Articles
How to Make Your Expert Witness Bullet-Proof from Cross-Examination
It’s happened to all of us. Your expert witness takes the witness stand and you’re ready to deliver a death blow to the defense. Then, suddenly and unexpectedly, the expert is no longer the same person you met with before trial. The expert waffles and vacillates in expressing their opinions and offers opinions that seem more »
Our Paralegal’s Top 5 Priorities for Trial Preparation
In preparing for trial, these are the top 5 priorities of our paralegal. Each priority is essential for our success at trial. Think of the trial as if it is a Broadway play. Every moment of the trial should be carefully scripted and planned. If any of these steps are not performed, the trial will be more »
Stories From the Heart
From an early age, your parents and teachers tell you what we should do. You listen, often with the best intentions, but let’s face, the words of our parents and peers are quickly forgotten. It’s simply impossible to retain all of the well-intentioned advice and guidance. But there’s one thing that is much harder to more »
Why you should NEVER use a release authorization issued by the Department of Health
Here’s a common scenario: the defense lawyers send you release authorizations on standard pre-printed forms issued by the New York State Department of Health (Office of Court Administration Form 960). With the stamp of approval of the Department of Health, there can’t be anything wrong with these release authorizations, right? Not so fast, my friend.
The pre-printed forms “approved” by the Department of Health for the release of medical records and ex parte interviews between defense counsel and the plaintiff’s non-party treating physicians should never be used. The DOH “approved” authorizations provide none of the safeguards against the accidental (or intentional) disclosure of privileged medical information and non-treating physicians may mistakenly think that a private, ex parte meeting with defense counsel is mandatory.
Here are some reasons you should never use the DOH release authorizations
Protecting Your Clients’ Privacy Rights with Social Media
New York courts have uniformly held that a defendant is not entitled to the blocked content of a plaintiff’s Facebook site by the mere existence of the site itself. The defendants may not obtain discovery of blocked social media postings absent the existence of some articulable basis for believing that the private content is material more »
The Best Way to Kick-Start Your Lawyer Website in Only 45 Days
Want to kick-start your lawyer website in just six weeks? Impossible, you say? If you do only one thing for your website, you should hire a blogger to write valuable content for the blog on your website with a new post every single day.
How to Use Your Retainer Agreement to Differentiate Your Law Firm from Everyone Else
The ultimate goal is to differentiate your law practice from every other lawyer. Easier said than done, right? But here’s one thing you can do now that will instantly make your practice different. In New York, lawyers are ethically permitted to accept complete responsibility for case expenses in the event there is no monetary recovery, more »
How to Convert Website Visitors into Paying Clients
What is the real purpose of a website for your law practice? No, it has nothing to do with fancy graphics and award-winning logos or the self-glorification of you and your partners. The only purpose of a website is to get clients and make money.
How to Pay Case Expenses without Spending a Dime
Would you take a suitcase full of cash, put it under your bed and leave it there for three years? Probably not, right? You want to earn interest on your money and that suitcase full of cash won’t earn a penny. Even if you put your money in a money market account, you’ll get at more »
A Guaranteed Way to Get Rich…on Auto-Pilot
Saving money isn’t easy—you’ve got bills to pay, kids to send to college and make the weekly payroll of your staff. Sometimes it’s a wonder there’s any money left for you. You know you’re supposed to be saving money, but you’ve got to pay the bills first. There’s an answer that is easy and takes more »
