Archives for September 2012
Avoiding Uncontrollable Legal Fees with Alternative Fee Arrangements: Part I – Contingent Fees and Mixed Contingent Fees
by: Arend J. Abel, Attorney
One of the biggest issues facing a business when hiring an attorney is not only the fact that legal fees are costly, but that they are also unpredictable. When an attorney is hired on an hourly basis, as most still are, the business person may have no idea what the ultimate price tag may be. In an effort to address these issues, lawyers sometimes offer various alternatives to hourly billing. Two of those alternatives, the contingent fee and mixed hourly/contingent fee, are examined below
Pros and Cons of a Special Needs Trust: Guest Blog Post by Melissa L. Stuart
by: Melissa L. Stuart, Attorney
Securing the financial future of a special needs child does not have to be a cause for anxiety for parents. My recent article on the Friendship Circle blog discusses the pros and cons of special needs trusts and how they can help your child financially.
Indiana Supreme Court and the Guest Statute
by: David J. Cutshaw, Attorney
The Indiana Supreme Court recently issued an interesting decision in Clark v. Clark, 971 N.E. 58 (2012) involving an injury to the son of a driver who was directing the driver into a parking space. In that case, the father (driver of the car) was directed by his son to stop in the parking space, but the father hit the accelerator instead of the brake and pinned the son between two cars, severely injuring the son. The legal issue in the case was whether Indiana’s Guest Statute (I.C. 34-30-11-1) prevented the son from recovering against his father for the injuries he sustained in the accident.
Time Is Money: The Benefits of Outsourcing Your Debt Collections
by: Melissa L. Stuart , Attorney
You own a business-and unless that business is debt collection, you would probably like to focus your efforts on, well, your business. When customers or vendors owe you money, there are many ways to go about trying to collect: You could do it yourself, or hire an attorney or debt collection agency to do it for you.
Debt collection is not an easy task. It takes a considerable amount of time, and sometimes creativity, to reach the people who owe you money. If you or one of your staff members is attempting to collect on this debt it can quickly become a full-time job. It also takes a good knowledge of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and state law to effectively and legally collect a debt. If you and your staff are not familiar with these rules, you can put yourself at risk for lawsuits.
Johnson & Johnson Faces Tough Scrutiny Over Marketing Practices for Drugs and Medical Devices
by: Jeff S. Gibson , Attorney
Health care products giant Johnson & Johnson has made headlines recently due to a series of concerns and investigations into its marketing practices for drugs and medical devices. Johnson & Johnson disclosed to its shareholders in its most recent quarterly earnings report that a federal investigation is currently underway regarding its marketing practices of the antibiotic Doribax and the sinus device Relieva Stratus MicroFlow Spacer.