Living Will, Estate Law,Legal Issues

Contracts can often be seen as burdensome entities that service and goods providers can do without. As long as a mutual agreement is arrived at in good faith, so the thinking goes, then a handshake or a verbal agreement should be good enough. Contracts take time, which take money, which is why some don’t want to have to deal with them. Yet, as will be explained, the effect of good IT contracts or a good consulting contract is the opposite. If done properly they will indeed save you time and money, and allow for an environment of good customer service, too.

For IT technicians in particular, the temptation to see contracts as burdensome might be considerable. As a technician, you’re hired to do a job, you show up and do it, and you get paid for your effort. This is how many technicians would like to see their job environment anyhow. If it were only that easy. The problem is that, without IT contracts — even something like an IT consulting contract — you might get lost in the maze otherwise known as the quagmire of IT contract law.

The world of information technology is particularly sensitive when concerning contract law because of the various legal issues involved with things like licensing of hardware and software, the hiring of subcontractors for particular projects, or the crossover that occurs between different fields, different projects, and even different jurisdictions. Without IT contracts that sort out the various legal issues involved, the IT technician might find themselves in a legal nightmare that simply could have been avoided.

What IT contacts do, including things like an IT consulting contract, is they detail ultimately who owns what, who is responsible for what, what jurisdictions apply with respect to licensing and ownership, and what dispute mechanisms will be used in the event of some disagreement somewhere down the line.

One of the best attributes of IT contracts is comprehensiveness and detail, without losing simplicity. In other words, something like an IT consulting contract will serve its function if it lays down as many terms as possible, while avoiding legal jargon that won’t be understood by either party of a contract.

As already mentioned, a good contract should be seen as a way of achieving customer service and satisfaction. By getting things out into the open with simple language and straightforward terms, all parties can proceed with a true sense of mutual benefit. After all, that’s what good business and service is supposed to be about, isn’t it?

On top of the customer service aspect, of course, good IT contracts should also be designed to resolve future conflicts and legal disputes. Bad intentions don’t even have to exist in order for a breach of contract to occur. Sometimes, people are of genuinely different opinions as to what their obligations are in something like an IT consulting contract. Sometimes unforeseen events occur that weren’t anticipated in the original contract — which, of course, is another reason to be as comprehensive as possible when first forming and signing IT contracts.

In the end a good contract should be the IT technician’s best friend in today’s global village. Without one, the modern quagmire of international legal rights can sap away precious time, resources, and energy from your business. No smart professional wants that to happen. It’s why they fall back on things like IT contracts that cover all the bases, and then some.

Cyprus Real Estate Laws Differ For Overseas Property Owners

Overseas property buyers purchasing Cypriot property may be unaware of the legal position regarding their assets if the die in Cyprus.

Lawyers specialising in expat Legal & Tax advice has clarified the position that may surprise many expats with homes in Cyprus.

Cypriot law differs with UK and other European laws when it comes to dealing with a persons Will. The fact is that if you die without a Will your estate passes automatically to your children – not your spouse. Also, it could be expensive because of unavoidable taxes and fees.

The very wealthy are able to make trusts and foundations to hold overseas assets and control ownerships when people die, these same rules are available to everyone and using them can avoid expensive and lengthy probate costs.

Cyprus lawyers can charge, by law, a fixed amount for Probate work, typically in excess of 12% of the estate value. That is a whopping 12,000 euros for every 100,000 euros of worldwide property and investment assets, a very expensive exercise which could be avoided by planning ahead.

If you die without a Will with Cyprus assets, the courts will appoint a solicitor who will charge the full Probate cost. Another concern arises if you do not have a Will and the children inherit, the children could simply sign affidavits to “give up” their rights to inherit in favour of the spouse, this only adds additional expense and delay to death intestate. But, the children could refuse to hand over the assets to the spouse and there is nothing can be done to force them.

Solutions

There is no UK or Cyprus Inheritance Tax on first death between UK domiciled married couples. They can transfer twice the Nil Rate Band on second death £624,000 without Inheritance Tax but Cyprus real estate property and land, motor vehicles and business still need probate. Using family members can avoid “fixed” solicitor’s costs.

Sometimes separate Wills for separate jurisdictions can settle assets in different countries, reducing Inheritance Tax and delays in Probate – currently two years plus in Cyprus.

TRUST

One can also look at a “Trust” which is in effect a “living Will” where you give your personal assets to a new legal entity called a Trust. Subject to tax rules you can continue to have an element of direct and control these assets and have a Trust Will to provide for the distribution of assets on death.

CYA Disclaimer: The following is intended for reference purposes only and not as legal advice.

Do you own the water running under your property? If you’re not the kind of person who would care one way or another, then read no further (although it is beyond me how anyone could fail to be fascinated by this topic!). Internationally, water law is of more critical importance than most people realize, because it is water rather than oil that causes the most political tension in the arid Arabian Peninsula.

The law concerning underground water is quite fractured in the United States, with several competing legal theories, this one or that one dominating depending on where you live and how much water they have here. Note that I am not talking about underground streams here but diffuse water, the stuff that percolates up to the surface or remains still. This matters more and more the dryer the climate you live in. Following is a very simplified summary of the four major legal doctrines:

1. Absolute Ownership

Finders, keepers. You can pump all the water you want from your own land, even if it squeezes the land of neighboring property like a sponge and leaves them dry as a bone. No slant drilling allowed, however.

2. Reasonable Use

You can pump as much as you can reasonably use for “beneficial uses”. How much is “reasonable” is anybody’s guess, but the answer can probably be found in state case law (and may depend on how much money you pay the judge!).

3. Correlative Rights

All owners of property over an underground basin jointly own the underground water and may only use a reasonable proportion of the annual supply. Note that this is different from #2 above, because what is “reasonable” is a lot more dependent ion the total supply of water in the basin – the less there is, the less water you can take and still be reasonable.

4. Appropriation

This one applies to underground streams as well. Under this doctrine, people who don’t even own land over the basin can take water out as long as they can do so without trespassing.

Idaho’s northern “panhandle” region is an area that is well-known to wealthy retirees who are looking for a peaceful land to get away from it all and enjoy their retirement years, away from the busy world that they spent the last 40 years being a part of.

Whether you are looking to just buy a nice piece of quiet land to build a home and live on or are a real estate investor looking to make some money on the growing demand for North Idaho land, it’s recommended that you understand the laws of the land, the best way of which is to take on the services of North Idaho real estate attorneys.

