Michigan Divorce Lawyers

Marriage as an institution has become more of a legal contract than a religious ceremony. Since marriage is a contract, the involved parties, i.e. the spouses can decide to break the marriage and go their separate ways.

A divorce has many legal implications involving property ownership, child custody and other matters. The state gets involved since properties have to have legal titles and the proper care of children is another legitimate legal matter.

Separation can happen in many ways. It can be amicably settled between the spouses themselves, ?in propria persona? in legal terms. A mediator can help spouses negotiate an agreement. The mediator can be a lawyer, mental health professional or even an accountant. Unbundling is a term that allows partners, as general contractors, to negotiate between themselves, bringing in the services of experts only when needed. Alternatively, spouses can hire an individual lawyer to create a win-win situation. Finally, if nothing helps, the couples can go for a court trial where the division of property and custody of the children will be decided by a judge.

The role of lawyers is to help draft a separation agreement between the husband and wife. A separation agreement resolves issues related to alimony, child custody, child support and the division of property. Under the Michigan statute, a judge considers only the factors of standard of living and marital fault for deciding alimony. Similarly, for granting child custody, factors like statutory guidelines, children?s wishes, the health of the child and domestic violence are considered. The judge may employ custody evaluators. Also, child support is decided by factors like shared income, mandatory deduction for medical purposes and child care, college support and shared parenting.

A separation agreement is a binding contract, and therefore must be reviewed with care. Lawyers can be located through local bar associations and also websites. In choosing the lawyer, trust and credentials are very important to consider.

Michigan Auto Accident Lawyers provides detailed information on Michigan Auto Accident Lawyers, Michigan Divorce Lawyers, Michigan Lawyers, Michigan Medical Malpractice Lawyers and more. Michigan Auto Accident Lawyers is affiliated with Michigan Personal Injury Lawyers Info.

New Jersey Bankruptcy Lawyers

Under the U.S law, bankruptcy is a legal proceeding that allows a debtor to temporarily or permanently avoid paying his debts. U.S bankruptcy code is meant to provide protection to people trapped in financial jeopardy who are suffering under mountains of huge debt. The bankruptcy laws were basically created to provide relief to people victimized by divorce, job loss, identity theft, staggering medical bills, or disability. Filing for bankruptcy instantly stops your creditors from harassing you for the payment of debts. Filing a bankruptcy claim, however, involves several legalities, which are difficult for an individual to handle on her own. A bankruptcy lawyer?s job is to help you and to help relieve you from a crisis situation.

A bankruptcy lawyer is a class of lawyers who are experienced and specialize in handling consumer debts and bankruptcy cases. They can assess and monitor your financial situation better than you are able and can fight the aggressive and annoying creditors accordingly.

A bankruptcy lawyer helps you get debt relief while providing you valuable information, services, and guidance that will help you achieve a financially secured future. In order to get maximum benefit from a bankruptcy lawyer, it?s important that you provide the lawyer with a very honest picture of your financial situation. Additionally, hiring only a well-experienced bankruptcy lawyer with proven track record is of great significance to successfully rectifying your financial plight.

And, you?ll need a lawyer who is qualified to practice and experienced with the law in your state of residence and business. To file a bankruptcy in New Jersey, you?ll need to find a local New Jersey bankruptcy lawyer; he or she will be well versed with the state laws and can help you receive maximum legal aid. To find and contact a bankruptcy lawyer in New Jersey, you can seek a reference from the state bar association or find one through a legal directory on the Internet or in yellow Pages. You can always also seek references from a friend or relative.

New Jersey Lawyers provides detailed information on New Jersey lawyers, New Jersey bankruptcy lawyers, New Jersey business lawyers, New Jersey criminal lawyers and more. New Jersey Lawyers is affliated with New York Real Estate Lawyers

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

Canada Immigration Lawyers

This article provides useful, detailed information about Canada Immigration Lawyers.

