June 03, 2021

GC Spotlight: A Conversation with Kermit Lowery of LexisNexis

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of one-on-one interviews with leaders of corporate legal departments in the U.S. This month we spoke to Kermit Lowery, who is retiring in June 2021 after a 33-year career at LexisNexis. Kermit has served as the Vice President of Legal for LexisNexis North America since 2016 and has made an indelible mark on both the business success and the culture of the company over...

May 26, 2021

Top Six Reasons Small Law Firms Prefer Lexis+™ to Westlaw Edge®

Lexis+ ™ and Westlaw Edge ® are arguably the two most well-known legal research services for attorneys. When it comes to evaluating them, however, there are several important distinctions. LexisNexis ® was the first to put legal research online and—true to form—continues to lead the way in innovative legal research advances, which is why legal firms across the nation use the LexisNexis services...

March 02, 2021

Free Webinar: What to Expect on Immigration from the Biden Administration

In February 2021, LexisNexis® held a webinar with immigration law experts Stephen Yale-Loehr, Ron Wada and Dan Kowalski to explore key policy changes anticipated from the Biden administration. From the definition of immigrant vs. non-immigrant to regulatory actions, this hour-long event covered a variety of topics related to the future of immigration including how Biden Administration changes might affect: Individuals...

February 25, 2021

When You Can’t Go It Alone: Finding and Working with the Right Co-Counsel

As the U2 song goes: “Sometimes you can’t make it on your own.” Alas, such is the case for litigators. Like anyone entering an important relationship, solo and small-firm lawyers seeking co-counsel need to find someone who is compatible, shares similar professional interests and will work collaboratively to achieve common goals. The first step in that process is deciding what role that co-counsel will...

February 22, 2021

Six Key Differences Between Litigation and Arbitration

Ordinarily, when two parties to a contract have a legal dispute, they can turn to the court system to settle the issue. But depending on how the contract was drafted, the parties might not have that option. Instead, they may be forced to resolve their differences through arbitration. Using specific language, commonly called a “dispute resolution” clause, parties can decide ahead of time that any possible...

February 09, 2021

Feature Spotlight: Lexis+ Litigation Analytics Gives Small & Mid-sized Firms an Edge in the Courtroom

No matter the size of your firm – even those with thousands of attorneys on staff – litigation is complicated. For smaller firms, the challenges are magnified exponentially. Often working with limited resources, small and mid-sized firm litigators don’t just need to strategize and exercise the trial skills necessary to win a piece of litigation – they need to do so more efficiently than their...

February 03, 2021

What the New Congress Means for Small- and Mid-Sized Firm Lawyers

On the night of the inauguration, Katy Perry capped a day of great pomp and circumstance with a celebratory performance of “Firework” that lit up the D.C. sky. It was an exclamation point on a day marking the momentous transition from one presidency to the next. But a far more serene event that unfolded in the capital more than two weeks earlier is likely to have a bigger near-term impact on the professional...

February 01, 2021

Building Your Law Firm Through Of Counsel Relationships

Sometimes solo practitioners and small law firms find that their client matters require legal counsel outside their core practice areas. Other times, client matters grow to the point where overflow work and trial preparation simply can’t be handled by their firms’ own lawyers. In these situations, firms may refer these matters out entirely or bring on co-counsel to assist. But there may be a better way for...

January 06, 2021

Understanding the Interplay Between Strict Liability and Product Liability

Strict liability and products liability are foundational theories of legal liability relied on by personal injury lawyers when seeking justice for clients who have suffered at the hands of third parties. These two theories are related and share similarities—but they are not identical. Strict Liability: Liability No Matter the Level of Fault In contrast to intentional torts and negligence, the legal theory of...

December 03, 2020

Five Tips for Bankruptcy Lawyers Whose Practices Are Not Booming During an Economic Downturn

During the past few economic downturns, one of the most common refrains has been the expected boom of corporate and individual bankruptcies. The downturn brought about by COVID-19 was no exception. If we were to use news headlines as our barometer, predictions of many COVID-19-related bankruptcies were spot-on. Major corporations like Brooks Brothers, Chuck E. Cheese, GNC, Hertz, J.C. Penney, Lord & Taylor, and Neiman...

November 12, 2020

Equity for Non-Lawyers: An Unexpected Opportunity for Small Firms

For decades, the rule has been clear: non-lawyers may not hold an ownership stake in a law firm. Period. End of discussion. This prohibition has long been codified in state bar ethics guidelines and rules of professional responsibility. Yet recently, the landscape of ethics rules has started to look different. One major force—perhaps the major force—behind those changes is the growing sophistication of...

November 10, 2020

From the Bar to the Bench: Transitioning from Lawyer to Judge

Very few people begin their careers as judges. This means that as daunting as the transition from the bar to the bench might seem, there are currently thousands of judges across the country who have made the same move. So, why not you? For many trial lawyers contemplating a career change that will enable them to remain connected to the courtroom, pursuing a judgeship is a logical move. Our legal system needs knowledgeable...