The Attraction of North Idaho Real Estate

Idaho isn’t the place most people think of when they consider great places to retire. More common on the list are probably Miami, San Diego, and other warm coastal cities. But it’s the small-town isolation that makes North Idaho an attraction to others.

This attraction has brought on some big-money developers and real estate agents who hope to make some fast and quick money. And where there is fast and quick money to be made, there are fast talkers and snake-oil salesmen trying to get their share.

If you are looking at North Idaho, then you should be sure to keep a real estate attorney in your back pocket to review every form you sign and exchange you make and ensure that nothing funny is going on.

Why Hire North Idaho Real Estate Attorneys?

As with all laws, real estate laws have variations state to state. If you’re looking at any type of real property in Idaho, then obviously you’ll want to talk to somebody that is familiar with the laws of the land.

This becomes especially in areas like Idaho’s mostly isolated northern regions where real estate purchases often come with animal rights, water rights, and other matters that you wouldn’t normally encounter with a home purchase in any large city.

If you’ve spent your life in the city, and now want to move to the country, things are different and unfamiliar. Learning the laws of the local land can be stressful, and any misinterpretation of the law can put you into a world that you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy.

Don’t fall into that trap. Get yourself an expert and hire a North Idaho real estate attorney who not only understands the law, but the attitudes of the North Idaho community and can get things done faster.

DATELINE: BOSTON, MA…

For Boston Attorney Jennifer Roman, clarifying legal issues for the rest of us has become second nature in her role as a contributing legal analyst for WBZ-TV Channel 4 News.

A former Assistant District Attorney in the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Roman is currently an associate in the Litigation Group of Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers, P.C. of Boston, MA, a combination that provides her with in depth perspective from both sides of the courtroom. During her tenure in the District Attorney’s office, Roman prosecuted major felony cases and successfully argued cases before both the Supreme Judicial Court and the Appeals Court. Her ongoing courtroom experience has served her well in providing on camera commentary illuminating many hot button legal issues for the public.

Most recently, Roman commented on the Roger Clemens investigation, requested by the US House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and what Clemens might expect if convicted of perjury charges. A Boston Magazine 2007 “Massachusetts Rising Star,” Roman has also opined on the air about the State Police Crime Lab, the Christa Worthington trial, and the Rhode Island Station Nightclub owner’s plea deal.

While an associate at Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers, P.C., Roman also presented on “The New Electric Discovery Rules/Developments and Hidden Dangers” at the Massachusetts Bar Association Fourth Annual In-House Counsel Conference.

A cum laude graduate of Muhlenberg College, Roman received her J.D. cum laude from Suffolk University Law School. Roman is a member of the New York Bar and the Massachusetts Bar, as well a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Women’s Bar Association. She has also served as a committee member of Race For The Cure and as a volunteer for the Literacy Volunteers of Massachusetts, Inc.

Roman is a resident of Boston, MA.

Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers, P.C.

Formed in 1991, Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers, P.C. is committed to providing high quality, comprehensive legal services to its clients. Featuring a breadth and depth of experience and perspective usually found only at larger law firms, Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers, P.C. offers sophisticated legal counsel to entrepreneurs, businesses, individuals, families, and institutions.

The firm’s areas of expertise include litigation and dispute resolution, corporate law, employment matters, mergers and acquisitions, estate planning, taxation, real estate, bankruptcy, and municipal law.

The expertise and collegiality of the firm’s fifty plus members, associates, and support staff has consistently resulted in the building of lasting relationships of trust and confidence.

The offices of Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers, P.C. are located at 101 Huntington Avenue, Prudential Center, in Boston, MA 02199. For additional information, or to arrange for a consultation, please call 1-617-218-2000, e-mail info@tbhr-law.com, or visit www.tbhr-law.com.

Everyone should should use legal forms for the important things in your life. They act as a form of proof for business transactions, a form of protection, and also makes your wishes known after you are unable to express them. A Bill of Sale is an important document utilized by almost everyone at one time or another, especially when purchasing a vehicle.

This document is protection for both the buyer and seller. For the buyer, the Bill of Sale document proves ownership of the item purchased. It is also proof that an item has been paid. For the seller it, is proof that they are no longer responsible for the item they have sold. Legal documents are necessary for keeping a roof over our head.

Homeowners have a legal document in a form of a Deed to prove their ownership of their home. Renters and individuals who rent their properties should use a legal document known as a Lease. This is probably one of the more familiar legal documents that people are aware of. The owner uses the Lease to state what the property can be used for, the amount of money that is expected and any other issues they want the renters to adhere to. The renters can use the Lease to verify how long they can rent the property and state what repairs and other issues that are the responsibility of the owner. Other legal documents that should be used by everyone are power of attorney and wills. These are a guaranteed way to make your wishes known and legally carried through.

Power of attorney is used when you cannot physically or mentally make important decisions on your own. The power of attorney will designate which person you desire to make your financial and medical decisions if you are not able. Wills are so very important to have. You make the decision of who will receive all the things you have worked for and the things you cherish. This is not only a way to give what you want to someone, but it is also a way to state that there is someone that you don’t want to receive these things. Wills can also state who should care for your children in the event something happens to you.

It is better to have your own wishes fulfilled as opposed to a court deciding the distribution of your wealth and more importantly the future of your children or even your pets. As you can see, ordinary people do need legal documents. You do not have to set up an appointment and travel to a lawyers office. Most forms are just a click away. There are many online companies that provide these forms and they can be done in the comfort of your home.

Under UK law, numerous employee rights and entitlements exist which are fundamental to the relationship of employer and employee but do not form a detailed part of the employment contract. Often, the law implies certain rights into the employment contract or in the course of dealings between the parties.

To avoid legal disputes, it is very important for an employer to reduce such rights and procedures into policy documents in writing. This will provide clarity and certainty to employers and employees alike. The following legal forms detailing such procedures can be purchased online, which will help ensure that your business is legally compliant and will save you time and money:

1. Disciplinary Policy: This legal form details the procedures for disciplining employees in the event of employee wrongdoing or where a breach of company policy occurs. In disciplining employees, including the imposition of sanctions such as oral or written warnings, it is important for the employer to adopt fair procedures. To suspend or dismiss an employee, the employee should be given an opportunity to set forth his side of case. The disciplinary policy will detail the steps to be followed and the stated instances of misbehaviour to which the policy applies.

