January 25, 2024

LexisNexis to Present Five AI-Focused Sessions at Legalweek 2024

Legal professionals who attend Legalweek 2024 will have the opportunity to be equipped with insights that go beyond the AI hype and help them to identify specific action items for capitalizing on the benefits of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) in the legal services industry. LexisNexis has mobilized to lead the way with an educational initiative designed to accelerate industry awareness of Gen AI, kicking...

August 24, 2023

Independent Study Validates Metrics Used by LexisNexis to Measure Product Claims

It’s no secret that the legal services industry is a highly competitive marketplace in which providers of content and software solutions try to put the best spin on the quality of their respective products. In an effort to distinguish themselves from other providers, companies tend to make all sorts of claims about their products being faster, better or easier than the others in their market. But how do you know...

May 23, 2023

Why AI Adoption Challenges for Small Firms Aren't as Tough as They Seem

Summary: How Can AI Be Used in Legal Research? Barriers to AI in the Legal Industry Should Attorneys Use Artificial Intelligence? AI Solutions for Lawyers This post was originally published in September 2019 and was updated in May 2023. As attorneys, we are all acutely aware that we must adapt to the ever-changing technological landscape to stay competitive. Although adopting artificial intelligence...

March 19, 2021

Five Things Law Firm Owners Should Know About the Tax Implications of PPP Loans

Over the last year, law firms of all sizes, from the largest in the world to small and midsize firms, have pursued funding from multiple rounds of the Payment Protection Program (PPP) . For some, the PPP loans they received were insurance for rough patches that never materialized. For others, their loans staved off layoffs and may have even prevented them from going out of business. But as we approach the first tax...

February 22, 2021

Tracking US Residential Eviction Moratoriums

On January 29, 2021, the Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, officially extended the federal government’s moratorium on residential evictions until March 31, 2021. The moratorium began with the CARES Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 27, 2020. As part of its comprehensive COVID-19 relief package, the CARES Act provided a 120-day moratorium...

February 03, 2021

Wills and Estates Planning for 2021: The Good, Bad, and Ugly

There’s no time like the start of the year to plan for the future, even when it comes to estate planning. In fact, for trust and estate attorneys (not to mention their clients), that’s has never been truer than it is in 2021. For one thing, as we begin the year, we find ourselves in the midst of a public health crisis that has served as an unfortunate reminder of the preciousness of life and the need for...

January 04, 2021

Five Trends for the Legal Industry to Watch in 2021

Now that we’ve collectively lived through the most unpredictable year in recent memory, it might seem a little ambitious, even reckless, to make predictions for 2021. After all, no law firm leader likely had “figure out how to respond to a global pandemic” on their list of action items as 2019 ended. Even before COVID-19, however, law firms were already in a period of unprecedented change brought on...

December 17, 2020

Employment Litigation Tracker Details Rise in COVID-19 Lawsuits

We all know that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a historic increase in filings for unemployment benefits. But those are not the only employment-related claims that have risen during the pandemic. Workplace lawsuits are also on the rise. As a result of the unique restrictions COVID-19 has placed on businesses, new legal requirements for employers and new rights for employees’ coronavirus-related employment, lawsuits...

December 10, 2020

Ransomware: A Threat to Law Firms Big and Small

Much of the world began to understand the enormous threat of ransomware attacks in 2017, when the WannaCry attack struck some 200,000 businesses across the globe. That notorious example—in which cybercriminals encrypted victims’ data (emails, documents and other files) and held them for a ransom to be paid in Bitcoin—caused damages measured in the billions. Since then, at least two major law firms have...

November 30, 2020

“Gray Divorces” Are on the Rise, Driven by Baby Boomers

The wedding vow “till death do us part” is going by the wayside for a steadily growing number of married couples who are 50 and over. So-called “gray divorces” are becoming increasingly common in the United States, as many couples of a certain age decide that they can’t wait any longer to go their separate ways. Ten out of every 1,000 people aged 50 and older were divorced in 2015 –...

September 21, 2020

Rent Relief Efforts Continue During Pandemic-Fueled Economic Uncertainty

Faced with continued economic uncertainty and the expiration of the federal Paycheck Protection Program for those fortunate to secure forgivable loans, many small businesses are still struggling to cover one of their largest fixed costs: rent. Business owners with dwindling income resulting from the pandemic are working on arrangements to reduce or delay rent payments to their landlords, who have their own expenses...

August 26, 2020

Family Lawyers Advise Divorcing Clients on Impact of New 2020 Tax Guidance

Filing tax returns can already be burdensome, and for divorcing couples, recent significant changes to federal tax laws are likely to further complicate matters. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reverses the law created nearly 80 years ago that aimed to ease the post-divorce transition from paying taxes jointly to separately. Family lawyers are advising their clients on the Internal Revenue Service’s guidance in 2020 and...

