https://abovethelaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Staci-Zaretsky.jpg
We see this as an extremely valuable learning exercise for these students to well prepare them to finish out the second and or third year of law school and have on their resume a very valuable experience having worked through and lived through this simulated exercise over eight weeks.
[It will be] just like being a summer associate in a law firm.
— Michael Volpe, co-chair of Venable’s labor and employment practice group, commenting on the firm’s simulated summer associate experience at a “virtual” law firm. Venable has teamed up with New York Law School to crea
There’s A Way If There’s The Will
What irritates me (and we agree that there are many, many things that can provoke a rant) is when people say that something can’t be done and offer no alternatives. Here’s Exhibit A:
The president of the Law School Admissions Council has pooh-poohed the idea of putting the bar examination online this year. She says that it’s not impossible but that it is a “really big lift for states” as they are not testing organizations. Duh. Tell us something we don’t already know.
So, what are a
Unemployment Benefits: How Does Unemployment Work?
The sudden loss of income caused by a layoff or furlough can create uncertainty for an entire household and make it challenging to pay for everyday necessities. As more employees continue to be impacted by permanent and temporary workforce reductions, access to unemployment insurance (UI) benefits may help reduce the risk of financial ruin and can, at the very least, provide a cushion of interim income to rely on.
The following answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about unemployment benefits, and recent changes in light of the coronavirus crisis, will help you prepare your claim and know what to expect.
Questions about the coronavirus pandemic?
Visit the Coronavirus Legal Center and ask a lawyer today.
When can unemployment benefits be collected?
Unemployment benefits ma
Using Local Marketing to Help Potential Clients Find Your Law Firm Online
One of the best ways to create unique, engaging content — and attract more local potential clients — is to focus on local marketing.
An effective local content strategy can help increase your law firm website’s visibility in search engine results and improve your ability to connect with and engage local clients.
By providing relevant information that answers local potential clients’ questions, almost any page on a law firm website can become a more effective local online marketing tool.
Attorneys shouldn’t think just about getting traffic to their website, but getting targeted traffic. Traffic alone does not necessarily translate into new business for your law firm. But when attorneys think ab
Accounting for COVID-19: Are Lawyers Helping Clients ‘Remould the Rules’?
Trevor Clark
The current disruption caused by COVID-19 is often and rightly described as “unprecedented”. So perhaps we should not be surprised by unprecedented practices that might emerge from it. One such practice seen in the private equity and leveraged finance sector appears to raise some ethical questions for the lawyers involved.
It concerns a market practice known as ‘EBITDAC’. EBITDA is a concept used as a proxy for a company’s revenues and valuation. It performs (or, at least once performed) a critical role in loan covenants in leveraged buyouts (LBOs); it is/was central to the lender’s ability to monitor and test the borrower’s financial performance, and these days is also often used in ‘cov lite’ deals as the benchmark against which to assess whether the borrower has the capacity to borrow more debt, make dividend payments and/or undertake other ‘restricted’ activities which might weaken the positio
How to Break a Contract Legally
The global COVID-19 pandemic and resulting social distancing regulations have changed nearly every aspect of people’s lives. Most notably, certain activities involving human contact are either discouraged or banned outright. For this and other pandemic-related reasons, it has become impractical or even impossible to perform certain contractual terms.
If you find yourself with no other choice but to break a contract during this crisis, it will be important to do it legally. Otherwise, you could be held liable for breach of contract. There are a few basic ways to legally break a contract, including some that are more specific to the current crisis. We’ll answer some questions you may have about contracts and how to break them in a lawful manner.
Free Force Majeure Notice
Invoke the force majeure clause to renegotiate or terminate your contract.
Termination Checklist: Offboarding Employees Legally
Terminating employees within the usual course of business is rarely pleasant. But the additional stresses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are forcing many businesses to engage in layoffs, sometimes even affecting employees that were a part of the business for years. Nonetheless, there may be no other way around the need to shrink operating costs than to reduce (or “offboard”) staff.
Ideally, regardless of the circumstances leading to the parting of ways, the process of transitioning employees out of your business should follow a predictable set of steps. The following answers to common questions about employee termination will help you ensure a tactful, respectful, and legally sound process.