2. Grievance Policy: This is a legal form which states the procedural remedies an employee can seek where he is aggrieved by a decision of the company or by the actions of his fellow employee. It deals with grievances which are capable of being resolved internally and will set the framework within which an employee can complain. The legal form will also specify the format of meetings and investigations the company will adopt in deciding the validity of such claims.

3. Health & Safety Policy: Under UK law, an employer is obliged to detail the procedures to be adopted in the workplace relating to the health and welfare of employees. This legal form details the steps the company will take ensure in so far as is reasonably practicable the safety, health and welfare of employees and others who may be affected while engaged in their work. The legal form outlines inter alia the company policy in the area of handling hazardous materials, fire and first aid procedures and will name the company officers and staff who will implement this policy.

4. Paternity Policy: This legal form details how a male employee can apply for statutory leave on the birth of his child. The policy contains details on eligibility for leave, how application is to be made and the notice period required by the employer. The legal form will specify the employee’s rights during leave and his entitlement to return to work following leave on the same employment terms.

5. Maternity Policy: This is a very important legal form for employers to have, which can be utilised where leave is claimed. The policy will outline employer/employee rights to notification, ordinary maternity leave, circumstances of additional leave, the right of the employee to be kept informed of company developments and the return of the employee to work. The law relating to maternity entitlement is complex and ever changing, so it is in both the employer’s and employee’s interest to have a clear legal form which details rights and procedures.

6. Parental Leave Policy: Parental leave is a statutory entitlement allowing for additional leave which can be invoked by an employee who becomes a parent. This legal form outlines the rights and entitlement to apply for such leave and how the employer must apply due consideration to such requests. It also specifies situations where leave in the manner and form claimed can be refused.

7. Flexitime Policy: Employers have a legal duty to consider the requests of employees to have flexibility in their working terms and conditions. This legal form details how an employee goes about requesting such flexibility and the circumstances where an employer will decide to agree or decline flexibility in the hours or location worked.

8. Alcohol Policy: An employer may enforce rules regarding the consumption of alcohol or intoxicants by employees in the workplace or during work time. This legal form outlines the situations where such consumption will amount to a breach of company policy with the consequences of disciplinary sanction.

9. Smoke Free Policy: Under recent UK law, smoking in the workplace has been outlawed. This legal form will specify the situations and places where smoking is restricted and the steps an employer is requested to take to ensure the workplace is a smoke free environment.

Legal forms and policies will assist an employer in his quest to make his business legally compliant. Legal forms are inexpensive, provide clarity to a wide variety of employment situations and will help avoid unpleasant, costly and damaging employ

Legal Issues Relating to Time Charterparties addresses all the major questions and issues that arise in connection with time charterparties, examining them in a logical manner, progressively tracing the subject from the creation to the termination of the contract.

 

All the salient and central legal aspects of time charterparties are examined, with the law analysed in its commercial context, particularly in relation to the various ways in which time charterparties may be used in shipping and international trade.

Table of Contents

 

1. Standard Forms – the BIMCO experience

Grant Hunter

 

2. Construing terms in time charterparties Beginning of a new era or business as usual?

Dr Baris Soyer

 

3. Ascertaining the charter period

Paul Herring

 

4. Safe ports and places

Professor Howard Bennett

 

5. Seaworthiness and the “Hong Kong Fir” decision

Mark Hamsher,

 

6. Indemnities in time charters

David Foxton QC

 

7. Time charterparty hire: Issues relating to contractual remedies of default and off hire clauses

Professor D Rhidian Thomas

 

8. Assignees of hire: how fare can they ignore charters’ claims against owners?

Professor Andrew Tettenborn

 

9. Time charterparties and bills of lading

Emeritus Professor Francis Reynolds QC

 

10. Clauses paramount in time charters

Yvonne Baatz

 

11. War, terror, piracy and frustration in a time charter context

Professor Keith Michel

 

12. Termination rights under time charters

John D. Kimball

 

13. The allocation of cargo claims between owners and charterers in NYPE chaterparties 

Dr Theodora Nikaki

 

14. Containerisation, slot charters and the law

Christopher Hancock QC

 

15. Damages for breach of time charter: some recent developments

Andrew Taylor

 

16. The effectiveness of liens as a self-help remedy?

Professor Richard W. Williams

The use of legal forms is necessary in most business environments and varies according to the purpose for which they are intended. Using prepared legal forms is beneficial to both small as well as large companies. There are numerous, simple legal forms that deal with everything from minor issues such as issuing a bill of sale or health care directive or there may be more complex legal forms for more complex issues such as those related to stock issuances and bankruptcies.

It is not always necessary to file the legal form in court in order for it to be legally binding. A number of personal forms such as wills and trusts can be completed at home and do not require much more than a notary public notarizing them to make them legally recognized documents. Traditional legal services certainly cost a lot of money. A lawyer may charge as much as several hundred dollars an hour to fill out a few simple forms that one could have easily purchased and completed on their own at a mere fraction of the cost of hiring a lawyer to do the same work for you.

It is not wise to undertake legal activity lightly and one should exercise care and use legal guides to assist with the preparation of all legal forms. For more complex transactions having a lawyer review your self-prepared document is a great way to get professional approval of the legal form while also saving money and time.

Legal forms run the entire gamut of legalese that includes every imaginable kind of legal issue such as bankruptcy, contractual agreements, incorporation of companies, credit forms, divorce forms, employment forms, bill of sale, buy sell agreements and a lot more. Sometimes, the forms need to be prepared, reviewed, and filed, which usually entails additional costs.

Legal form boilerplates, business forms, templates, plans and processes are readily available in the market and finding them should not pose any problem. For a few dollars one may obtain completely researched and well formed legal forms boilerplates, business forms, templates, plans and processes. There is no need for researching and creating one from scratch as buying these documents provides an avenue for obtaining comprehensively created solutions that have been drafted by professionals and are suited for all manners of use in all states and countries.

Spend a few dollars and one could reap great benefits in terms of time, money, and risk.

What do we have many tax laws in this country and it is good for you to understand how they work. We all have to pay our taxes whether it is personal or for a business so you should have a better understanding of how tax codes operate. When you are talking about taxes it is a good idea to find an accountant that you trust to they can help you figure out what you must pay. We all hate to pay our taxes but it is important to take it into the deductions that are available to you each year. You may want to ask a friend or business partner who they use as their tax person so you will have a good reference.

