Richard Hall's Articles
Tips for Reducing Legal CostsLegal support in this country is absolutely necessary but unfortunately, we see some seriously flawed aspects that are putting a huge strain on just about every industry. For example, malpractice lawsuits are forcing doctors out, legal costs within our s... Tort Law Change and Its Impact on SocietyA tort is a wrongful act, damage, or injury that is done willfully, negligently, or in situations that involve strict liability. However, a Tort does not involve contract breach in which a civil lawsuit might be initiated. Recently, we have seen support... Medicine and the Law: Somethingâs Got to GiveThroughout the nation, our healthcare system is struggling under the weight of lawsuits and miscellaneous legal costs. The problem is not simply that of the lawyer, but includes doctors, nurses, hospitals, clinics, and the public.
One strategy for redu... The Impact of High Legal Costs on HealthcareSpending money on legal fees is a part of our society, especially in the healthcare industry. There is a time and place for the legal system in healthcare, but more and more we unfortunately see instances where legal fees are unnecessary or high, resulti... Growing Legal Costs in the School SystemThe school system today is dramatically different from what it was 20 years ago. It used to be that children got off the bus, milled around the hallways, attended class, played on the playground, and went home - safe and sound. Today, we see metal detec... The Business Of Risk
Today, we see a number of risks associated with businesses of all sizes, ranging from identity theft, embezzlement, natural disasters, personal injury, fraud, vendor failure, taxes, finances, and more. Because of the increasing number and type of busine... Recalibrating Professional Service Provider Relationships
Calibration: "The act of checking or adjusting (by comparison with a standard) the accuracy of a measuring instrumentâ¦" - English dictionary
Most people associate "calibration" with instruments such as a thermostat or police radar gun. We calibrate... Measuring the Quality of Your Legal Team
When a new car rolls off the assembly line, every part on it has been checked, double-checked and checked again to make sure it meets the exact specifications and tolerances established by the automotive engineers who designed it. Car manufacturers know... Legal Efficiency - When Less Becomes MoreLet's face it typically, attorney fees are not cheap. In addition to paying an hourly rate, some attorneys may charge per item, which would include such tasks as phone calls, written letters, meetings, car mileage, document filing, and other administrativ... Where We Stand With SarboxWhen Enron and WorldCom collapsed under the weight of questionable accounting practices, shareholders, investors and employees spent many a sleepless night wondering if they'd ever see their money again. It is these same shareholders, investors and employ... THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM
If you consider all the ways in which companies have to run a business, it is no wonder legal support is so critical. Markets today are highly competitive. The internet has made global competition a reality that years ago we could not have even dreame... EMPLOYEE BENEFITS â RIGHT OR PRIVILEGEOver the years, one of the most important factors candidates cited in searching for employment was benefits. Surprisingly this was second to salary. Considering the high cost of healthcare and prescriptions, benefits have played a vital role in the way ... Getting Your Money's WorthSecuring outside counsel is crucial to any business regardless of the industry or size. However, more than 60% of legal departments within businesses gave serious thought to firing outside legal support in 2001. The number one reason for this considerat... HOT LEGAL ISSUE OF THE DAY â RIGHT TO PRIVACY
While a number of topics are currently being discussed in the United States, one of the most controversial is that of the right to privacy. This hot button issue is made more complex in a post 9-11 environment. We struggle to find and maintain a balan... Intellectual PropertyOver the course of humanity, every discovery has yielded more questions as we continue to explore new territory. As we continue to explore the frontier known as cyberspace, and discover new ways to use the medium, we are opened up to more ethical dilemma... PROTECTING YOUR COMPANYâS PRIVACY
Today more than any other time in history, protecting company privacy is essential. Unfortunately, the number of cases associated with identify theft have not only risen but also moved from personal to business. Over the past few years, a number of la... The Legal Aspect of a Risk Profile and Response
With new and intense challenges seen in Corporate America, more and more companies are turning to the assistance of lawyers to create a risk profile and provide guidance on response. In fact, this issue has become so serious that in the past few years,... Have You Outgrown Your Legal Counsel?