Free Employee Termination Letter
Communicate your decision as an employer.
Do I need to provide written n
Eviction Moratorium Laws by State
Last updated: May 13, 2020
As a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, the federal government, along with many states and municipalities, are taking emergency actions to protect tenants from eviction. The rationale for these actions—in correlation with relief for landlords and other property owners—is to minimize disruptions while shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders are in effect.
We’ve put together a guide to the states where such laws have been enacted, but keep in mind that these policies are subject to changes and extensions. If you have questions about evictions or foreclosures, or your general rights as a landlord or tenant in your state, ask a lawyer.
Questions about the coronavirus pandemic?
Visit the Coronavirus Legal Center and ask a lawyer today.
What is
Indiana Orders Remote Bar Exam In Fit Of Reasonableness
While law school deans complain that New York’s social distancing policies might inconvenience their bar passage stats and Florida declares its intention to go ahead and hold the July exam pandemic be damned, Indiana has decided to embrace a thoroughly rational remote examination option. Mark your calendars, everyone: this is the week that we’re looking to a state that brought us Mike Pence as a role model.
In an order issued yesterday, Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush of the Indiana Supreme Court took stock of the ongoing crisis and decided the only prudent course of action would be to call off the in-person exam and do it all remotely:
As a result of the circumstances surrounding the CO
Financial Wellness in the Time of COVID-19
The financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic disruptions are staggering. Millions of Americans are facing unemployment, reduced hours, or—if they’re self-employed—a decline in revenue. As many businesses and financial institutions have been encouraged to work with consumers during this difficult time, you should not hesitate to contact your lenders, your landlord, or your utility providers if you or your household are facing hardship due to COVID-19.
Below, we’ve answered several common questions about managing finances during this challenging time.
Questions about the coronavirus pandemic?
Visit the Coronavirus Legal Center and ask a lawyer today.
Credit cards
If you are unable to meet your minimum monthly payments for credit cards, you should contact yo
Types of Bankruptcy: Chapter 7, Chapter 11 and Chapter 13
If you’re facing financial hardship as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, you may have considered filing for bankruptcy. It can sound like an intimidating and confusing process, given that there is a lot of misleading information out there, however with the right support, bankruptcy can be a great way to get the fresh start you need. Whether you’re facing challenges with personal or business debt, getting a clear picture of the bankruptcy process and speaking with an experienced attorney can help you determine if bankruptcy is the right solution for you.
The following information will familiarize you with the different types of bankruptcy proceedings and what you need to consider before going this route. If you have questions about managing your debt or filing for bankruptcy in light of COVID-19, you can get free legal advice in the Coronavirus Legal Center.
Questions about th
Parents’ Legal Guide to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic
If you are a parent, then you are likely worried about how the coronavirus pandemic may affect your family—no matter how old your children are. If your 19-year-old child who lives away from home (perhaps in college) becomes seriously ill and requires a relatively extreme medical procedure, for instance, you won’t be able to provide consent on their behalf—or even obtain their medical information—without the necessary legal documents.
While much of the current pandemic may be out of your hands, there are some legal steps you can take to be better prepared for the safety of you and your family. An easy way to do this is to ensure you prepare certain legal documents, apply for paid leave to care for your child, or take other actions as needed. We’ll discuss these and more in the following sections.
Questions about the coronavirus pandemic?
<
More Nixon Peabody Cost-Cutting Measures. This Time Associate Salaries Are On The Chopping Block.
There are a lot of different austerity measures a Biglaw firm can undertake to maximize their cash flow during this economically uncertain time. And it seems like in dribs and drabs, Nixon Peabody has hit just about all of them.
As we’ve previously reported, the firm laid off/furloughed approximately 10 percent of non-partner attorneys and did massive staff layoffs. Then they left law school students in their summer associate program “shit out of luck” when they canceled the SA program without guaranteeing those students future employment offers. Now we understand that attorney salaries are on the chopping block.