Find Free: Tax Law Advice

There are many accountants that specialize in only doing taxes and this can be the person you want to go with. There are so many people who specialize in this field that if you do not feel comfortable with your accountant you should check around until you find one you like. It can be confusing to understand taxes because in most cases they change each and every year. You want to make sure if you own a business that you pay all the taxes that are road. In many cases you can be penalized for not paying your taxes on time and you will have to pay interest on that money as well.

Free: Understanding Tax Tips

Remember that it is important we all pay our taxes but you should first get an understanding of how tax law works. If you own a business you will also need to have an accountant that you feel comfortable with. They can help you to keep up with all the taxes you need to pay personally and for your business needs.

Legal age is an age at which a person becomes entitled under the law to engage in a particular activity or becomes responsible for a particular act.

Those acts and activities include getting married, getting a license, voting and basically anything that will make you accountable for your actions. Government sets a legal minimum age for all these.

So before you head out to town for the supposedly biggest party of the season (which will probably include one or all of the following events: bringing your folks’ car and getting drunk like crazy and ending up in Vegas with some random person you’re about to marry) check out the legal ages for all your needs so you don’t end up in juvenile court or jail for that matter.

Here’s a list of the most fundamental legal ages.

Legal Age of Candidacy

It is the legal minimum age at which a person can legally qualify to hold certain elected government offices. In many cases, it also determines the age at which a person may be granted ballot access for an election.

Legal Age of Cconsent

According to the law, when a person reaches the age of consent, persons are bound by their words and acts. There are different ages at which one acquires legal capacity to consent to marriage, to choose a guardian, to conclude a contract, and the like.

For marriage, the age may be higher for males than for females if the jurisdiction does not guarantee equal rights to men and women. Age of consent also means the age below which consent of the female to sexual intercourse is not a defense to a charge of rape.

Under common law this age was 10; state statutes in the United States generally set it between 13 and 18. Basically, legal age of consent is when you become solely responsible for your own actions. It’s about taking accountability.

Legal Age of Majority In law, the age of majority is the age at which one acquires the full legal rights of an adult. This commonly includes things such as the right to vote and the ability to make contracts.

Legal Drinking Age Many nations have a legal drinking age, or the minimum age one must be to drink alcohol. In most countries this is 16 or 18; in the US it is 21. Some countries distinguish between drinks with fairly low alcohol-content (such as beer and wine) and stronger spirit-based drinks.

Legal Marriageable Age It is the age wherein an individual may decide on his or her own to marry or not. It’s different for most countries and the youngest so far is 16 with parental consent.

Legal Minimum Driving Age Minimum driving age refers to the legal age after which a person can obtain a license to operate a motor vehicle. The minimum driving age varies between jurisdictions but is generally between the ages of 14 and 18.

Legal Voting Age The voting age is the minimum legal age at which a person may vote in a governmental election. That means carrying out the right to suffrage.

Legal ages were put into law for a reason. Age comes with education and experience and who would want a reckless, drunk 13-year-old driving down our streets, right?

Free Legal Help:Exactly How You Can Get Free legal Help…



Right here in the states we are supposed to have one of the greatest legal structures around, but their still comes a time when you become involved in a legal situation or you have legal issues that are to complicated and to expensive for you to deal with alone.  That’s why I am going to give you 5 ways to get access to Free Legal Help,top attorneys,and instant access to the law…

Free Legal Help Tip #1-Public Defender Or Legal Aids:These are court appointed lawyers and they can be a significant help when it comes to legal issues.  You realize a large amount of legal issues can be avoided without going to court or having to pay a legal attorney, and though their is a huge hit on legal aids.  They are quite efficient in out of court situations.  The greatest way to make use of a court appointed attorney is to go online and search for the one next to your predicament or niche.

Free Legal Help Tip #2-Pre-Paid Plans:With prepaid plans rising in popularity you can have access to one of the top attorneys for under a $1 a day.  These are officially authorized insurance plans that are rising in popularity.  Which I think is the only authentic solution to having the planet obtain access to the justice system in full.

Free Legal Help Tip #3-AskALawyer dot com can help with any legal issue or information on any legal rights questions they will be their for you, and so many online sites like them will give you help online for FREE as well.  In certain cases, can head you to the exact information in solving your question.  A few of these sites have legal aids that you can text via keypad back and forth till your satisfied.

Free Legal Help Tip #4-Use an online match maker service who specialize in getting you answers for your legal issues and putting you in contact with top attorneys.  You want to look for the ones with the BBB code. These are Legal match making services that have proven to link you with the right legal attorneys over and over.  They are ranked highly because of not just customer remarks but by online legal re-evaluation managers.

Free Legal Help Tip #5-Do your investigation. Understand that help is their, especially online and can be very operative.  Their thousands everyday getting results with free online legal help.

Would You Like To Know Tons Of People Getting Free Legal Help Today?

Here You Can Get Access To The Justice System Now: Free Legal Help

Or Empower Yourself With A:  Pre-Paid Plan

For Pre-Paid Plans Call The Office Of James Rudolph. Legal Consultant.

516-710-9852

Everyday people are injured or sustain losses in some sort of accident or incident. Some of these incidents are at the neglect of other people or businesses. The person injured in the incident might need to seek compensation in the form of a lawsuit against the party involved. However, it’s not as simple as 123 to file a lawsuit and win your case. You’ll need an attorney who will take your case to civil court, and attorneys aren’t cheap. Some attorneys do work on the contingence basis where they old get paid if you receive a financial settlement. But, sometimes to get a good attorney who practices the field your case is in and has a good reputation requires money up front; this is where a lawsuit settlement loan or also know as lawsuit funding comes into play.

Many lawsuit settlement loan providers will give plaintiffs cash advances to fund their legal case against the defendant. This allows the plaintiff to have a much wider field of attorney’s to choose from since they aren’t restricted by contingence based attorney’s only. You’ll also be able to fight your case to a verdict via a judge or jury and prevent much lower compensation in a out of court settlement. Using a lawsuit settlement loan as a legal funding source is an excellent choice for any plaintiff serious about their lawsuit, and lawsuit loans come will many benefits attached.

One of the greatest benefits of a pre settlement loan is the fact it’s not actually a loan, but a non-recourse debt. The reason it’s consider a non-recourse debt is due to the fact that if you lose your lawsuit you do not have to repay the loan from the provider. That’s right, if your case reaches a verdict in favor of the defendant you don’t pay back one dollar. The approval process of lawsuit settlement loans is also an added benefit, since the repayment agreement is based on your case winning your lawsuit case is the sole deciding factor if you get approved or not. Credit history, employment history and current income level do not have a factor on the approval process.