There is no need for engaging any lawyer or consultant to immigrate to Canada or any other country. If you have the right credentials in accordance with the immigration policies of the country you want to immigrate to, along with the acceptable documents to support your claims, you do not need any lawyer to plead your case.

But immigration is not simple. The policies governing immigration are sometimes too complex to be easily understood by immigration seekers. Moreover, lawyers can present your case in a clear and concise manner according to the laws of the land. This can help your case to be decided more expeditiously.

The question of choosing the right lawyer to represent your case is important. Most of the law firms in Canada do not have immigration lawyers on their panels. Therefore you need to make special efforts to find a suitable one yourself.

The best course is to contact someone among your friends and relatives who has already been well served by a lawyer in his efforts to immigrate. You can also see the lawyers' advertisements in the newspapers and on the Internet.

Tall and misleading promises are sometimes made by lawyers who advertise themselves as immigration experts. There is no way you can verify their credentials. If you find the website of a lawyer, you should try to see whether that site gives substantive and value-added information to guide you.

Eminent lawyers have many prestigious publications on the special field of their practice. These publications usually provide sufficient insight into their credentials. So when you select a lawyer, ask for his published books or articles in the field of immigration.

Information about the capabilities of a lawyer can also be sought from the bar council or association of which he is the member. Some of the prominent immigration lawyers may be office bearers of the bar associations. These lawyers are recognized as authorities in their specific field.

Direct communication with the lawyer may also help a lot. You should not hesitate to ask for references of persons he claims to have helped successfully. You may also ask him his special qualifications and length of his experience.

You should always ask for a money-back guarantee and a detailed written contract so as to avoid future misunderstandings.

Canada Immigration Visas provides detailed information on Canadian Immigration, Canada Immigration Visas, Canada Immigration Lawyers, Canada Employment Immigration and more. Canada Immigration Visas is affiliated with Canadian Immigration.

Louisiana Bankruptcy Lawyers

Although the laws of the state of Louisiana are different from the laws of the other states, bankruptcy is one area where there are more similarities than differences. This is because bankruptcy relief is under federal law, so the information in this context is pretty much the same in all the states.

But there is one glaring exception. It is about exemptions, the items that you do not lose by declaring yourself bankrupt. Under Louisiana Bankruptcy Law, the exempted items include IRA savings, which is a great exemption indeed. So for a bankruptcy case pertaining to Louisiana, a better course would be to hire a lawyer who knows this aspect of the state law. Another aspect to be considered is that of time limitations. Although Louisiana Bankruptcy Laws conform to the federal laws, the time limitations may require the engagement of a lawyer.

If you look keenly into the Louisiana Bankruptcy Law, you will find that the legal terminology used in the courts of the state of Louisiana is often confusing legal jargon, which needs to be understood and explained into understandable language. A lawyer who has worked in the state can do this more easily.

With these basic peculiarities of the Louisiana state laws in view, the first step in searching for a suitable prospective lawyer is to contact the Lawyer Referral Service. These companies are like middlemen, and charge fees from lawyers for registering them, along with their specialties. But the snag here is that reputable lawyers refrain from registering with them, as they are already booked by upscale clients who generally do not require referral services.

The Internet and Yellow Pages are very rich and convenient sources for finding lawyers of all specialties, but the problem here is that there are so many lawyers listed that finding the best one is difficult. It is at best a random method.

Your family members and friends may be able to recommend a lawyer. It is still better to contact those friends who studied from some law school. These people are usually well informed about the right lawyer for your needs. Employers and co-workers are another source of information. Your boss especially can be of great help here, as he may have to deal with lawyers as a part of his vocation. Having decided which lawyer to hire, you should contact the law firm for an appointment, and here too you need to check if you will be charged for making enquiries.

Once you've decided, you should ask your prospective lawyer about his legal qualifications and fees, his telephone charges and whether he answers questions on the telephone, and finally, ask him about his track record.