August 14, 2020

6 Digital Marketing Tips That Lawyers Can Use Today

We live in an increasingly virtual world. Gone are the days of relying exclusively on networking events and personal contacts to obtain clients. Digital marketing for lawyers is more important today than ever, and its value continues to grow. To help capture the momentum of this trend, here’s a list of six legal marketing tips for attorneys ready to pivot from traditional marketing tactics and focus their efforts...

August 03, 2020

5 Reasons Why PPP Loan Fraud Will Be a Growth Area for Years to Come

The short life of the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has been all about speed. As the COVID-19 pandemic paralyzed the economy in March 2020, the federal government hurriedly created the PPP loan program to rescue small businesses. Within three weeks, the program burned through its initial supply of $350 billion . By mid-July, 4.9 million loans worth more than $500 billion had...

July 29, 2020

Virtual Networking 101: 6 Tips for Attorneys Working from Home

If you’re a solo or small firm attorney, you know that networking in the legal profession is key when it comes to securing new clients. Unfortunately, as we learned with the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person interactions aren’t always an option. But even in remote office scenarios, you shouldn’t let networking fall to the bottom of your priority list. Though the term “virtual networking” can...

July 17, 2020

Four Tips for Job Hunting During an Economic Downturn

Spoiler alert: Job hunting during an economic downturn is challenging. A moment when businesses (including the nation’s largest law firms ) are trimming costs and laying off employees is not an ideal time to knock on the door for a job. Open positions are fewer, and the number of applicants for any one of them will probably be considerable. At the same time, it’s a mistake to let worries over how to find...

July 09, 2020

Four Reasons to Represent Creditors in Commercial Bankruptcies

It’s not exactly litigation; it’s not exactly contract negotiation. Bankruptcy practice is a unique beast, and for that reason, some lawyers don’t even consider it as a potential area of practice. But those lawyers could be turning away from an opportunity. Bankruptcy law certainly has a learning curve, but it’s not as steep as you might think. If you know what an I.O.U. is, you understand why...

July 07, 2020

When and How to Reopen the Office During COVID-19

After working from home for months, trying to stay healthy and curb the spread of COVID-19, law firm leaders have begun determining how and when to safely transition their workforce back to the office. Now that states are beginning to lift mandatory closure orders, here are some considerations for firms seeking to create policies that address the challenges of operating a business during the coronavirus pandemic. Create...

June 02, 2020

PPP Program Presents Four Big Questions for Law Firms

Small and midsize law firms have overwhelmingly pursued funding from the $660 billion Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which provides forgivable loans to help businesses avoid laying off workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing economic downturn. It also presents some tricky questions for law firms that receive funding. Here are some basics on how this U.S. aid program works, the process for receiving the funds...

May 22, 2020

Want to Expand Your Small Firm? Explore the Bankruptcy Practice Area

If you’re a law firm leader seeking to expand your firm’s practice areas, you’re not alone. Many firms are in the same boat and may be seeking other practice areas that present growth opportunities. An economic downturn, combined with a retail market that is seeing more and more brick-and-mortar stores close , portend that the U.S. is about to experience a wave of bankruptcies . Specifically on the...

May 15, 2020

Two Practice Areas Poised to Expand Despite the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Changing Legal Landscape At least in the short term, it’s clear that the Coronavirus pandemic is reshaping the legal industry. But it’s not all bad news. Data has revealed that while activity in some practice areas is slowing, other practice areas are seeing an increase. Yet despite the sheer volume of unknowns as the world confronts COVID-19, there are some emerging trends that may help attorneys navigate...

April 22, 2020

Product Liability: A Growing Practice Area Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

A Case Filing Surprise It’s no secret that the Coronavirus and related quarantine measures are having a big impact on lawyers and law firms. Yet while activity in many practice areas is slowing, one in particular is bucking the trend: product liability. In fact, data has shown an uptick of over 300 percent in product liability case filings in civil federal court. Three. Hundred. Percent. So attorneys are still...

April 13, 2020

Four Ways Litigators Can Be Productive as COVID-19 Halts Litigation Across the Country

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented pause in litigation. For the first time in 100 years, the Supreme Court of the United States has postponed oral arguments , California state courts have postponed trials and Pennsylvania state courts are closed . And courts in virtually every state and federal district (at the appellate and trial levels) have extended deadlines, postponed trials or have outright shut down...

April 02, 2020

Will Virtual Law Firms be the Next Big Thing?

Due to social-distancing measures put in place to address the spread of the novel coronavirus, many lawyers and staff have found themselves working from home. While most aren’t running virtual law firms in the strictest sense, many are now likely wondering about the benefits of not having a traditional brick-and-mortar office. Does that mean we’ll see the legal industry shift en masse to a virtual model...

March 19, 2020

Coronavirus Impact on Restructuring and Bankruptcy: Client Alert Digest

This client alert discusses the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on companies that may now need to restructure or file for bankruptcy. COVID-19 has already led to bankruptcy and insolvency filings in different industries, including the drug, retail, airline, and cruise industries. These and other industries (such as the oil and gas industry) are experiencing severe financial distress during this turbulent time...