You’ll also be able to use the money for other things; you don’t need to spend the entire pre settlement cash advance on legal funding. You can use some of the money to pay off medical bills, make car or mortgage payments and even go on a shopping spree; you’re free to spend the money as you choose. Don’t get stuck with a second rate attorney because you can’t afford a down payment on a respectable and reputable attorney, consider a lawsuit pre settlement loan today. Read below to learn more on how you can obtain a lawsuit loan.

If you have legal issues that need to be resolved, call a law office in West Palm Beach.  There are a variety of different issues that lawyers in West Palm Beach specialize in.  One example is medical malpractice law.  If you or someone you know has been the victim of a serious injury as a result of a hospital or caretaking facility, you definitely should seek an attorney.  A related example is nursing home abuse.  Far too many people have suffered abuse and negligence at the hands of a nursing home facility, a place that you trust and pay a lot of money to keep your loved ones safe and comfortable.  When there is a breach of trust in this contract, it is time to call a law office in West Palm Beach. 

If you have sustained some sort of a serious injury as a result of an accident at work or on the road, you may want to contact a West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer.  It is the responsibility of your workplace and employers to make sure that you are safe at work.  This includes being aware of, and protected from, any hazardous machinery or materials.  This also means that you should be trained to do with situations that could be dangerous.  If you were put in danger at work and were seriously injured as a result, you have the right to sue for compensation.  Medical bills can be expensive, as can time off on disability, so you should get something to help you pay for it. 

If you are in a car accident and were injured, the lawyers in West Palm Beach can make sure that you get back on your feet again.  In some states, there is a “no fault” law for automobile drivers, which means that if there is an accident, no one is to blame.  This is fine if you caused an accident or were in a minor fender bender where no one was hurt.  However, if you or someone else was seriously injured, you should get a lawyer to protect yourself or to hold the other party accountable for damage.  Especially in the case of the other driver driving under the influence or while impaired, you have ever right to sue. Just give a call down to a law office in West Palm Beach and things will be put back on the right track before you know it.

Some employers are questioning whether they should be the sole financers of their workers benefits. A consumer guide when a loved one dies leaving a grieving family. The fact is that even the most reputable company makes mistakes that can be difficult to get corrected. If someone tries to sue you or you need attorney’s services, the normal cost of an attorney is prohibititive. Prepaid legal plans provide legal advice and still save money over prepaid legal search. When you initially contact a law office for information ask to speak directly to an attorney.

This plan is better because we are actually providing the content. Have you ever wanted legal advice on a credit matter? Have you ever wanted legal assistance on a civil matter? If someone else’s person or property was injured as a result of the accident you should plead. However legal fees insurance is also available for after the event claims such as litigation loss.

Prepaid legal plans have these services and they could be yours for $15 to $26 per month charged to your credit. Have you ever needed to have your will prepared or needed to update a signed contract of any kind recently? Have you learned all you need to know before deciding whether to join a prepaid legal plan for small businesses? The fact is that most legal matters are settled prior to actual trial.

However legal opinions are reversed, vacated or significantly modified etc. There are many routine legal tasks that can be undertaken without the full participation of an attorney. There are many practical reasons to ask the advice of a lawyer that you may not have considered. Even today in a very sorry condition.

There are many different prepaid legal plans to choose from. Prepaid legal plans are a great way to go for less-complex legal issues. With a prepaid legal service plan the customer pays a fixed amount in advance each month. Although it is not wise to rush through calls and risk misunderstanding the callers needs. Prepaid legal plans and the way in which people become members of the plan is extremely important.

Depending on which plan you have paid for, there are many different subjects and fields of law. There are many other ways criminals can compromise your personal information. If you have a claim against a creditor and expect to win damages, an attorney might take your case.

It has been held that a lawyer may not participate in a lawyer referral service program. Some employers are offering other benefits such as prepaid legal plans property-casualty insurance. A consumer without charge under an awards loyalty or promotional program. Some employers argue that they can provide only so much by way of benefits and that at some point they become prohibitive. Some employers also offer a prepaid legal program, so if your employer is one, the benefits should be considered.

What is a Legal Hold?

A legal hold, also referred to as a hold, preservation order, suspension order, freeze notice, hold order, or hold notice, is a notice or communication issued to an organization to preserve all forms of relevant information, as a result of a reasonably anticipated investigations, audit, or lawsuit. A legal hold therefore suspends the normal disposition or processing of records.

The purpose of a legal hold is to prevent spoliation or the loss of information that maybe related or relevant to the anticipated legal proceeding.

Legal Hold and eDiscovery

With today’s technology, organizations use digital data in day to day operations. Though this may seem to be an advantage in doing tasks and in increasing productivity, the reliance on using digital data has caused a rapid growth in electronically stored information (ESI). This has lead to recent amendments in the United States Federal Rules of Civil Procedure ordering the inclusion of digital data in a legal hold (eDiscovery). The information to be preserved during a legal hold therefore is not only limited to documents in paper form, but also to electronically stored information- from word documents, excel files, email exchanges to images, audio files, website logs, etc.

More and more businesses have started to pay attention to eDiscovery as litigations that required eDiscovery of files have cost industry giants millions of dollars in fines. In the famous Zubulake v. UBS Warburg case, Judge Scheindlin awarded a total of $29M to Laura Zubulake who accused her former employer UBS Warburg, one of the big names in financial firms, for gender discrimination and illegal retaliation. Despite court orders that were issued to preserve all relevant information, it was found out that the employer had willfully deleted relevant emails. The court has also noted that UBS Warburg’s legal counsel was partly responsible for the document destruction because it had failed to locate, preserve, and to timely produce relevant information. Merck & Co., Inc, a pharmaceutical conglomerate, lost $253M in a lawsuit filed by the family of Robert Ernst, a marathon runner who’s cause of death was associated with the long term effects of using Vioxx, a pain reliever manufactured by Merck. The plaintiff’s legal counsel argued that Merck rushed Vioxx to market without proper safety testing to compete with Pfizer Inc.’s Celebrex, then played down potential heart risks. Discovered emails sent by Merck’s chief scientist questioning the efficacy of Vioxx contributed to the outcome of the case. Morgan Stanley, another financial giant, was ordered to pay billionaire financier Ron Perelman more than $1.4B after losing to a case related to Perelman’s 1998 sale of his Coleman camping gear company to Sunbeam. A big factor in the outcome of the case was the inability to produce requested information due to a badly performed eDiscovery.