Louisiana Lawyers provides detailed information on Louisiana lawyers, Louisiana probate lawyers, Louisiana real estate lawyers, Louisiana divorce lawyers and more. Louisiana Lawyers is affliated with Massachusetts Divorce Lawyers

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.

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Dog Attack Lawyers & Dog Bite Attorneys in California

Dog attacks have been a serious problem in the United States. Reports estimate that around twenty Americans each year are killed by dog attacks. To make things worse, children make up the majority of these victims, as around five million victims of dog attacks are under the age of 18. There are certain types of dog breeds that can actually view children as threats. Sometimes children don't understand the dog's motives, and end up getting themselves into trouble.

Since the late 1970's dog attacks have been on the rise in the United States. Currently there are around 65 million dogs that live in the United States and each year more people bring more and more of these animals into their homes. Of course, owning a dog is not considered dangerous, but many owners overlook the potential risks that they present. The reality is, any dog might attack under the right circumstances.

It is very important that both dog owners and the victims of dog attacks know the dog attack regulations in their local area. Owners have a certain level of liability for the behavior of their pets, while the victims should also be aware of the regulations that affect their rights. For instance, in the United States most dog bite regulations say that the dog owner is liable for the dog's behavior. While this is true in many cases, other circumstances to take into consideration include trespassing, veterinarians, felons, provocation and whether the dog was a police or military dog.

Dog bite regulations also include the 'one bite rule'. This is a law that protects a dog owner from liability the first time his or her dog bites someone. However, there are some exceptions to this rule that include negligent or reckless conduct. If the same dog bites someone for the second time however, then the owner is held liable regardless of the circumstances behind the situation.

Everyday around 1,000 people will need to seek emergency medical attention because of dog bites. Not only do these attacks cause physical pain, but they can also psychologically scar the victim for many years. This is especially true if the victim is just a young child. But, since dogs are such common and popular household pets, victims may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder that is so intense that they won't be able to interact with any dogs for the rest of their lives.

About $1 billion is spent each year in medical bills, insurance premiums and lost work due to dog attacks. Sometimes homeowners insurance can cover the damages caused by a dog attack, but generally the cost of the attack is paid for out-of-pocket. Dog attack lawsuits can help a victim recover monetary compensation for their injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a dog attack it is very important that you contact a dog bite attack lawyer today.

For more information on hiring a dog attack lawyer or a dog bite attorney please visit our website at http://www.sddefenselawyers.com/cadogbitelawyer/

Dog Attack Lawyers & Dog Bite Attorneys in California

Dog attacks have been a serious problem in the United States. Reports estimate that around twenty Americans each year are killed by dog attacks. To make things worse, children make up the majority of these victims, as around five million victims of dog attacks are under the age of 18. There are certain types of dog breeds that can actually view children as threats. Sometimes children don't understand the dog's motives, and end up getting themselves into trouble.

Since the late 1970's dog attacks have been on the rise in the United States. Currently there are around 65 million dogs that live in the United States and each year more people bring more and more of these animals into their homes. Of course, owning a dog is not considered dangerous, but many owners overlook the potential risks that they present. The reality is, any dog might attack under the right circumstances.

It is very important that both dog owners and the victims of dog attacks know the dog attack regulations in their local area. Owners have a certain level of liability for the behavior of their pets, while the victims should also be aware of the regulations that affect their rights. For instance, in the United States most dog bite regulations say that the dog owner is liable for the dog's behavior. While this is true in many cases, other circumstances to take into consideration include trespassing, veterinarians, felons, provocation and whether the dog was a police or military dog.

Dog bite regulations also include the 'one bite rule'. This is a law that protects a dog owner from liability the first time his or her dog bites someone. However, there are some exceptions to this rule that include negligent or reckless conduct. If the same dog bites someone for the second time however, then the owner is held liable regardless of the circumstances behind the situation.

Everyday around 1,000 people will need to seek emergency medical attention because of dog bites. Not only do these attacks cause physical pain, but they can also psychologically scar the victim for many years. This is especially true if the victim is just a young child. But, since dogs are such common and popular household pets, victims may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder that is so intense that they won't be able to interact with any dogs for the rest of their lives.