November 05, 2020

Four Tips for Litigating Virtually

Judges in state and federal courts generally agree that during COVID times, virtual litigation is the only way to keep the U.S. court system moving forward. And while it’s not ideal to litigate remotely—for example, there’s no guarantee that remote jurors are actually paying attention to the case—it is necessary . It’s unclear when in-person litigation will be an option again, so virtual...

October 30, 2020

Accelerating Attorney Efficiencies with Daniel Lewis

Data Visualization and Integration Accelerate Attorney Efficiency Interview with Daniel Lewis, V.P. Practical Guidance & Analytical Content, LexisNexis It’s Friday afternoon and a client calls about a potential merger, or a partner asks for extensive due diligence research. Kiss your weekend goodbye and settle in for endless hours of research. On top of that—if the assignment is in an unfamiliar practice...

October 30, 2020

A New Era in Legal Research with Jeff Pfeifer and Above the Law

We’re excited to share an exclusive Special Report Podcast with Above the Law: Introducing a New Era in Legal Research . Listen in as LexisNexis Chief Product Officer for North America Jeff Pfeifer (@JeffPfeifer) leads Evolve the Law Contributing Editor Ian Connett (@QuantumJurist) through an exciting insider’s tour of the next generation of legal technology, featuring a sneak preview of a revolutionary...

October 23, 2020

Five Effective Tech Tools for Litigators

It’s probably not a revelation that technology can make a litigator’s job easier. After all, the same can be said for any attorney, regardless of specialization. That said, modern litigators have a suite of practice-specific and general legal solutions at their disposal that, when properly leveraged, can help take their practices to the next level. Here are five effective tech applications that can help...

October 15, 2020

Is It Possible To Find A Mentor As A Solo Attorney?

For legal professionals just starting their career, or solo attorneys who spend most of their professional time working alone, it can be incredibly beneficial to seek out a mentor for encouragement and guidance. Solo attorneys can get stuck in a certain mindset or workflow given the solitary nature of their profession. By working with a mentor, solo attorneys can get insights into their strengths and weaknesses from...

October 15, 2020

Product Liability Playbook

Product liability-related court activity is trending up. Way up. In fact, a 2020 analysis revealed that it had increased over 300 percent. But it’s tough to pin down exactly what’s driving this trend. Product liability matters are multi-faceted, cover a wide range of legal topics and span many industries. So, how can a savvy product liability attorney step in and assist an ever-growing list of folks...

October 15, 2020

Four Ways Small and Midsize Firms Can Make the Most of the 2020 Hiring Market

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic downturn on law firm hiring is on the minds of many. While no Big Law firm has yet canceled its first-year class, many are pushing back start dates until 2021, or until after the postponed bar exams. While this presents an issue for first-year associates (essentially putting them on pause), it also creates opportunity. Opportunity for who? For the incoming...

October 09, 2020

The Power of Artificial Intelligence in Legal Research

Both Lexis ® and Lexis+ ™ demonstrate that artificial intelligence-powered legal research is a game-changer for lawyers and their firms, helping them find relevant information faster, more efficiently and cost-effectively. Artificial intelligence (AI), of course, refers to computer software and systems that rather than only relying on pre-programmed tasks, learn, plan, reason and process natural language as...

September 29, 2020

Drug Distributors and Medical Device Makers Increasingly Targeted in Lawsuits

The number of product liability lawsuits continues to rise, with pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers among the targets of many of these filings. According to a Lex Machina® report on federal product liability litigation trends, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers faced 2,011 filings in 2019, down slightly from 2018 but far above the average since 2010 and greater than the number of lawsuits...

September 23, 2020

Self-Driving Cars Run Into Product Liability Issues

There was once a time when the idea of a self-driving car seemed like something straight out of a movie. Even just five years ago, there were only five states where testing these vehicles was even allowed. Now automated vehicles have become a far more common sight. And as self-driving cars become more and more visible, it may not be surprising that there is now a new legal concern for companies: motor vehicle product...

September 17, 2020

Five Steps to an Effective Cross-Examination

Experienced trial lawyers will tell you that, while it may have taken them a few trials to become good at cross-examination, it took their entire careers to become great at it. Although Hollywood would have us believe that a cross-examination is a dramatic battle between a lawyer and a witness, the truth is that a cross-examination is really an opportunity to build your client’s case with the “help”...

September 10, 2020

How Law Firms Can Support Employees with Kids at Home this School Year

With the most unique and challenging school year in modern history underway, both schools and parents have been faced with tough decisions. Many schools are going totally remote, including school districts in major U.S. cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Houston, Atlanta, Nashville and Chicago —and the list is only growing. With so many children destined for home-based learning this year, many...

September 04, 2020

Why Do Small Law Firms Feel Pressure from Clients?

Dealing with clients in a professional and effective manner is an important aspect of the legal profession. Investing in and valuing client relationships is critical to having low client churn and successful small law practice. However, the legal market is quickly shifting from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market. As a result, keeping clients satisfied has become more of a priority for your bottom line than...