The Legal Hold Process

A legal hold process is composed of three main requirements.

Hold notification. Once an organization learns that a pending or reasonably anticipated litigation exists, it are obliged to preserve all relevant information. An organization should notify employees of the need to preserve relevant information and should also have a written policy with regards to the legal hold process. Determining the relevance of information to be preserved partly lies with the ability of an organization’s legal counsel and its existing document retention policies.

Segregated repository for ESI. Due to the significant risks associated with deleting, losing, or not having access to electronically stored information, a segregated repository should be utilized to handle ESI.

Ongoing preservation obligation. Once litigation notice is served, all future relevant electronic communication should also be preserved as a part of the legal hold.

Chapter 15 of Information Nation Warrior: Information Management Compliance Boot Camp (Randolph A. Kahn, ESQ and Barclay T. Blair) discusses what organizations should include in developing a Legal Hold process: A policy specifically for the legal department to provide a Legal Hold notice to the rest of the organizations’ employees, an outline and updated training program for employee responsibilities and preservation procedures, a standardized method for providing the Legal Hold notice to employees, a statement from organization leader or training manuals that emphasizes the organization’s commitment to records and information management compliance, and to make sure that employees are following these policies.

Have you ever imagined what will happen if you are sued or an arrest warrant is issued against you? The first thing that would come to your mind is to hire a lawyer, who shall provide the legal help. Often we come across situations where we find ourselves engulfed into legal matters. At these situations the best possible thing we can do is to find an attorney to cope with the trouble. The best place to find an attorney, among the various sources, is the attorney directory. Here the lawyers and attorneys are listed as per their specialization in different legal issues like registration, consumer protection, child custody, divorce etc. So whether you have any complain against a product, you want to file a divorce, or there is an arrest warrant for you, you can always seek Legal help from the true lawyers.

In our everyday life, we often come in close interaction with law and being a good citizen we must abide by the law of the state we live in. But sometimes we get a brush with the law like we get sued or sacked for no apparent reason. In the world of web you have ready access to any Lawyer Directory or Attorney Directory and when you feel the need for an attorney now you can just click one of these directories to find true lawyers and attorneys. Many lawyers are registered members of these online Lawyers directory and attorney directory, thereby providing us the most authentic and complete legal help.

The true lawyers apply the legal theories and knowledge to solve legal disputes and advance the interest of their clients who seek legal help. There are matters like registration and parking summons for vehicle owners and we need not always seek help from an attorney in such cases; we can always depend on self-help. But if the things go worse you must ask an attorney for legal help regarding the legal aspects of these issues. Sometimes it may happen that we have many ways to resolve a legal issue or that we are in jeopardy about what to do in a particular legal turmoil. In such a situation we can ask a lawyer about our queries on the specific legal issues or can hire a lawyer to present our case in the court. Entrepreneurs and businessmen usually prefer to ask an attorney regarding the intricacies of a legal issue before arriving at any legal decision.

For entrepreneurs and businessmen, legal help can be sought in matters related to estate planning, partnership deeds, financial agreements and business negotiations and transactions. Having wide knowledge about the law of the land and regular interaction with various legal issues, the true lawyers are the best professionals who can give expert advice to their clients and advance the interest of the clients. Professional legal help from the true lawyers can help us make the best benefit out of the rules and regulations imposed by the government.

Being a country comprising of fifty states, United States has a complicated legal system as all the fifty states have their own constitutions other than the common constitution of the nation. There are several laws that differ in different states, and it is not possible for a common man to know and understand all these law properly. For this reason we seek legal help from the true lawyers and attorneys whom we can find from the attorney directory or lawyers directory.

The directories help us to find an attorney from the state where we have faced the legal issues. Not every lawyers in a state deal with all legal issues; many of them specialize in different subjects like administration, transportation, tax, wills and probate, adoption, divorce, business laws etc. If we have some legal issues dealing with transportation law there is no point in going to an attorney who specializes in administrative laws or to ask an attorney specializing in divorce cases for the legal help. For this the Attorney directories provide a list of specialized lawyers who can be helpful for us in resolving the legal issues we have. After we find an attorney suitable for our job we can contact them and let the lawyer know about the legal issue. In the later stage we can ask an attorney to give expert opinion in this matter and with them we can even have the benefit of Attorney Referral service.

If the lawyer dealing with the legal issues feels that his or her opinion must be seconded by another attorney or that he or she is unable to find a solution for the legal issue, he or she may go for an attorney referral, i.e. they will refer another attorney to deal with the case. Generally the referred attorneys are very experienced and can provide the specific legal help. When the matter is related to tax planning, estate planning, drafting will or trust, business negotiations or personal matters like divorce or adoption, what is sought most is the legal help from the true lawyers.

When we feel that our reputation, finance or job is at the stake, we cannot help but find an attorney to provide us with the required legal help that will be beneficial to resolve those legal issues. With the online Attorney directory, an attorney can expect to be consulted 24 hours a day and seven days a week by the common people seeking legal help. This will add to the reputation of the lawyers. By registering in any lawyers directory the lawyers can expand their client base significantly. They can take the benefit of online chat to stay in touch with the client all the time to provide them with the necessary legal help. Also the clients can get in touch with a lawyer instantly if they feel that they need an attorney now.

All of us can have a close interaction with the law at any point of time. It is therefore necessary to know something about the law. When we are empowered with the law we can deal with many legal issues by ourselves. But if we feel that we really need legal help we can always bank on the true lawyers.

Issues concerning the marital domicile and real estate are often the biggest issues that divorcing couples must resolve.The issues of real estate and divorce are often intertwined with complex issues concerning child custody, child support, marital division of assets, marital debt and other issues related to a divorce. This article only applies to Rhode Island Divorce.

1.) Real Estate and temporary use and possession of the marital domicile during the pendency of the divorce.

While a divorce is proceeding in court, there are several potential scenarios concerning the disposition of the real estate: (Please consult a lawyer / attorney concerning your legal options)

A.) Husband and wife reside together while the divorce is pending with or without children.

In many instances, husband and wife live together while the divorce is pending. In some cases, husband and wife live together out of financial necessity because the parties cannot afford to live separately. Other divorcing couples live together because they believe it is in the best interest of the child /children. Some people live together because both husband and wife refuse to leave the marital domicile.

If husband and wife are living together while the divorce is pending, they often reach an agreement as to who will pay the mortgage, taxes, insurance and other real estate related expenses.