About $1 billion is spent each year in medical bills, insurance premiums and lost work due to dog attacks. Sometimes homeowners insurance can cover the damages caused by a dog attack, but generally the cost of the attack is paid for out-of-pocket. Dog attack lawsuits can help a victim recover monetary compensation for their injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a dog attack it is very important that you contact a dog bite attack lawyer today.

For more information on hiring a dog attack lawyer or a dog bite attorney please visit our website at http://www.sddefenselawyers.com/cadogbitelawyer/

California DUI Lawyers & Drunk Driving Attorneys

There were almost 200,000 people arrested for DUI in California alone last year. Out of those numbers there were just over 180,000 were misdemeanor offenses and a large portion of those cases were overturned by DUI lawyers.

DUI is an acronym that stands for 'Driving Under the Influence'. A person is guilty of a DUI if they decide to operate a motor vehicle after the consumption of alcoholic beverages or any chemical or controlled substances. In California, there are a wide variety of laws that involve intoxicated individuals. California has some of the most severe penalties for driving under the influence in all of the United States.

The two major factors in deciding the penalty for a drunken driving offense in California depends on how much alcohol was in your system and whether or not you are a repeat offender. If it is your first DUI offense, then you will most likely avoid jail time, however most counties in California will provide you with an alternative such as trash pick up. If this is your second arrest with a ten year period, then the chances of you going to jail are much higher.

In California you cannot drive a motor vehicle if your BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) is over .08%. After you've been pulled over, the officer will administer a test giving you the choice of blood, breath or urine. Breath tests are the most common, and the device used to measure your BAC with your breath is called a breathalyzer.

Many times people don't know when 'enough is enough' while they've been drinking. Because of this, getting behind the wheel puts them in even greater jeopardy. Generally, a good rule of thumb is to limit your alcohol intake to only one drink an hour. After you've consumed an alcoholic drink, follow that with a full glass of water. This will help reduce your BAC and keep you under the legal limit.

If you have been arrested for a DUI offense in California it is very important that you contact an experienced DUI lawyer today. An experienced DUI lawyer will stand up for your rights and help you fight your case.

For more information on California DUI lawyers and Drunk Driving in California, please visit our websites at http://www.sddefenselawyers.com/californiadui/ & http://www.kerrysteigerwalt.com/public/californiadui/ This article may be freely reprinted as long as this resource box is included and all links stay intact as hyperlinks.

Internet Marketing for Lawyers - Advice That Counts

Lawyers face the same challenges any business does. In order to get new business they must market their services, i.e., advertise. And lawyers deal with the same marketing and advertising challenge every business does - how to beat the competition. Plus lawyers have to assume that any Internet or non-Internet marketing or advertising they do may well produce little or no results for the amount of time and money they spend -- regardless of what an outside marketing or advertising advisor may say to the contrary.

Prior to the Internet the main non-Internet marketing option or advertising choice for any lawyer was to advertise in the yellow pages. To this day the print yellow pages contain plenty of colorful, one page display ads that feature lawyers offering their services, and lawyers pay a lot for these ads. How effective these ads are is anyone's guess -- it's hard for your colored, one page display ad to stand out when you have 20 other lawyers doing the exact same thing! The yellow pages companies, however, continue to promote their marketing and advertising philosophy that "bigger is always better" and "everything we sell is an opportunity," so they often present a lawyer with a non-Internet marketing and advertising solution that costs plenty but often produces little. This line of thinking, along with the use of print yellow pages in general, has gone the way of the dinosaur at a very accelerated pace. The yellow pages in print form had their heyday for many decades, but the population now goes to the Internet for the information they seek, so most print directories are collecting dust. A lawyer who advertises in the print yellow pages may well get calls, but they'll most likely be from vendors using the yellow pages as a cheap source of leads.

