All too often, people think they have to sacrifice their passion in order to take on a “sensible” career. You might love fashion but decide to pursue law so you can have a myriad of employment choices later in life. However, you can use your legal skills in the world of fashion. You can work with creatives and support their work. Fashion lawyers are active in a number of core practice areas, and often gain experience in the industry as a way of getting started.  Here’s what you can expect to do as a fashion lawyer – and some ways to get your foot in the door.  Legal Practice Are ..read more

Paying online is a given for many business types, from your cable company to Amazon Prime. The idea still might feel foreign to those who run professional practices, like solo or small law firms. Although it might feel comfortable to stick with the paper check or walk-in-to-pay system, there are numerous benefits to accepting e-payments. Often, the proposition is a win-win: good for you, good for your clients.  What Are E-Payments? Electronic payments are payments your clients make to your firm through your website or online platform. You might already accept contactless payments inside y ..read more

Lately, there has been a significant emphasis on mental health both personally and professionally, with May recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month. People are now more open about their mental health issues and actively seeking treatment and therapy, reducing the stigma and associated negativity of the past. Even companies encourage their employees to prioritize their emotional and mental well-being, and rightfully so. But how is this playing out in court cases? Mental Health Assistance During a Divorce When couples are going through a divorce, mental health professionals are often an inte ..read more

Vulnerability feels like a “soft” word with no place in the highly competitive, high-risk world of legal practice. However, the idea of embracing vulnerability has been gaining traction in the profession. It can support many of your practice ideals, from positive client feedback to high job satisfaction. What Is Vulnerability? Researcher Brene Brown takes a broad view of vulnerability, finding it fundamental to human experiences – and aspirations – like joy and love. According to Brown, vulnerability isn’t limited to what happens with those near and dear to us. It’s also an essential elem ..read more

The attraction of continuing to work from home in a post-pandemic era is tough to ignore. In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted every aspect of our lives. Law firms quickly adapted to remain connected to clients, courts, and peers through remote work.  In many industries, there is a renewed drive to return to the office. Is this the most practical and productive setup for law firms, or will most firms choose something different? Here are some key considerations and how law firms can best manage these arrangements.  Remote vs. In-Office vs. Hybrid — What’s the Difference? Whe ..read more

Negotiation is an essential skill that every lawyer needs to be successful. Without these skills, you wouldn’t be able to serve the best interests of your clients. However, not everyone has natural negotiation skills or knows how to avoid costly errors. Here’s why learning to negotiate is critical for your legal career and some key strategies for success.  Why Negotiation Skills Are Vital in Law Negotiation is a problem-solving technique that helps lawyers resolve disputes with opposing parties. It is the process of reaching mutually agreeable terms for a settlement or transaction. Lawyer ..read more

Artificial Intelligence (AI) might offer many benefits to individuals, businesses, and society. However, it also brings heightened concern about unresolved issues surrounding the creation of AI-generated deep fakes.  What once required technical skill to accomplish, the act of accurately cloaking faces and voices has become so simple that virtually anyone can do it. Many deep fakes can be harmful and intrusive, which raises the issue of their legality.  What Is a Deep Fake? Deep fakes are videos or audio clips that appear to be genuine content but are fake representations of a real h ..read more

Martindale-Hubbell, part of the Martindale-Avvo family, is proud to announce that the following attorneys have achieved a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, awarded to only those lawyers who have the highest ethical standards, legal knowledge, and professional ability. This rating signifies a large number of the lawyer’s peers have assessed their professional ability in a specific area of practice via a secure online survey. Congratulations to the following for garnering the highest honor, the AV Preeminent (alphabetical by last name of attorney): A Berc Agopoglu, Principal a ..read more

Torts, contracts, criminal law – did you take a law school class on empathy? If you’re like the vast majority of legal professionals, the answer is no. There’s been buzz on the words “empathy” and “emotional connectivity” in the legal industry of late, as people in the profession have been rethinking the detached approach many take to legal practice.  Empathy and emotional connectivity might feel out-of-place in the stressful environment of legal practice, but they might be fundamental to a lawyer’s ability to represent clients and improve client satisfaction.  What Are Empathy and E ..read more

DEI for law firms is about expanding the culture of a practice to include those whose voices have traditionally not been heard in the legal industry. There are a number of ways legal practices implement DEI and several potential benefits of doing so.  What is DEI? Diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) is a general term for initiatives and programs that intend to make an organization’s demographics more closely match that of society. In some cases, it can also mean actively trying to increase representation of groups of people who have traditionally been excluded from the organization’s indus ..read more