In the event that husband and wife cannot reach an agreement then both parties have the right to file motion for temporary orders, asking the court to intervene and determine who will pay the mortgage taxes, insurance, utilities and other expenses for the marital domicile.

If the parties are not civil towards each other there is constant arguing or there is domestic violence / abuse it may become unworkable for the parties to continue living together. If either party is abusing drugs, alcohol or gambling then cohabitating during the divorce process may be unworkable. Either party has the right to file a motion for temporary orders asking for exclusive use and possession of the marital domicile while the divorce is pending.

If one of the spouse has no income and no ability to earn income then it is possible that the spouse who has income or earning capacity could be ordered to pay 100% of the expenses for marital domicile while the divorce is pending. This is especially the case if the unemployed spouse has minor children living at home.

One of the risks of living together while the divorce is proceeding is the that other party will file a restraining order or a complaint protection from abuse.

B.) Husband or wife vacates the marital domicile and there are no children.

If husband or wife voluntarily leaves the marital hime and the other party is residing on the premises then the parties have two options:

1.) Husband and wife reach an agreement, or

2.) Husband or wife files a motion for the court to determine who pays for the house. The person who vacated the house may be ordered to contribute towards the mortgage taxes, insurance and upkeep etc., if any.

If the parties cannot agree then either party can file a motion for temporary orders seeking contribution towards the mortgage taxes, insurance, and upkeep for the marital domicile. The Rhode Island Family Court will then make an equitable determination of who should pay the mortgage taxes and insurance for the marital domicile. How the Family Court decides this issue, depends on several factors including perhaps most importantly, the income and earning capacity of each of the parties. One Judge in the Rhode Island Family Court consistently rules that the spouse remaining in the marital domicile must pay the 1st $850.00 of the mortgage as rent and the parties split the remaining mortgage taxes and insurance 50/50.

C.) One spouse vacates the marital real estate, while the other spouse resides in the marital real estate with a child or children.

The parent who has temporary physical placement (physical custody) of the child/children will have the right to receive child support as well as the potential to obtain contribution to the mortgage taxes, insurance, and upkeep for marital domicile.

If the parties can agree to the correct child support amount and the contributions towards the mortgage, taxes, insurance for the property then a motion for temporary order may not be necessary.

If the parties cannot agree, the court will determine the correct child support amount using the Rhode Island Child Support Guidelines. The cost of daycare and medical expenses is factored into the Rhode Island (RI) child support guidelines. The court may also order that the spouse who vacated the property contribute to the mortgage, taxes and insurance for the marital domicile.

The courts main purpose is to preserve the marital domicile until the divorce trial can be heard. The amount of the child support and contributions to marital domicile will be highly dependant on the income and earning capacity of the parties as well as a particular circumstances of a case. If the spouse who lives with the children has no job and no ability to earn income and no earning capacity it is possible that the other spouse may be required to pay over and above the child support amount to maintain the status quo so that the other spouse is able to maintain the marital domicile.

The primary goal of a Rhode Island (RI) Family Court Judge is to preserve the marital assets until either a complete settlement is reached or the divorce can be decided after a full trial on the merits.

Rhode Island Attorneys legal Notice per RI Rules of Professional Responsibility:

The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all lawyers in the general practice of law, but does not license or certify any lawyer as an expert or specialist in any field of practice.

David Slepkow is a Rhode Island (RI) lawyer concentrating in divorce, family law, child support, alimony, adoption, custody and visitation. David has been practicing for over 11 years and is licensed in rhode Island , Massachusetts and Federal Court.

A legal plan service or membership program, is a concept that has been around for a number of years. Legal plans became popular in Europe in the 1930’s, and they remain popular and well-known there today. In America, legal plans have also become increasingly popular, as more companies have offered different plans, and individuals and business have seen their value. Legal plans work by providing basic coverage and attorney services for a membership, or a prepaid fee, that is usually paid monthly or yearly. By paying the membership fee, you have access to an attorney and their services, where without the plan you would have to pay, in some cases, a substantial fee. Having a legal plan service can make good sense, but it won’t solve all your legal issues.

Most of these plans focus on preventative legal care, so you can get legal assistance and advice before you start having legal difficulties. They also cover some basic issues that many individuals or businesses need legal assistance with. You will be able to have a free consultation with an attorney at no additional cost, often initially by phone. You can usually call the attorney on as many different legal issues as you want, you will receive a free consultation for each question or issue. This can be a powerful tool, as you can often get many of your legal questions or issues handled this way.

Other services are also included in legal plans. Normally a free will will be included, with yearly updates. Many plans will also write a letter or a make a call on your behalf. This is a valuable service if you are having a dispute, as an awareness of attorney representation can clear up many issues with a 3rd party. In addition, you will also have coverage for contract or document review, where your attorney will review documents, such as agreements or sales contracts, and answer any of your questions. If you need more legal assistance, such as an appearance in court, or extra legal help, you will get a discount on the attorney’s hourly fee.

There are a variety of legal plans available. The most basic plan is the individual or family plan, but many legal service plans also offer business coverage, where they provide basic legal services tailored for a business. There are even more specialized legal plans available, such as one designed just for truck drivers. A great way to join is to see if you workplace offers a plan as an employee benefit package, many do. In many cases, you can join for free or reduced cost.

There are some limitations. Prepaid legal services are not designed to solve preexisting or ongoing legal issues. There focus is on preventative care and access to an attorney for a consultation. If you have a major legal issue, such as a law suit, a divorce, or bankruptcy, a legal plan will be of limited assistance, although you will probably get a discount of the hourly rate you would normally pay an attorney. A legal plan service is a way for middle class Americans to have the access to attorneys that used to be the province of the wealthy. Having a plan is a great way to help keep yourself out of legal trouble with preventative assistance, but it won’t solve all of your legal problems.

Author: Mark Ross

UK attorney and Director of Business Development at LawScribe, Inc.

www.law-scribe.com

mross@law-scribe.com

I recently returned from the North American South Asian Bar Association (NASABA) conference. Out of all the sessions I attended over the course of the three day event by far and away the most thought provoking and certainly the one that sparked the most intense and combative question and answer session focused on the pros and cons of the opening up of the Indian legal services sector to foreign law firms. The position as it stands as of now is that the practice of law in India is governed by the Advocates Act of 1961. Foreign law firms are simply not allowed to engage in the practice of law in India.