The major paid search providers (pay per click search engines) tend to offer lawyers Internet marketing and advertising solutions in a manner similar to the way the yellow pages do with their print directories. "Bigger is always better," so rather than realistically discuss with a lawyer a pay per click Internet marketing and advertising campaign that makes financial sense and produces a decent ROI, the pay per click providers will tell the lawyer to go for as many top listing keywords (the most expensive) as their budget will permit and bid as high as they can. The lawyer may go broke in the process, but at least they'll get exposure! Many lawyers get into pay per click as a quick way to get leads but quickly exit a month later after spending lots of money for Internet marketing and advertising results that produce nothing but expense. While pay per click Internet marketing and advertising is the running favorite of Internet marketing advertisers worldwide, pay per click advertising for a lawyer is usually an extremely expensive proposition for what they get. How much a lawyer is willing to "pay for a lead" takes on a whole new meaning with pay per click. The cost per click for many lawyer related keywords, e.g., "personal injury lawyer," "criminal defense lawyer," can range from $5.00 to $70.00 per click depending on the market, and when the typical lawyer's conversion rate (the number of clicks it takes to generate a lead) of one to two percent is factored in, the lawyer can find themselves paying upwards of $500.00 to $7,000.00 per lead, and a lead is not a client.

Part of the problem lawyers face when they work with pay per click (and this translates directly into poor conversion rates) is that (1) they spend little time creating their pay per click ads and (2) the ads direct traffic to the lawyer's website. Any Internet marketing professional who knows something about pay per click knows you never send pay per click traffic to a website. Instead you create special pages, i.e., "landing pages" for pay per click traffic to be directed to. The landing pages perform the job of convincing traffic to do what the lawyer requires, which is normally to contact the lawyer via e-mail or by phone.

Legal Internet directories and portals offer the lawyer a potential Internet marketing and advertising option because of their popularity and enhanced Internet visibility. How effective a listing in a legal Internet directory or portal can be for a lawyer in terms of marketing, advertising and Internet exposure will depend upon the particular attributes of the legal Internet directory or portal in question. All things being equal, legal Internet directories or portals that charge a fee to be listed in them make more sense as an Internet marketing and advertising choice than similar sites that offer listings for free. The lawyer has to be particularly careful, however, when they consider advertising in legal Internet directories and portals that "look" like they offer a lot -- and a price to go with it -- but for whatever reasons simply do not produce enough leads for the amount of Internet marketing and advertising money the lawyer must spend. Many legal Internet directories and portals exist that have a very strong Internet presence, and they are excellent resource centers for lawyers, but this does not automatically make them good places to advertise. With Internet legal portals especially it's not how many lawyers the portal attracts but how many people the Internet legal portal attracts who are searching for legal services. People have paid thousands of dollars for advertising in Internet legal portals that have produced nothing in the way of Internet marketing and advertising results. A very wise idea for any lawyer who considers advertising in an Internet legal portal is to get some very accurate user demographics on what kind of specific traffic the Internet legal portal is actually attracting.

What is a lawyer supposed to do? Everywhere the lawyer looks, whether the marketing and advertising media is Internet or non-Internet, considerable financial risk is involved, and a guarantee that the lawyer will get good, solid results for the amount of money they spend is often hard to achieve.

Ultimately the best way for a lawyer to go with Internet marketing and advertising - the way that will ultimately get them the best long term results for the money they spend -- is to focus on getting their website to rank high in organic search results. When all things are considered, people on the Internet who search for goods and services mainly search for websites to find their answers. They may look to legal Internet directories and portals, and if they don't find what they want they may turn to pay per click listings as a last resort (only about 30% to 40% of users bother with pay per click) but ultimately people who search the Internet are looking for websites that provide them with the answers they seek.

If a lawyer is looking for an Internet marketing and advertising solution that doesn't require being part of the pay per click crowd, the lawyer may want to look into pay per phone call programs. Pay per phone call is like pay per click, but the lawyer does not pay for a call unless they receive one. And the costs for pay per phone call are normally substantially less that what the lawyer will pay for a click in many cases. A smart lawyer may even want to consider getting involved with several pay per phone call providers with the idea that between the providers the lawyer will receive enough leads in the aggregate to make involvement with these programs worth it.