How can you tell when you've outgrown your legal counsel? The following questions may help you decide if you need to make changes on your legal team.
There are basically two types of business lawyers, litigation lawyers and transactional lawyers. Litig... How Attorneys Add Value to Your BusinessFor most people, talking to an attorney usually means that someone is in trouble. And if you're the one who's calling an attorney, chances are the person in trouble is you or someone you know.
Attorneys are usually best-known as a last resort for helpi... HOW LAWYERS GOT A BAD RAP
We have all heard the jokes and negative comments surrounding lawyers but have you ever wondered how it all got started. Just as with any profession, there is bad and good. Are there unethical, incompetent attorneys? Of course! Just as there are une... IS THERE AN ATTORNEY IN THE HOUSE?Corporate law has a long history in the United States dating back to Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson when the government of our then evolving country was being centralized. With the country growing, it became apparent that decisions were needed p... Is Your Legal Team On A Collision Course With GAAP?It seems as though the accounting rules that just a few short years ago seemed to be carved in stone and generally accepted by almost all businesses, are now more like accounting questions that are subject to ongoing challenge, discussion and debate. It ... LAWYERS â DID YOU HEAR THE ONE ABOUTâ¦â¢ Three partners of a law firm were flying out of town to attend a convention. Halfway through the trip, one of the partners said to the second partner, "Oh no, I forgot to lock the office safe". The third partner quickly responded, "Don't worry all t... THE NEW AMERICA â SHOULD WE OUTSOURCEIf you were to look at many large corporations such as Sprint, Dell, and so on, you would find a number of jobs are outsourced overseas. Outsourcing is nothing new but the trend of global outsourcing has ignited a firestorm of controversy.
North Ame... 5 Best Practices for Controlling Legal CostsMany people cringe at the mere thought of being "forced" to hire an attorney. Hiring legal expertise is an expense that most people would live without and unfortunately there is the pervasive myth that all attorneys are out to gleefully take the shirt of... 10 Tips for Finding the Right Legal CounselMention the word attorney in a crowd of people and you are likely to get a wide range of reactions. Let's face it most of us associate attorneys with law suits, trouble with the law and court dates. All things that can cost us money! However, there are ... Dispute Resolution that WorksDisputes are often the result of a failure to communicate, or opposing views on what was communicated. This is true in most human relationships, personal and business. In personal relationships, most disputes are resolved without legal intervention, but... E-Communications and the LawElectronic communication enables us to expedite communications and quickly exchange information. Yet, there is a price to pay for ease of use. Most companies typically have well established guidelines regarding hard copy documents. There are policies t... How Much Does Justice Cost?Over the years, the public has been fascinated by the legal process. One can hardly remember a time when there was not a spate of television shows that did not feature some aspect of the legal process. With the proliferation of "reality" programming, we... Legal EfficiencyCorporations are continuously looking for ways to become more efficient. Process improvement programs once only utilized in the manufacturing sector are now a dominant presence in all industries. The goal is to improve efficiency and as a result improve... Privacy in the WorkplaceIn a generation that seems to thrive on voyeuristic pleasures, privacy has become a hotbed issue. We watch the very private lives of celebrities and "real" people unfold on television, we pour out our personal thoughts in private online diaries which can... The Bedside LawyerToday's hospital administrator faces a number of challenges including rising costs, labor shortages, increased regulatory requirements and the potential for costly, credibility damaging lawsuits. We live in a litigious time. Disputes are played out in ... Who's on First?You needed legal representation. You received a recommendation from a colleague and arranged for an initial consultation. You briefed the attorney on your case and liked his/her strategy and proposed timeline. The attorney drew up the contract and you ... Workplace ViolenceThere was a time in our history when workplace injuries were limited to occupational accidents, slip and falls and repetitive motion injuries. Forget the garden variety injuries, when it comes to workplace violence this is an iceberg and you're the Titan...
|