Over the last decade we have seen the Western legal community look to find increasingly creative ways to circumvent these restrictions. A number of large multi-national accounting firms have set up offices in India and are clearly providing legal services to their clients, employing large numbers of Indian lawyers. Several foreign law firms have “Liaison” offices (permitted under current legislation) in India while others have developed affiliations with Indian law firms. We have also seen over the last couple of years the dramatic emergence of the Legal Process Outsourcing industry. Offshore Legal Process Outsourcing companies work alongside U.S. and U.K. law firms ensuring strict compliance with the restrictions on the unauthorized practice of law by providing “legal support services” to their clients which the U.S. and U.K. Law Firms ultimately take full responsibility for.

The esteemed panel of speakers at this fascinating session included one of the founders of the NASABA organization, Mukesh Advani of Zenith India Lawyers, Jaipat Jain, Partner at Lazare Potter Giacovas & Kranjac LLP and Yusuf H. Safdari of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw and Pittman LLP.

I have personally been intrigued by the offshore legal process outsourcing industry now for the last 4 years, initially during my time as a solicitor and then partner at Underwoods solicitors and subsequently since joining LawScribe here in the U.S. It has been essential that I keep up to date on the developments within the Indian Legal sector and there have been numerous articles written in relation to this particular issue over the last few years.

There have been fact finding trips to the U.K. by eminent organizations including the All India Bar Association, Memorandums of Understanding entered into between the Bar Association of India and the Law Societies of the U.K., Australia and China and a bilateral working group on legal services set up by the respective governments of the U.S. and India. The Times of India even commented on Friday, March 9th 2007 that “India’s lucrative legal services market may finally be opened up to foreign law firms by the end of the year.”

At first glance the pressure mounting on the Indian government to open up the market to foreign law firms appears to be increasingly exponentially. To the untrained eye the liberalization of the market is imminent. It is clear to me that this is a somewhat naïve viewpoint and that there will need to be some substantial “in-house” changes before foreign law firms are allowed to formally set up shop in India.

The major reason why there are regulatory barriers in place is because of the perceived inability of the domestic Indian firms to compete with the major foreign firms that would enter the market once liberalized. The consensus among those reluctant to open up the market is that the best talent will be swallowed up by foreign firms. This will then have disastrous consequences on domestic firms who simply do not have the financial muscle to compete.

Is this an accurate picture of the state of the Indian Legal market? To answer this question it is important to have an understanding of the restrictions placed on domestic firms and why there is this perception that they are unable to compete with their U.S. and U.K. counterparts.

Currently Indian law firms are not permitted to have more than 20 partners. Indian law firms are also prohibited from engaging in any form of advertising whatsoever. This includes a ban on websites, brochures, television, radio etc. Furthermore law firms are also not allowed to obtain any form of financial assistance by way of bank loans. Due to these restrictions there is a feeling among many that Indian law firms will simply be unable to compete with the major U.S. and U.K. firms because they are not operating on a level playing field.

Mukesh Advani advocated a gradual liberalization of the market by initially persuading the Indian government to relax the restrictions on domestic firms. This would allow domestic firms time to increase in size and revenue in readiness for an opening up of the market to foreign firms.

The problem as I see it is that this line of argument assumes that foreign firms are standing still when we know this is clearly not the case. The firms that are investigating setting up liaison offices in India right now, or those that have already done so, are magic circle firms from the U.K. and AM Law top 50 firms from the U.S. These firms are growing at an exponential rate and will continue to do so. The other difficulty with Mukesh’s argument is that according to the many domestic based Indian attorneys I spoke to at the convention the reality of the Indian legal sector is somewhat different from what you might anticipate given the restrictions they are currently operating under. Lawyers across the globe are inevitably trained to both initially locate and then work through loopholes. This is what they are doing in India. Domestic firms are structuring themselves in a traditionally “Western” fashion, with trainees, junior associates, salaried partners and equity partners. Not only are they doing this but they are also associating with other domestic firms, and entering into relationships with firms in the U.S.

There was also a heated discussion around the point that the pool of highly qualified and talented attorneys capable of working on U.S. and U.K. related matters was somewhat limited. My experience with LawScribe and the Offshore Legal Process industry in general contradicts this point of view and I was vociferous in putting forward my own position in the question and answer session that followed. India is second only to the US in the number of qualified attorneys at around 600,000 with approximately 75,000 newly qualified attorneys emerging every year. Now I do agree that by no means all of this number have come from the country’s best law schools or are of a suitably high standard to work on U.S. and U.K. related matters. However, not all law-school graduates here in the U.S. or the U.K. are of the highest caliber. I worked at times, in utter exasperation alongside trainee solicitors and fully qualified solicitors in the U.K. wondering where on earth they had “developed” their legal writing skills. I believe that there is a substantial pool of highly talented individuals, graduating from top tier law schools in India, who with the right training and supervision are more than capable of working on U.S. and U.K. related matters within the offshore legal process outsourcing industry. When the market is eventually opened up these attorneys will be familiar with U.S. and U.K. law and able to work for these firms directly should they so desire.

What I came away with was an overriding impression that despite the plethora of articles, the Memorandums of Understanding and the agreements between governments that this is not something that is going to happen overnight. What I believe will happen is that U.S. and U.K. firms will continue to enter into relationships with Indian law firms and legal outsourcing companies. The Indian government in due course will relax the legislation on domestic firms however this will take time.

During some brief research I undertook prior to attending the session I came across an article entitled: “India may open the door to foreign practices under licensing agreement”. Given my reference earlier to the Times of India article from March 2007 one would be forgiven for assuming that this second quote was taken from another article written this year or possibly last year. This article was in fact published in the U.K. Law Society Gazette on July 6th 2001. For at least 6 years now we have seen articles being written, fact finding trips undertaken by important parties, Memorandums of Understanding and agreements being entered into between India and the U.S. and U.K.

Are we really any closer at all to the legislative liberalization of this huge market? What I do know is that the provision of offshore legal support services from Indian attorneys to U.S. and U.K. law firms and corporations will continue to flourish. Indian Law firms will only increase exploring methods of getting around the restrictions on their practices and U.S. and U.K. law firms will continue to enter into a wide variety of relationships both captive and contractual with their Indian counterparts, and Legal Process Outsourcing companies.

Although the legislation has not yet changed we are seeing right before our eyes the true liberalization of the Indian Legal market. The legal landscape in India is vastly different to what it looked like 5 years ago, and with or without legislative changes it will look vastly different in another 5 years.