Many of the Internet marketing and advertising solutions that a lawyer chooses to look into must be tried on a case by case basis. Absolutely nothing can be assumed. A pay per click advertising campaign that works extremely well for the lawyer with one search provider might fail miserably with another.

One last thing that a lawyer should be aware of when it comes to the Internet and a website presence is that appearances really do count. Many people have been on the Internet for 10 years and have correspondingly seen websites of all types and styles. People are used to seeing professionally designed websites. The lawyer's website should be too.

Michael Merten is an Internet marketing professional who consults with lawyers and legal finance companies. He specializes in getting legal websites to appear in first page search results on major search engines in record time. Mr. Merten can be reached at michael@minnesotainternetmarketing.com.

San Diego Bankruptcy Lawyers - Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Information

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

Chapter 13 bankruptcy allows individuals to restructure their debt, finances and assets in a fashionable manner in order to compensate their creditors, and pay off their debts. The individual will propose to pay the creditors over a period of time (usually 3-5 years). During this period of time the creditors can't collect on any previously incurred debt without the permission of the bankruptcy court. The individual is then able to keep their property and the creditors will end up with less money than they are owed.

Chapter 13 has a few advantages over Chapter 7. One of the most immediate advantages is the ability to stop foreclosure. In addition you can sometimes prevent collection against co-signers during the life of the case.

One of the major disadvantages of Chapter 13 bankruptcy is that the record stays on the individual's credit report for ten years. In order to achieve a new line of credit the individual must first get permission from the Chapter 13 Trustee. It also presents the problem where creditors might not want to loan money to an individual of this nature.

Legal consultation is often necessary in order to effectively oversee your Chapter 13 bankruptcy case. Professional bankruptcy attorneys can provide you with the experience and dedication required to take complete advantage of the situation and make sure you are not over-paying your creditors.

To learn more about San Diego bankruptcy lawyers and hiring a bankruptcy attorney please visit our website at http://www.thebklawyers.com This article may be freely reprinted as long as this resource box is included and all links stay intact as hyperlinks.

TIPS FOR LAWYERS: Creating Effective Habits in the New Year.

It's that time of year where we all feel enormous pressure to make resolutions for personal and professional improvement. Lawyers are no exception! The problem is too often we set the new goals without a real plan of how we're going to avoid reverting to our old habits!

Habits can be a friend or foe. Think of a habit as a pattern of behavior. Successful habits can help us to achieve success, while other habits undermine our efforts to achieve.

Here is a great exercise for getting rid of old habits and replacing them with habits designed to help you to more effectively achieve your objectives.

STEP ONE:
List 3 or more habits that are currently holding you back from achieving your goals and describe how these habits negatively impact your life.
EXAMPLE:

Habit: Spend too much time on socializing during the work day.

Impact: Always playing catch up in order to meet deadlines causing everyone to stress out. Makes me seem unprofessional and unfocused.

STEP TWO
List successful habits you will choose to adopt in place of the "bad" habits and the benefits of adopting the new habit

EXAMPLE:

Successful New Habit: Develop effective time management strategy that includes limit socializing with other lawyers in the office.

Benefits: Increase productivity, meet or exceed billables, decrease stress.

STEP THREE

Create a 3 step action plan to jumpstart each new habit. Be specific, pick a start date, a completion date and begin.

EXAMPLE:

Action Plan

1) Develop Time Management System that fits my work-style.
2) Create blocks in the day where I close my door and work for 2 hours without interruption.
3) To satisfy my desire to socialize, schedule lunches and after-hour meetings with colleagues so I stay connected.
4) Keep conversations to 3 minutes or less.

