a task to only have the needs of someone else get in the way? At the core of Professional Coaching is accountability. Knowing that you've made a commitment to yourself AND told someone else about it, makes you more likely to stay on task. Your Coach holds you accountable for what you say you want to accomplish, and then continues to work with you as you achieve your goals and increase productivity.
5. Navigate a Job Change or Career Transition. Too often, lawyers get locked into a job because they lack the tools needed to determine their next steps. Changing jobs, starting in a new practice area or transitioning to a new career can be tough. So tough in fact that many lawyers end up STUCK in an unfulfilling career. A Coach can provide you with the insight, resources and feedback needed to make concrete decisions regarding your career. If its time to move up or outa Coach can help you make that decision faster and with greater ease than you would on your own.
6. Improve Time Management and Practice Management Skills. Lawyers are slaves to time yet few if any law schools provide training on how to successfully manage time. Case files, motions, clients, conference calls, deadlines, e-mails and meetings are simply a fraction of what goes on in a typical lawyers day. Too often everything feels like a priority and lawyers report feeling overwhelmed, stressed and ultimately burned out. A Professional Coach can help you to take an honest look at your schedule and how you currently spend your time and manage your practice... Based on this information your Coach can help you create a strategy where you can achieve more in less timeoften with more time for a healthy personal life. Goodbye burnout!
7. Develop your unique brand for improved marketing. The practice of law is competitive and its important to create a brand that effectively communicates your value to your employer, colleagues and potential clients. Why should they hire you over another lawyer? A Coach can help you create and develop your unique value proposition and help you communicate it to others in a way that helps you develop a successful reputation and career.
8. Discover your Passion in the Law. Have you met lawyers who report feeling disillusioned with the law or report feeling lost? These feelings tend to emerge in a career when there is a misalignment between the work the lawyer is involved in and his or her personal and professional values. Sustaining a successful career in the law requires the pursuit and attainment of work in alignment with your passion, interests and strengths. Through Coaching youll have the opportunity to gain clarity about your ideal work and work environment and then take the necessary action steps toward designing a successful and gratifying legal career.
9. Create Boundaries. Working with a Professional Coach can help you evaluate what you say "yes" to because you want to and what you need to quit saying "yes" to. A Coach can help you find the cure for the "disease to please" and the inability to delegate effectively. What do YOU need to say "yes "to or "no" to in order to respect your boundaries and function more effectively in your legal career?
10. Achieve Work-Life Balance. Lawyers are required to maintain hectic schedules under incredibly stressful, high pressure situations. After keeping up such a pace many lawyers experience burnout, depression and other stress related illnesses. Lawyers are people too...and we all need to find a balance of mind, body and spirit. A Professional Coach is there to help you find that in your life. We cannot be our best selves if we are stressed, overwhelmed and unhappy. A Coach will help you to take charge and create a more balanced life. Through Coaching you can find a way to design and adhere to a daily practice that will renew you mentally, physically and spiritually.

Jatrine Bentsi-Enchill is the founder and director of the Esq. Development Institute, an organization committed to helping lawyers excel personally and professionally. The Esq. Development Institute specializes in Executive and Personal Coaching for lawyers as well as training and assessment processes for law firms in the areas of leadership, communication, diversity and cultural competence, management development and work-life balance.