Multiple tipsters at Nixon P
Top 20 Am Law Firm Cuts Pay For All Due To COVID Crisis
https://abovethelaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Staci-Zaretsky.jpg
(Image via Getty)
As we noted earlier today, not even the Biglaw firms with the most impressive financial performance are immune from the economic ravages of COVID-19. We’ve learned that Mayer Brown — a firm that came in 17th place in the latest Am Law 100 rankings, with $1,484,000 in gross revenue in 2019 — will be implementing extensive austerity measures firmwide.
We’ve been told that not only have partners been taking reduced monthly draws, but they’ve also suspended their distributions for the first half of the year. Today, Mayer Brown announced that effective May 18, salaries for all non-equity lawyers and staff (who make more than $200,000) will be reduced by 15 percent, and this will most likely la
Top 10 Biglaw Firm Is Cutting Attorney Salaries As Part Of COVID-19 Austerity
(Image via Getty)
We’ve long suspected that even the Biglaw firms with the most impressive financial performance weren’t going to be immune from the economic ravages of COVID-19. Now we’ve learned the Hogan Lovells — a firm that took in $2,246,050,000 in gross revenue last year, making an impressive 8th on the latest Am Law 100 ranking — has instituted salary cuts for attorneys.
The firm had previously announced they were delaying bonuses and 2019 profit distributions for all partners (income and equity). They also deferred UK and Asia Pacific salary reviews and discretionary bonuses for lawyers and for the majority of business services teams worldwide, which were scheduled for May 1st. Now the firm announced in an email (full ver
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Partner Offers
https://www.rocketlawyer.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/salesforce.png
As part of our effort to help during the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve teamed up with partners across the country to offer free and reduced-price services and products to businesses affected by COVID-19.
To take advantage of these special offers, tap below:
OpenWeStand
Free Resource
The OpenWeStand website is a gathering place for entrepreneurs to learn, ask questions, and utilize resources available to them.
Each partner is pledging to support small businesses by contributing resources and discounted product/service offerings to help them navigate the crisi
Hiring during COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place: Legal Best Practices
While many companies are reducing staff due to the coronavirus pandemic, others are continuing to hire. While you shouldn’t meet face-to-face, you may have additional questions about screening and interviewing candidates remotely. We have curated a list of answers to commonly asked questions from companies that are looking to add new employees or workers to their teams during a shelter-in-place order.
Questions about the coronavirus pandemic?
Visit the Coronavirus Legal Center and ask a lawyer today.
Can the entire hiring process be conducted remotely?
Yes. In fact, considering the potential lead time that many businesses encounter during the course of an in depth hiring process, it may be preferable to begin the process of finding and hiring qualified candidates now, even though t
We need to talk about mental health and pupillage applications (Guest Post)
Thank you to those who have reached out to me when I was writing this post to share
Webinar: Employment Law and COVID-19 for Small Business
http://img.youtube.com/vi/B9zxeRS0vyE/0.jpg
If you are the owner or HR leader of a small business affected by COVID-19, it’s important to arm yourself with employment law and workplace policy best practices. To answer your legal questions and help you mitigate business risks, we teamed up with Staples to co-host a free webinar featuring Rocket Lawyer Founder and CEO, Charley Moore alongside On Call attorney, Derek Smith. Check out the full recording below:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9zxeRS0vyE&w=560&h=315%5DIf you have questions about employment law in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit the Coronavirus Legal Center for Business and get access to free legal advice, essential documents, and more resources for employers.
These Law Schools Prove They Have Staying Power
Good news for those of you using the quarantine to argue about esoteric differences in elite law schools — there are new law school rankings out!
Well, to be fair, these are updated rankings. Bradley A. Areheart, of the University of Tennessee College of Law, has engaged in this exercise before which involves creating a ranking of law schools based on their 10-year rolling average overall USNWR ranking. This is a great resource for those looking to see not just how a law school is doing right now, but how the law school have held up over time.
And for those of you who are sticklers for details, Areheart describes his methodology for dealing with ties: “If two law school’s 10-year rolling averages were within 1/10 of a point, I tied them and then attempted to break those ties
LucyLAW 
