Rethinking Professional Advertising: The Role of Novelty in Legal Marketing
This piece addresses the use of unusual or sensational imagery in legal advertising and its potential impact on professional respectability, following a widely publicized example involving a prominent law firm. The Spectacle of Legal Marketing Recently, a law firm’s advertising campaign garnered national attention, including a feature on Stephen Colbert’s ThreatDown, for its incorporation of […]
The Cumulative Cost of Inaccuracy: Class Action Litigation Over A Million Little Pieces
For $\$800,000$, one might acquire a modest home, thousands of consumer electronics, or several thousand hours of legal work. This figure took center stage in a high-profile class action settlement stemming from the book $A$ $Million$ $Little$ $Pieces$. In January 2006, The Smoking Gun revealed that James Frey’s supposedly non-fiction memoir contained significant inaccuracies and […]
Gross v. Industrial Commission of Ohio: A Study in Hard Facts and Legal Precedent
The Ohio Supreme Court case of Gross v. Industrial Commission of Ohio presents a compelling example of the maxim that “hard facts make bad law.” While the initial commentary surrounding the case noted the unique circumstances of the plaintiff, the ruling’s outcome raises questions regarding the application of established legal principles in the face of […]
Litigation Spotlight: Lawsuit Challenges KFC’s Frying Oil Practices
The Complaint Against Kentucky Fried Chicken A consumer advocacy group and a retired physician have initiated legal action against Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), alleging that the quick-service restaurant chain utilizes cooking methods that pose health concerns to the public. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a consumer organization, and Dr. Arthur Hoyte, […]
Navigating the Ethical Minefield: Declining Clients Who Pose a Risk to Professionalism
A common dilemma encountered by many trial attorneys, particularly during “the periodic lull in cases of merit,” is the temptation to accept a client whose motivations may be driven by vengeance, delusion, or emotional disturbance, rather than a sound legal basis. This observation was notably articulated by Norm Pattis at Crime and Federalism (Nov. 21). […]
Legal Precedent and Accountability: Atlantic City School District Settles Sexual Harassment Suit for $450,000
The Atlantic City, New Jersey school district and its insurer have agreed to a settlement of approximately $450,000 to resolve sexual harassment charges brought by two former secretaries, Carol Lee and Jennifer Torres. Background of the Claim The secretaries initiated legal action following a specific comment made by Assistant Superintendent Thomas J. Kirschling in July […]
Global Strategy: The Practice of Law Firms Outsourcing Legal Services to India
The Emergence of Offshore Legal Outsourcing The economic pressures and demands for efficiency within the legal sector have prompted some law firms to explore international outsourcing for certain legal services. This practice involves contracting work to external providers, often in countries with lower operational costs. According to a report by The St. Paul Pioneer Press, […]
Judicial Sanctions: The Economic Incentive for Excellence in Legal Writing
The Cost of Careless Drafting Recent judicial action underscores a critical, often financially impactful, lesson for the legal profession: poor writing carries a tangible economic cost. A report from Law.com detailed a ruling by a Pennsylvania judge that resulted in a substantial reduction of a lawyer’s hourly rate, directly attributable to the quality of the […]
The Ascendance of Blogging in Large Law Firm Marketing
The Growing Acceptance of Legal Blogs The landscape of legal marketing is continually evolving, and recent commentary suggests that blogs are achieving a level of “legitimization” within the sphere of large law firms. This trend has been highlighted by industry observers, including Jerry Lawson of Network-Lawyers, who noted the endorsement of legal blogging in a […]
Digital Preservation of Justice: Harvard Law Launches Nuremberg Trials Document Collection
The Harvard Law School Library has unveiled the Nuremberg Trials Project: A Digital Document Collection, a comprehensive website dedicated to the analysis and digitization of primary sources related to the Nuremberg Trials. This initiative is focused on preserving and enhancing access to the Library’s extensive collection of approximately one million pages of documents concerning the […]