Start Date: January 7
Completion date: January 17th

Implementing new habits, new patterns of behavior, will take time. Stay committed to the process and youll soon achieve your desired results.
It's that time of year where we all feel enormous pressure to make resolutions for personal and professional improvement. Lawyers are no exception! The problem is too often we set the new goals without a real plan of how we're going to avoid reverting to our old habits!

Habits can be a friend or foe. Think of a habit as a pattern of behavior. Successful habits can help us to achieve success, while other habits undermine our efforts to achieve.

Here is a great exercise for getting rid of old habits and replacing them with habits designed to help you to more effectively achieve your objectives.

STEP ONE:
List 3 or more habits that are currently holding you back from achieving your goals and describe how these habits negatively impact your life.
EXAMPLE:

Habit: Spend too much time on socializing during the work day.

Impact: Always playing catch up in order to meet deadlines causing everyone to stress out. Makes me seem unprofessional and unfocused.

STEP TWO
List successful habits you will choose to adopt in place of the "bad" habits and the benefits of adopting the new habit

EXAMPLE:

Successful New Habit: Develop effective time management strategy that includes limit socializing with other lawyers in the office.

Benefits: Increase productivity, meet or exceed billables, decrease stress.

STEP THREE

Create a 3 step action plan to jumpstart each new habit. Be specific, pick a start date, a completion date and begin.

EXAMPLE:

Action Plan

1) Develop Time Management System that fits my work-style.
2) Create blocks in the day where I close my door and work for 2 hours without interruption.
3) To satisfy my desire to socialize, schedule lunches and after-hour meetings with colleagues so I stay connected.
4) Keep conversations to 3 minutes or less.

Start Date: January 7
Completion date: January 17th

Implementing new habits, new patterns of behavior, will take time. Stay committed to the process and youll soon achieve your desired results.

Jatrine Bentsi-Enchill, an attorney and Certified Coach, is the founder of the Esq. Development Institute (EDI), an organization committed to helping lawyers excel personally and professionally. EDI specializes in Professional Coaching for lawyers and training processes for law firms in the areas of leadership, communication, diversity/cultural competence and work-life balance. JBE@esqdevelopmentInstitute.com, www.EsqDevelopmentInstitute.com.

 

Car Accident Lawyers on the Web

Car accidents happen all too frequently in todays fast paced society. Majority of these accidents result to minor property damage claims. But, some of them result in substantial property damages, serious personal injuries, or even death. Car accident lawyers will help you make the best out of an unfortunate accident situation. And when you add federal and state laws and insurance companies into the situation, youll know that these lawyers are going to be valuable to the outcome of your case.



Car accident lawyers know how to investigate and gather evidence that will help decide who is at fault or mostly at fault. Depending on what state you live in or are hurt in, you may be eligible for compensation even if the accident was partially your fault. When you apply to get the help of these lawyers, you are giving your situation a larger chance to benefit you and make the accident less painful. Otherwise, youll only remain limited to your knowledge and to the insurance company's decision.

At present, the Internet has undeniably become the leading source of information about everything under the sun. Even law firms have decided to advertise their firms and their services in the web. Therefore, when you know someone who has been involved in a car accident, youll definitely need a car accident lawyer to represent the victims who have endured pain, suffering, emotional distress, and financial discomfort due to the accident. These people really deserve to receive the proper compensation for their condition.

You might find it hard to understand the complexity of the legal system; so, it will be wise to find a lawyer to protect your rights in the web. When you search for car accident lawyers online, youll get numerous listings of car accident attorneys and their location in the search result finds. With these, you can just search for the attorneys in your area easily. Nevertheless, the Internet really provides all the necessary information that you may need about car accident lawyers to form a better lawsuit.

Truly, the Internet has become an information portal even for legal matters and whereabouts. It has made finding car accident lawyers and everything about the law easier. There are several websites available that can provide you with the legal help that you are seeking. Knowing your legal rights does not have to be difficult, especially now that the Internet continues to expand its role in bringing everything to its users.

If you have any questions and suggestions about this article, please feel free to visit http://www.askaccidentlawyers.com